Aiptasia

[kwsm]

If avoiding a predator was as simple as "they should know better" then there wouldn't BE any predation. Generation after generation of evolution would have ingrained in them the instincts not to be near a predator. Just remember that predators evolve as well and if a predator wants a meal, it will get it.

 

[Leslee]

I've heard the name but never really bothered looking into it so I have no idea what it entails. I would say if you have an extra $100 lying around it definitely doesn't hurt. But it really depends on whether you're just looking for basic puppy training (which, depending on the breed, is incredibly easy) or you're looking to correct problem behavior (which can be tougher). My dog is a model citizen. We did the basic puppy training before we even went to the classes so for me it was mostly socializing with other dogs (and showing off!). We run agility in the summer and compete in small local competitions. I chose not to use professional training for any of that. However, he is an alarm barker. Anytime anyone shuts a car door outside or he thinks someone is in the yard, he's off. Try as I might, I can't break him of the habit. At this point, I can get him to quiet on command but it's been a long, irritating road haha. If I had a few extra dollars lying around, I might look into professional help but for the most part I think just working with your dog and learning how to communicate what you want of them does what most people want from their dogs. I also am a firm believer that working with your dog really strengthens that bond between you. In case you were wondering, I grew up in a family of dog lovers. My aunts bred and trained Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. I also spent two years in animal behavior studies at university as part of a pre-vet background. So this might heavily influence how successful my training with my dog was :P

If I can do this myself I am game for that! I think I am going to give it a try myself. I will just have to use my teacher voice! Bella already knows sit. I taught her down, to lay day in one evening, she still needs me to hold a treat to get her to do it, but I am working on fading that! She is pretty smart and listens pretty well, so I think I am just going to try it and save that $120 for if we need it! What was interesting to me about it is the therapy dog certifications. I am very interested in training her for this! Then we could volunteer together!

 

[Bifferwine]

Leslee, I took my dog Bixler (who had lots of behavioral problems when I adopted him) to the Petsmart classes. It was worth every dollar. Yes, I'm aware, as kwsm pointed out, that everything in that class can be found online or in a book. But I need structure! (For example, I have weights sitting around in my spare bedroom. But do I ever just go in there and lift weights? Hells no! I'm not self-motivated enough to do stuff like that!) Same for dog training -- having the scheduled classes and homework assignments kept me on task, and I probably wouldn't have been able to do that just self-teaching from a book or webpage.

Bixler had a problem being around other dogs (and he still does to some degree). The Petsmart class was great because he was forced to learn how to interact with other dogs in an appropriate (i.e. not "I'M GOING TO RIP YOU INTO A MILLION LITTLE PIECES) way.

The class taught him all the basic commands, plus a few neat tricks that I can show off to other people when they come over. And it gave me the opportunity to see how other people were working with their dogs, so maybe I could get better ideas about how to work with him. And although the trainers are not exactly "professional pet trainers" the one I had was definitely good enough to come up with many possible solutions to problems I was having.

So, I guess, if you are self-disciplined and can stick to a program and a schedule on your own, then you can get by with a book or an internet guide. But if you are like me and you need other people to get your ass in gear, then the Petsmart class is great.

 

[rwynn]

Leslee, I took my dog Bixler (who had lots of behavioral problems when I adopted him) to the Petsmart classes. It was worth every dollar. Yes, I'm aware, as kwsm pointed out, that everything in that class can be found online or in a book. But I need structure! (For example, I have weights sitting around in my spare bedroom. But do I ever just go in there and lift weights? Hells no! I'm not self-motivated enough to do stuff like that!) Same for dog training -- having the scheduled classes and homework assignments kept me on task, and I probably wouldn't have been able to do that just self-teaching from a book or webpage.

Bixler had a problem being around other dogs (and he still does to some degree). The Petsmart class was great because he was forced to learn how to interact with other dogs in an appropriate (i.e. not "I'M GOING TO RIP YOU INTO A MILLION LITTLE PIECES) way.

The class taught him all the basic commands, plus a few neat tricks that I can show off to other people when they come over. And it gave me the opportunity to see how other people were working with their dogs, so maybe I could get better ideas about how to work with him. And although the trainers are not exactly "professional pet trainers" the one I had was definitely good enough to come up with many possible solutions to problems I was having.

