Mechanicsburg Puppy Obedience Training
When you bring home a new puppy, everyone has advice about how to take care of them, train them, feed them, etc. Figuring out what to do can be overwhelming, but one thing should be clear: Training your puppy is not optional. If you think your dog will be happier doing whatever they like, please think again. Lack of training causes numerous issues, behavioral problems, and safety risks for both your dog and you. If you’ve tried to train your dog and run into difficulty, don’t worry - our puppy obedience training school in Mechanicsburg can help you work through these issues.
Greenlin West offers puppy training classes taught by expert instructors. We’ve had years of experience dealing with a wide variety of dogs. If one technique doesn’t work, we’ll have other ideas to help gently correct your pup’s behavior. We’ll work with you to help you raise a good canine citizen and address any challenges as they come up.
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The Greenlin West Approach to Puppy Training
Our goal at Greenlin West in Mechanicsburg is to help your puppy become a happy, healthy, well-adjusted dog. We understand that every puppy is different - they have unique personalities, challenges, and interests, just like people do. As a result, we tailor our approach for each puppy we meet after a free training evaluation to see where your pup is in terms of behavior. Then we create a custom program for each puppy based on these three core principles:
- Producing predictable responses to verbal commands through positive instruction with fun exercises.
- Bringing the whole family together to work as a united front in training.
- Giving you the necessary tools and resources to maintain your dog’s training and address any future difficulties, with continued assistance and advice from us as needed.
Options for Puppy Training Classes in Mechanicsburg
We make recommendations based on your puppy’s personality and needs, as well as your lifestyle and goals for obedience training. Your custom program may involve one or more of the following options:
Basic Training Classes
These are recommended as a good starting point for most puppies. You will need to come to class with your puppy one or more times a week because they will learn best through working with you. After each class, we’ll assign you some exercises and advice for correcting unwanted behaviors at home. We strongly urge you to make every effort at consistency with correction - this includes everyone in your household, not just you. Tell everyone in the family what to do if they find Fluffy chewing on the couch leg or destroying your slippers. The more that everyone works together and corrects negative behaviors as they come up, the faster your puppy will learn to do better.
When people feel that their puppy isn’t making enough progress with training, frequently, the reason falls into one of two categories:
- The owner or their family hasn’t done the homework. Your puppy needs your help with this part. We understand that life is hectic, and it’s hard to find the time, but constantly cleaning up messes or struggling to stop your dog from exhibiting unwanted behaviors will cost you far more time in the future.
- Occasionally, you do everything right, but your dog is just stubborn about a particular behavior, or they may outsmart the training. That’s okay - there are additional techniques available for most issues. Please let us know what you’re struggling with and how your dog responds when you correct them as instructed in class. We’ll give you different options to try until something works.
Puppy Board and Train
This is a good option if you are very short on time but want to get your puppy started on their training immediately. Keep in mind, however, that you will still need to spend some time working to reinforce good behaviors once your puppy returns home. Puppy boarding and training are also helpful if you have limited opportunities to socialize your dog but want to help them get used to being around many new people and dogs. Socialization is crucial to your puppy’s development, and beginning early will make a dog more confident and less fearful.
At our six locations, we offer five-star accommodations for your boarded pet. Your puppy will get their own private space with fresh water and bedding that gets freshly laundered daily. They also enjoy these daily activities combined with training exercises and behavior correction as needed:
- Group play. This is essential to our socialization efforts. We’ll match your pet up with playmates who are close in age, size, and temperament, so they have a ready-made group of new friends. Through group play, they’ll learn good behavior. Our group sessions are always supervised, and instructors will step in and correct any problematic behaviors. Group time also offers many opportunities to reinforce your dog's learning during one-on-one instruction.
- Obedience classes. Our expert trainers will teach your puppy the basics - sit, stay, fetch, to walk calmly on a leash. If there are specific behavioral issues you’d like to work out, we can do that too. (We’ll ask you to describe the issue in as much detail as possible, including when and where the unwanted actions occurred.). When the puppy goes home with you, we’ll provide instructions on keeping up with their training and maintaining good behavior.
- Exercise. Never underestimate the power of activity on your puppy’s behavior. Young dogs often have energy to burn, and letting them do so improves behavior and keeps them calm. Our facilities are all located on wide tracts of land, hemmed in with a double layer of fencing to keep the dogs safe while roaming and playing on natural and artificial grass. We have a “playground for dogs” with stairs, ramps, and tunnels. No need to worry about the weather because we also have extensive indoor play areas.
- Swimming. Our outdoor areas also feature in-ground pools constructed specifically for canine swimmers. Swimming is an excellent skill for dogs to learn - not all dogs are natural swimmers, and being able to swim could save your dog’s life in an emergency.
- Toys. We don’t expect puppies to study 24/7. There’s plenty of play time, and we offer a wide selection of toys so your puppy will never be bored.
- Meal times - We encourage you to drop off their usual food. Although we have delicious, healthy dog food in-house, we believe the consistency of maintaining your puppy’s routine is beneficial whenever possible.
If you feel your puppy isn’t ready to stay with us overnight, we also offer puppy daycare in Mechanicsburg and can incorporate training into that program. Another option is to prepare your puppy for boarding by scheduling them in our Puppy Academy daycare/training program.
The AKC STAR Puppy Program
This training program created by the American Kennel Club (AKC) is intended for puppies up to one year old who have completed their basic obedience training and are current on vaccinations. Many dogs transition from basic training or the board and train program to the STAR Puppy program. As with basic training, you must attend the six weeks of classes with your pup. Additionally, you’ll take a responsible dog owner pledge and work with your dog to help them meet the following requirements:
- The puppy will need to be free of aggressive behavior for the six weeks of class.
- They will cooperate with wearing a collar or harness and allow the owner to hold or hug them.
- The owner should be able to remove a toy or treat from the dog without issue.
- The puppy should let someone besides the owner pet them.
- Your dog should be compliant when you handle or briefly examine their ears and paws (this comes in handy when your pup needs grooming).
- They should follow you in a straight line when walking on a leash, including walking by other people (up to five feet away) without incident.
- Your puppy should sit, lie down, or come when called, all at your command.
- They should be able to ignore distractions from about 15 feet away.
- Another person should be able to easily walk the puppy on a leash.
If your puppy can pass an evaluation on these points, they will have completed the program. You’ll receive a frameable certificate, the AKC Puppy Handbook (a wealth of helpful information), and a subscription to the AKC monthly newsletter.
How Can You Find Out More About Puppy Obedience Training in Mechanicsburg?
We’d love to take you on a tour of one of our six locations in the Mechanicsburg area. Walk-in tours are held between 11 AM and 3 PM at Greenlin West, but we recommend you call ahead so we can learn more about your needs. Phone numbers for all locations are listed on our contact page, or you can use our secure form to message us instead. We can’t wait to meet you and your puppy!