# Pet training at Petsmart?



## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

I was watching the trainer at petsmart and everything she said was so sensible and smart. I think it would really work for Rosie. They say you can start as early as 10 weeks and Rosie will be old enough next week. It's $105 for 8 sessions. Anyone ever use them or know if 10 weeks is too young to start?

Thanks!


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## bonsmom (Feb 22, 2010)

We attended our first class Saturday. Our trainer has a bachelor 's degree, plus certification for training. So far, she has told me that Rocco barks so much because he is spoiled and demanding attention. I knew that much! 
There are set goals for each week. If nothing else, Rocco loves the last part of the class where he gets to play with the other pups. Give it a try!


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

You're going to get very different responses to this question. First - your dog is NEVER too young (or old) to start training. I'd recommend starting and building foundation as soon as possible. 

Some may tell you not to take your dog to Petsmart for training that young. It is true that you should definitely take precautions to limit your dogs chances of contracting a dangerous virus until they are around 18 weeks (2 weeks after their final puppy shots). BUT socialization as a puppy is incredibly important for a stable dog.

Early Puppy Socialization Risk vs. Benefit

I probably wouldn't go to Petsmart, but find a trainer nearby in a smaller facility. They are usually more expensive but worth the money to find a very qualified positive reinforcement trainer. You have to make the decision yourself and decide what is best for you and your dog.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I recommend a smaller facility, even if it is a few dollars more.


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## mary-anderson (Jan 12, 2010)

I wouldn't take her until she has all her shots.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

With PetSmart, it all depends on the trainer. There are 3 close to me and I've see trainers in action at all 3 locations. I picked the location based on what I saw from the trainer as well as the conversation she and I had.

So far we've been very happy and Tessa is now in her CGC prep class; our trainer is a CGC evaluator. Our classes have been small and the trainer is very knowledgeable and attentive.

Good luck!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

In the past I have taken a training course at Petsmart (with a previous dog, a Beagle) and although I thought the training was great at the time, there is no comparison to the trainer London & Preston are going to. Our trainer is CPDT & APDT certified, and most (if not all) Petsmart trainers are not certified other than their little "Petsmart certified" program which is likely nothing more than a few hours of on-the-job training.

The thing is, is that with Petsmart it will really depend on who you get as a trainer as far as which methods they use, etc. They have a general guideline, but each trainer tends to do things their own way. Some use clickers, some don't. In fact, when I took classes at Petsmart, we started with one trainer but then a different one subbed in and used different methods -- it was a mess.

Price-wise, I am paying $60 for London & $50 for Preston's classes, which are 6 weeks long (6 1-hour sessions). So for both dogs I am getting a certified trainer for $110. I would search for a certified trainer on the APDT website, Dog Trainer Search which is how I found my trainer.

Let us know what you decide!


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks so much girls. I hadn't realized the risks of disease involved. But I feel good about our Petsmart with its small classes. Also there is only one trainer working right now who I like. I really feel Rosie needs to go ahead and get into socialization because she and my 8 yr old daughter play I bit too wild, I think. I'm going to take her with me to learn about training the puppy as well.

Mandy, thanks so much for that link. I do feel it would be better for me to go ahead and take her to class now while she is younger. I've observed the teacher and like her, and the classes are very small - about 4-5 pets. 

LJ, I checked the link and there is a trainer in my area! She isn't having classes for about 6 weeks though. So I think I will take the petsmart classes first, then take her to the certified pet trainer too.

Thank you all so much!


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## kaylabayla (Jul 27, 2010)

I went to take mine to the training class well to sign her up for after 16 weeks in advance and maybe it was just my petsmart but they used this harness thing on their heads that if the dog pulled away it forced their faces into their chest. I googled it because they lady was sitting there telling it me it was a good method but I couldn't help but think those poor dogs and the websites I found said those kind of methods can cause severe stress on the dog. So, I am kind of flipped on the petsmart training I think I will look for a trainer who does positive reinforcement and shows you hwo start with treats but not rely on them.


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

I would make sure they are positive trainers and another idea. I have been listening to puppy training podcasts from itunes. Along with taking her with me around as much as possible so she can see different things.


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

Rose said:


> Thanks so much girls. I hadn't realized the risks of disease involved. But I feel good about our Petsmart with its small classes. Also there is only one trainer working right now who I like. I really feel Rosie needs to go ahead and get into socialization because she and my 8 yr old daughter play I bit too wild, I think. I'm going to take her with me to learn about training the puppy as well.
> 
> Mandy, thanks so much for that link. I do feel it would be better for me to go ahead and take her to class now while she is younger. I've observed the teacher and like her, and the classes are very small - about 4-5 pets.
> 
> ...


