Miss Squish Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 WTF is wrong with some instructors at obedience clubs...... Just because a dog does a runner during recalls does not mean its ok for the instructor to lift the dog up by the scruff of the neck sometimes off the ground while shaking it & screaming NO in its face I have seen this done quite a few times now. I have also attended another club where the instructor deceided to do food refusal, a new exercise for us. While my dog was sitting nicely on my left hand side the instructor waved food around in front of his face & as my dog stretched his neck out to sniff the food he copped a huge slap in the face which was heard by the whole class. The instructor then laughed, then said he shouldnt have done that to a Rotty. Years ago I also had another instructor "check" my 55kg Rotty so hard that he was off the ground. His check chain broke then some how rejoined so it was so tight my dog was gasping for breath. No one could get the chain off so someone had to race home to get bolt cutters while my boy could have died. Ruger could have been a great obedience dog but due to some instructors he was too nervous to let a judge approach him for stand for exam & would shy away every time ;) I have been a member of obedience clubs for 19 years & cant believe this happens & not just at the one club No one but me seems to think this is wrong and are shocked to see it. Who is there to report it to when the clubs are so clicky?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 That is seriously outrageous Have you gone to the club presidents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) I think any instructor who did any of those things at my club wouldn't be on the instructors list for long. Not acceptable. I'd be complaining loud and long about any instructor who pulled that kind of shit on my dog.. that's after I gave them an earful. If the club wouldn't act, I'd be talking to the RSPCA and the Canine Control.. Edited March 10, 2010 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 What about CBS? No smacking. No yelling. No chains. No corrections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) My sources on the ground tell me that schoolfordogs (.com.au) is probably closer. Ruger could have been a great obedience dog but due to some instructors he was too nervous to let a judge approach him for stand for exam & would shy away every time There is a fair chance that with precise training you can fix that, but of course I have no idea of your individual dog. Edited March 10, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Squish Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 It happened tonight with a young German Shepherd bitch, she took off running around having fun & when she was caught she copped it, grabbed by the scruff lifted up & NO screamed at her A few of the instructors in the higher grades do it & everyone seems to accept it. They club is so clicky I know nothing would be done about it if I put in a complaint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) Anyone who dared to touch my dog in such a manner would be on the receiving end of the same treatment I wouldn't touch a club like that with a ten foot pole. I would make sure the Club President knew exactly why I was leaving. Edited March 10, 2010 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 It happened tonight with a young German Shepherd bitch, she took off running around having fun & when she was caught she copped it, grabbed by the scruff lifted up & NO screamed at her A few of the instructors in the higher grades do it & everyone seems to accept it. They club is so clicky I know nothing would be done about it if I put in a complaint. Not only is this very poor training, it's downright stupid. Do it do the wrong dog and the instructor will be minus most of their face. Vote with your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Anyone who dared to touch my dog in such a manner would be on the receiving end of the same treatment I wouldn't touch a club like that with a ten foot pole. I would make sure the Club President knew exactly why I was leaving. Ditto. They have no right to discipline people's dogs like that. They should hold its collar until it's owner can come and get it. Pick the wrong dog and they could get a serious bite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 They club is so clicky I know nothing would be done about it if I put in a complaint. I would be leaving primarily for my dog's safety, it is my job to protect them and I would be too scared that staying at the club will put them in a position to be treated like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 OMG anyone that slapped my dog would be getting slapped themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Anyone who dared to touch my dog in such a manner would be on the receiving end of the same treatment I wouldn't touch a club like that with a ten foot pole. I would make sure the Club President knew exactly why I was leaving. Totally agree. How dare someone do that to any dog . Leave this club :D . I've been to a few clubs and no dog has been treated harshly let alone abused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) Such instructors should be names and shamed as it is completely unacceptable. I took my older GSD to an obedience club when he was about 4 or 5 months old (we had him for about 2 weeks). He was so excited about seeing all the other dogs he gave a little excited bark. I corrected him (verbally) and put him in a sit. He had just sat and was sitting nicely at my side when a woman came charging at him, grabbed the leash and lifted him half off the ground as she slapped him on the muzzle and screamed NO in his face. I was absolutely horrified and so taken back that I just stood there with my mouth open. I was told I had to "correct him" and show him who was boss ... and this was the president of that club. I should have left immediately but as this was my first experience with formal obedience clubs and I had just paid