Lollipup Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 When you were first entering into the world of dog training, what kind of help did you have? Did you have a "go to" person for your challenges and questions who would help you out? How did you find that person? I'm studying the NDTF course, reading a LOT of theory, especially Steven R Lindsay's books, and of course practicing with my own dogs and friends and families' dogs. But I am finding the biggest challenge to be when I get stuck on something like a behaviour or training issue which I'm not sure how to approach. I don't work as a trainer and I'm still a long way from that. But when my own dogs have some issues, I feel a bit lost at times and I definately have the need to get my own dogs where I need them to be before I can claim to be able to help others. The trainer we have for the course lives a few hours away. He has helped me over the phone with something recently which I really appreciated but he is a busy guy and I don't feel like I could call him too often. I have offered to pay him like a consult for a client and this time he said no and the call only took a little while. There are no behaviourists or in home trainers where I live, just a couple of obedience schools. What I really would like is a mentor who I can talk through issues with and learn how to deal with them myself. Someone to guide me I guess. Its hard having no dog obsessed friends around to talk things through with. And I can't afford to pay someone to essentially be my friend :rolleyes: So if you have / had a mentor to help you start out, how did you find them? How did it start out? What kind of help could they give you? Did they live in the same area? Thanks for any tips you may have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsD Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 My first mentor was Lawrie Knauth (most Qld obedeince people will know him), he was the chief instructor at our obedience club when I first started obedience way back in the early 90s. He was a fantastic mentor, always pushed me & never took second best & I think he's the main reason that I am such a perfectionist with my dog training. We still keep in contact & have a catch up whenever we see each other at trials, the Ekka etc. Even though I no longer train in the same style as he does, I will always look up to him & admire him for his dedication & loyalty to his club (Logan) & those of us who he trained to be good handlers. Now I have a few people who I think of as "mentors" Steve Davies from Sydney is one, & Maree Field (DWD) is probably my other one. Both I have met though attending seminars/workshops at Camp Tailwaggers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I don't have a mentor although I do have a lot of people I admire. I've been lucky that I have quite a few people I can talk to about training or asking help with my 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Q Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I'm starting the NDTF course in April and hopefully doing a bit more with Quinn in the next month or so so hopefully I'll meet some more people. It doesn't help that I'm painfully shy though (as MrsD may have noticed on the weekend) and I don't really know anyone else remotely interested in training to get a kick start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsD Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) Awwww, I'm actually pretty shy & very anti social, the only place you will find that I talk to people is at dog stuff so don't feel bad . I have to add, I have a new mentor now after the weekend . ETA - you know all of us from the weekend now & we are all interested in training (although some more than others ) Edited February 17, 2011 by MrsD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I didn't find you shy BQ, I wish I'd had time to chat with you more though. You'll just have to come to more dog things MrsD I never would have guessed you could be shy!! Funny how talking dogs can bring out the shyest person I'm lucky to have had a few amazing people who have been an enormous help and assistance to me since I got into dogs. I'm thankful every day that I've had (and continue to have) their guidance and I'm sure my dogs are too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laneka Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) My Ex and I had a wonderful mentor. We used to go to her kennels nearly every weekend for many years. We learnt so much from her. Not just in our breed but how to handle dogs in general. Afterall we were very green. I used to hand write all her pedigrees (back in the good old days), I learnt those pedigree inside out. I will always be indebited to her. We owned our breed for 7 years before we felt we were knowledgable enough to breed a litter. Edited February 17, 2011 by laneka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Anyone got some more details about how they actually met their mentors, or how they actually became your mentor Did you ask them or did they offer? Or did it just happen? I have done our club's instructor training and am helping teach a beginner's class at the moment. I'm also training my own dog and hoping to compete in CCD soon. If I actively approach people from my club with questions they will try to answer them, but I'm not sure how to take that next step towards having an actual 'mentor'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laneka Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Met mine at a dog show and it kinda just happened from there. Goodluck with finding a mentor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I have two supervisors. Does that count? I fell in with a group of trainers online that are all much better than I am. Much more experienced and with a broad range of types of dogs and so on. We have a collective library of training books and dvds and share our own training videos. I like having someone I trust to look at what I'm doing and offer constructive criticism. They are all on the same page as me and are committed to getting happy, animated dogs in training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddles Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 lollipup, Not sure exactly where you are in the Wide Bay, but we actually have a wealth of knowledge at one of the dog clubs in Bundaberg - trainers who have been at it for many many years and have dealt with many different types/breeds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 MrsD I never would have guessed you could be shy!! Funny how talking dogs can bring out the shyest person Has someone stolen MrsD's user name????? I've been really lucky to have one person take me under their wing a bit and she's been a massive help - always questioning and always pushing me when I've needed it. If you can find someone like that it no doubt speeds progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley101 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi I just wondered how you are finding the NDTF course i have been thinking about doing it as well (just got to save up first) did you look into doing the Delta one as well ? I got myself into a training club firstly with my own dog then assisted in classes for about a year and now I instruct a couple of classes a week for them. Its pet dog training so no serious behaviour stuff but i have learnt heaps from doing it and i always have someone to give me advice should i need it. Good Luck with your course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perfect partners Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi I just wondered how you are finding the NDTF course i have been thinking about doing it as well (just got to save up first) did you look into doing the Delta one as well ? I got myself into a training club firstly with my own dog then assisted in classes for about a year and now I instruct a couple of classes a week for them. Its pet dog training so no serious behaviour stuff but i have learnt heaps from doing it and i always have someone to give me advice should i need it. Good Luck with your course I'm doing the NDTF course at the moment and would recommend it. Delta only teach one method of training, whereas NDTF teach different methods of training and all the various equipment so you can use whatever method and equipment suits a particular dog and handler. Dogs vary a lot and so do people so having knowledge of different methods is an advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley101 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I'm doing the NDTF course at the moment and would recommend it. Delta only teach one method of training, whereas NDTF teach different methods of training and all the various equipment so you can use whatever method and equipment suits a particular dog and handler. Dogs vary a lot and so do people so having knowledge of different methods is an advantage. yes i agree i had thought about Delta first but it is very one sided Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsD Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 MrsD I never would have guessed you could be shy!! Funny how talking dogs can bring out the shyest person Has someone stolen MrsD's user name????? OIY you!! Quiet up there in the peanut gallery :p . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smisch Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Theres a DOLer Vickie who started me out on my agility path and I have always looked up to her and will continue to as she is always even 900km away getting me to raise my bar just by seeing the work she is doing with her dogs In the show worlde I have two DOLers leading me astray Josuki and Darkrai who are a support system as well as good fun and occasionally teach me something along the way lmao!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawsaroundoz Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I consider that I have been very fortunate over the years, when I got my Goldie Wellington his breeder Mary became a friend and she was a great mentor for both bringing up baby and for obedience and general dog thinking! Later when I moved to Victoria and got my first Labrador Crash's breeder was a great mentor in anything and everything Labrador - and for anything and everything retrieving there were so many people....the Halls, Uncle Jack, Noel, the list goes on.... I have always thought that one can often get a great deal of assistance or even a new idea from the most unlikely of places, way back years ago we were at a training week-end and discussing the mysterious workings of our dogs minds (lol) when one of the triallers partners, who did get involved in the dog work and usually did not get involved in the talk either said out of the blue 'oh for goodness sake, you are training, lighten up and make it super fun for your dogs' that is something I will always remember! I'd like to say an enourmous thank you to everyone here and everywhere that I have ever picked up a good idea or a new method or some encouragement from! THANKS annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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