So, I guess, if you are self-disciplined and can stick to a program and a schedule on your own, then you can get by with a book or an internet guide. But if you are like me and you need other people to get your ass in gear, then the Petsmart class is great.

Leslee I agree with Biff, to bring up her weight training as an example, you can have an entire gym at the house, but getting someone to show you the proper technique for a given excersize makes all of the difference, the same goes for animal training, having someone with exerperience can show you how to do the correct steps in the correct way.

 

[Leslee]

hmmmmm good point Biff! I am not sure what to do now.

She is so smart and I feel like I would waste her intelligence if I don't get her in a professional class. I need the structure, and honestly it is $120, but instead of going out 3 times I think it is worth it! I worked all weekend and made 7 times that one class in 2 days so I think I should just do it! Just have to pick the class!

Plus maybe there will be some cute single guys with netured male dogs and Bella and I can double date, or have study lessons! :mrgreen:

 

[kwsm]

Bella already knows sit. I taught her down, to lay day in one evening, she still needs me to hold a treat to get her to do it, but I am working on fading that!... ....What was interesting to me about it is the therapy dog certifications. I am very interested in training her for this! Then we could volunteer together!

You've already completed half the puppy class then! :P they cover things like sit, lay down, stay, and come. And good for you for wanting to get involved with therapy training! For therapy dogs all you really need is your basic obedience training that is fun and relatively easy to do yourself, as well as a desensitization course. Basically it's just introducing your dog to things that don't commonly occur at home (like elevators, the high pitched whine of a respirator that we might not hear). And there is a pretty basic obedience/socialization test for the certification. I can't think of a better way to really enjoy owning a dog then to see other people benefiting from it :)

 

[Bifferwine]

Plus maybe there will be some cute single guys with netured male dogs and Bella and I can double date, or have study lessons! :mrgreen:

Hahaha! You can hope so! Alas, Bixler did not meet his soul mate at his training class. His choices were pretty slim -- the only remotely attractive dog was a shepherd mix. The rest of the group consisted of a giant poodle, a couple chihuahuas, a couple pit bulls and a rat terrier. Why even bring chihuahuas to training classes? Really? Aren't they like one of the most untrainable breeds out there? Why even bother? Their brains are like the size of a garbanzo bean.

 

[BL1]

No worries! I'm ADD, thats how my mind works!

So you wouldn't suggest I sign her up for one set of classes and see? Or do you think I should just try it on my own for a while and then try?

Have you ever had or trained a dog before? I'll agree I don't think the classes they provide are worldclass or anything but, if you've never had a dog before or, if it's your first time training them then it's a good and cheap experience for you and your dog. After the beginner class if you feel you want to continue training your dog then I would look for a professional dog trainer who specializes in training whatever you want your dog to do.

In the past 5 years I had 3 dogs (the first dogs I've ever owned), the first two I went to the beginner classes at petsmart and thought the classes were great! Yes the things they taught were very basic and probably could have done the same with a good book. But anytime I had problems/concerns/ or worries I had someone there to ask. Which is what I think I was really paying for. My third dog I didn't take to their classes because I was able to teach him everything in my own.

All in all, I think it was well worth the extra money to have someone there to answer my questions because I can ask a lot, I also worry a lot about my pets too. She was probably sick of me by the end of the class :)

 

[kwsm]

So, I guess, if you are self-disciplined and can stick to a program and a schedule on your own, then you can get by with a book or an internet guide. But if you are like me and you need other people to get your ass in gear, then the Petsmart class is great.

I agree completely, a lot of people need that. That's why I threw in that bit about my background and I know that probably influences a lot in regards to how I feel about PetSmart training. But a lot of people do have the drive and motivation to train their dogs on their own, it's just finding what's right for you. When talking to the trainers at the PetSmarts I've been familiar with however, they seem to take the "you NEED professional training!" approach rather than outlining your options. Much the same as asking advice at the LFS, take what they say into consideration but also weigh your own abilities and other options before you make a decision.

 

[Leslee]

It is important to me that she is able to bring joy to everyone. She is getting a second chance at life because I adopted her and it is almost like she knows it!