I would probably carry my puppy through the store and into the training portion. The dogs that go to Petsmart are supposed to be vaccinated and healthy, but that doesn't mean they always are. Also if there is a "vet" in the store I'd stay away from that section as well. The training section is probably a lot safer than the rest of the store. It is cleaned and not every dog has access to it. 

Good luck and I hope you have a good time! Just remember to make all the experiences your pup has positive! If there is anything that makes you uncomfortable be an advocate for your dog and don't do it and speak up.


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

I sighned up today. I've been watching the trainer when I'm in Petsmart (which is too often!) and I've never seen a harness in use. I wouldn't like that either. She always uses positive reinforcement and we are asked to bring treats. There is no vet there either and the training area is fenced off from the rest of the store. 

I do take her around everywhere I can with us if it has pets allowed. I also always carry her in Petsmart and try not to let her walk in other areas I think there have been a lot of dogs. I never thought about the stuff on itunes but I'm definitely going to try that! Also, I'm not always great about speaking up to people, so thanks for that reminder!


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## Cheri (Jan 7, 2008)

I think as long as she has all her shots it would be fine, that, to me, is the #1 most important thing. Petsmart people have to go through training classes with their own dogs and learn how to train other people. I think it would be just as good as other private places


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I would make sure they sanitize the floor in the training area before class. And carry her in. I agree with Mandy...the benefits of socialization win out with me over the risks of disease. I start mine the day they come home (and for my bigger dogs that's 8 weeks of age) - they tag along to the older dogs' classes and start puppy class ASAP. 

I am usually hesitant to use a chain like petsmart. However, there are certainly gems within corporate training. If you really like this trainer and have interviewed/watched classes, there's nothing wrong with going to the class. I usually find somebody smaller who has their own place and go with them.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Cheri said:


> I think as long as she has all her shots it would be fine, that, to me, is the #1 most important thing. Petsmart people have to go through training classes with their own dogs and learn how to train other people. I think it would be just as good as other private places


The quality of trainer from this type of corporate production is highly variable. The training is very basic. I would much rather a trainer who is a CPDT which means they have experience and knowledge.


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

Jmm, there is a cpdt in town but she's not doing classes right now. I will definitely go to her too when she starts classes again. I just want to get her started while she is young. She will be 10 weeks when the class starts.

Cheri, thanks and I love your siggie of Violet! Her before and after pics are so hilarious and adorable!


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## puppymom (Jun 13, 2005)

We took the Petsmart beginner class this spring. Originally I wanted to attend classes at our local dog training club and was skeptical of Petsmart. But their classes were full and I felt it very important for Sophie to get into a class right a way. 

The classes were wonderful and the trainer knowledgeable. The Petsmart training is absolutely based on positive reinforcement and they do not believe in any kind of "punitive" training. 

For further classes I will most likely go to the local dog club with certified trainers but for us it was what we needed, when we needed it.


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## mary-anderson (Jan 12, 2010)

Rose is only 10 weeks old, she does not have all her
shots. IMO you are taking a risk with her health and
other dogs health. I'm actually surprised Petsmart
will allow it.


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

mary-anderson said:


> Rose is only 10 weeks old, she does not have all her shots. IMO you are taking a risk with her health and other dogs health. I'm actually surprised Petsmart will allow it.


Did you read the link I posted about Early Socialization - it explains the reasons why they would "allow" it. 

Jackie also posted in agreement with that and the precautions to take to limit the risks. (See below) Honestly - if you wait until the dog is 18 weeks old, when they have finished their puppy shots, you have missed out on the most crucial socialization period. I would rather take the very small risk of disease versus that of a dog that was not socialized properly.



jmm said:


> I would make sure they sanitize the floor in the training area before class. And carry her in. I agree with Mandy...the benefits of socialization win out with me over the risks of disease. I start mine the day they come home (and for my bigger dogs that's 8 weeks of age) - they tag along to the older dogs' classes and start puppy class ASAP.


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## mary-anderson (Jan 12, 2010)

MandyMc65 said:


> Did you read the link I posted about Early Socialization - it explains the reasons why they would "allow" it.
> 
> Jackie also posted in agreement with that and the precautions to take to limit the risks. (See below) Honestly - if you wait until the dog is 18 weeks old, when they have finished their puppy shots, you have missed out on the most crucial socialization period. I would rather take the very small risk of disease versus that of a dog that was not socialized properly.


 
Yes I did, once again IMO I wouldn't do it. I know where
my dogs have been but not the others. Wouldn't take
a chance of parvo. IMO


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Rose said:


> Jmm, there is a cpdt in town but she's not doing classes right now. I will definitely go to her too when she starts classes again. I just want to get her started while she is young. She will be 10 weeks when the class starts.
> 
> Cheri, thanks and I love your siggie of Violet! Her before and after pics are so hilarious and adorable!


