Training Levels

[kiesha09]

Has anyoe done or is currently doing the training levels by Sue Ailsby? I started them ages ago but never finished them. I started them up again on the weekend and am loving that I have a structure again to my training.

What did you enjoy about them and what things did you find difficult?

[Aidan]

Hi kiesha09, I began using the Levels when they were first published (some years ago). I also own Sue's forum for the Training Levels, but have not had much involvement in that for some time. I would say I have learned more from Sue than any other trainer or behaviourist.

There has been very little change in the program since then because it is (IMHO) just about perfect if you are clicker training and enjoy working with your dog. The progressions are well thought out, everything is broken down into achievable steps. I don't know of any notable examples of someone not being able to do something that was in the Levels with their dog except where the dog is not physically or emotionally capable of doing something that it requires (e.g if you have a dog-aggressive dog you might have difficulties with the recall through milling dogs).

I left out most of the optional stuff, like Contacts. I didn't bother with the Finish at the time. I didn't do the formal retrieve (although I wish I had now that I am doing retrieving).

If you want to get the most out of it you keep using it even after you have finished with it. For e.g. I'm currently teaching sit at a distance, facing me. There are lots of ways to teach this, but seeing as my dogs will already go "around a pole" it's easy enough to have them sit once they get around the pole.

The main drawback is that it isn't a private lesson or class with Sue. If you are attending classes or working with a club you won't be doing things in the same order or the same way. I think it's still worth pursuing if you have the time though.

[Guest Tess32]

I like them a lot, and am about to start using them again. I love having the structure too.

The only thing I didn't like was the Finish...just didn't go with the way my head thinks I think.

Wasn't there another website where you could record your levels? I think it's disappeared.

[Aidan]

I like them a lot, and am about to start using them again. I love having the structure too.

The only thing I didn't like was the Finish...just didn't go with the way my head thinks I think.

Wasn't there another website where you could record your levels? I think it's disappeared.

http://levels.honkersoftware.com/

[TwinSpirits]

I am about to start doing these with Taite and joined the yahoo list. I have to have some kind of structure and routine for things and the levels offers me that to compliment my goals with what I want with Taite.

[kiesha09]

I just love the fact that they combine both every day things that will help make our dogs easier to live with and some foundation competition stuff. I was struggling with the fact that I had let my training go for a while and all these bad behaviours were popping up but I still wanted to be training the competition stuff but just wasn't getting anywhere with anything.

By going back to basics and working through the levels I get to do some of both and hopefully at the end I get two well rounded dogs

[corvus]

I started and then got distracted. I do that a lot.

But I do think they are great!