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Narrowing down your choices of dog obedience schools can be challenging, especially if you are a new dog owner that doesn't know what to look for in a dog training school.

Many new dog owners believe that dog obedience school is only suited for puppy obedience training and that their older dogs will not be accepted into the class. Although some schools focus on puppy training, most schools offer classes for dogs of all ages and all levels of training.

Remember that while dog obedience training is to help teach the basic commands, it can also be a great way to spend time with your dog and to help them bond with you. If you are having a specific problem with your pet, such as they are rolling in stinky stuff or running away every time you open the door, there are also classes that are specifically geared towards this type of obedience problems.

Once you decide that you are interested in attending dog obedience training with your pooch, it is best to take a few minutes to research exactly what to look for in an obedience school.

Types of Training:

Some dog owners might be looking for basic command training, while others will be looking for advanced training to use their dogs for agility challenges, fowl hunting and retrieving and even for training. As well, some schools will focus on a certain type of training, so it is important to consider whether their training matches your needs as a dog owner. It is also helpful to look for a dog training school that offers various levels of obedience training, in case you would like to continue on with your dog training to help remain consistent with your dog.

Methods of Training:

Before you rush into the nearest dog training school and sign up for classes, you should attend an orientation or another training class to get an idea of what type of training the instructor or instructors will be using. Remember that just as you might not agree with the method a fitness instructor uses for teaching a class, you also might not agree with the training methods an instructor uses for teaching a dog obedience class.

Instructor Experience:

One of the most important things to look for is the type of experience the instructor has working with dogs. Are they simply a dog lover that is really good with animals or have they actually received formal dog obedience training? Remember that not all states will require dog instructors to have formal training, so it is up to your discretion to determine whether the instructor is suited to teach classes.

References:

Because there are so many different schools to choose from, you really should select a school that offers references from satisfied customer. You may also want to verify these references by asking veterinarians or local dog owners that have completed dog obedience schools.