You have a good plan! Just take her to the Petsmart classes and be careful with where you allow her to walk like the others said, and consider the Petsmart classes as socialization opportunities. When she completes the Petsmart classes, enroll her with the CPDT trainer to further her obedience training since by the time you finish the Petsmart classes, the certified trainer should have a class coming up shortly after. Keep us updated on how she does!


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## Punky (Jul 15, 2010)

Max attended three full eight week sessions at Petsmart. I think it really depends on the trainer and what you except from it also. I was very pleased with the result's. I wanted a happy, social little guy with his basics in a busy environment not to phase him, as we live in a very quite area.

I think you should go speak to the person teaching and see if they click. Max has since moved on his training but I would say he and I had a wonderful time as did my family. They admitted could not really go rather with him. PetSmart cost 1/4 of what our main trainer could do and Petsmart was a better match for his need's at the times.

Now I have titled my last 3 German Shep's in Schutzhund and my trainer's for that for Max then no would have been a horrible match, now its fine. So alot depends on the dog and where they are at mentaly also.

Max is going to be giving a shot at at Agi & Rally, this week was his first big guy start. 

I wish you the best and mainly have fun with it! If you both are havinga good time then something is right. :thumbsup:


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

I do think it's going to be good for us because of the socialization. Rosie can get a little hyper with my hyper daughter and I want both of them to be trained! Also, she is a little growely with visitors and sometimes scared. She gets along with our cats great but hasn't been exposed to dogs yet. 

I really am concerned about her being exposed to parvo too though. So I'm not going to let her walk around in petsmart. I think I will talk to the trainer about their cleaning methods too. They only have the dogs training in a closed off corner of the store and this is a puppy only class and you must show proof of immunizations.


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## gopotsgo (May 21, 2009)

LJSquishy said:


> In the past I have taken a training course at Petsmart (with a previous dog, a Beagle) and although I thought the training was great at the time, there is no comparison to the trainer London & Preston are going to. Our trainer is CPDT & APDT certified, and most (if not all) Petsmart trainers are not certified other than their little "Petsmart certified" program which is likely nothing more than a few hours of on-the-job training.
> 
> The thing is, is that with Petsmart it will really depend on who you get as a trainer as far as which methods they use, etc. They have a general guideline, but each trainer tends to do things their own way. Some use clickers, some don't. In fact, when I took classes at Petsmart, we started with one trainer but then a different one subbed in and used different methods -- it was a mess.
> 
> ...


I'm going to look this site up right away. I know things are more expensive where I live but the two trainers I have checked charge from $250-$350 AN HOUR! And one wanted ME to find another dog to help desensitize Nadia from her leash aggression. I will do just about anything for my dogs but I think these prices are ridiculous. When a trainer can show me that they have been through as much schooling and training as I have, THEN I will be happy to pay that price.
Regarding the Petsmart training, when we first got Lily, we went through their 8 week course and found it very helpful for first time doggy parents. But I would never take a pup as young as this one to a pretty much unknown situation. Regarding socialization, I would find and screen other young puppy parents for pup play time.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

gopotsgo said:


> I'm going to look this site up right away. I know things are more expensive where I live but the two trainers I have checked charge from $250-$350 AN HOUR! And one wanted ME to find another dog to help desensitize Nadia from her leash aggression. I will do just about anything for my dogs but I think these prices are ridiculous. When a trainer can show me that they have been through as much schooling and training as I have, THEN I will be happy to pay that price.
> Regarding the Petsmart training, when we first got Lily, we went through their 8 week course and found it very helpful for first time doggy parents. But I would never take a pup as young as this one to a pretty much unknown situation. Regarding socialization, I would find and screen other young puppy parents for pup play time.


I wanted to note that the price I am paying for both dogs ($110) is not a private class with a trainer, it's a group class with 5 other dogs. I'm not sure if I really made that part clear so maybe the prices you were quoted were for private training sessions?


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## Dogwriter (Jul 3, 2010)

Just a note about the parvo issue... my vet warned me not to take my fluff to PetSmart, she diagnoses dogs with parvo and then sees them there!

That being said, my Corgis and some of my fosters have gone to PS training. The trainer at that time was great and they all learned a lot (and loved it). Haven't decided whether to take my wee one yet.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Whew! It's wonderful to see some of you coming around on the puppy socialization issue. 

