Adopting that dog was such a good idea... until you got to know each other. He is a Tasmanian devil of destruction, consuming or demolishing all that come into his path like that smoke monster from Lost. You are a push-over who cannot establish boundaries. Something's gotta give. Despite the obvious beauty of your masterful couch reconstruction (ie: duct tape), it isn't going to keep Fido from revisiting the crime and opening up another leather cushion tomorrow. You need training, and you need it soon.
When you've adopted a dog that devours your possessions daily, you need to be conservative with how much you spend on training. Sure, that private wizard academy for well-heeled hounds might solve your fur child's behavioral dilemmas, but it'll also set you back a grand. You can't afford that, especially since you have to replace most of your living room set, your entire shoe collection and the 16 rolls of toilet paper that your dog has destroyed in the last few days.
Here are three different places that offer group training at moderate to super cheap prices.
Park Cities Obedience School (5547 Dyer Street) This 6-week program meets in a small group setting (limited to 10 or 12 pets) once a week, for an hour-a-pop. They cover all of the basics: Sit, Stay, Down, Come, Leash Training, Prevent/Correct Jumping, Barking and Chewing, and the biggest one of all: How to keep your dog from bolting through an open door. Ah, just imagine. All P.C.O.S. puppy and basic classes are taught by Kim Fuquay, who's been an instructor at the school for five years. This class will cost you $150 and starts its next session on April 3. Here's the enrollment form.
All Breeds Obedience Training (At Flagpole Hill) According to dog park gossip, this program brings the most bang for your buck and its central location is pretty choice (it's near White Rock Lake). This volunteer-led program provides both basic and continued dog training education, so that once you've mastered that whole "Sit, Stay, Down" bit you can work on more advanced maneuvers, like keeping his attention for extended periods of time.
An eight-week class costs $80, but if you rescued your pal from a shelter you get the class for $40. Awesome. After you've finished your basic course you can pay another $50 for unlimited classes for the rest of the year. You can't beat that. The next set of classes kick off on April 4.
Dog Training Club of Dallas County (Duncanville, Tx) These classes don't start up until April 30, but they're priced right and offer ongoing discounted classes once you've completed Basic or Puppy. Your entry-level eight-week course costs $80 and meets for one hour, one day a week. After that you can move on to Intermediate and Advanced courses for $70 each, as long as they fall in the same calendar year. You'll learn to teach your dog a whole litany of commands and how to change his gait during walks. These guys don't have an online registration form just yet, so give them a call at 972-780-7698.
Do you have a school/program that worked especially well for you? Should money matter when it comes to dog training? Put it in the comments.
