1.Where is Kinder-Pup?
At the border of Pasadena and Severna Park on Rt 648 (B&A Blvd)top
2. How experienced are you as trainers?
We have been professionally training dogs for over 35 years and have trained well over 30,000 dogs and their owners via classes and private work. Although there are some rare breeds we have not yet had the opportunity with which to work, we have worked with all of the AKC registered breeds; mixed breeds and many rare breeds. Most of our work comes directly from client and veterinary referral and/or repeat clientele. Many, many of our students have brought generations of dogs to us over the years!top
3. What training methods do you use?
They are basically our own, heavily influenced by clicker philosophy but we are not clicker purists. We base all of our training on positive methods whenever possible.top
4. You do talk about correction, how do you do that?
The kind of correction a dog needs depends totally on the dog and its’ history and sensitivity. We work extremely hard to create dogs that are “verbally sensitive” meaning that we reach a point where a quiet voice reprimand will be all that is needed to warn the dog that it is about to make a mistake or is making one. When a dog starts out as verbally sensitive, then that’s the type of correction that will be employed. If the dog is not at all sensitive, then after patient teaching and drawing the dog towards the idea that good behaviors bring wonderful benefits, we MIGHT apply a physical correction via the collar if necessary.top
5. Do you use food treats?
Yes. Dogs need paychecks just like we dog.top
6. What kind of leashes and collars do you require?
This topic is covered in depth during the orientation lecture and there is a handout that will be given that night. Our only collar requirement is that the dog not be able to escape from it and that the owner’s choice allows them to control the dog in the public setting of a classroom. We allow everything from buckle collars to Headhalters. The only prohibited collars are shock collars. Owners are given factual, non emotional information about collars and allowed to select what they feel is best for their dogs.top
7. What happens if I miss a class?
You will need to get the phone number of a classmate and call them for your homework.top
8. How many family members can attend?
The whole family can come if you want BUT it is very difficult to focus fully on your classwork while also trying to watch your children.top
9. How many family members can participate in training?
There should be one family member who comes every week whenever possible with other family members attending as they can. At home, everyone can participate in the homework and everyone SHOULD learn to use the same methods. In class, there can be only one handler at a time out with the dog with the other family members observing from a little distance.top
10. Can my children come?
Yes they can with the understanding that they must be able to sit quietly and watch or read, or whatever activity keeps them in their seats. It can be, and usually is, quite boring for most children and they cannot wander around because not every dog is child safe.top
11. I’d like my child to do the actual training, is that possible?
We teach on an adult level and find that children under 12 have some real problems both physically restraining many dogs and dealing with the frustration that can happen when the dog is not feeling co-operative. Even 4-H usually recommends that children be at least 12 years of age. If the goal is to have a well behaved dog, then the best idea is to have the adults do the actual training with the child jumping on board as a handler once the dog understands the behaviors. A thought for parents is that quite often, in the long run, the dog will belong to them and not the child and that the parents are the ones who will spend the most time with the dog.top
12. What should I do if the dog gets sick or injured or comes in heat?
Obviously, dogs who are ill or hurt or in season should not be in class. However that does not mean that the owners can’t come and take good notes and keep up with the class.top
13. I need to spay/neuter my dog. When can she or he come back to class?
Whenever possible, try to have this done before or after the session. I like dogs to rest 7-10 days after surgery with no training stress. I do not want the dogs to relate any discomfort to training.top
14. How many dogs are in each class?
10-12top
15. What sizes and breeds of dogs are in classes?
That varies with each class. In beginner classes, all dogs are on lead and we do not allow them to invade the spaces and faces of other dogs. That issue is addressed even before the dogs come to class.top
16. Do dogs attend the first night?
No, the first night is all owner education.top
17. How frequently are classes held?
Classes are held all year long.top
18. Can young puppies really learn and retain what they learn?
Absolutely! Early imprint is the strongest! If they could not learn, housebreaking would be impossible!!! Dogs begin true learning on the 21st day of life and the strongest learning period is from the 21st day to the end of the 16th week! They are learning whenever they are awake. The trick is to insure that WHAT they are learning is good!top
19. How soon do I need to register?
Registration is on a first come first served basis with every class limited in size so as soon as you decide on a class, it is time to register!top
