Whistle and Wag Dog Training Classes in Suffolk
We run weekly dog life skills training classes in Suffolk and regularly get asked what to expect. So what better topic to write a post on.
We believe we offer a unique dog training class experience compared to traditional training classes you may have been to. We focus on what we call “life skills” that can be directly applied to real life situations you may face with your dogs.
In this post we are going to cover the most frequently asked questions about our classes.
Where and when do you hold your dog training classes?
At present we hold our classes in two village/town hall locations.
-Nedging Village Hall (Monday evenings)
-Walton Community Hall (Tuesday evenings)
Using halls means we have a safe area to train in no matter the weather or daylight. We have non slip flooring that we lay down in all of our indoor venues to ensure the dogs have a safe surface to work on. Making sure dogs of all ages don’t slip and injure themselves is really important to us, which is why we decided early on to invest in the floor covering.
At the Nedging Hall we also have the use of a beautifully maintained village green. This enables us to take intermediate classes outside during warmer months.
How many people are in a class?
We are passionate that people get the most out of their training with us so we restrict class sizes to 6 dogs. This means we can spend plenty of time with each handler and really work on individual challenges. Having small groups make it a warm and welcoming environment for new owners. It is lovely to see the group supporting each other through the weeks and celebrating wins.
How long is the course?
Our life skills foundation course is 8 weeks of training. Classes are once a week and last 1 hour.
It is important to appreciate that your dog will not be trained in these sessions alone and the work needs to be continued at home.
What is covered?
On our courses we cover what we believe are the most important foundation life skills.
- Loose lead walking
- Recall
- Stay
- Leave
- Not jumping up
- Play
- Settle
- Doorway manners
We also pick a topic each week to discuss such as nutrition, rewards, handling and health checks, safe travel, socialisation and many more.
What is included and how much does it cost?
The 8 week course is £150
This includes
- A goody bag from our sponsors Burns Pet Nutrition
- 1 hour group training session a week (8 weeks)
- Weekly homework emailed out to remind you of the areas covered
- Handouts emailed out to recap on exercises
- Trainer support on hand if you need any help between classes
- A certificate on completion of the course to put up in pride of place
- A special memento of your training to keep
My dog is reactive/aggressive to other dogs can I bring him?
The short answer to this is no. A group class is not the place to work on more complex behavioural issues such as aggression or reactivity to other dogs. It may be that after a 1:2:1 consultation we believe your dog may be able to join a group class but these cases are assessed very much on an individual basis.
However, for all behavioural issues we offer 1:2:1 training or a full behavioural consultation.
Is there an age limit for dogs?
Our foundation life skills courses are open to all ages of dogs. We like the fact that this gives the dogs a chance to be around dogs of all different ages and energy levels.
My dog is not vaccinated, can we still come?
We only allow vaccinated or titre tested dogs to attend classes. This is for the health and safety of all dogs in attendance. We also ask you not to attend classes with your dog if they are displaying signs that they are unwell.
What dog training methods do you use in the course?
We are PRAMA (positive reinforcement and minimal aversion) trainers. The training on the course is all reward based as we are forming new behaviours and need to build a strong reward history for these behaviours.