She wouldn't be going to the puppy class because she isn't a puppy but she would be in the beginner classes. She needs to be around dogs, not because she doesn't like them but because she LOVES them and wants to play with them all and needs to understand thats not how it is! (she's a little socially retarded but really smart, I tell her she is aspergers, that's my best special ed diagnosis)

Also I let go of her leash in the park the other day with my friends dogs and we were playing fetch well she decided to run and she is FAST! My friend's golden retriever was trying to catch her and Bella was too fast! I had to almost jump on her and tackle her. I want to be able to play fetch and frsibee with her with out being scared she is going to run, so I need someone to give me the confidence in my training abilities.

I haven't ever trained a dog before. I do understand several learning theories, for my masters, and the one that most training seems to be based on is a very simple version of behavioral theories. Not to get too nerdy but Pavlov's dogs are the perfect example. I think I could train Bella on my own, but I need my own praise and reassurance! So the training would more be for me! LOL!! I also worry about my pets and the poor lay at Petco answered several of my questions when I went in there today.

 

[kwsm]

Why even bring chihuahuas to training classes? Really? Aren't they like one of the most untrainable breeds out there? Why even bother? Their brains are like the size of a garbanzo bean.

<3. Chihuahuas give little dogs a bad rap. I have a Papillon and he is smart as a whip, bold and playful and not nervous or shaky at all. Yet people constantly ask me if he's a long haired Chihuahua... I may or may not get offended >_>

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah chihuahuas are DUMB!!! And mean too! So many of them are nasty little ankle biters! And the ones that aren't nasty little ankle biters just shiver non stop and pee all over the place!! Ugh. Those 'dogs'. Ugh. ;)

 

[Leslee]

The family that rents the apartment above me has the sweetest longhaired chi in the world! She LOVES me! Everytime she sees me outside she gets all excited! She lays on her back for me to rub her belly! She must be the exception!

Yo queiro taco bell!

 

[kwsm]

Well bred Chihuahuas aren't bad dogs at all. They're still hard to train but if they're bred well and socialized well, they can be happy, friendly, well adjusted dogs. But in todays world of pet shops and puppy mills, for how common Chihuahuas are, try finding a well-bred one. needle in a haystack.

 

[BL1]

Before I decided to go to the class I talked to the teachers first. When I lived in Colorado Springs there were like 3 PetSmarts and 2 Petcos. I talked to all of the teachers, about there experience, their dogs, why they teach ... basically interviewed them. I got lucky and one of the teachers was actually a certified instructor for therapy dogs. It was great and she was a wonderful instructor. And her dogs were AMAZING, better behaved then most children I've ever met. That is another thing I'd suggest talk to them before you sign up for anything.
And I don't know if they have it there but, I used to LOVE going to the dog park with my dogs to check out all the cute girls (boys for you ;) )

 

[Leslee]

I got lucky and one of the teachers was actually a certified instructor for therapy dogs. It was great and she was a wonderful instructor. And her dogs were AMAZING, better behaved then most children I've ever met. That is another thing I'd suggest talk to them before you sign up for anything.
And I don't know if they have it there but, I used to LOVE going to the dog park with my dogs to check out all the cute girls (boys for you ;) )

The therapy dog part is why I am thinking about Petsmart because the one lasy is certified to certify the dogs with the therapy certificate.

AND I like how you think with the dog parks, I already looked into that and since the county office that you get them through is only open until 4 I am going to have to wait until Friday to go and get the permit so I can take Bella! There are 3 dog parks with in 20 minutes of me!

 

[BL1]

That was the absolute best! I picked my house in Colorado based on it's location to the dog park lol, I lived 1/2 block from it. It was awesome, just far enought that I couldn't hear barking but close enough that I could walk over all the time

 

[kwsm]

There are 3 dog parks with in 20 minutes of me!

If they're the kind of dog parks you have to pay for, I would suggest a day pass before purchasing a year's membership. I've had the bad luck of buying a membership to a dog park that had a few regulars whose dogs played less than nicely. If you can, find one that does interviews.

 

[Chris_150G]

My LFS has a 240ish gallon tank that has many thousands of aiptasia in it. I asked them about it one time and they were pretty evasive. The guy said it was no big deal and that those little guys are pretty cool. You can see many skeletons of dead coral in there. But, there isn't anything else living in that tank now except snails. And they sell the snails to people. Its a constant reminder for me about how crazy Aiptasia can spread. I will try to sneak a picture so I can expose their little freak show.

 

[Ulta]

rofl!