Can an old dog learn new tricks?

 

Absolutely! 

While starting with a "clean slate" may be easier than re-training well-established old habits, learning is possible at any age. 

 

Are all of the dogs in your classes puppies and adolescents?
No, we have many mature dogs enrolled in our classes.  Many are rescues and shelter dogs who are starting a new chapter with a new family.  Some families register their older dogs for classes because they want to make their dog's later years more enriched and interesting, or to include them so they don't feel left out when they get a new puppy.

 

He took a class with his previous owner, just not with me.
You will need to catch up and discover what he knows and how he learned it.  A beginning class is a great way for your new dog to teach YOU what he knows, and it's a great way to bond with your new friend.

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What class should we enroll in?
The best place to start for a dog who has never been to a group training class with you is Headstart.  If you and your dog attended a beginning class, but it was a long time ago, you might want to take a refresher in Headstart.  Or, if your basics are still pretty solid and you attended classes at Diamonds in the Ruff or another training school that used reward-based training, you could jump into the Intermediate Prep class.  If you took the Prep class and and you and your dog are clicker savvy, you could pop in to one of our many advanced classes.