Here at Crossbones, our goal is that you hit the ground running and start making progress in your very first dog training class. In today’s post, I’ll outline some common but costly dog owner mistakes when it comes to attending classes. Set yourself up for success and get the most out of your dog training investment!

Don’t make these mistakes

Not bringing enough treats. Running out of treats is game over! Bring at least 200 treats to dog training class – for most treats, that’s 2 cups. If you have a tiny puppy or toy breed dog, cut the treats teeny-tiny so they’re half the size of a pea. Also consider packing a squeeze tube of something delicious, like canned dog food. This is a great way to give your dog a high-value reward without filling up their belly.

Bringing treats that are too large for dog training. Most store-bought treats are too big for effective reward-based training. All training rewards should be no bigger than a size of a pea (smaller for toy breed dogs and tiny puppies). All treats need to be broken up into small pieces before class, not during. You can’t break up treats and train your dog effectively at the same time – no multitasking!

Bringing kibble or store-bought treats. Maximize each class you take with your dog by bringing high value treats every single time. Your dog’s kibble that they get “for free” in a bowl twice a day is not good enough for dog training class. Neither are crunchy biscuits.

You can experiment with lower value treats only after you’ve taken several classes successfully. Review our blog post What Makes a Great Training Treat? for more info on this topic.

Forgetting equipment. Be sure to review the checklist of equipment for class the night before, and assemble everything in advance. Pack your gear into one bag such as a backpack, reusable shopping bag, or diaper bag so you’re prepared.

We recommend backpacks so you have your hands free to work with your dog as you enter the building. You can also come in the building without your dog, set down your bag and mat at your chairs, then go get your dog from the car.

Not giving your dog a chance to go potty before class. It’s difficult to focus on learning something new if you need to go to the bathroom. This is good advice for you and for the dog! Arrive to class early so you both have a chance to relieve yourselves prior to instruction. If you’re picking up your dog from Puppy Day School or Educational Daycare here at Crossbones, make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before class so you have time to do this. 

Bringing a toy, not a chew. The chew you bring to class must have caloric value. This means no Benebones, Nylabones, ropes, or squeaky toys. Dental chews such as Greenies are not high enough value to sustain your dog’s interest and don’t last long enough to get through a 45 minute dog training class. For tips, check out our blog post “What Chew Should I Bring to Dog Training Class?”

Do a test run before dog training class

Set yourself up for success by testing out your treat value before your first class. This gives you an opportunity to change your treats and try something new without “wasting” a class!

1. Take your leashed dog to an outdoor location OTHER than your yard. You don’t have to go far – this could be across the street from your house or a quiet parking lot. Bring your clicker and whatever treats you plan to use at class.
2. Stand there for about a minute, then offer your dog a treat. Do they eat it right away or ignore it?If your dog ignores it, take your hand and treat away, wait about ten seconds, then try again. If they still won’t eat the treat, the treats you have selected is not valuable enough for dog training class. Go home, get a higher-value treat, and try again.
3. If your dog eats the treat you offer them, that’s a good start! Observe their behavior after they swallow it. Do they look at you, perhaps at your hands or pockets or treat pouch, wondering if they’ll get a second treat? Great! The treats you’ve selected may be high enough value for dog training class. (We recommend bringing a second treat as a back up, just in case.)If instead your dog loses focus on you after eating their treat, repeat this a few times. Give your dog a treat, then assess their response. If your dog seems as if they are taking the treat as a favor to you, but are really more interested in the environment, the treats you’re using aren’t valuable enough for dog training class. Go home, get a higher-value treat, and try again.

If you repeat this exercise multiple times and your dog will not ever eat treats, reach out to us before attending class. We can help! Your dog may be better suited to private lessons, where the distraction level is lower, before starting group classes.