# Petco/Petsmart obedience



## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Has anybody used either store for their obedience lessons? I really do need to get Gryff into some training lessons and I don't know if this is a viable option.


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

I think the classes vary from store to store, depending on the instructor.
I have taken all 3 of my dogs (as puppies) to the classes at the local Petsmart.

The classes were just ok. The problem is that the place is full of distractions i.e. smells, sounds, etc.

They had a small ring -type set-up for the class in the center of the store. 

We would then walk the dogs to the rear of the store and practice exercises such as recall etc.
My puppies , especially Magee, were extremely disctracted by the smell of the cat and dog food, customers with their dogs walking around, etc. Also, there were little "things", scraps of stuff on the floor. This was also very distracting for the dogs.

I know that distraction can be good in training, but when a pup is just beginning to learn, it makes things very difficult. First the dog should learn w/o constant distraction, and then as skills develop, adding distraction is good.
The socialization in the class was good for her. She is used to our dogs, but learned to relate to other dogs.


Cali and I just finished our beginner class at Petsmart and we are starting a new class, with trainer with an excellent reputation, held in a building just for training, on Monday night. It is $50. more than the Petsmart class, but I think it will be worth it.


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Our local PetSmart has the same set-up that Nan described. I too have heard the quality of the classes varies from place to place, some being great, others not so great. You might want to observe a class before signing up.

Tessa and I begin class at our local Obedience Club this Wed evening. I chose that route because they have advanced classes, rally, agility, etc, should we want to go further. But if Petsmart was all we had or I knew I just wanted some basic obedience skills I'd definitely go that route.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I took my first Hav to puppy obedience classes at Petsmart and it was wonderful! My puppy got to socialize with dogs of a variety of sizes and breeds in a safe, monitored setting, and he also got to learn with a lot of smells and distractions around him. Life has a variety of smells and distractions, so if he could learn there, he could function in the real world too.

I recommend taking a puppy class from the experienced instructor and not the teenager working part time. You should be able to ask about the experience of the different instructors.


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## HayCarambaMama (Dec 8, 2007)

Definitely depends! Our local Petsmart has a really GREAT instructor but our class with our former puppy (not Bonnie) only had one other puppy in it so, while the attention was good, I don't think the socialization etc was what it could be. Lots of distractions in the store, but that wasn't so bad as the ring is pretty "protected." Oh, and the push CLICKER training! LOL!!


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Beamer starts his beginner Obediance class this coming Thursday! 
We decided to no longer take the Pet Smart classes as they didnt seem to great. Puppy class was fun, but not much was learned.

I hope this new place is better!

Ryan


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

As Tessa has said, if Petsmart/Petco classes are the only ones available,I'd definitely attend.

I took the class because I live 2 minutes from Petsmart and I liked the instructor.

My new class will be 30 minutes roundtrip.

We have lots of options in this area.
I am working on having Cali pass the Delta Society Pet Partners evaluation so she can become a therapy dog like Chico.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

If you can I would recommend visiting and watching a class before you go to one. Likely it would be the same instructor for the next session at that time. Since it is in the building you can walk right up and watch. I would agree with others that it can be hit or miss. It all depends on the experience of the person who is teaching your class at that time.

Amanda


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## elregalohavanese (Jun 20, 2007)

*classes*

You may also want to look for a kennel club in your area. We have a wonderful club, Piedmont Kennel Club, in our area that has puppy kindergarten classes which were awesome. They are also cheaper than petsmart and the class is large and you gets lots of socialization. See if maybe a club in your area has these type of classes. We are very blessed to have them in ours. Susan


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Our Petsmart experience was AWFUL.

But with that being said, we were recommended to go there for a particular trainer, who ended up quitting the job our 2nd class and it was replaced with a 19 yo girl, that had only owned a dog for 4 months and went through a two week Petsmart class to become a trainer (former cashier)..she probably would've been happier staying at the register, she seemed frustrated and confused the whole time and I felt quite sorry for her.

