Instructing At Dog Club

[woodbyne]

Hi

Just after some ideas.

Currently my husband and i are the sole instructors at our local dog club we have young kids and both have a young dog each which we both want to work with. Originally i said we would instruct every fortnight but NOT every week. Well for almost 2 years we are the only instructors that turn up each week and i'm tired..... I used to love taking classes and now i'm starting to really dread going which i know isn't good but if we don't do it there wont be a club. How do other small clubs get people to instruct i feel there is really only 2 others that have anywhere near the amount of experience to assist. How do you train an instructor who has never trialled and really only trained a dog for 2 years. We take our kids along each week they are fine but also have their own interests which are now starting to take presidence over the dog training. How do i get out of instructing or how can i rope more people to instruct. Ok while i'm having a whinge how do people ensure that members arrive on time what do you do if they arrive late haven't help get out equipment then waltz in and want their turn and 100% of your attention.... in the meantime our own dogs have gotten about 5mins of training then tied up.....

[tlc]

Hi, you have just explained a situation similar to my own, I can't offer any advice but will be watching this thread with interest!!

[Erny]

Can't advise - we're a training school and we pay our instructors. The only instructors we take on are those who have their NDTF Cert III Dog Training Course under their belt, which gives us a head start. I don't mind if they don't have much or any instruction experience .... we teach that as part of our curriculum. How do we get them? We have been lucky, perhaps, in having enthusiastic people who want to further their experience and just love what they are doing and are happy for the opportunity and the good like minded company. We only have a small crew on board at the moment but enough for what we need for the time being (with another coming through the current NDTF course) but I am blessed with having a great crew who happily and willingly embrace Pro-K9 and what we do. I find I don't need to 'push' them to helping out with things such as pack up and the like ..... they just hop in where things are needed.

Perhaps you could contact NDTF and ask them to notify their distance learning students that you are seeking instructors? Not sure if you are a private run professional Club or one that runs on a volunteer basis only, but there are likely to be NDTF'ers out there who might simply gaining the extra even unpaid experience on an ongoing basis, beyond what they've gained through doing their course??

Edited March 27, 2010 by Erny

[Sue & Waldo]

As far as getting others to help set out equipment etc. Can you send out a newsletter asking for help? Can you add that those assisting will have first go on the equipment? If someone always arrives late amd wants your help can you be busy at the moment with someone else? Shape their behaviour? Can your committee help you?

Well done for your commitment-I hope you can get some help!

[JulesP]

I know what you mean about needing a break. I'm up to 3 years and really need some time off to recharge.

Our club has a pretty full on training program for new instructors. Could you put together a training program?

Think getting instructors/helpers is a problem at all clubs not just small ones.

You just need to tell people (sometimes quite sternly) that it is a requirement of training that they help with the equipment.

[Agility Dogs]

We would be in a similar position at our club, but have decided that we need to compromise on quality for the time being so that we have quantity.

I don't mean that we let any idiot take a class. They have to be competing with a dog at least an intermediate level and have some idea, but most importantly they need to instruct within the club's positive training guidelines.

It's not ideal and we have people instructing who are probably not quite ready (I know I wasn't when I started), but the thing is they know more than the people who are instructing and it is working. People are having fun and learning to build a relationship with their dogs. We fill in the gaps with weekend clinics (or are about to start to any way).

It means I'm only instructing 2 weeks out of 3, but more importantly it means that others are beginning to come through and in time this work load will ease.

We are not a big club, but have grown rapidly so have had to cope in this regard.

I'm sure others will disagree, but if it is a choice between something you love becoming a chore and turning into something you dread (yes, I know how you feel - sometimes I LOVE it when it rains on club night) or getting some others to instruct at less than the optimal then I know which way I would go.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Think about a training roster with the other intermittent instructors you do have. Hold a meeting and see if everyone is happy to change to a fixed roster.

You can structure it as Agility Dogs does, or you could try a 6 weeks on 2 weeks off, or 4 on 4 off - possibilities are many in that regard.

If you are a very small club you could also think about a complete overhaul and run fixed length courses for people, that way your clients get the continuity and instructors know they get time off at the end of their allocated course to bum around with their dogs or take time out with their families.

For the above- if you only charge very minimum membership is it possible to increase it by charging per course with a small admin fee and then pay your instructors a donation fee? I know there becomes issues once you are paying people but perhaps you can pay them in fuel vouchers or something...your accountant is best to speak with about that.

Otherwise if you can organise for instructors to get their own training sessions before or after classes or on a completely different day then everyone wins - you could just meet up as a group and pick things to work on- might keep up the instructors motivation.

On the client setup etc. sometimes you have to be a bit more assertive and tell them that they will have to organise to discuss their specific problems at ..... time maybe that is 10mins before setup so then they are there. It's ok to say "umm this is going to take a while so we'll need to talk about it after class, everyone here deserves an equal amount of my attention". Alternatively they can email you or organise a phone call when it suits YOU.

Edited March 27, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller