How Well Do You Take Feedback?

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Wasn't sure whether to post this in the show ring, training forum, or general - but figure we cover everything in General!

How well do you take feedback about your dog's behaviour, or for the obedience/show/dog sport people - your handling?

Do you appreciate it? Resent it? Does it make a difference if it's positive or constructive criticism? Any other thoughts?

[Cosmolo]

Depends who it comes from i think.

[GeckoTree]

What ever it is it has no baring at all.

[Diva]

If it's thoughtful and quite specific I really appreciate it, for both obedience and the show ring.

If it's just 'you're too old/slow/fat to show that dog' - they can keep it to themself

[Staranais]

Depends who it comes from i think.

Yup. Most of the time it's drivel. But if it's advice from someone who has done something similar with a similar type of dog, it can be absolutely invaluable. It can be almost impossible to learn to train & handle a dog for some exercises without help from someone experienced.

[OSoSwift]

It would depend on the manner in which it was delivered and who it came from. I have had critisim aimed at my dog before and it was nasty delivered in a nasty way and I reacted and confronted the person who like most bullies, backed off.

If it is constructive I am all for it. It is hard to hear things about yourself and your dog that are not the best, but delivered correctly can be extremely helpful.

Edited November 28, 2010 by OSoSwift

[Tralee]

Hi SkySoaringMagpie

Well, here's one for a start.

Ponda Estate Wines.

"Lumen [Arawn Caergwydion Lumen] is all that we hoped for and more. He has a great personality - fantastic family dog and working dog. Out in the vineyard, everyone that visits our cellar door falls in love with him!" 15/10/2010

How many do you want?

[Aidan3]

Usually with a quick apology and a hasty exit

[huski]

Depends who it comes from i think.

Totally agree.

Some people may give me advice and I would never dream of taking anything they said seriously on board - ever, but then the people who I really respect are the people I WANT advice from and whose advice I value really highly.

[WreckitWhippet]

Wasn't sure whether to post this in the show ring, training forum, or general - but figure we cover everything in General!

How well do you take feedback about your dog's behaviour, or for the obedience/show/dog sport people - your handling?

Do you appreciate it? Resent it? Does it make a difference if it's positive or constructive criticism? Any other thoughts?

Nothing really worries me. I listen to the positives and the negatives and I especially appreciate the small things that people notice, especially of they can give a hand to correct them.

I appreciate what other people see from outside the ring, it's a whole different ball game, when you are on the end of the lead and it's easier for someone standing on the outside to see the good and the bad.

I also don't get offended when people dislike my dogs, I understand that not every dog is everyone's cup of tea. I'm also the harshest judge of my own dogs, I'm well aware of their faults and can pretty much guarantee if someone else picks it, I already know about it. I like to have conversations with honest dog people, who will say to you " i like this, I don;t like that, the dog has a great whatever, the dog has".

Sadly there are a lot of people who get on the defensive, I think they miss many an opportunity to learn about their own dogs and to improve how they handle.

[Greytmate]

I get 'feedback' from the obedience club where I take Woody. I shut my mouth and take it, because they volunteered to instruct the class, and I did not.

The quality of some of the instruction and feedback is so dismal in my opinion, I actually feel sorry for people who might be taking their advice seriously. I'm just there to get him desensitised to movement of small dogs. And that is going well. Have had no feedback on that.

I have had to give feedback many times, as I was an obedience instructor for 15 years and then I rehabilitated and rehomed greyhounds for five years.

I think it is important that people know exactly what is expected of them, before you can expect them to listen to criticism.

When people want feedback, it can be useful to ask them how they think they are going with whatever, before giving them the feedback. That can guide you on how constructive the feedback might need to be, or may even avoid the need to give any at all.

[Shaar]

I appreciate it, especially if someone comments on something that I can't see in the ring... you can't always tell how well your dog looks on the stack or moving when you are so close to them.

Someone commented to me that I needed to move my pup faster because he wasn't moving his best. I took their advice on board and won a class in group at the next show. If they hadn't have told me I wouldn't have known.

[Tralee]

SkySoaringMagpie

Here is another one.

Nitro [Arawn Caergwydion Spiritus] is everything we wanted. He is a gorgeous dog with a beautiful nature.

So thankyou so so much for him.

Mathew and Nicole Marston

Hey! This is fun.

Edited November 28, 2010 by pewithers

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Nothing really worries me. I listen to the positives and the negatives and I especially appreciate the small things that people notice, especially if they can give a hand to correct them.

I appreciate what other people see from outside the ring, it's a whole different ball game, when you are on the end of the lead and it's easier for someone standing on the outside to see the good and the bad.

The bolded bit is the key a lot of the time. I think "you need to show the dog who is boss" is next to useless. "You are walking into the heel position instead of your dog walking into position - have you tried X Y & Z?" is more helpful.

[Starkehre]

Agreed, depends whom it comes from.

To elaborate, if it is constructive and is coming from someone I respect, admire and I know has at least the same or more knowledge in the area that they are commenting on than I do, then I take it on board appreciatively and openly.

Added, it also depends on the intent. To expain this, if the criticism does not come from a person fitting the above description, but it is clear that the person has no ill intent, perhaps they are just trying to helpful, then I listen, may take it on board if the comments have merit, but will certainly not be upset or insulted.

Then on the other side of the coin, if this person is just trying to be horrible, I will try my best to give a friendly response.... then run away crying when no one is looking

Edited November 28, 2010 by dyzney

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Usually with a quick apology and a hasty exit

[Diva]

Nothing really worries me. I listen to the positives and the negatives and I especially appreciate the small things that people notice, especially if they can give a hand to correct them.

I appreciate what other people see from outside the ring, it's a whole different ball game, when you are on the end of the lead and it's easier for someone standing on the outside to see the good and the bad.

The bolded bit is the key a lot of the time. I think "you need to show the dog who is boss" is next to useless. "You are walking into the heel position instead of your dog walking into position - have you tried X Y & Z?" is more helpful.

Yes, that is what I meant by needing to be specific. 'You blew the up and back' is useless, 'you took off too quickly and didn't let the dog get into its stride' is helpful.

[Janba]

It depends on who says it. I have one person who I really admire as a trainer and handler who over the years has given me some very harsh criticism which I have taken on board depite feeling demorolised sometimes because I know he is right. He also does suggest ways to fix the problem. It has paid off. Last weekend he told me that my dog was really working well and that every time he has seen him work him lately he just keeps getting better.

I have other people say things and think thats rot so ignore it.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Janba

[Gayle.]

Depends on who it's from, what it's about, whether it was asked for and how it was delivered.

Getting feedback from an obedience instructor that the (flat, soft neoprene) collar I was using was completely wrong for obedience and he expected me to present my 5 month old puppy at the next class with a correction chain on was feedback that was definitely taken on board. I simply didn't take the puppy to that class again, trained him at home til he was good enough to gain a pass to the next level. Where he wears his flat collar without comment from the instructor.

Being told by a friend that I need to use a longer stride when gaiting my dog, to show his movement off to it's best advantage was feedback taken on board with appreciation. She saw something I couldn't possibly have seen and took the time to let me know.

Edited November 28, 2010 by GayleK

[Remarkabull]

I also agree that it would depend on who was saying it and how.

I also don't agree with everything that is suggested at Obedience classes and I just use what I agree with and discard the rest, but that is also because i have different goals than what other people attending the classes have.