Frequently Asked Questions
Adolescent and Adult Dog Training in the Greater Houston Area
Puppy Start Right Class
What is socialization?
Socialization is safely exposing your puppy to lots of people, friendly dogs and novel objects/situations so that as an adult, your puppy easily adapts to changes and sees them as fun experiences instead of potentially scary or dangerous situations.
Does socialization guarantee that my puppy won’t have behavior problems as an adult?
No, but socialization makes it much more likely that your dog will not have behavioral problems as an adult. The more puppyhood experiences a dog has to reference, the more confident they are in facing something new.
Is my puppy too young for training?
Your puppy is learning from the first day you bring him home. We want to start developing good habits right from the beginning.
How old does my puppy need to be to begin the class?
Most puppies begin puppy class between 10-12 weeks of age, but you can begin the class as soon as your puppy meets the health and vaccination requirements. Puppies cannot be older than 12-14 weeks of age when they start the class.
What are the health and vaccine requirements for the Puppy Start Right Class?
Prior to attending Puppy Start Right Preschool the minimum health and vaccine
requirements are:
- Recent (within the past 21 days) physical examination by a veterinarian
- At least one Distemper-Adenovirus 2-Parvo (DAP) vaccine or equivalent
administered by a veterinarian a minimum of 10 days prior to starting class - Bordetella vaccine a minimum of 7 days prior to starting class
- Fecal examination
- Proactive de-worming for roundworms and hookworms (regardless of fecal results)
- Appropriate parasite prevention has been started (heartworm, intestinal, flea, tick)
Other considerations:
- Puppy should be healthy
- No vomiting or diarrhea
- Bright and alert
- Free of any coughing, sneezing, or nasal or eye discharge (yellow or green
discharge) - Free of skin lesions or hair loss
- Puppy should be free of fleas/ticks (check with your veterinarian regarding safe and appropriate treatments and preventives for puppies)
- Your veterinarian considers your puppy healthy and free of any contagious diseases.
How many weeks is the Puppy Start Right Class?
4 consecutive weeks. The Puppy Start Right Class is an ongoing class, which means you are able to start right away.
What do I bring to class?
Tasty treats, treat pouch and a regular, non-retractable leash.
Who is able to come to the class?
The whole family is encouraged to attend. Children under 8 years of age should have two adults present.
How do I sign up for the class?
Go to the Puppy Classes page our website and select the “Book Puppy Start Right Class” button at the location you would like to register at.
Basic Obedience Class
How many weeks is the Basic Obedience Class?
5 consecutive weeks. The Basic Obedience Class has a specific start and end date.
What happens if I miss class?
We do not offer make up classes, but we are usually able to catch you up at the next class if you do have to miss one.
What do I bring to class?
Tasty treats, treat pouch, a regular, non-retractable leash, and a bed or mat. More info will be given in the welcome e-mail.
What are your health requirements for Basic Obedience Class?
Rabies, DHPP and Bordatella.
Who can come to class?
No more than two people per dog is recommended, check with us if you would like to bring more than two people. The whole family is encouraged to work with the dog at home.
Is there an age range for the class?
For dogs 4 months and older.
Is the group class environment right for all dogs?
Not all dogs are able to learn in the group class environment. The group class works best for dogs who are social and comfortable in new settings. Dogs who are reactive or aggressive learn best with one-on-one training.
How do I sign up for a class?
Go to the Adult Dog Class section of the website and click on the class link to register.
General FAQs
Where does the training take place?
Private lessons are at your home. Group classes meet at Lake Olympia Animal Hospital or Bissonnet Veterinary Hospital.
What do I need to do to prepare for the initial appointment?
If your appointment is first thing in the morning or in the evening, please wait until after the appointment to feed your dog breakfast or dinner so that he is hungry for treats during the lesson or so his meal might be able to be used during training. Other than that, there is nothing else that you need to do to prepare.
What are your hours of operation?
Private lessons are offered Monday-Saturday, 9am-8pm.
Do clickers and treats need to be used for behaviors forever?
The clicker is a training tool that only needs to be used when teaching something new or strengthening a behavior. Once the dog knows the behavior, you do not need to continue using the clicker for that behavior. You do need to continue to reward your dog for responding to commands, but you do not have to reward as often.
Why is a clicker used?
A clicker speeds up the training process because it gives your dog precise feedback.
Who should attend the appointment?
It is important to have everyone who is involved in the dog’s everyday life to attend the initial appointment. Follow-up appointments can be with the main person in charge of training the dog.
What if I have more than one dog that needs training?
Great! We can split the lesson time in between the two dogs. The lesson rates are based off of time, not the number of dogs.
Is my old dog too old to train?
Dogs are never too old to learn! Providing your older dog with mental stimulation increases his quality of life. Behaviors can be modified depending on physical capabilities.
How long does an appointment last?
The initial lesson is one and a half hours and follow-up lessons are one hour long.
How many sessions does it typically take to get the desired results?
It depends on the dog and how often you work with your dog. Most people begin to see improvement after the first one or two lessons.
How much time will I have to spend each day on training?
We recommend two or three sessions of 10-15 minutes every day.
Do you guarantee results?
We do not guarantee results because the success of the training is dependent on the consistency that the dog receives at home. Training only works if you work with your dog.