Strengths/personal Qualities

[Henrietta]

Ok fluffy, lighthearted topic.

Ok what do you think you have going for you to make you a good trainer? (Or in my case, hopefully what will help me become a good trainer.

Now this is just a little bit of fun. I am a complete newbie to the training game, so it has been interesting and so much fun.

What have I got going for me -

I understand that it's not my dog's fault when she doesn't perform or get something.

I have nearly endless patience, I have never had to cut a training session short due to frustration. (Never say never I guess, but so far, so good). I have a rule to always end on a high note, even if it was the worst training session ever!

I listen to my instructers, to what they actually have to say and I don't take constructive criticism in a negative light. I also realise that one instructer's opinion isn't the be all and end all, and it never hurts to seek other ideas as well.

That's about it really.

What I don't have going for me -

I am completely uncoordinated.

I can be completely scatterbrained.

I am still learning and sometimes I feel terribly in incompetent! Actually most of the time....

Maybe because I am new at this (relatively so) I get soooo excited over the smallest development/achievement. And I mean small. I hope that never changes though - it is great motivation for myself and my dog.

Anybody want to share their experiences?

[Ptolomy]

I definitely have experience as I am on to dog number 5!

I am good at planning training sessions and planning what I will do when things go pearshaped.

I have learnt not to flog things. A 5 minute training session can be more productive than an hour long session

I have learnt that if things go wrong I obviously haven't explained it well enough - since my dogs don't do things wrong on purpose.

I have learnt to ask questions of people who are more experienced than I am

I have learnt to vary my rewards - and to keep rewarding for their good efforts (I don't believe in having to get rid of the food in training to be able to trial)

I have learnt that my dogs will work for food, toys and play

I have learnt to keep training fun

I have learnt that every trainer/instructor has something to offer - however its up to me to work out whether I want to use it and take it on board or not.

I have learnt the hard way that if I don't feel like training - then its better not to as things will press my buttons

I have learnt that I love my kids

[Guest rhapsodical78]

I'm pretty open-minded and flexible. I think that's important in training.

[ness]

I am only on dog 1 but hmm thanks to a few people I have quickly had my head knocked into gear and yep I think I am getting pretty good at whats on Ptolomy's list now - including loving my little ruggamuffin no matter how bad a training session went and how many times I wanted her made into a floor rug .

And the big one when in doubt stop and ask rather than continue flogging away and making no progress.

I have two more to add to Ptolomy's list for her.................................

Ptolomy learnt how to plan MY training sessions for me and secondly how much a Border Collie can behave like a Red Duck Dog over things .

Edited November 14, 2007 by ness

[Reddii]

Two things I've come to realise are incredibly important:

An open mind - both in terms of new ideas and training regimes and in terms of what you actually want to achieve with your dog - sometimes the partnershp is just not capable of it and needs to look in another direction.

A sense of humour - they are going to make you look like an idiot and you are going to have to laugh at yourself.

I have also learned that I don't believe dogs don't do things on purpose and that they do have a sense of humour too - why else would she run 200m away from the sheep we are herding, bark at the sheep in another yard and then run back to the job at hand as though nothing had happened....... I just have to learn to work with it and laugh with her/at me.

I also have to learn that she knows best and will tell me when I am not doing something right - listen to my dog, whether she is telling me she's had enough or wants to do more she is right.

I'm still working on both 1 & 2, but don't really have a choice on 3!

[Ms James]

Oh lordie, I completely understand the unco thing! Took me ages to hone my lead-handling skills to a point where I wasn't fumbling with both hands & crying You shoulda seen me practise, it was rather ninja-style.

In regards to postive qualities I have in training my dogs, I guess I'd say determination, an understanding that both my dogs might not respond to the same techniques or have the same drive, a desire to constantly want to improve my knowledge of doggy language, an understanding of the limits of my dogs current knowledge & abilities - this is particularly important when learning new commands & helps me not feel too frustrated if my dog doesn't get the command straight away. I feel it's really important to know that each of your dogs learn at a different rate, Roggie picks things up really quickly, whereas Bella will take a little longer. I'm still working on confidence & being a good leader, but little by little & day by day the bond between me & my dogs gets stronger for training with them.

