Every day we get requests from group class students who are going to miss a class and want to schedule a make up.
We do not offer make up lessons. Here are the reasons why.
WOOFS! conducts around 15 classes per month. Each class has between 6 and 8 students. That is about 100 students per month. If even a fraction of those students need a single makeup lesson it is a scheduling nightmare. We would need to hire additional administrative help, and the cost of classes would increase. Even if we did that, it would not work because of the following reasons.
All classes are full. Each month almost all of our classes are full. We work very hard to make sure that everyone in each class gets the individualized attention they need to succeed. Adding additional students to a class would jeopardize the success of all of the students.
Each class is different. Every class develops a rhythm and flow of its own. Some Basic Classes achieve more than the standard curriculum plans for, and some classes need to spend more time on each task than usual. The dogs get to know each other. The people get to know each other. Adding someone new to the group is disruptive to everyone’s learning.
It doesn’t matter if you miss a class. No dog learns everything, every session. Our Basic Obedience classes are designed to provide a FOUNDATION for excellent training. Training is never done after just one 7 week long class. WOOFS! intentionally focuses on teaching 4 to 5 foundation behaviors and builds in a lot of time to practice these skills. If you miss one class, you will not fall behind. Most instructors send out class summaries so you will know what was covered. And your instructor will have the time to work with you on the material you missed. Mostly, you will be missing practice time. Dogs, like humans, are life long learners and do best with continued practice to maintain good manners. Our classes are designed to teach you how to work with your dog over their lifetime. Missing one hour of instruction is not going to derail the process.
Our recommendation: If you know you are going to miss two classes of the session, enroll in a different class that works better for your schedule. If you are super busy or have a variable schedule, consider private lessons! They cost more initially, but the focused attention can help you reach your training goals faster.