julew

Hi All, Having jumped ship from the regimented format of the local obedience club I now run puppy Kinder for the local PetStock and instruct at our new Companion Dog Club. The Kinder is basic manners and simple obedience with the focus on learning a method of training that supports all the things you wish to teach your dog. With only four hours in total we have to cover a lot of ground in a short time and much of it is devoted to solving client problems and teaching a way to interact with the dog in a positive way for them and for the dog too. The Companion club focusses on producing (so to speak) well mannered, socially acceptable dogs. Again we teach a positive training method, problem solve and try to keep it a lot of fun. there is no regimented heel work we use loose lead walking, tricks, agility equipment, games and try and run a fun day on a regular basis for students to practice what they have learned in a different (and effectively quite challenging environment). We play games like musical mats, tunnel ball and others. We teach tricks too, they are mentally stimulating for the dog and the handler are a good way for people to work out how to break down an exercises into its components and then fit it back together to get the whole picture and a really good way to get people to work on their reward timing. In my experience most students struggle with the confidence to break away from within the class and do their own thing so we do encourage people to move out into their dog's comfort zone when needed this way they can work at a rate they find comfortable (if need be on the outskirts of the class) we also work in circles or dotted around not in lines which gives a much more relaxed feel to the whole class. Assessments are offered, once a quarter, which allows people to see what they have achieved and to progress to a higher level if they wish but there is no focus on competitiveness which is one way I firmly believe you can remove the pressure from your students.

I have been reading this with great interest as I encountered a similar thing recently. IMO correction is acceptable providing the animal understands what it is being asked to do and is given fair opportunity to do it however punishment is something completely dfferent and is something meted out by a third party whose judgement may or may not be skewed by emotion, circumstances, pressure etc. If you see something questionable I believe you know in your heart when this is the case and we all have a responsibility to act for those that cannot speak for themselves. When clubs fail to act they let down their members and they increase the likelihood of repetition of such events. In the obedience world for those who are members for example of the VCA the rules clearly state that bringing the VCA into disrepute is contravening the standards of behaviour irrespective of anyhting else.I have found the VCA to be extrememly helpful with their advice in delaing with similar situations. i have no experience in the Showing world. Regrdless of what kind of training method we use overt cruelty is just that. Using a tool to slap a dogs tail so it holds it down is no less cruel than tying a left handed persons hand behind their back to enforce right handedness (common practice years ago) Allegedly the higher species we are charged with demonstrating this and finding ways to achieve what we wish to with our dogs without resorting to brute force and ignorant behaviour if we cannot rise to this challeng what right do we have to claim the hiogher status... so after much ramblin I arrive at my point which is if YOU see something unacceptable YOU should report it EVERY time. For the sake of all our dogs.