Most of the seasoned SM members know I have fought a long, hard battle for over two years to get the message across to SM members about the importance of EARLY puppy socialization. . . . AND it's bascially been "combat" between me and MANY opposing forces.:innocent: (For new SM members, the big debate has been about the American Maltese Association's twelve week rule for their members and their statements that "reputable" breeders don't let their puppies go to new homes before twelve weeks of age.) You can visit AMA's site to see THEIR reasoning. 

That said, I don't recommend PetSmart for *PUPPY* classes because of the unknown health and vaccination status of the other dogs which go into their stores and Vet. clinics. It's optimal if puppy classes are conducted in a clean environment. In the DVM360 article referenced in another post in this thread, the link to ASVAB's site didn't work for me, so here's a direct link: 

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/puppy socialization.pdf


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

I agree with what everyone else has said - with Petsmart, it really depends on the individual trainer who is teaching that class. I took Bailey to puppy class at our local Petsmart and was less than impressed. It was pretty obvious that the trainer knew very little about dogs outside of the very basic job training Petsmart provides for their trainers. She couldn't answer basic questions we asked and had no structure to the class at all. She usually just focused on one or two dogs while the rest of us were on our own. She brought SOCKS for the dogs to play with during class. So yes, needless to say, I looked at this puppy class as just socialization for Bailey and worked on training him on my own. It is my fault though - I should have spoken in detail with the trainer or observed a class before I signed up! Hope you have a better experience at your Petsmart!


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks so much for all the info. I still think this trainer is going to be good, I just wonder what else I could do to prevent parvo while we're there? They have sanitizer they use for the floor, but would that be enough, or is she more likely to get it from playing with the puppies?


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## Dogwriter (Jul 3, 2010)

The virus can live for up to a year in the SOIL. So you can get it on your shoes (say, outside the store where an infected dog went to the bathroom). You can also get it, say, in a high-traffic horse sale barn. Our horse vet told us to sanitize our shoes after visiting other barns when we have pups around.

So to answer your question, once the sick dog has been in /around the store, it's everywhere. You're probably more likely to get it from the store than direct contact with a dog (am I right? Hopefully? Because they won't bring a parvo puppy to class)


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I was at a Petsmart a little while ago, looking at merchandise, and their trainer approached me and gave me a sales pitch for their training classes. She has been training there for years. They have quite a large fenced-off area now, and she volunteered that they sanitized the floor. But she also said that part of the training included walking around the aisles. 

I am not very comfortable with that. But the dog I may be taking to classes is about 6 years old, so I think he's not so vulnerable. 

I'm not sure I want my dog to have to meet the supplies-customers' sometimes poorly behaved dogs in the aisles, especially where food and treats are involved. Maybe we could decline those "expeditions" outside of the sanitized training area.


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## Rose (Jul 27, 2010)

Oh, that doesn't sound good. I don't want her walking around the isles. I will have to skip that part. 

About Parvo, I heard there is no cure, but is there any prevention besides avoidance?


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Full vaccination, that's all I know.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Rose, I was just checking in to see if you & your puppy have started the Petsmart training classes yet. I think it will be a great start for you both and I can't wait for an update.


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## SugarBob62 (Nov 9, 2009)

We took Nelson to Petsmart. We LOVED our trainer. She is the trainer of all the dog trainers in our area for all the stores. However, we were really disappointed that there was only 1 other dog in Nelson's class. When we started we were told there would be 5 total, only 3 showed up to the first class. Then sometimes only 2 (counting Nelson). And sometimes none, people were so inconsistent and didn't care. 
That is what Nelson needed though, the socialization part. He got none basically. So we are having major issues with that now. Don't even know what to do about it now. They graduated him, he was the only dog there that day...it was sad.

So yeah whatever you do make sure you get the full number of people signed up allowed. We woulda picked a different day if we knew it was going to be like that. It really didnt benefit him at all. They do 4-5 for a puppy class. So we got really ripped off on that part. But yeah it depends who your trainer is. Ours had been doing it for like 13 years, she was really awesome.


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## Rocky's Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

I don't know about Petsmart... I took Rocky for 6 or 8 weeks to Petco. The trainer there was very knowledgable and certified, but in a group setting you don't get that one on one attention. Rocky was already trained except for leash walking and needed help with socialization. He still prefers people over other dogs.


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## Aliza (Sep 7, 2010)

Hello..............


I think it depends on the trainer.

At our local Pet Smart, I saw a woman who really knew what she was doing. Never met her personally, but I know a few people who had their dogs/puppies trained with her and who are very happy with the results.

On the other hand, sometimes they're just the average Jane or John who needed a job and got placed there. 

I'd watch a few classes, if you like what you see go ahead and join. If you know someone who has already completed the class, you could also ask them about it.


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