Exercise Before Obedience Class This Morning?

[fainty_girl]

I signed up for a 6 week obedience course for Tilly and I and will be going for the first time this morning.

Should I give Tilly some off-leash exercise at a park before driving to the class? Or would it be better to take her there without having given her a run that morning?

The main thing I want help with from the instructor is to get Tilly to stop pulling on the lead.

Edited November 6, 2009 by fainty_girl

[laffi]

I wouldn't go to the park before obedience. What's the point of making her tired beforehand if in real live she would pull more when less tired?

[fainty_girl]

Ok, thanks laffi

[Rusky]

yes take her for a run it will be good for her and put her in a good frame of mind. She will be less full on and you will be able to work easier with the trainer to put the new training into practice.

[huski]

I don't like to exercise my dogs before training. I want lots of energy and I find if they are tired it's harder for them to stay interested and focused.

I agree with Laffi that you want the trainer to see Tilly as her normal self not when she's tired. She's not tired when she normally pulls on the leash.

[Rusky]

I don't like to exercise my dogs before training. I want lots of energy and I find if they are tired it's harder for them to stay interested and focused.

I agree with Laffi that you want the trainer to see Tilly as her normal self not when she's tired. She's not tired when she normally pulls on the leash.

looking at her dog I doubt very much she will be tired

[huski]

I don't like to exercise my dogs before training. I want lots of energy and I find if they are tired it's harder for them to stay interested and focused.

I agree with Laffi that you want the trainer to see Tilly as her normal self not when she's tired. She's not tired when she normally pulls on the leash.

looking at her dog I doubt very much she will be tired

Then what's the point exercising the dog if it's not going to make a difference?

If I was going to have a consult with a trainer I would want them to see my dog when it's being it's normal self, not when it's puffed out from having a run around, it's when the dog is full of energy that I would imagine she is the hardest to control. No point having a consult with the trainer if they are only going to work with your dog when they are more worn out than usual. TBH I'd find it a PITA having to exercise my dog before every training session, just to make it easier for the trainer to teach us.

ETA: I would want the trainer to see the dog in it's normal mode to start with because I know that's when I'd need assistance the most.

Edited November 7, 2009 by huski

[Got Spots]

I usually do obedience in the afternoon - we find we get better focus after some light exercise a gentle walk, not too intense just to take the edge off their energy, for me it would be on lead walking beside me if possible. We are working on this in our household

From my observations at obedience you can pick the dogs that aren't exercised they are feral

It isnt to wear the dog out at all just so they don't have heaps of pent up energy they feel the need to get rid of

I know Cesar Millan is contentious but

- Exercise

- Disciple (ie obedience)

- Affection

it works for us but we do it our way

[Aidan]

This will be a class with other dogs, right? Presumably mostly on-leash manners and obedience?

If you find you need to take the edge off then a short walk to get used to the surrounds is not a bad idea initially. Reward should come after effort though, so aim to go for your walk after class (using what you have learned, on a loose leash!)

[OSoSwift]

I don't walk mine before, apart from what they would normally do around the place and we do live on acerage.

If anything - especially if it is going to be a bit warm- I give them less exercise as I want the bouncy, pogo puppy so I can harness the bounce.

[fainty_girl]

I don't like to exercise my dogs before training. I want lots of energy and I find if they are tired it's harder for them to stay interested and focused.

I agree with Laffi that you want the trainer to see Tilly as her normal self not when she's tired. She's not tired when she normally pulls on the leash.

looking at her dog I doubt very much she will be tired :D

Very true Rusky...Tilly is a Kelpie X so she doesn't tire easily. She still pulls on the lead if she's tired too.

Well the obedience class was pretty average and Tilly was a pain in the butt...the company said they help with dogs that pull on the lead. But instead, the puppies and dogs and like Tilly who pulled got head haltis put on pretty much straight away (the trainer had several). So I used Tilly's own black dog training halter, which Tilly was not impressed with (she went from being way too hypo to sprawling herself out on the grass with a sooky face).

The trainer was encouraging the people using the haltis to yank the leash with quite a bit of force for a correction . One puppy was pulling backwards trying to get out of the halti and the trainer continued to pull the puppy towards himself, making the poor thing give a yelp.

