As a therapy dog owner, you always want your furry pal to be in their top shape when it comes to providing emotional support. And proper training plays a vital role in that process. But with so many options to choose from, such as one-on-one training or group classes, it can be overwhelming to decide which one would be the most beneficial for your therapy dog. In this blog post, we’ll be diving into the pros and cons of both one-on-one therapy dog training and group classes.

One-on-One Therapy Dog Training

Pros

Personalized attention

One-on-one therapy dog training is perfect for pet owners who prefer their dog to have individual attention from a trainer. Your furry pal gets personalized attention to help them focus and learn better. The trainer can adjust the training program based on your dog’s personality, pace, and specific needs.

👉🏻 Benefits

  • Personalized training sessions based on your furry pal’s specific needs
  • Trainer can adjust pacing and teach the best training strategies

Convenience

If you’ve got a tight schedule, it can be challenging to attend group classes. One-on-one therapy dog training allows you to have more flexibility with scheduling, meaning training sessions will be done according to your convenience. You don’t have to worry about your busy schedule and can focus on what matters – giving your furry pal the best training.

👉🏻 Benefits

  • Provides more flexibility around scheduling sessions
  • Eliminates the hassle of attending group classes

Faster Progress

Training a therapy dog can be an intense process that requires a lot of time and effort. One-on-one therapy dog training can expedite the learning process as the trainer can provide more individual attention and focus on your puppy. This, in turn, can lead to faster progress, and you’ll see better results in no time!

👉🏻 Benefits

  • The focused attention can expedite the learning process
  • You’ll see results faster - a happier pup and better emotional support

Cons

Expensive

One-on-one therapy dog training sessions can be pricey depending on the experience and training specialty of the trainer. The personalized sessions can lead to a higher cost than group classes, which could be challenging for some budgets.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • More expensive than group classes
  • Personalized sessions come with a higher price

Limited Socialization

One-on-one therapy dog training sessions limit the opportunity for the puppy to socialize with other dogs, people and a less distracting training environment. Thus, therapy dogs may not be able to interact with various forms of people effectively. It could lead to an inability to cope with different environments and other animals and people.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • Limited socializing opportunities with other people and pets
  • Training sessions may not develop coping skills for different environments

Possible Focus Issues

Different environments and distractions can hinder a therapy dog’s focus. One-on-one training sessions may teach your dog to concentrate specifically within the environment where sessions occur, making it difficult to transfer training into new scenarios.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • Focus on training may only work in one environment
  • It may take time to adapt to new environments in future training scenarios

Group Classes

Pros

Encourages Socialization

Group dog training classes let furry pals interact and socialize with other humans, pets, and different environments. Group classes can help therapy dogs develop into well-rounded and confident pets that are comfortable around other creatures.

👉🏻 Benefits

  • Interacting with other creatures promotes socialization
  • Encourages a confident and well-rounded therapy pet

Affordable

Group dog training classes are usually more cost-effective than one-on-one dog therapy training sessions. Group classes provide standard dog training at a lower cost, making it an excellent choice for people looking for affordable therapy dog training.

👉🏻 Benefits

  • Cost-effective when compared to personalized one-on-one dog training
  • Standard training costs less, making it more affordable for pet owners

Opportunities for Accountability and Improvement

Group classes offer opportunities for accountability and growth as pet owners unite in training their dogs. This community can be a source of support, encouragement, and feedback. You can exchange ideas on training strategies, share successes, and implement improvements. The support system can keep the pet owners motivated, resulting in better-trained pups and happier animal experiences.

👉🏻 Benefits

  • Opportunities to exchange ideas and insights through a community of passionate pet owners
  • Foster support, encouragement, feedback, and accountability

Cons

Limited Personalized Attention

Group classes are not personalized to suit individual dog’s needs and personalities. Therapists usually follow a general training program and will not adjust it to fit a specific furry pal’s needs. As such, pet owners need to trust in the training methods selected by the therapist, which are not adjusted to meet their individual needs.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • Limited personalized attention means the training program may not be the best fit for all dogs.
  • A therapist may not adjust the program to meet each dog’s different needs.

Less Flexibility

Class schedules are usually set and may be in the middle of the workday or at inconvenient times. Pet owners need to ensure they are available to attend the classes, which is less flexible than personalized one-on-one dog training sessions.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • Class schedules may be less flexible around personal or work commitments
  • Pet owners may need to work around existing schedules to attend

Potential for Distractions

Group dog training classes can be distracting to therapy pets with limited focus. External distractions may cause undue stress and prevent proper learning. Not all pets react well to human interactions or distractions from other animals. Hence, training may require more intense focus and one-on-one tutoring provided in a personalized session.

👉🏻 Drawbacks

  • Distractions may occur from other pets and people
  • Therapy pets with focus issues may not be well suited for group training classes

Bottom Line

Whether you opt for one-on-one therapy dog training or group classes, it is important to consider your furry pal’s personality, focus issues, budget, and schedule. Both methods have their pros and cons, but understanding each one will help you make the best decision for your therapy dog. However, group dog training classes are excellent for pet owners looking for a cost-effective, social environment with accountability and community support. On the other hand, one-on-one therapy dog training is perfect for pups needing personalized attention, task focus or dealing with a specific issue. Find what works best for your furry pal and get them the training they deserve.

A happy and relaxed therapy dog sitting with his/her owner

🐶🐾 That’s all for now, folks! I hope you found this blog informative and engaging! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out. Wishing you and your furry pal all the best on your training journey! 🐾🐶

A group of sleeping therapy dogs in a row