How Old Was Your Dog

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes?
I think she would have been 3 years.
2. Why did you do it at that age?
Believe it or not, there was no one in my area doing training classes of any sort when I got her as a puppy. I had her basic obedience down pretty good by the time I took her to classes, but my mother had just got a new dog and seeing as she was going, I thought it was a good opportunity for me and Penny as well.
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
Nope. At least my mother had that one covered, though.
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Yep.
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
Again, mother's influence. She was the one paying for it. I was only 13. We meant to get her done at 6 months before her first heat because that was the time vets generally said to get it done, but she snuck in a heat before we got a chance to take her in. She was probably over 7 months by the time she got done.

Humor me, I'm researching again...
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
We got Maggie when she was 2 years old and she started doing obedience shortly after. 
 
2. Why did you do it at that age? 
Because we didn't get her until she was 2.
 
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
Nope I got her from my Grandmother as a rescue.  She was very dog dominant and wouldn't be able to be in a room with any dog without attacking it.  Now she loves other dogs and is very playful towards them.
 
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
No she is not spayed yet

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
She will get spayed very soon

 

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

Humor me, I'm researching again...
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
2. Why did you do it at that age? 
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?

After I posted this, I thought it was only fair for me to answer the same questions for all of you.
Sequoyah
1.Went to training class at age 10 weeks.  Behavior problems kill more dogs than disease, so I opt for a little risk versus having a dog that is unable to be around other dogs and strange humans.
2. Because I didn't get her at 8 weeks - if I had, she'd have started then)
3. Yes, although being a trainer, I was already aware.  Excellent knowledge of the breed was one of the reasons I chose the breeder I did, among others.
4. Yes, at age 5 1/2 months
5. Wanted to avoid first heat, but increase likelihood that she would not suffer spay incontinence.

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes?
6 months.

2. Why did you do it at that age?
Training was solid enough by that age to need  formal "proofing" around other dogs, and attention span had developed enough for an hour-long class to make sense. Can't imagine paying good money for a class just to socialize a puppy when there are endless free opportunities for that.

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
Nope. In fact, vet routinely urges everyone to keep puppies at home until the full series of puppy shots are done.

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Yes.

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
5 and a half months. So there is no chance of accidental breedings, and pup has enough time to recover before staring classes at age 6 months.

Humor me, I'm researching again...
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 

Around 4 months

2. Why did you do it at that age?

She was nippy, jumpy and annoying and we wanted some structure for training her

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?

No, actually my vet said to not take her out in public until her shots were complete.
ETA:  Actually they did say it was important, so I made sure she met a lot of people and dogs we knew were vaccinated.

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?

She was part of the early spay program at the shelter - she was spayed about a week before we adopted her (approx 10 weeks old)

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?

see above

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
Mick- 2 1/2 yrs
Caleb- 12 wks

2. Why did you do it at that age? 
Mick- He was pretty insecure, and I wanted to start him out "in public" doing what he already pretty much knew.  We polished up on what I taught him (walk nicely on a leash, come, sit, down, stay), and learned a few new things as well as got him used to being around more strangers.
Caleb- LOL  He needed puppy classes!  []

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
No.  By the time Caleb came along, my vet and Caleb's breeder both new I already new about it.

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Mick- yes
Caleb- not yet

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
Mick- being a rescue, it was required, although I would have done it anyway.  I already knew what the "ideal" age was to have it done, and started bugging the rescue for the Friends of Animals certificate when Mick was about 5 months old.  My goal was to get him done before our camp director's female Lab puppy came into heat.  He was 7 months old when I finally got the contact info for FoA from the rescue group.


 

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

Humor me, I'm researching again...
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
2. Why did you do it at that age? 
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?

 
1.  I never took Xerxes to formal classes.  I researched the majority of trainers in the area and found them to be of the "yank and crank" variety.  Socialization was done with dogs of varying ages, sizes, breeds from the age of 8 weeks onward. 
 
2.  I socialized him from a very early age because I wanted him to know that little dogs were dogs too-not prey, and I wanted to make sure that he knew doggy etiquette and retained his ability to communicate effectively with other dogs.
 
3.  No my breeder didn't stress early socialization, however the books that I have read did stress this.
 
4.  Gaia is spayed.  Xerxes is intact.
 
5.  Gaia was a rescue and was spayed at the first possible opportunity.  Xerxes will remain intact until he is finished.  At that point I'll get a couple of straws on him and have him neutered.

1. Max was about 5 3/4 or 6 months when he went to his first class. Georgie starts next Wednesday at about a year old.
2. The reason for their starting classes at the ages mentioned is because that is when a class was available. We took the first available class for each of them.
3. I don't think the shelter really did tell us about early socialization, and in both cases, the dogs were really past the age for that, but it was stressed in Max's puppy class.
4. We had Max neutered, Georgie came spayed.
5. I think Max was neutered at 6 or 7 months, I know whenever it was, that was the first appointment we could get for him.

