Tanya (02-10-2016), windycanyon (02-10-2016)
I would think puppy socials would be great as long as they are learning how to play nicely. Our puppy classes used play time as a reward for working hard in class. We also used that time to train/proof recalls and other things. As for the growling....some dogs are vocal. Maverick grunts and growl when he plays. At her age just monitor her interactions with the kids and don't let it get anywhere close to rough.
Tanya (02-10-2016), windycanyon (02-10-2016)
So perhaps people need to take a step back and realize that social issues aren't changeable past ~15 wks. I just don't get why people pay trainers to let their pups play past puppy K. By 6ms, a Lab is ready to WORK. Well most should be...
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arentspowell (02-10-2016)
Our classes w/ Hoku (about 1.5 hours long) involve lectures, very focuses training, more training, about 15 minutes of dog play out in the field, then back in for more training, more lectures, more training. The play time allows the dogs to shake off some energy and come back to focus, but it's not really for socialization (although the trainers supervise, so if there is a rowdy dog—there's one unaltered male who is a bit rude now—they are corrected).
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Tanya (02-10-2016)
I have never had a puppy class where play was allowed/encouraged. Our dogs are learning they don’t NEED to interact with every dog they meet as when they are working they are expected to be focused on their handler, not the other dogs in the vicinity.
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Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
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barry581 (02-11-2016), Mudlark (02-10-2016), windycanyon (02-10-2016)
Most puppy classes I know of do socialization the last few minutes of class to teach the owners about what's right and wrong and how to deal with it. Also, how not to freak out over normal play and make their puppies neurotic. They also teach a positive "break-up", i.e., how to successfully pull your pup out of a situation where the pup is bullying or things are getting out of hand. As long as the trainer is competent, I think it's a great idea.
I'm also a fan of puppy socialization hours, as long as the puppy enjoys it and as long as it is closely monitored by competent trainers.
In both cases, the age limit is typically 6 months. I've never personally seen a class beyond puppy kindergarten or STAR puppy that allows for socialization.
All of my dogs went to puppy k and puppy romps and are no worse for the wear for it. Linus was never that into other dogs, so he did not go to puppy romps and during puppy k spent most of the time playing with toys with people.
Tanya (02-10-2016)
I don't think these socialization opportunities are necessarily a bad thing and I'm not knocking them but these "interactions" with a trainer present to moderate and show you appropriate behavior are quite peculiar if you think about them. It reminds me of helicopter parenting in a way if you step back and think about it.
quite the opposite for me. The trainers encouraged me to LET THINGS KEEP GOING (and they were right) when I was going to step in. A good trainer will nto encourage you to helicopter. They will explain appropriate dog play VS inappropriate. I know to many of you this sounds super obvious but it really is not to most new dog owners (or not so new). I really honestly no NO IDEA on appropriate play for the longest time as our dogs never had play dates or played (we had one dog, the time we had two they never played). My first tip to the dog park with Rocky (he was 2) I freaked out. During class I was a few fosters in and had spent much more time at the dog park but still very much learning an appropriate VS inappropriate.
Obviously this will depend on quality of trainer. But to me learning about play is actually quite important for pet owners.
For those who are very experienced in dogs, dog play and have lots of other avenues to socialize their puppies and let them play I get this seems pointless. But to the average new puppy owner (or ifs someone is new to a city) it's not at all "evident" or "easy".
Ivy
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Labradorks (02-10-2016)
Echoing Tanya, the vast majority of puppy owners freak out and coddle their dogs and have to be told that it's normal because yes, some owners over-manage, which is as much of an issue as under-managing.
I feel confident in saying that that 100% of the pet owners I have been around in puppy class over the past several years are on one extreme or the other -- either over-managing or thinking that bullying is OK.
Thanks so much for the really helpful feedback and ideas. We have already implemented some of your suggestions with our young daughter and her engagements with the puppy. It is hard for her to hear that she can't sit on the floor to pet or snuggle, but I've assured her that time will come once Stella is trained and a bit older. I do think this thread has gone on a tangent, though, or else my OP wasn't clear.
at the major training centers near us they have two puppy opportunities. One is paid obedience classes, aka puppy kindergarten. Stella will start those classes tomorrow. The other is a weekly free play date for puppies under 16wks old. It allows puppies that haven't yet been fully vax'd to engage in a play setting with other puppies, building on the socia
ization they got while still with their litter mates. There is a space limit, and it is moderated to help guide puppies who are being too rough and to offer observations to owners. It is not designed to be a training opportunity.
I can see that being the case. Daisy was my first dog but she's about to 6 now so we are way past the puppy stage. By the time Lily came around, thanks to resources like this board, we felt experienced enough to know what appropriate/inappropriate interactions and behaviors are. I can see those opportunities being really helpful to new dog owners though. Thanks for explaining.
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