Training
Should I wait until my puppy is 6 months old to schedule training lessons?
Many people have heard that you should wait until your puppy is 6 months old to begin training. This is a serious mistake based on misconceptions. Trainers who use very harsh methods always counsel waiting until the pup is 6 months old, not because the puppy can’t learn at a younger age, but because the methods are so harsh that they might injure a young pup!
I should at least wait until he has finished his puppy vaccinations, right?
Some veterinarians tell people to keep their puppies out of public areas until after they have finished their vaccinations. This is one of the biggest mistakes that owners make, since a puppy’s socialization period lasts from 7-12 weeks, and is long over by the time vaccinations are completed. The pup may be less likely to get sick this way, but he is almost guaranteed to have social problems. Cool Dog has clean facilities that house well-cared for pet dogs. It is highly unlikely that any of these dogs are carrying dangerous diseases.
So, how old should my puppy be when I start training?
8 weeks old is an ideal age to start training your puppy. At this age, puppies are extremely impressionable, and still young enough to be very willing and eager to please. Whether you are aware of it or not, you are training your puppy from the moment you bring him home. Training, after all, is just another word for communication. Puppies pick up on your cues and follow your example, just like they would with their mother, and lessons taught at this age, intentionally or un-intentionally, are difficult to change later on.
Why don’t you use special training equipment like clickers or pinch, choke, or shock collars?
All training tools, when used properly and knowledgeably, can have their place. At Cool Dog, our primary goal is to teach you and your dog how to understand and interact with one another naturally and freely (think “Lassie”). Most training tools are no help in this regard, and some even tend to break down the trust and understanding between owner and dog.
If you don’t use special training tools, how do you get the dogs to obey?
The Cool Dog methods are time-honored and highly effective. These techniques have been used for thousands of years, long before special collars and clickers were ever invented. Dog training, like most things, goes through fads, and the most recent fads have emphasized the use of many special gadgets and tools, but long before that, ever since man and dog first teamed up, people have been effectively and naturally training their dogs without the assistance of anything more than a leash, a little food, and a lot of emotion and affection.
Why don’t you have Board & Train packages that are shorter than 14 nights?
In most cases we don’t feel that we can provide sufficient training or behavior work to make a difference in less than two weeks. Most dogs take two weeks just to get fully relaxed in a new environment and begin showing their true personalities. There are rare exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, a dog just needs a couple of days to practice one particular skill, like sit-stay. For those occasions, individual boarding & train nights may be scheduled.
Boarding
Why do you require all dogs to be evaluated before boarding?
The ultimate goal of all of our work at Cool Dog is to improve the lives of people and their pets. We want all of our clients to have happy, well-behaved dogs that are examples to the community and are a joy to live with. We evaluate all of the dogs we work with to make sure that our goals are the same as the client’s goals, and to make sure that all of the dogs at our facility are safe for our staff and the other dogs to be around.
Why do you have such a long waiting list for boarding?
Cool Dog is a very small boarding facility. Our small size has many benefits, such as personalized care, and a quieter and calmer environment. One the other hand, we tend to have longer waiting lists because we simply cannot fit as many dogs in at once. Feel free to try to get in last minute if you need to, since we sometimes have spots available, but try to plan ahead if you want to be certain of your spot.
Why don’t you have a list of extra “special services” on your boarding page?
Many boarding facilities offer extra services for extra prices, such as walk time, pet time, extra blankets, administration of medication, and giving extra treats. Cool Dog’s boarding fees are all inclusive. Since we are such a small facility, we are able to spend time with each dog every day taking them for walks, petting them, and playing games. Dogs that we know and trust well sometimes get to play with other dogs in the yard, and dogs often get to hang out in the house with us. If your dog needs medication, we will give it to him at no extra charge. The only services that Cool Dog charges extra for are the “bathe and brush” and “nail trimming”.
Do you board puppies?
We accept puppies 8 weeks old and older. Whether you are leaving town or not, it’s actually a really good idea to board your puppy for a few days sometime before he reaches 12 weeks of age. At our small facility, your puppy will get to meet other well-behaved dogs and will learn that other people besides you can offer him food, shelter, and love. A dog that understands that everyone can offer him these things is almost guaranteed to never develop aggression or other anti-social behaviors. |
