Obedience Classes, yay or nay?

Are basic obedience classes useful? I'd love to hear any pros and/or cons(if there are any) of obedience classes with corgis...

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on June 7, 2012 at 10:47am

I agree with what others have said and in particular Cindi. What I always advise dog owners who are new to dog training is to NEVER do anything to your dog that you personally feel uncomfortable doing, simply because you think the Instructor knows best. When in doubt about a method or recommendation, follow your gut. In a well run class you will find ( if you do your part in attending and practicing ) that you will learn, the dog will learn and you will both love going to class. If that's not the case, don't give up, just find a better class.

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Permalink Reply by Beca and Mishka on June 7, 2012 at 10:56am

Obedience classes are definitely a MUST with corgis. They're like that kid who figures out double-digit multiplication in the first 10 minutes of class and then starts designing a more efficient slingshot for peppering the room with spitballs. If the teacher (you) isn't confident about handling the bored student (the corgi) you get a lot of chaos.

We did a LOT of obedience training with Mishka, and now I'm starting some agility with him. I also bring him to work and ask him to do things for me all the time there too. When we work as a team, he is super-cooperative. When we aren't doing things as a team he gets a little independent and stubborn. I will probably never get him to walk in a perfect heel position outside of an agility course, but having a good recall has saved us from skunks and stray dogs.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on June 7, 2012 at 12:01pm

I should add that you should always do lots of obedience training with your Corgi, whether you are in a formal class or not. I have found that the best thing about classes is they force you to spend time practicing.

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on June 7, 2012 at 1:41pm

How right you are! Although I taught classes, I always took classes with my dogs exactly for that reason.

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Permalink Reply by Geri & Sidney on June 7, 2012 at 11:44pm

Absolutely take obedience classes! They will make both you and your corgi happier. Sidney loves going to "school" and we keep looking for more things to learn!