I also think that training has to be a somewhat constant exercise. By that, I mean that I feel it's useless to spend your 10 to 15 minutes a day doing quick training sessions with your dog if you're just going to let them walk all over you in the home - with our guys we sometimes have to do little refreshers around the house; like if they want to bustle through a door in front of us, they get recalled & put into a sit until we've passed the threshold of the door. For us, consistency is the key!

[Henrietta]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I hadn't really thought of planning as such. I make it up as I go along, but have a general idea about what I want to achieve/cover in any particular training session. I think I'll look at that, I can't believe I have never made a plan... I am such a planning type person too.

Shorter, more frequent training session work well for my dog and I. It took me a while to grasp that concept.

[Henrietta]

Oh lordie, I completely understand the unco thing! Took me ages to hone my lead-handling skills to a point where I wasn't fumbling with both hands & crying You shoulda seen me practise, it was rather ninja-style.

Yep I can relate. Also when I watch someone demonstrate something, I try so hard to remember and understand, what action, what foot, what signal... and I end up doing the complete opposite... needless to say I spend a bit of time in the back yard, training myself.

I also think that training has to be a somewhat constant exercise. By that, I mean that I feel it's useless to spend your 10 to 15 minutes a day doing quick training sessions with your dog if you're just going to let them walk all over you in the home - with our guys we sometimes have to do little refreshers around the house; like if they want to bustle through a door in front of us, they get recalled & put into a sit until we've passed the threshold of the door. For us, consistency is the key!

[dogdude]

These are the things that I think make great obedience / trial trainers:

1:To have the ability to see things from the dogs point of view

2: To have the ability to read a dog accurately, and understand how to "float his boat"

3: To have patience

4:To pay attention to detail (both hands on and planning) while working towards "your perfect picture"

5:Ability to listen and observe others, even the less experienced

6:Ability to simplify seemingly complex problems by referring to basics

7:To have enough experience to decide when it is time to take the next step, and to have the common sense to admit when you need to take a backward one

[whatevah]

Emmala you and me must be very similar I spent a lot of time practicing footwork without the dog!!! Front and rear crosses to learn were a nightmare. I think because I was so busy trying to remember what foot and leg to use and where to put them. But I found when I didn't think about what I was doing, it worked out better!!! I spent a lot of time also learning how to work the dog on the lead for CCD, because Moses had always been taught off lead.

[leopuppy04]

For me:

I've learnt a lot through my training - and am still learning now, and even making the same mistakes that I did 1st time round..... the advantage now is that I pick up on it faster and now how to correct it!

Strengths:

*The ability to take criticism & advice - though I may not agree with it initially, I usually go back and 'ponder' for a bit and make my final decision then

*Having an open mind - I don't write off any method or any trainer, but rather take what I like from them and leave out the rest.

*Patience when training my dog - this is a big thing as I used to get frustrated, now, i'm able to take a step back

*The ability to look back and acknowledge that most of the time things go wrong, it is something I have done.

*The ability to use praise, toys & food to the best of my ability - and take time out of training in order to build up the dogs 'drive' for those things.

Weaknesses:

*planning training sessions - it never happens!

*Speeding ahead too quick and not breaking the sequence down enough... I'm starting to recognise this more now though

*Getting downhearted and taking it 'personally' when something doesn't go right! I really need to stop that.

*Focusing on what the dog can't do rather than what they CAN do!

[Arya]

Great topic! Love everyone's input

My strengths:

Endless, endless patience (funny, it happens in no other area of my life LOL)

The ability to listen, watch and learn from others.

The ability to think outside the square when confronted with problems.

An understanding that every dog is different and need to keep an open mind when training.

The ability to take criticism without taking offence.

Most of all, the understanding that you can spend your whole life with dogs/animals and learn something new every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weaknesses:

Impatience with myself!

Always wanting to leap ahead with training.

Getting depressed when things don't work out the way they do in training (STUPID!!!)

Being an airhead and missing things I'm doing wrong in training until later.

Heaps of others too embarrassing to list LOL.

Best thing I've learnt is how generous dog people are about sharing their knowledge and best thing is how many friends I've made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[leopuppy04]

Great topic! Love everyone's input

My strengths:

Endless, endless patience (funny, it happens in no other area of my life LOL)

The ability to listen, watch and learn from others.

The ability to think outside the square when confronted with problems.

An understanding that every dog is different and need to keep an open mind when training.

The ability to take criticism without taking offence.

Most of all, the understanding that you can spend your whole life with dogs/animals and learn something new every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weaknesses:

Impatience with myself!

