# Petsmart Beginners Training Failure



## Chewy (Aug 5, 2016)

I adopted a 8 month old GSD two weeks ago. His previous owner didn't spend much time training him basic obedience so I am trying to get him up to speed. I took him to the first session of his 6 week of his beginners obedience class last night and it was a disaster. I think being trapped in a training pen with other dogs in close proximity was more than he could handle. He kept barking and lunging at the other dogs. After 20 minutes of dirty looks from the other dog owners, I finally threw in the towel and removed him from the session. I would think that giving a young dog space during his initial training would give him a better chance to succeed. Any recommendations?


----------



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

In my experience, gsd's aren't good at Petsmart/Petco type training rings. I'm sure there are some very fine trainers at these places but as a whole, not the place for training gsd's.

I did two all dog breed training semesters at a well known training facility. My gsd looked like the dunce. He pooped in the ring, he ignored me and either played with other dogs or wanted to eat them. It was horrible. I then found a real trainer and it made a world of difference. I can take him anywhere.

If you list your location maybe someone on the list can direct you to a trainer/training facility that is experienced with this breed.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Has there ever been anyone with a good training experience with Petco/Petsmart? It's like teaching a kid math in Disneyland. Too crowded and too much going on.


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> Has there ever been anyone with a good training experience with Petco/Petsmart? *It's like teaching a kid math in Disneyland.* Too crowded and too much going on.


I may have choked on coffee.

OP: Look and see if you have a local/regional breed club. They might either offer training or know who to recommend. They also tend to understand shepherds and if other owners are sitting there all self satisfied with their calm puppies and giving you dirty looks, they'll educate those other owners. As one of my trainers reminds us all the time, "You may not have a problem dog now, but your next one could throw you for a loop, so pay attention and don't judge."

You could also consider individualized instruction for a few sessions and then try to find a good group class.


----------



## FarNorthTess (Jul 29, 2016)

I would go to a more private trainer too than petsmart. 

One class I took was too much butterflies and rainbows. We learned very little in it.

The other class- the trainer had a Cane Corso. She completely understood the GSD breed too. We made huge strides in that class. I would have liked to take more classes with her but she moved.


----------



## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

wolfy dog said:


> Has there ever been anyone with a good training experience with Petco/Petsmart? It's like teaching a kid math in Disneyland. Too crowded and too much going on.


Honestly, all the students we've had try to take beginner level 2 of my club's obedience class after taking beginner at Petsmart have had to retake our beginner 1. They just are nowhere near ready of our level 2. The local Petsmart doesn't even BEGIN teaching stay. Our level 1 students are already progressing to dropped leash group stays with owners more than 10 feet away with "mild" distractions.


----------



## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

Welcome to GSDs  

I went to a Schutzhund club (IPO club). It's a whole different setting with GSDs and mals. My dog acting as an idiot--no condescending looks or fear. They explained very nicely that barking and lunging could be fixed easily. They called my big boy "your puppy" when talking to me about him--he didn't look like a puppy to most people. They were respectful to me and took an interest in giving me real help.

I would have 3 people standing around with me giving me suggestions and encouragement. They were careful at first to have no dogs out, but later he was fine with other GSDs out being worked at the same time.

I learned about focused heeling and how to manage/correct him before he reacted to other dogs.

The wonderful thing was, I got to see and experience working dog (GSD) culture. I saw other people with their dogs, and what was a big deal and what wasn't--with GSDs. 

If it is a long drive to a club--do it. It is well worth it. I am driving three hours round trip to an experienced, awesome GSD trainer for a few private lessons this summer.


----------



## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Chewy said:


> I adopted a 8 month old GSD two weeks ago. His previous owner didn't spend much time training him basic obedience so I am trying to get him up to speed. I took him to the first session of his 6 week of his beginners obedience class last night and it was a disaster. I think being trapped in a training pen with other dogs in close proximity was more than he could handle. He kept barking and lunging at the other dogs. After 20 minutes of dirty looks from the other dog owners, I finally threw in the towel and removed him from the session. I would think that giving a young dog space during his initial training would give him a better chance to succeed. Any recommendations?


