Who should go to class with the puppy?

GlennR

GlennR

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As Willow and I spend a lot of time together, we've established a good rapport and an understanding of how to best please each other. However, when my wife gets home, Willow gets quite demanding of her, going to her, jumping up, shrill barking. It seems no amount of my wife correcting the behavior stops it (and she uses the same techniques as I do). Willow persists until we have to take a little time out and ask Willow to go to her crate (which she willingly does). A few minutes seems to calm her and then she can come out again.

I was wondering if it might be better if they took classes together, to establish a bond, as opposed to me going with Willow. I have no problem going, I quite like training puppies but want the best for familial harmony. We did this with our standard poodles and it worked out fairly well. I'm not familiar enough with Shelties to know if there is any reason that it might not work as well with Willow.

Thoughts? Experiences? Advice? :)
 
I've seen at many classes when the husband and wife both go and take turns working the puppy. However you decide to do it, when practicing at home both have to work with the dog and you must be firm and not waiver. For example, my 90 year old mother will say 'sit' to Piper (at my insistence) but then give him the treat before he's sat! So just make sure your wife follows through in correcting behaviours before rewarding. Some of us are just more of a pushover lol plus you spend so much more time with Willow it may be harder to get her to listen to your wife.
With Piper I'm the only one who's ever done work with him (And we've been doing this for almost 3 1/2 years) and as a test my obedience instructor tried to get him to heel...he totally ignored her lol.
 
We had our oldest move back in with us so I am thinking he will do Brodie's Tuesday classes. Teaches him to work together, use positive things to get positive behavior and will give him a bit of self-esteem and hopefully some feeling of responsibility. I will attend but watch.

I plan on having our youngest do the Saturday classes if he is not working. Will give him some responsibility, teach him how to teach - he is the softy - and hopefully address sibling rivalry with at least 2 of the 3. I will also attend but watch.

I will work with him on other days so he and I can do our thing together as well.

Will let you know if it pans out or not.
 
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I think it's an excellent idea to have you wife participate, it will indeed help build a bond. for example, my hubby takes Eli to obedience class, and I do some practice at home with him. Willow should be fine with this arrangement.
 
I have entire families in my classes. Husband/wife teams will alternate, sometimes they both go to the first night and then alternate attendance, and sometimes just who is handling that night and both go. It is better if one person is responsible for one whole class at a time instead of swapping around during class (unless there is something one person particularly wants to focus on).

The reason why it's better to have both, is most of the training is about the person, not the dog. And if you don't have all members of the family on the same page, using the same phrases, hand signals and body language, it takes the dog a lot longer to learn. It often ends up with the dog taking most direction from the person who did the training.
 
My husband and I both took Rocket to classes. My husband needed them with Rocket more, but I went also to make sure that we were all on the same page. At that point, Rocket only obeyed me, hubs got more stern. And the more stern you are with Rocket, the less likely he is to listen.

I will say this though, with all of the normal dogs, my husband is a MUCH better trainer than I am.
 
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