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miller2623 User is Offline

Posts:2

01/24/2013 4:00 PM
Thinking about taking Jack my 7 month old GSP to a petsmart training class. Hes a very chill and relaxed puppy that so far has trained very well. He comes sits and stays on command but still has his puppy moments. This is my first puppy that I plan on hunting and I think this class will help me learn some good training techniques. Does anyone have any expierence with petsmart training classes? I would do a hunting training class but dont have $1000 plus to spend.

smatulewicz User is Offline

Michigan

MH
Posts:1191

01/24/2013 4:44 PM
Our Petsmart hired a girl to run the training classes who had no experience and didn't even own a dog. I am not sure what training, if any, they provided to prepare her, but I talked with an owner who took her golden ret. puppy and it was attacked the first class. She said the "trainer" was clearly taken a back and had no idea what to do. Needless to say many didn't return and asked for a refund. However, bear in mind ours just opened and finding a qualified trainer where we live would be difficult so I am sure others might be different. At minimum, it would be great socialization for your pup.

Max2

Oneonta NY

MH
Posts:1111

01/25/2013 4:19 AM
I have found with these guys (GSP's) when they hit the 7-12 month period they start to think they got you all figured out.They get a little bit like " I heard what you said but I am not going to listen" It would be nice if you could find some people in your area with an interest in birddog training that you could work with. I mentioned the 7-12 month thing in the event you may have felt pup wasn't doing as well as before. They can get a little headstrong as if they are trying to say ." Look at my bad self " Lot's of luck & I am sure you will be able to put it all together.

Chris

Splat

Illinois (Northern)

MH
Posts:3136

01/25/2013 7:31 AM
It may or may not be worth joining the class... I think they do group classes which is great for practicing with distractions...

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7846

01/25/2013 10:54 AM
Most PetSmart trainers are not very good and they have a very high turnover rate. If you are looking simply for socialization, it is probably fine. However, you mention learning training techniques, so I would not recommend the classes for that. Look for a trainer that trains for competition. Even if you are not going to compete in something like obedience, the fact that they compete means they are a bit better equipped to train you and your dog. It is very hard to find good trainers, so ask around at vets, etc. Also do some searches online. If you have a NAVDHA Chapter in your area, they would be much better at helping you in the right direction. Also, buy some books and start reading. I have learned some phenomenal techniques from books. The good news is shorthairs are very forgiving of our mistakes as trainers. There are also some good resources online on YouTube, but you also have to be careful there as anyone can post on YouTube. Dogwise.com is a great resource for dog training books and videos. If you plan to hunt, then you might also want to check out Perfect Start and Perfect Finish on the Perfection Kennels sight.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

kpwlee

Raleigh, NC

MH
Posts:997

01/26/2013 2:59 PM
While I agree that Petsmart trainers can be fairly poor, one of our Petsmart's has a really lovely trainer. Just basic stuff but lots of local people have used her and are very happy. If you can try to talk to people that have used a trainer and see what you find out. Ask about methods, etc. My experience with trainers has been very mixed. I am glad that I am more experienced now because I would interview any trainer before I handed any money over. I have a good idea of what does and doesn't work with my boy so a few questions will give me all I need to know before signing up

It's Bugsy's world... http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/

miller2623 User is Offline

Posts:2

01/27/2013 11:50 AM
Thanks guys I ended up finding a gun dog trainer who would do private lessons for relatively cheap. He comes with really good reviews to. But if anyone else knows of another trainer in the Central New York area that would be awesome.

Max2

Oneonta NY

MH
Posts:1111

01/28/2013 4:42 AM
I consider where we live to be central NY. Though I don't know any trainers in this area. I have heard that more gsp's are showing up around here. At the Syracuse sportsman show a couple yrs ago there was a gentleman there with a booth advertiseing gundog training. Seemed like a good & knowledgeable person from Newark Valley. Don't remember his name but will look for his bussiness card. What part of NY are you guy's in ? You can learn a lot on this site & Texasbell as stated above has some great tips.

Chris

GSP_Brooklyn User is Offline

Posts:5

02/05/2013 11:13 AM
I live in the Binghamton area in New York and there is a local NAVDHA group that is located in Greene, NY and I have been told that they will be meeting in the spring sometime. I have a 5 month old GSP and have been taking her to obedience training with a reputable trainer. Since going to the class she has made leaps and bounds in her training and I plan on taking her to a NAVDHA meeting in the spring to see what they are all about.

kamper

Posts:2

02/11/2013 10:35 PM
Ok got it Perfect Start/Finish - thanks. The description on the website claims "proper use of ecollar" in Perfect Start, so its expected to live up to that claim. I was hoping for step by step do's and don'ts to get off on the right foot. The Finish video states Implemention the correct way. Hmmmm, so am I to believe there's very little good stuff about using the ecollar properly in vid 1? I already ordered it and they have a money back guarantee. From your reviews etc they seem like they cover some essential training methods - with or without the ecollar section. Thanks for your input. Kamper

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7846

02/12/2013 9:03 AM
Perfect Start and Finish are great training videos for hunting. They will also show you how they use the ecollar. There are other uses for the ecollar though that they don't show in the video because it focuses on training a dog to hunt.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

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