Tilly wasn't very interested in the treats I bought her either to make things worse. She preferred the trainer's treats!

[huski]

Well the obedience class was pretty average and Tilly was a pain in the butt...the company said they help with dogs that pull on the lead. But instead, the puppies and dogs and like Tilly who pulled got head haltis put on pretty much straight away (the trainer had several). So I used Tilly's own black dog training halter, which Tilly was not impressed with (she went from being way too hypo to sprawling herself out on the grass with a sooky face).

The trainer was encouraging the people using the haltis to yank the leash with quite a bit of force for a correction . One puppy was pulling backwards trying to get out of the halti and the trainer continued to pull the puppy towards himself, making the poor thing give a yelp.

Tilly wasn't very interested in the treats I bought her either to make things worse. She preferred the trainer's treats!

:D That's appalling. I would run a mile from this place ;)

There are plenty of obedience clubs in Sydney and I'm sure DOLers can recommend some reputable ones.

Edited November 7, 2009 by huski

[Kavik]

Whereabouts are you fainty_girl?

[Got Spots]

I can sympathise we had a similar experience at a training group

Check chains where standard and if your dog pulled or was a bit of a challenge a halti was prescribed and dogs were dragged round the training feild or looked dejected with oblivious owner going yeah it makes a difference - NOT

Teaching drop was to body slam the dog - took me 4 weeks to undo that

Change classes or schools it doesn't work and there are other ways ie clicker which work so so so well

As for treats use higher value treats at training ie Chunkers

Something they don't ususally get

[corvus]

Well the obedience class was pretty average and Tilly was a pain in the butt...the company said they help with dogs that pull on the lead. But instead, the puppies and dogs and like Tilly who pulled got head haltis put on pretty much straight away (the trainer had several). So I used Tilly's own black dog training halter, which Tilly was not impressed with (she went from being way too hypo to sprawling herself out on the grass with a sooky face).

The trainer was encouraging the people using the haltis to yank the leash with quite a bit of force for a correction . One puppy was pulling backwards trying to get out of the halti and the trainer continued to pull the puppy towards himself, making the poor thing give a yelp.

Tilly wasn't very interested in the treats I bought her either to make things worse. She preferred the trainer's treats!

Errr.... yeah, this is why I'm hyper paranoid about training clubs and have trouble convincing myself to even try one.

[Kavik]

They are not all like that.

You can also watch a class before you join to see whether you like the method they use.

[huski]

What Kavik said

Go and watch a class before joining, that would never happen at the club I've trained at.

[TerraNik]

Yeah, I would run a mile...

I agree with Kavik - go to a few clubs and have a look at what methods they use. If you let us know what area you're in I'm sure someone could recommend somewhere.

[fainty_girl]

That's appalling. I would run a mile from this place :D

There are plenty of obedience clubs in Sydney and I'm sure DOLers can recommend some reputable ones.

It just sux...I had to pay upfront too. I will probably try going there next week again, ignore the advice that is crap and to see if the trainer is game enough to demonstrate with the more challenging dogs like Tilly. Walking two lengths of the park trying to get a dog to heel with treats isn't going to work for a dog like Tilly, who REALLY pulls on the lead.

Whereabouts are you fainty_girl?

The northern beaches

I can sympathise we had a similar experience at a training group

Check chains where standard and if your dog pulled or was a bit of a challenge a halti was prescribed and dogs were dragged round the training feild or looked dejected with oblivious owner going yeah it makes a difference - NOT

Teaching drop was to body slam the dog - took me 4 weeks to undo that

Change classes or schools it doesn't work and there are other ways ie clicker which work so so so well

As for treats use higher value treats at training ie Chunkers

Something they don't ususally get

Thanks, I bought a couple of other types of treats at the supermarket...chicken liver treats and that new schmacko popcorn. Tilly went nuts for the schmacko popcorn when I was practicing the 'stay' command at home, so i'll try them next time around.

Edited November 8, 2009 by fainty_girl

[Tiggy]

It's better to use soft treats like sausage and cheese so you can treat the dog quickly without it having to chew. Remember Tilly is your dog so if you don't agree with something don't do it. If you don't want to use a halter then don't. You might be better off getting a private Instructor to help you with the pulling problem.