I was at petsmart this evening picking up another Cichlid for my fish tank and I could hear/see the "trainer" giving a class on how to teach the dog to leave food. She goes "Just have some food ready in case they wont take the reward from me"

All of a sudden I thought world war 3 broke out. She started yelling/screaming "LEAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" multiple times over and over at the same dog until the dog finally backed away and turned his head. Then she said "GOOD" and 'TAKE IT" then wondered why the dog refused to take the food she was offering. I was like all at once. I was so pissed off!. There is not need to scream at a dog when your trying to teach it something. Im thinking to myself what a moron.

All I can say is if I signed up for this and she screamed at my dog like that Oh boy would I be in her face screaming at her asking her how she likes it. 'MY DOG WONT SIT HOW DO I TEACH HIM". "WHAT? I CANT HEAR YOU".

Seriously, I gotta take Ruby in there when shes feeling better, she can be told leave it in a whisper, I can walk around the whole store and she will not touch the food.

When I had Gunner I was in the Petsmart in another city before we got one. There were 1 year olds starting beginning obedience. They were still jumping up, biting, pulling leashes etc. I brought my 6 month old puppy, put him in a down stay, walked around the whole store once (about 2-3 minutes) came back and said...yep, my 6 month old puppy just did that Then walked out. Two people walked out behind me asking who I used. Gave them a reference to the trainer that helped me service train him. I trained the beginner/intermediate/advances stuff myself.

After today, I think that much lower of petsmart.

I don't use Petsmart for training either. Mainly because one trainer I spoke with admitted she had never trained a dog, never competed. She took on line training class and was certified to teach puppy classes..this was it. Really think a good trainer is like a good breeder. It takes life experiences in the dog world, training at different levels, getting out there with your best and putting him/her with others to see the results. It is way more than an internet class to make a teacher.
I stick with training centers who may charge more, but honestly in my town they are about the same as Petsmart.

I watched a Petsmart class where a playful boxer was put on the floor and held by the trainer to show the owners how to hold him until he submitted. Frankly I don't agree with this technique, and especially with a playful puppy doing nothing wrong. If a trainer yelled at my dogs for something, I would be in their face in a heartbeat! If you have a beef with my dogs, then yell at me, for I am the one who trained them,,,never my dogs!

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This makes me sad. We did two classes at Petsmart and the trainer was great. SHE would have been in that person's face, telling them not to yell at the puppy. You should talk to the manager about it if you really want to help.

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It does really matter who we use to help train our dogs. No matter what facility each of us need to do our research to find the trainer that works for us. I think it is best to actually observe a class in progress before making a decision.

Unfortunately, many people haven't been through the process before and get into a class. The trainer is the authority figure and many don't know how to stand up for their dog in situations such as mentioned above.

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I always thought that Petsmart requires that positive reinforcement only stuff of their instructors?

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Always loved, never forgotten, all our previous boys -

Definitely talk to the PetSmart manager about this.

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Wendy

Now the proud Mom of Renny, gotcha-day 10/19/2012.



My beautiful Lacey, always loved, never forgotten.
- Gotcha Day April 28, 2008 at @3 years old
- Crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, at the age of @8 years old, on Sunday, August 5, 2012

Petsmart stores usually have that tiny training ring in the middle of the floor. I would think it would be hard for the other employees to not see and hear what was going on.

Did you notice any concern from other Petsmart employees?

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Grasslands Liberty Belle "Bella" CGC (5-7-2012)

Not cool! I would have lost my mind if that were my dog! Obviously this trainer likes to use scare tactics on the dogs. Gosh, can you imagine what it would be like to be her dog!! Wow!
Personally I've observed enough petsmart classes to know that I'd never sign up for one, I don't think the trainers are properly trained, it seems as if they "wing it" 50% of the time.
All Brews training has been by myself (mostly) and my hubby, positive rienforcement, encouragement and fun! He knows his sit, stay, lay down, leave it and his recall is outstanding. I've had people approach me and ask where he was trained :-) I've had people ask me to train their dogs! LOL The most comments I get on him is at the dog park with his recall, he can be mid-play and all I have to say is "Brewdle-doo" and he drops what he's doing and proudly trots over and sits at my feet and gazes up at me with those big brown eyes and golden smile! LOVE him!!!

Don't think the trainers at petsmart can teach that! :-)

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I Brew

LOVE that you've gotten the recall down pat! Since Renny got attacked on our walk a couple of Fridays ago (he's OK!), I've decided not to take him to the dog park any more UNTIL he aces the recall every time.

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Wendy

Now the proud Mom of Renny, gotcha-day 10/19/2012.



My beautiful Lacey, always loved, never forgotten.
- Gotcha Day April 28, 2008 at @3 years old
- Crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, at the age of @8 years old, on Sunday, August 5, 2012

I can't believe that!

I did Petco for our beginner class, and I was impressed with our trainer, but I agree that I don't think these pet stores are too selective about what sort of trainers they get. Ours was lovely, but admitted to us she's a marine animal trainer and she is working part-time at Sea World and hoping to be full-time soon. Which is cool! But dolphins and dogs are a little different.

It was a good first step though, so I don't know if I would blanket say all pet store trainers are bad. For a lot of people, they are intimidated by the price of dog training and pet stores, while still costly, are less expensive and more accessible.

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“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm. As you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.” (Audrey Hepburn)