Always wanting to leap ahead with training.

Getting depressed when things don't work out the way they do in training (STUPID!!!)

Being an airhead and missing things I'm doing wrong in training until later.

Heaps of others too embarrassing to list LOL.

Best thing I've learnt is how generous dog people are about sharing their knowledge and best thing is how many friends I've made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey arya - your post is soo similar to mine Does that mean that we are on the right track? Or both heading down the wrong path together??? :rolleyes:

[MonElite]

Im not very patient - its my biggest drawback, but! I never give up.

I have a "need" for constant improveemnt, for furhter education of myslf. I like to learn from experts and compare their methods than work out whats best for me and my dogs. I have an open mind and Im not affraid to use different methods or pieces of equipement.

Im also able to see the limitations of my dogs, but as I pretty much never give up Ill try to overcome the weaknesses they have.

[Arya]

Great topic! Love everyone's input

My strengths:

Endless, endless patience (funny, it happens in no other area of my life LOL)

The ability to listen, watch and learn from others.

The ability to think outside the square when confronted with problems.

An understanding that every dog is different and need to keep an open mind when training.

The ability to take criticism without taking offence.

Most of all, the understanding that you can spend your whole life with dogs/animals and learn something new every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weaknesses:

Impatience with myself!

Always wanting to leap ahead with training.

Getting depressed when things don't work out the way they do in training (STUPID!!!)

Being an airhead and missing things I'm doing wrong in training until later.

Heaps of others too embarrassing to list LOL.

Best thing I've learnt is how generous dog people are about sharing their knowledge and best thing is how many friends I've made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey arya - your post is soo similar to mine :cool: Does that mean that we are on the right track? Or both heading down the wrong path together??? :rofl:

Hey LP, if Tess and I are heading down the same path as you and Leo I'd be over the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

[Henrietta]

This has been great guys. Very interesting responses. Having given me heaps of ideas too, about other things that I can look at.

LOL CTD - I think that's me, I have so much trouble and get so frustrated with my terribly uncoordinated self... and eventually it just happens, normally when I'm not thinking of it. When I first started clicker training, I got very confused with which hand to click and treat... I hestitated heaps because it felt wrong. I then just got over it, practiced bouncing a ball and clicker to improve my timing and now I'm much better at it. Sometimes I think, my poor dog, she has got the worst trainer in the world, but she is coping!

Leopuppy, I used to get downhearted and think that I should stop because I sucked too much. I thought I was doing my dog such a diservice that I should quit while we're ahead. Thank God I got over that self indulgent crap and just kept going lol.

I loved everyone's responses! I thought it would be nice to have a topic to share our experiences. Arya you are so right about how generous people can be with sharing their knowledge and helping you out, I have met so many kind people already!

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Ok what do you think you have going for you to make you a good trainer?

I work with difficult independent breed dogs, so I have to be very sharp about what I'm doing to get a result.

I am not a natural, so I have had to break stuff down to learn it, and can usually empathise with others who are not naturals and work out how to explain it to them.

I am pretty friendly, and non-threatening, and while I am far more interested in dogs than people, I still make an effort to be socially acceptable and I don't treat people like they are morons. I am not claiming saint status, it's just that I've learned how to hide what I'm really thinking in order to get a result that is better for the dog.

[Mrsdog]

My strengths are in problem solving and I try very hard to make sure that people find this a positive experience. So very often as trainers we concentrate on solving the problem and forget about the owner's feelings. First time dog owners particularly can find the dog training experience a little daunting to say the least and when problems develop often feel inadequate.

I always try to remember that this is a dog/owner partnership, unique in itself, and that we are not just solving the dog's problems but also giving the owner the confidence they need.

Just another perspective for you to think about.

Noels.

[Lablover]

I understand that it's not my dog's fault when she doesn't perform or get something.

So many thoughts...good thoughts mind you.

But sometimes, it is the dogs fault. Proof proof proof. They are not perfect, just like us...and we are supposed to be the more intelligent species.

Many times, after training, ( ESPECIALLY AT TRIALS!!!) and something goes wrong during the session, I sit back and ponder...why did my dog do - whatever it did wrong and more often than not, I did not read the dog correctly. the great trainers know what their dogs are going to do, beforehand. They know their dogs weak points.

Really really look at your dog..it does not lie to you. Sometimes corrections are warranted.