It's FROM REMY FRIDAY again!
This week I did a Q&A with Kate Varns [CPDT-KA] from the Animal Humane Society. Ms. Varns does behavior and training at the Animal Humane Society's training school. I got to ask her all about training dogs so if you have a new puppy or wish that your dog listened to you a little better, this should help you!
This is Kate and her adopted dog, Blue :) {What a cute pup!}
Questions & Answers with Ms. Varn
Q1: What is the best age to start training your dog? If you have a puppy we recommend enrolling him or her in a Puppy Kindergarten program as soon as possible. At AHS, puppies can start as early as 7 weeks of age in our Off-Leash puppy program. For that reason, we focus not so much on obedience (though the puppies do work on sit, down, come and stay) as on socialization, handling exercises, crate training, house training, playtime with other puppies and other puppy-specific skills.
If you have an older dog, we recommend starting after the dog has been in your home at least two weeks. This allows you to get to know the dog better before coming to class, and also helps ensure they are healthy enough to participate.
Q2: Can older dogs learn as easily as young dogs? [Can old dogs really learn new tricks?] Yes! Positive reinforcement training, which AHS uses in all of our classes, rewards dogs for the right behavior while removing reinforcement for the wrong behaviors. Since dogs naturally repeat behavior that benefits them, this style of training is efficient and fun at the same time.
Q3: What are the first things you should train your dog to do? Toilet in the proper place! House training concerns account for a large percentage of calls to our Behavior Hotline, especially in the first month of adoption. Keep your new dog or puppy on leash with you (inside as well as outside) or confined to a properly-sized crate until he is fully house trained. Take him out regularly and give praise and treats for toileting in the right area. Call our Behavior Hotline at 763.489.2202 for more details.
Q4: How long does it take for a dog to learn a trick? Do some breeds learn faster than others? When working with dogs, its helpful to keep in mind what the particular breed was bred to do. While every dog is an individual, you may notice the following trends: herding and sporting breeds, traditionally bred to work closely with a single handler, tend to respond quickly to training tasks. Terriers and scent hounds, who were used for more independent tasks, can learn just as much but may require additional creativity along the way!
Q5: How should you reinforce the training? Treats or praise? Both treats and praise can and should be used when training dogs. Anything a dog enjoys can be a training reward, but food works well for many dogs since it is one of their primary needs. Since we feed dogs anyway, why not use it to reward the behaviors we like? This helps ensure that they will repeat those same desirable behaviors in the future.
Q6: Are training courses worth the money or could I do it myself? Enrolling in a training class is a great way to get started on the right foot, learn effective techniques, and receive constructive feedback from the instructor. Once you are comfortable using the training techniques, you can practice them in other environments to keep the process moving.
Q7: Can my local Animal Humane Society offer me advice on training? The Animal Humane Society has 5 locations [in the Twin Cities, MN area] including: Golden Valley, Coon Rapids, Woodbury, St. Paul and Buffalo. The AHS Training School offers classes at these locations: Golden Valley, Coon Rapids and Woodbury, as well as at Now Boarding, a boarding facility near the Mpls/St. Paul airport. To learn more about AHS' training programs, call 763.489.2217.
I want to thank the Animal Humane Society and Kate Varn for being so helpful and allowing me to do the interview!
If you would like more information about the Animal Humane Society please visit their website here!
Kate Varn can be reached at 763.489.2229 or kvarns@animalhumanesociety.org
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