Dog Training Camps?

[david.brent]

hi we have a 6 month old border collie purebred male (desexed) pup who althoguh through our best efforts, probably hasnt been trained as well as he should have been and we are now starting to see behavioural problems which we are wanting to get fixed asap

he is starting to show food aggression (growled and barked/tried to bite me last night when i had my hand next to his food bowl - he is getting into a big dog now so this is definitely bad and somethign that needs to be stopped ASAP), is barking at everything - the phone ringing, people walking down the street, and digging up the garden/ripping clothes off the clothesline too. he hasnt had as much excercise over the last fortnight as he usually does (abotu an hour-hour and a half each day), and this has coincided with the digging and clothes line problems (boredom/needing a release for the energy), however the constant barking and food aggression are massive problems that really need to be stopped. he has also over the last month or so become quite aggressive towards our cat (who we have had for about 9 years), and its also significant to note that all of these problems have occured since getting him desexed - however im inclined to believe this is more just a coincidence due to him getting older/becoming more aware

im not ashamed to admit that it might be time to get a professional who really knows what theyre doing to help out with this, and we are looking at sending him to a 'puppy/dog training school' - this one in particular after doing a bit of googling: http://www.petstraining.com.au/html/training.html - where they stay there for 2 weeks and apparently get taught quite a lot

however i realise that you good people are a lot more knowledgeable of dogs and obedience problems than i, and my end outcome is wanting the dog to be a happy pet, but also obedient and not a 'problem dog', and a great addition to our family. we are not made of money, however if this is the best thign for the dog then it is a cost that would be money well spent for the whole family

if you are able to recommend or share your opinions about this kind of thing id really appreciate it

thanks a lot for your time and i hope to add back to the communty where i can

thanks a lot and hope youre having a great weekend

yours sincerely

david brent

[harper]

Hi David.

I don't have enough knowledge about training camps in general to offer any advice with respect to that, but, I did have problems with my dogs behaviour and I got one on one help from a reputable behaviourist and can totally recommend that as an option along with joining your local dog training club. It is a great learning and bonding experience with your dog.

All the best.

[Tilly]

I once had lots of trouble with a dog and spoke to his trainer (a professional who was assisting me with his training) about boarding him for a couple of weeks to allow him to work with him. While he would have been happy to help out with the training he definately didn't recommend boarding him for the training. He basically said 90% of all dog training is teaching the owner to understand their dog ... not teaching the dog how to understand us.

Definately work with professionals but the training needs to come from you.

[laffi]

I would NEVER send my dog for training.

I believe training is building a relationship with your dog and no one can do it for you.

If I were you I would list clearly all the issues you have and work on them one by one.

Try to find a local club and a trainer you can work with. If you do want a personal trainer or animal behaviorist, please ask here for recommendations as there is a lot of terrible ones out there.

It sounds to me like you have a very active, young and bored border collie. Without training these working breed dogs will become a nuisance.

[wuffles]

I'm not an expert but I would never put my dog anywhere near one of those training camps, even if I'd heard good things about it.

As others have recommended, a reputable behaviourist that will come to you house can teach YOU and your family how to deal with these issues. Your home is the place where you are having problems therefore it is the best place to fix them, imo.

I am sure someone on here can recommend a good trainer or behaviourist in your area

[persephone]

Ok-

Hi.

The thing about dogs is that, they only learn what their owners teach them... either intentionally, or inadvertantly .

have a read HERE

Whilst genes and temperament play a aprt in what a dog 'is'... the examples it is shown at home are very important.

Basically an owner must know more than the dogs,and understand a dog's body language,and learning processes ( not in any formal way... but to teach a dog effectively, one must understand what is happening to the information you give ...

That said..

it is YOU who need the professional input more than the dog.

so... having a professional come to your house,and work with everyone in the dog's environment is the most comprehensive way to help solve problems.

(imo)

I don't believe in those training camps... YOU need to see the dog in training... what is said/done, having the reasons explained to you,and experiencing the results .

YOu need to be handling YOUR dog, with the support and guidance of a professional. who is there in case of difficulties .

A LITTLE bit like learning to drive.

The instructor gives you the information... but it is You who performs the actions....

Please tell us where you are located...and someone will be suggested for you

[laffi]

it is YOU who need the professional input more than the dog.

[Staff'n'Toller]

If you had training problems- such as you were having trouble with his obedience in general, or you wanted to do competition, then yes boarding and training can be good for that.

If you have behaviour problems however, it's much more beneficial to do some private training with someone who is qualified and has *successfully* dealt with food aggression (resource guarding). You need to know how to deal with it when he comes home and whilst I could fix it fairly quickly in a dog that was living with me, I am completely sure they would try out their owners on their return home, and it's more important that you know what to do when a, b or c scenario happens.

Kennels also teach young herding breeds to bark, that it's ok to bark, that it can be self rewarding and that it can be a frustration or stress release which is EXACTLY what you do not want with a dog already showing boredom behaviours.

Mel.

Edited January 17, 2009 by Staff'n'Toller

[labsrule]

Welcome to dol

I would never recommend sending your dog away to one of these so called training camps I have heard a few horror stories about these type of places and the treatment that is dished out to the dogs that go there to be "trained: A work colleague told me about one of her relatives that sent her dog away to one of these places and the dog was never the same when it returned. It went in as a confident, happy, disobedient dog and came out a quivering, cowering very nervy, skinny dog that seemed to be scared of its own shadow. The owners were shattered by what had happened to their dog, as they thought they would get back a confident, happy and obedient dog. They blamed themselves for taking the "easy way out" without getting in either a qualified behaviourist or reputable trainer to help them with their dog. As it was, they did have to get professional help with this dog, to undo the damage that was done in this "so called training camp". Apparently, the dog never returned to its happy, confident self, but it did get a hell of a lot better, under the guidance of a professional behaviourist.

Like other posters have suggested, you need to get in contact with a good trainer to help you work with your dog in a one on one situation to ensure both you and your dog obtain maximum benefit. It takes commitment and work to ensure that your dog does develop into a well adjusted, well behaved adult and a much beloved member of your family

[Cosmolo]

Boarding and training can work for some dogs with some issues- we have a dog doing B+T a the moment who was far too difficult for his owner to commence training- by us doing some initial work, she will then find it MUCH easier to continue the training.

I would never recommend B+T for food aggression, barking or cat chasing though- it is unlikely to resove any of those issues on a B+T environment and may make them worse. A private behaviour consultation will be much more beneficial.

[Jeff Jones]

I would NEVER send my dog for training.

I believe training is building a relationship with your dog and no one can do it for you.

If I were you I would list clearly all the issues you have and work on them one by one.

Try to find a local club and a trainer you can work with. If you do want a personal trainer or animal behaviorist, please ask here for recommendations as there is a lot of terrible ones out there.

It sounds to me like you have a very active, young and bored border collie. Without training these working breed dogs will become a nuisance.

I agree 100%. David I would not send my dog there, do a search on this forum for Guard Dog Training centre and check out everyones replys. It is the same place as petstraining.com.au.

[Just Midol]

I also concur with laffi.

[fbaudry]

I do not know anything about this particular training camp, but can whole heartedly recommend petresort (Steve Austin) in Dural. They do conduct 14 days in house training, and then offer lifetime follow up and advice. Very gentle methods, and more importantly than anything, they do train YOU on what to do / what to expect and I found them really great, from my own personal experience. 99% of the issues stem from the owner, and they are very good at observing you and telling you what you do wrong.

just my 2 cents...