Home vs. Field Dog Training Lessons – Which Is Best for Your Dog?

Once you realize that your dog needs more professional training than you are capable of providing, you have to decide what type of lessons will benefit them the most. The worst case scenario is that you choose the wrong type of training class and end up switching at the recommendation of the trainer. The best case scenario is that you think about the following questions to guide your decision so that you select the right type of training from the start.

1. Has your dog received any training around other dogs?
Dog training courses held outside of your home are often small group sessions. That means your dog will need to interact with other dogs in a nonthreatening manner. You will also need to control your dog well enough that they are not running away and interfering with the training of other dogs.
You can seek out one-on-one training and meet the trainer in their own facility or a public location. This eliminates interference of other dogs directly, but you cannot control other dogs walking by with their owners or running loose. If your dog has shown threatening or extremely shy behavior around other dogs in the past, you may want to start with in-home dog training.

2. How does your dog typically behave around unknown humans?
When someone rings your doorbell, how does your dog react? You can never determine how your dog will interact with a trainer or other participants in a group class, but you can get an idea of how they may act by thinking about their interactions with other people in the past.
If your dog is not ready to interact with other people, then you may want to go with in-home training. You can eventually change to other types of training courses as your dog’s skills and confidence mature.

3. Do you have specific skills that you want your dog to master?
If your dog needs to work on specific skills, you should go with one-on-one lessons. This allows the trainer to tackle those skills directly without concern for the needs of other dogs and owners. You should consult with a professional trainer to determine whether your lessons are best held at home or in the field.
Dog training is a personal matter, but some dogs do best when surrounded by other dogs. Think about your dog’s personality and past behavior to determine what is best for them.