SO..I would ask around and talk to locals that may have gone to your local one, because the trainers seem to really vary in experience and knowledge.

We did get some socialization, and that was great...but not worth the $. I probably could've taught the class from what I've learned on the forum! lol

Kara


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2008)

Ivy,

I have gone to group type puppy training in the past and found that the socialization part was good. But the down side was they booked too many clients and I found I wasn't getting the feed back I needed. I switched to private 1:1 lessons and found that in that setting the instructor could work with my dog (AND me) and it's particular temperment/issues in a room that had nothing else going on.

I agree with Kimbelry that smells, sounds and distractions are important, as you want your dog to ignore those and obey you. That's an important piece of the trainning..


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## MaddiesMom (Apr 1, 2007)

I took our first Hav to a petstore class (not Petsmart or Petco), and it was a good class, but the trainer had a ton of experience. I think its a hit and miss situation, so I'd definitely observe a class before committing. I took Maddie to a private training club that had trainers with years of experience in obedience competition with their dogs, and it was terrific. They used positive reinforcement techniques, had excellent control of the class, and we learned alot. Maddie really did well under this circumstance. I would recommend a club if possible, but at least make sure your trainer is very experienced and has excellent control over the class. An inexperienced trainer that can't control their class can make things worse for your dog.


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2008)

Jeanne..I agree..finding a good trainer is not always easy, and it's really a bummer when you pay top dollar and get less than quality training.

BTW..It's worth your time to ask questions and state what your expectations are.
Also..READ the entire contract before you sign..especially the part about payment and refunds!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

*My experience with Petsmart training*

I enrolled Lincoln in the beginner and intermediate Petsmart training classes. The advantages of Petsmart are that they have classes that meet during the daytime - not just weekends and not just dinner time/evening time which didn't work for my schedule. Another advantage is the pace of the class - it is slower, so you have more time to work with your dog and there isn't this pressure to get your dog to achieve a skill so quickly that you feel compelled to use more force (choke chain, etc.) or other devices to keep up with the pace of the class. Also, the price is pretty reasonable!

That said, the quality of the class depends 99% on the actual instructor. We are lucky to have a fabulous instructor at my local store - she is newer, but is such a natural that within a short time she has become the top trainer in this area of CA (for Petsmart). She has been "training" her own dogs all her life and used to be an accountant before deciding she really wanted to work with dogs! She told me that the actual "training" that she got from Petsmart to be a trainer wasn't that impressive and that she has incorporated many things into her training classes/methods that she picks up from other places and on her own. She also teaches an advanced class with tricks - the curriculum is not a standard Petsmart one, but pretty much her own. Since she is excellent, they give her a lot of leeway.

I think if your goals are to learn how to train your dog in some basics and some socialization, the Petsmart classes (with a decent trainer) can be helpful. It is really great to have someone show you what you are doing wrong and how to encourage your particular dog with his/her quirks to learn a new skill. That is something you cannot get from books or videos.

If your goal is something like CGC, obedience, etc. you may want to find a more rigorous class designed for that. I am considering finding something more CGC-oriented for Scout....eventually....

Good luck :biggrin1:


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## Guest (Jan 7, 2008)

Speaking of training..I was working with Sophie (who is 4) and Gabriel (who is 2) on the sit/stay command. At first I did 1:1's and then I tried putting them together. Well, surprisingly, Sophie would stay when Gabe broke out of it and came to me. Sophie was willing to wait for the command..Gabe was like a little antsy kid who couldn't wait to get that treat! hahahahaha! I wish I had a video camera!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jane said:


> The advantages of Petsmart are that they have I think if your goals are to learn how to train your dog in some basics and some socialization, the Petsmart classes (with a decent trainer) can be helpful. *It is really great to have someone show you what you are doing wrong and how to encourage your particular dog with his/her quirks to learn a new skill. That is something you cannot get from books or videos.*


Emphasis mine, but Jane said it so well!


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