Get a refund (I did) and find a good trainer versed in gsd's. Be careful which dogs you let him interact or play with. Not many other dogs like gsd's.


----------



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> Has there ever been anyone with a good training experience with Petco/Petsmart? It's like teaching a kid math in Disneyland. Too crowded and too much going on.



I was just trying to be PC, Wolfy :crying:

Anyway, with the all dog training facility I spoke of earlier, they were good trainers......until you came along with a gsd!

As Moriah stated, a good GSD trainer is worth hours of driving and $ to. The guy I found was a 2.5 hour round trip but worth every minute of it.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

wolfy dog said:


> Has there ever been anyone with a good training experience with Petco/Petsmart? It's like teaching a kid math in Disneyland. Too crowded and too much going on.


I have 7 dogs-4 had their training at Petsmart. Both goldens, female GSD and younger male GSD. All of them did 3 classes there, all are obedient well mannered dogs. I love the trainer, she has Rotts and she works her dogs, by far the best trainer I have ever used or met. So yes a very good experience there with several dogs.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

i can picture that lol.

Here is another thing to consider . You have only had the dog for 2 weeks. You don't know each other . He isn't "your" dog yet .

What I would do is to get the ball rolling with the dog not being babied, not being humanized, not indulged or enjoying things which will be changed . He gets the standard orientation course. How things are , how they will be . 

It will be easier to do obedience out in the big world when you get obedience in the home.

Petsmart ? I've watched many sessions. Not recommended . The laughable part was that the dogs had one set of expectations 5 inches on the outside of the roped off area , enter the training floor , and another set of expectations , leave training floor , revert to normal mayhem.


----------



## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

It was 12 years ago but we took our nearly 6 month old female GSD to classes at Petsmart. The other owners in the class didn't much like my unruly dog so they kept complaining to the trainer that she was obviously too old to be in the class since she was so big. We ended up swapping to our 10 week old GSD even though he wasn't old enough because the trainer begged us not to bring her back. He liked the treats but didn't like the training, it was more or less a wash.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

PetSmart is inconsistent in their trainers' backgrounds. Some are people with years of experience who had independent training businesses and picked up extra classes at PS for income. Some seem to be glorified cashiers who were "promoted." Petco often seems to use the "promoted cashier" model too.

I met one "trainer" at one of those stores who seemed mentally unstable--screaming like a crazy person at customer buying a prong collar because it was "cruel", screaming at a rescue volunteer for recommending a different trainer (who uses prong collars) to the adopter, and I can just imagine her screaming at dogs too. 

Some stores do the classes in a ring, some use the entire store to roam around in and spread dogs out, or even set up in the parking lot. You really need to watch them and talk with them. If they have chaos in a little ring in the front of the store, I'd run away.

I know some local customers in my city who've had GSDs kicked out of those store classes too, for barking in excitement. They ended up with the trainer our rescue recommends, who has never kicked a dog out for being a dog.

If you google "[your city] obedience club," you'll often find an AKC club that offers tons of classes at very reasonable prices, if you want that style of obedience.


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

PetCo and PetsMart have the same basic criteria for dog trainers. 1) be able to sell classes. This is the most important aspect of their job and the primary focus. 2) complete a short basic course and agree to following only company approved training methods.

The 2nd is why most good trainers don't stay long. A good trainer knows that different dogs will need different methods. Sometimes those aren't methods approved by the company. In that case, the trainer can be fired for even recommending them! Or for recommending to a customer that a private lesson outside the store might be a better beginning for a dog that has more serious needs than can be handled in the store setting, even 1 on 1. Some get lucky and have a store manager that will look the other way as long as they are good at #1. But getting caught by a visiting manager or simply being reported by another employee who doesn't like you can cost your job.


----------



## Bdelapaz12 (Sep 12, 2016)

Thank you for this information! I was thinking of taking my 4 month old there but I thought the same thing about the trainers. Not waisting my money on this type of trainings.


----------

