Dog Obedience School... Have you went?

We Really Wish we would have!! Now we are too embarrased LOL. We wanted to take our 2 but after paying for their shots and to get fixed and the meds that they needed to get healthy (both were found and uncared for) we just could not afford the $200+ to get them trained. Now they are not completely untrained they sit, lay down, roll over, stay sometimes lol, and understand a few various things like "go to bed" "get your rope" etc. But we have never been able to get them to stay with us outside without a leash. :-( If we ever get the $$ and courage we will probably take them to a couple private sessions since they are 1 and 2 years old now.

I think obedience class is worth it for most people and dogs. I had already trained my husky0carolina dog mix to sit, lie down, walk politely on a leash, etc. but we are going to obedience with him because 1. I have an interest in getting him certified as a therapy dog and 2. your dog can never be too well trained. Also it helps with his socialization. When obedience class doesn't work is when someone has a dog who is ussually already past the easy to train puppy stage and is used to getting its own way. My dog knows that I DEMAND (in a nice way) he do what i expect him to do. Bad behavior is punished (verbally and then ignoring him) and good behavior is rewarded (verbally, hugs and pats, treats.) My dog knows I am the alpha. Dogs who have been allowed to get away with things and who are not consistently punished or rewarded are dogs who have suceeded in training their owners. I find it amusing that in our obedience class I have the only shelter rescue dog, yet he is far and away the best behaved. I think the main problem with the other dogs is not necessarily their breeding but rather that their owners treat the dog as a person rather than a dog. I love my dog like a child, but he is NOT a person, he thinks like a DOG. Once you understand this it is a lot easier to train a dog. I think obedience class should be a requirement for first time dog owners. As many as 70% of dogs in shelters are there because of behavioral issues which in almost all cases would have been prevented through education of the owner and training of the dog and owner. The humane society here is starting to require enrollment in obedience classes for adoption. I am 100% for it.