Getting Back Into Training (i've Been A Bad Mum)

[mrs tornsocks]

Both me and my beautiful and loving 10 month old lab Archie need to get ourselves a little more training. We did puppy school, canine kindy, regular sessions together but it stopped about 4 months ago for no good reason except I got slack.

I really want to get back into it -- he's pretty good at the basics and has an excellent sit stay and is a clever monkey. However he pulls like a steam train on walks (is improving slowly but I only have limited knowledge on how best to improve this), and gets way over excited whenever he sees another dog. If he's on lead, he strains at them -- although he will sit when I tell him as soon as his ears prick up, but he almost never stays sitting when the pooch walks past us. Also does the same with humans but is improving there to.

I feel like he could be a 30kg handful at beginner obedience with other doggie distractions, so I'm wondering what I should do:-

1. Get a one on one session with a trainer, then

2. With that knowledge, do some training on our own, with distractions (eg other doggies, but not too many) then,

3. Go to obedience club

Or should I just go straight to obedience club and also do our own training during the week ?

[Lab lady]

Hi Mrs TS,

I personally prefer the environment of a club, by all means do some training yourself but you need to be sure you are training him the correct way, that's what you will learn at the club.

Don't worry about the fact that he pulls and gets over excited when you go to training, he will settle down. The clubs are very familliar with dealing with over excited dogs and they will set you on the right path to a well behaved boy.

Just do it, you will both enjoy it.

just to make you feel better, I start back next week and i know i will have many moments with my lot.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Lab lady

[Erny]

I think the ideal is a private lesson first. This allows YOU to learn and get used to some handling skills (and of course, in turn that increases your dog's learning and skills) without having to simultaneously deal with a dog who is distracted. Also makes it a bit easier for the dog too, as you will have begun to show him what to do, so it won't be a completely foreign concept for him to have to try to learn whilst under distraction.

When that's good enough (shouldn't take too long) then go to class.

BUT, you'd need to check to see if the private lesson trainer doesn't teach you methods that conflict with the methods of the school you think you'll go to as this might serve to confuse you and potentially your dog.

Of course, the above is the more expensive way to go. If your dog is not too bad and if you've had some experience in the past, then you might just get away well with joining up to class first.

What you could do is try the group training but if you find it all too much, opt for a private lesson to give you a leg-up, so to speak.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Erny

[tez]

Best to get you and Archie into an obedience club...Jane and I go every week and every week we are HOPELESS!!!! Jane just loses it with the excitment of all those other dogs (She is a nearly 1 year old labbyx) but she also LOVES it and I find going each week spurs me on to train during the week. Everyone is so sick of me saying ' but she does this really well at home...."!