1. Dodger was 4 months old when we took our first course (beginner obedience - no puppy classes).
2. It was the first class I could enroll in (nothing to do with socialization - I had no idea how important that was)
3. No
4. Dodger was neutered a month later (5 months old)
5. The appointment was booked months in advance (the earliest date possible at the spay/neuter clinic)

Humor me, I'm researching again...
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
We have never attended formal training classes with any of our guys. The only trainers/training places here have been less than ideal for what I want my dogs exposed to. We have, however, recently found a class that, while not a clicker class, allows me to use a clicker, so I'll be looking into it for our currently 9 week pup Shimmer when the next class opens (after I go to the class myself and observe dog-free).
 
But all dogs have been trained from puppyhood. Ones we've bred, 6-8 weeks of age, ones we've bought - the day they come to our home - 8-10 weeks of age, usually.

2. Why did you do it at that age? 
Teaching foundation behaviours at a young age is important to me. Puppy-brains are so easily moldable you can teach them just about anything with ease.
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
I AM a breeder....so.....yes? LOL! If it matters, we explain to OTHERS the importance of early socialization. We have a four-page article in our puppy booklets that I wrote explaining it all.
Also can be seen here:
[link>http://www.miniatureschnauzer.ca/socialization.htm]http://www.miniatureschnauzer.ca/socialization.htm[/link]

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
From my experience right now, all non-breeding dogs have been spayed/neutered. However I am considering in the future, when I get my next dog, of keeping it fully intact, even though it will not be for breeding purposes, because of different reasons. I have not made a final decision though.
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
Our adults were spayed/neutered when done breeding (females no later than 5 years of age, males a little more varied). Non-breeding dogs have, in the past, been spayed/neutered around 5 months of age on average. Pups that are sold for non-breeding ("pets only") are sold on spay/neuter contracts of doing it by 6 months of age.

I'll just use Shooter for this one, cause we could be here all night if I name everyone.
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
5 months
2. Why did you do it at that age? 
He had parvo as a pup (6 weeks) so I felt I needed to keep him away from other dogs for a bit.
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
I learned early on from my vet
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Happy 6 month B-Day Shooter, guess what you are getting?  A neuter
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
I wanted to do it ASAP.  He has demodex & it took a while to clear up, so I didn't want a female in heat to cause a flair up.
 

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? Mirelle went to puppy classes at about 10 weeks. Cassidy didn't go to classes until she was about 1 year old.
2. Why did you do it at that age?
I signed up Mirelle for classes when we got her, and it was a couple weeks before openening. CCI required that she go to puppy classes. I waited with Cassidy I guess because I figured she didn't need to go to classes right away, and I could teach her at home. She had lots of socialization before that, and I trained her at home to begin. We started at one year old and went through the advanced obedience class and then to agility. She did just fine in both of those classes.
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
No, I learned it by reading, in books, or online, or from other friends who had dogs.
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Cassidy is spayed, Mirelle isn't.
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
Cassidy was fixed pretty early, I think 4-5 months, because that was the earliest age the Vet said we could do it. Mirelle isn't spayed because she's going to be a potential breeder for CCI, the service dog program. If she was mine, she would be spayed. Also, if she isn't selected as a breeder dog (chances are she won't be...they have high standards), then she will be spayed and contine with training.

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes?
2. Why did you do it at that age?
3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that

Tasha was 16 weeks when she went to puppy kindergarten. She was a 12 week old stray and we were clueless. It quickly became apparent that we needed help.

The puppy kindergarten stressed early socialization. Fortunately from day one well before kindergarten, we'd started. She went for walks, visited adult dogs, and visited with children and employees of the school across the street. We were very proud of her and she loved all adventures. The vet never mentioned the dangers of taking her out so ignorance was bliss.

Tasha was spayed at five months old. I know DH well enough to know if there was an accidental pregnancy I could have wound up with 10 dogs. No home would have been good enough so as soon as the vet gave the OK off we went.

Wolfgang was adopted from homeless people at six months. They had adopted him from the pound. He was already very well socialized so he didn't go to classes. We used a home trainer for specific behavior. Floyd was adopted at four years. He was neutered and pretty well trained. He went to classes for socialization and to help with fearfulness. It helped a little but being around Tasha & Wolfgang has been more helpful.

Sally:
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes?
Almost a year and a half 

2. Why did you do it at that age?
We got her at a year and didn't know any better at first, then I did some research and figured I should get her into a class 

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
No.

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Yes.

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
There was an intact male boxer on the property (not ours), so I wanted her fixed ASAP.


Jack:
1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes?
11 weeks.
 
2. Why did you do it at that age?
I wanted to start manners/socailization ASAP 

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
Yes, my breeder did.  However, considering many of Sally's issues likely came from poor socialization, I didn't need to be told.

4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Not  yet.

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
He is only 7 months and I want to let him grow and fill out a bit before we snip him.  We'll probobly wait until he's 1-2 years.

1. How old was your dog when you first took it to training classes? 
Four month.  Though I am experienced in training so his training started at 8 weeks at home.

2. Why did you do it at that age? 
Waited until he had all his shots plus we didn't need a puppy class and started straight into the the obedience class.  He needed training with the distractions of other dogs around.

3. Did your breeder, shelter, rescue, or vet tell you about the importance of early socialization?
Knew that.  The puppies socialization started the day he came home.
 
4. Did you spay or neuter your dog?
Yes

5. If so, how did you decide at what age to do that?
We did my male at a 1.5 years.  I wanted him to completely grow up with the hormone influence since we were going to complete in Agility and I wanted proper structure.