my membership etc that I let it go. We joined the beginner class and it was basically walking around in a ring with the dogs sitting, heeling and dropping ... for almost an hour. My pup was getting tired and was laying down when he should have been sitting and was completely loosing focus so I stepped out of the ring to give him a break. I was yelled at and told to drag him if he wouldn't walk. I picked him up and I left ... and never returned. Something I should have done from the first incident. I was also talking to a friend recently about another club she had attended (was looking at attending for more socialisation) and was told she couldn't recommend the club only one of the instructors. She had witnessed an instructor dealing with an "problem dog" by taking it behind the club shed and heard the yelping from the dog. The dogs crime was being a little too excited to focus. Edited March 10, 2010 by Tilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) God those stories make me sick Tilly One of the biggest difference between obedience training and training a dog with behaviourial problems is that obedience is a choice you make to do something fun with your dog. You aren't doing it because your dog has issues that you have to learn how to work with and manage, you are doing it because you want to do something fun with your dog (or if you are like me and own a beagle you do it for the challenge too ). It is optional and is supposed to be enjoyable. When obedience training becomes about dominating your dog, forcing them to do something with harsh physical punishment, slapping them in the face for disobedience, etc etc then I have to wonder why on earth they are bothering in the first place. I have no interest in having a dog who has no joy or desire to work, IMO that completely defeats the point of obedience in the first place. Edited March 10, 2010 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Jones Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) It sounds like William Koehler is back from the dead. I would be putting in complaints with the clubs involved. Edited March 10, 2010 by Jeff Jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 It sounds like William Koehler is back from the dead. I would be putting in complaints with the clubs involved. Well, with idiots like Mr Fetish Photographer Dog Trainer posting up their personal "I am a dog training GOD" videos on You Tube and deleting any comments that don't cheer them for their behaviour it's perhaps not surprising that some people feel that the aggressive approach is OK again. OP, I would leave and tell the club president why. It's not worth it. One of the South Australians here should be able to recommend a better club with more skilled instructors. As the saying goes, violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 It happened tonight with a young German Shepherd bitch, she took off running around having fun & when she was caught she copped it, grabbed by the scruff lifted up & NO screamed at her A few of the instructors in the higher grades do it & everyone seems to accept it. They club is so clicky I know nothing would be done about it if I put in a complaint. IMO it is your job to protect your dog from this type of thing. You can't expect to have any type of good, trusting relationship with your dog if the dog can't rely on you 100% to protect them from being attacked by other people and other dogs. Sticking up for your dog is IMO part of being a good leader to your dog. Anyone who tried this with my girl would be copping an earful from me - and I'd be cheering her on if she nailed them for it first. Stick up for your dog, and find a different school! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Anyone who dared to touch my dog in such a manner would be on the receiving end of the same treatment I wouldn't touch a club like that with a ten foot pole. I would make sure the Club President knew exactly why I was leaving. Ditto. They have no right to discipline people's dogs like that. They should hold its collar until it's owner can come and get it. Pick the wrong dog and they could get a serious bite! and for some dogs that would be enough for them to be terrified of strangers for the rest of their lives :D this is a really sad thread. its like its an excuse for already sadistic people to do horrible things where I live there is one kennel club. its training times and location etc are really inconvenient for me. So when another training school popped up I was really keen to check it out. I went and had a look at the first training session: there were seven dogs in the class some of them puppies, some of them were already well behaved - others just a bit excited. The instructor chatted for a minute the proceeded to put gloves on and to noose a rope around a beagle's neck. She then demonstrated her 'method' of leash training. Which comprised of reefing the beagle back in such a way that its head slammed into her knee :D There was also no consistency - sometimes she waited until the beagle was quite a bit ahead of her before she did it, other times it was immediately when the dog passed her leg. there was no reward, no praise, just unpredictable reefing and yanking :D She went round like this for about ten minutes (with zero improvement) and getting crankier and crankier with the poor beagle. ;) Apart from being cruel, it just also illogical. You should have seen her struggling around the place with her yank method on a beagle while there was a full grown GSD in her class and an older rotti pup - no wonder she didn't choose them to demonstrate on! I prefer positive methods. But I don't have a problem with a check chain used properly either. And that's what I can't understand. If she wanted to use an aversive sort of method for teaching leash walking, why not go with a check chain: one short quick correction, times properly so that a dog can understand. Not the hideous drawn out thing she did with a rope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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