Hi,
What do you guys think of using Petsmart for Puppy Kindergarten?
My primary goal is socialization with other pups.

This is just my opinion and others might disagree with me on this, but I would avoid the Petsmart thing.

I would socialize your pup with dogs known to you. I've witnessed their puppy kindergartens and it's often a free-for-all with trainers that don't always know what they're doing and owners that don't know how to handle their dogs.

It can be overwhelming to a pup and your element of control there is significantly decreased.

How old is your pup and do you plan on working with this dog, or just having it as a pet? What breed is it?

I have to agree with Amber. I've never been in a Petsmart class, but I've watched them. They seem a bit chaotic and disorganized, and the puppy classes are often a little too large for the trainer to handle.

It also really depends on who the trainer is and how they manage the space. I don't know, maybe observe before making your decision.

I wouldn't want my puppy in that environment, personally.

A good dog (any dog actually) is worth a good trainer IMO...not to knock Petsmart trainers but well, they wouldn't get my pup.

Way too much going on in those classes which translates to the distraction phase of training. Read Ed's article on this site, scroll down to LEERBURG'S OBEDIENCE TRAINING PROGRAM
http://www.leerburg.com/groundwork.htm

Maybe a suggestion for those of you in cities/suburbs- I posted a sign around my neighborhood saying I had a young puppy and invited others in my area with puppies under a certain age to call me and to bring their puppies over to my house for socialization. Ended up getting 3 people with same age puppies coming over 2-3 times per week for 30 minutes at a time with all of us supervising the puppy play in a fenced in yard. Worked out great.

Hi,
My neighbor has a male lab. he is a senior and pretty easy going. I have no problem introducing him to my up.

There are also a few other male dogs (in my schutzhund club) that I can introduce her to.

The issue is finding dogs of the same age and sex to introduce her to. I don't know anyone with puppies around 10 weeks of age.

There are a few dog schools in the area, but most of their puppy classes are in late April to mid-May.

I knew the Petsmart obedience classes were not recommended. i just wondered about the puppy classes.

Hi Carolyn:

I signed our pup up for the Petsmart thing and although I won't say it is terrible, I probably wouldn't do it again. We didn't finish due to the whole diahreah/wheat intolerance issue, and the basis of motivation in the class was FOOD/TREATS. Not that in itself is bad, but when you are severly limiting one's diet, it just doesn't work. And I wouldn't continue in the class and not allow my pup to be the only that didn't get the treats.

I also found that in general the crowd didn't have control of their "pups" and that it was a bad example for "our baby". Most of the pups in the class were at least 6 to 8 months.

Finally, the trainer of our group new "her" material ... but it was the same material covered in our "Idiots Guide to Golden Retrievers". The only good part of that was she parroted what I had been telling my son, so it reinforced that small bit.

I would ask your vet or fellow respectable dog owner for a referral. I know that there are good trainers out there, somewhere. Good Luck!

Does your schutzhund club trainer want you to let your pup play with others ?????I have never heard of a working dog trainer wanting to have pups play together. It has always been my understanding that dogs have a pack mentallity, this means that some ones dog has to be second. In the sport, police and military world they want the dog to think and believe that each dog is at the top of the pile, this happens by teaching the dog to win from the moment they can move around. I personally dont let my dogs play together nor play with any other dogs. I want them to be able to do OB while on the same field as all the other dogs at the same time, I want my dogs to do their long down when competing in schutzhund, this happens while another dog is on the field. I do not want my dog to think that when another dog is around it is time to play. I am not trying to be snooty, maybe I mis read this thred. I thought you mentioned your schutzhund club????? There is a huge difference between the things you do to a home pet and a dog you are training to compete,or as a ppd type dog. I am of the opinion that serious sport or protection dogs should not play together. why????? You as the dogs owner must decide whats best for your dog.What I would do is look at the people who have succeeded in the schutzhund world that every body respects and follow their exsample. Here are some of the people who's training methods I try to follow, Armin winkler, Gary Hanrahan, Gary Parks, Jim Lempner, Lucilliano Oliva. Ask, do these people let their Sport dogs play together? Please foregive my being foreward. I mean no offence. If this is a sport dog I would'nt let my dogs play, if its a family pet I might?

Hi,

Lance, I have taken no offense at your post.

I have not discussed this with my schutzhund trainer.

I am not trying to have my dog be part of a "playgroup". I am trying to get my dog used to being around other dogs. I do not want to have the type of dog that wants to kill/fight with any other dog. I want my dog to be socialized to the point it can see another dog without going berserk.

I am interested in schutzhund, but not to the point of getting to national competition. If I can title my dog, fantastic. If I can not, that is also fine.

Your dog doesn't need to play with other dogs. Dogs don't need other dog "friends". This is just a marketing gimmick to try & get people into the store to buy more stuff. Some of their trainers probably mean well, but believe me when I tell you Petco/Petsmart's motivation behind providing these silly classes is to get you to buy more merchandise. Be your dogs' best friend by playing with him and training him.