Dog Training - Instructor Courses?

[bonniedog]

Hi, I am new to this forum so not sure if I am posting in the correct place or not. Please bear with me :rolleyes:

I'm after information about instructor courses for people who wish to become dog trainers, and am hoping that someone here might be able to point me in the right direction. Preferable locations for study would be in the Hunter Valley or Newcastle, but could possibly go to Sydney if necessary.

Thanks

[squeak]

NDTF (National Dog Trainers Federation) are now running "distance learning" courses where you attend 2 x 8 day prac blocks in Sydney (Dural) and do the rest via correspondence.

I understand that next year that Delta Society will be doing a similar thing in Sydney, but I do not know of the location.

[luvsdogs]

NDTF (National Dog Trainers Federation) are now running "distance learning" courses where you attend 2 x 8 day prac blocks in Sydney (Dural) and do the rest via correspondence.

I understand that next year that Delta Society will be doing a similar thing in Sydney, but I do not know of the location.

Years ago they did it a Richmond, don't know if that's where it will be. I think Dogs NSW do an instructors course.

[Teebs]

I am doing NDTF and love it - wouldnt touch Delta if you paid me to.

[Luke GSP]

I am doing NDTF and love it - wouldnt touch Delta if you paid me to.

why not? :rolleyes: not a loaded question, i have no preference either way just wondering.

[PAX]

Contact Dogs NSW and ask.

[Teebs]

I am doing NDTF and love it - wouldnt touch Delta if you paid me to.

why not? not a loaded question, i have no preference either way just wondering.

I have had a personal falling out with them. A HUGE falling out with them.

I have also talked to a few people who are in delta, the have no idea how to use a check chain, how to use a prong, what a prong does and some have also never seen one, they also know nothing about E Collars.

I do understand that some people do not want to go that way, but i rather a course that shows you ALL sides of training, so you can understand why people use what they use.

I have had some comments made to me because I use a prong, when if i asked if they had ever seen one, they said nope, just know they are evil :rolleyes:

[bonniedog]

Thanks :D

I will phone NDTF tomorrow and see what info they can give me. Terrorbull do study via correspondence or attend classes? What is the course content like in terms of difficulty? Would it be 'doable' for a 17 year old?

I have a DELTA Society about 40 mins drive away, although I think I would be more more inclined to go with a courses that offered a range of perspectives and training methods. I might contact DELTA though about their pets for therapy program. SOunds interesting and we have a placid lab who, with a little more obedience training, could be quite good as a therapy dog.

[Jigsaw]

There's no reason why a 17 year old who's committed could not do the NDTF course. On my first prac block there was a 16 yr old doing the course. Some of her questions and insights were great at shedding light on some topics discussed and opened other avenues of discussion. Unfortunately she did not attend our 2nd block and I am not sure whether she has deferred or discontinued the course.

Given the financial outlay for the course $3,000 plus it is a serious committment to study. However I also know that a lot of 17 year olds are not settled in what they want to do in their life, heck I didn't know either really! But go for it if you want to! I have one niece who wanted to work with horses, declared she would never ever work in an office, at 17 left school, started TAFE course in horse management, left halfway through and then did accountancy training at parents insistence. Where is she now 15 years later - in an office and loving it!

From what I understand with my interaction with some DELTA trainers is that they train for pet/companionship only. They do not generally deal with behavioural problems like aggression. Instructors that I've met said they are told to direct any behavioural as opposed to training problems to a vet behaviourist.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Jigsaw

[bonniedog]

$3000.00 is a big commitment - not so bad though if NDTF have a payment plan, but up front payment would be a killer!

Our mr 17 loves animals, and would particularly like to work with dogs in some capacity. We'd like to encourage him to do a training instructors course - as long as it doesnt interfer with his HSC.

[Just Midol]

They do installments.

Word of advice, ring on a regular basis before the block training.

I haven't actually learnt much so far, everything in the first lot of DVDs I already knew from my leerburg dvds and from reading this forum. I assume I'll learn more later on though.

[Miss Danni]

I did the Delta Society course many years ago - 1996 - and it was fabulous. Looks like things might have changed since Dr Kibble passed away. Terry Ryan also used to be involved.

You could ask Delta for the course outline and make a more informed decision.

[Jigsaw]

Depending on what your 17 year old is studying for HSC and his committment to that and what he wants to do after the HSC would have a bearing on doing a course IMO. HSC is stressful enough for most kids regardless of their ambitions, adding the stress of a course which has regular assessments due (both NDTF and Delta have these) might be a bit much together with the workload of HSC. I don't know your Mr 17 but I have one of my own (lol) and if he was interested in this sort of thing I would probably direct him to more to trick training, formal obedience and agility first to see if he likes doing that sort of thing (if yours hasn't already!), so its more of a fun thing for him during HSC. Taking his brain in another direction from school work sort of thing. If he likes working with dogs perhaps working in a kennel during holidays - hard work, minimal pay but lots of dogs might give him an idea too!