20. When should I start training with an older dog I’ve just acquired?
Try to wait for a month after you get the dog so the worst of the stress is over and the dog is really bonding to you. Often, when we first get older dogs, they are either better or worse in their behaviors than they will be once they calm down and settle into the family. Know what problems actually need to be addressed through training and which dissolve on their own.top
21. What shots should my dog have?
That is between you and your veterinarian. Give whatever inoculations your vet feels are appropriate. If you do not choose to inoculate, and more and more people are choosing to avoid some or all of the vaccines except rabies which is required by law, then you should routinely have titers done so you know the level of your dog’s protection.top
22. Can I start training before my puppy has completed all it’s shots?
Absolutely! In our view, the small risk that occurs in most dogs is over ridden by the high benefits of the socialization and early training. Most of the time, when an illness occurs in a young dog that is being vaccinated (talking about one of the diseases we vaccinate against), the fault lies with a faulty immune system in the dog. No amount of immunization can correct that. If you trust your vaccines, socialize your puppy all that you can. If you trust your dog’s immune system, socialize all that you can and keep in mind that perhaps the HIGHEST area of risk for your puppy is not school or parks or your neighborhood but the veterinarians property! That’s where sick dogs go!top
23. If my dog already knows most of the commands, do I really need to start at the Beginner Level?
Yes, you do. Most dogs coming into training have some knowledge of a few or more of the traditional basic commands but the high majority will only perform those commands when there is very little distraction. Until your dog will listen to you well on lead, at home or away, in quiet places and in exciting ones – even when the doorbell rings! then he or she needs the work of Basic Level Classes. Beyond that, if you enter an Advanced Class without the same knowledge your classmates have from their Beginner Class and without the same skills, you will not have the same foundation upon which to build and will get confused and frustrated.top
24. When can I try agility?
If your dog is safe around other people and dogs, you can enter an Intro Agility Class once your dog listens well both on and off lead around other dogs and motion.top
25. Do you offer competition obedience classes?
We no longer direct our focus towards competition obedience. Some of our students do go on to earn obedience titles, therapy dog certificates, Canine Good Citizen awards and more and we are very proud of them! Our focus is on achieving practical manners, good relationships along with communication and contact and we find that once that level is achieved, it can quite easily be crafted into the specific needs for titles.top
26. Are some breeds harder to train than others and/or do some breeds need completely different methods used to be trained?
Breeds that were created to work alongside humans tend to be a little easier to work with than breeds that were created to work away from humans. There is a difference between purebred and well bred. When a well bred dog is sound in mind and body, eager, capable and WILLING to do what it was bred to do, it should be easy to train FOR WHAT IT WAS BRED TO DO! The further away our goals are from the innate drives of the dog, the more challenge presented to both the owner and the dog. By the way, it is just as easy or hard to find a well bred mixed breed dog as a purebred! The brighter the dog, the more need for constant mental and physical stimulation. These are not always the easiest dogs to live with. There are no perfect breeds of dogs. There are perfect homes for all breeds.
As long as a training program understands that all individual dogs will vary in their needs during training, it will work for all breeds. There may be individuals who need something radically different but that is not a “breed” characteristic. Along with every other professional trainer out there, we have heard the line from breeders “my breed needs to be trained differently/at a different time/with unique techniques, etc.”. If that is true, then that breeder’s stock has somehow been disconnected from the doggie gene pool! Brain development, learning ability, physical maturity and drive all develops along similar paths in dogs, more influenced by the size of the breed (smaller tend to get it together earlier than larger) than in breed specific ways. The bottom line is that dogs are dogs, regardless of breed and when you look past the breed and respond to the needs of the individual, training should be successful.top
27. After classes are over, what happens if I have a problem?
Call immediately! We give a great deal of help to our students over the phone.top
28. What if I want to repeat a class?
If you register to repeat within 6 months of your original class, you may take the second class at half price.top
29. What can I do to prepare for class?
Make sure your dog is healthy and happy and that your mind is open to new ideas and methods of training. Visit www.flyingdogpress.com and read as many of the free articles as you can, including “He Only Wants to Say Hi”.top
30. What is the best time to contact you by phone?
Monday through Thursday between 10AM and 4 PM. We teach in the evening and compete in agility on the weekends.top
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