HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST GROUP CLASS
We all get excited about attending a new dog training class or a course with our dog but preparation is a key to a good, stress-free experience for you and your dog.
Below is a list of items we would recommend you to bring to a group class and few simple steps you can take to ensure your dog has the best possible experience.
Before the class
Build food drive
If your dog isn't mad about food, you can help them grow their food drive in the weeks / days leading up to their first class. Use a majority (or ideally all!) of your dog's daily food allowance for interactions
with you instead of feeding them from a bowl.
Grab a handful of food and make it come alive! Roll it for your dog to chase, throw it for them to catch, get your dog to follow the food in your hand. Be creative, animate it, have fun with it and make it come alive!
On the day of the class, reduce your dog's food (or skip their breakfast all together if you are attending a morning class) to increase their food drive during the session.
Shake off the energy
Exercise your dog lightly before the class. A short 15 walk on a lead or a calm potter around off lead will be more than sufficient. We don't want to tire them out completely, we just want to take the edge off but leave plenty of energy for learning!
Toilet break!
Make sure you take your dog out for a toilet break right before class, there will be a suitable grass area available at all of our class locations.
What to bring
1. Standard, non extendable lead
At Every Dog Can classes all dogs are required to be on lead throughout the class unless instructed
otherwise by your trainer - double ended lead or a lightweight longer line is ideal to give you more space to work with your dog.
2. Lower value rewards
Ideally that will be your dog's everyday food..
If you feed wet food or complete raw diet, these wet food squeezer bottles are a great accessory: https://www.platinum.co.uk/Dog/Products/Extras/DoggyCoach.html
3. Plenty of high value rewards (cut up into small pieces)
Opt in for healthy, meat based options e.g. cooked meats chopped into small pieces or high quality commercial rewards e.g. freeze dried treats, dehydrated meat treats or single protein pate.
Always bring more than you think you will need.
4. A good quality treat bag / pouch so you can access your dog’s rewards easily
Precise timing of reward delivery is a key in dog training. Being able to access your dog's rewards easily and quickly is going to help you see progress faster. A good quality treat bag / pouch can really help.
When choosing a treat bag look for a good sized bag that can hold a larger amount of food, one with a single hand operation system and a magnetic closure rather than a draw string one to keep the rewards secured when you move and bend down. A bag with a waist strap will be more stable and easier to use as oppose to one with a clip.
5. A tug toy or two
Find a super special toy that your dog does not have free access to at home and one which is only
used to interact with you. Opt in for a longer, soft toy that you and your dog can hold onto at the same time, toys with a longer handle will save you back ache! Make sure that toy pick a toy of an appropriate size for the size of your dog. Most dogs like a toy with a large bite area.
If you need inspiration, our own dogs and many of our clients dogs absolutely love these sheepskin chaser toys: https://tug-e-nuff.co.uk/products/sheepskin-chaser-tug?ref=EVERYDOGCAN
Or if your dog is more into food, check out this clam toy:https://tug-e-nuff.co.uk/products/bungee-clam?ref=EVERYDOGCAN
Our customers get a 10% off on their first order - simply use code EVERYDOGCAN at checkout.
You can also purchase these toys directly from us on your first session :)
6. A bed / boundary
We like to encourage all dog to settle on their beds in between exercises or during Q&A time. Don't worry, we will show you how to teach a reliable settle behaviour.
A raised bed or one with sides is ideal as it clearly defines the boundary area and separates it from the floor.
Make sure your dog's bed is of a suitable size so they can fit on it comfortably.
7. Poo bags
8. Water & water bowl for your dog
On arrival
Where possible we ask that you do not bring your puppy / dog out of the car straight away, we would like to make sure that we are setting them up for success. So, we ask that you gather all of your equipment (toys, beds, bowls etc.) first and bring them to the training area to set up your work station first and bring your dog / puppy to an organised space. We might also want to chat through the class structure before bringing the dogs out so once they are out all of our attention can be on the dogs.
To make sure that we are setting all dogs in class up for success and giving them best possible experience, we ask that you do not allow your dog / puppy to play with other dogs / puppies before the session. Don't worry, we know how important social interactions are, so there will be an appropriate time for greetings and interaction if appropriate for the group.
Encourage your dog to toilet before the class starts.
It is not unusual for dogs to be a little overwhelmed on their first class. You can help your dog settle into the situation by slowly scattering a little bit of their lower value food on and around their bed to encourage them to sniff and take their focus off the other teams.
During the session
Be mindful of entry and exit points around the training area to avoid any confrontation between the dogs
We would like everyone to have a positive, safe experience so we ask that you keep your puppy / dog on a lead at all times and pay close attention to their behaviour to prevent any accidental escapes. A longer lead or lightweight training line can be really useful.
Training class can be tiring for some dogs so try to encourage your dog to stay on their bed while we talk / your instructor explains exercises so they can have a rest and an opportunity to bring their energy down.
If you have any questions please ask away - that is what your instructor is there for.
Have fun with your dog! Training should be all about building relationship and having fun together.
After class
After class your dog is likely to be very tired. This might also demonstrate as a sudden outburst of energy - you might have heard of dog 'zoomies' before. This is all absolutely normal.
To help them settle following the class, take your dog out for a short toilet break, offer them an active calming activity such as a chew, KONG or a lickimat and encourage your dog to take a nap.
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