It's Time For Formal Training.

[Kaffy Magee]

So my young bullmastiff boy Chase is getting to an age where I should and want to get more serious about his training. I have had plenty of dogs in the past that I have attended dog obedience clubs learnt some basics and never went back because of the way they were run, the people that ran them etc. So I then just trained my dogs at home and only to a basic point. I have had dobes that I enjoyed training, they had a lot of drive and keen to work which made it enjoyable. I also have bullmastiffs, not as much drive or keeness to work and so it's not as "enjoyable" for me I guess. My main focus has been showing with my bully girls so they know only minimal obedience stuff but it has worked thus far. They really have not been any trouble that has made me think " they need training" they are just very mellow lazy girls. However I now have Chase,10.5 months, and he is a very happy upbeat boy I want to get more formal about his training. Not only because he is going to be a big powerful boy but because I think he may just have a little bit more keeness than the girls to work. He is by no means a " handful" even though he is still a puppy but he is quite pushy, wanting to be on/ near me/ in my face all the time. Ive taught him to sit and drop but haven't taught him the other things I usually do by this stage such as waiting before eating etc I've been a bit lazy to be honest which is embarrassing because I always drum it into my puppy buyers heads the importance of training and being the alpha/ giving boundaries. I think maybe I've favoured him a little, I've waited so long for a bully boy, he is a gorgeous looking young man, with the sweetest personality and after being seconds from losing him at 5.5 months I've become very attached to him (and still paranoid I'm going to lose him). So there's a little bit of history, whether it was relevant or not I dont know but thought it might help.

So what I want to know is where do I start. I was going to join up the local obedience club here as I have just moved to qld but I don't know what their training methods etc are like at this stage. Im a bit worried it will be just like the last club, stale, with a one method fits all dogs mentality and only flat collars accepted. I have always trained with a correction chain but would be open to other tools, I guess I am just used to a correction chain in both showing and obedience work. And I like to feel I have more physical control should I need it than I feel a flat collar would give me.

I would like to go further than just the basics this time and even try our hand a tracking in the future, something that you don't see bullies doing. I want to learn to get the most out of him and learn all about the different types of drive and how to find his rather than just going through the motions and both getting bored with it. I want him to have that intense focus you see with "working dogs" (maybe asking too much here, lol)where i am the only thing that matters. Can anyone give me some advice on what to start with and whether i would be better off training at home or still joining a club? Sorry for the long winded post.

[B-Q]

What area of Qld are you in?

Would it be worth joining some sort of IPO/Shutzhund club for the obediance stuff? I'll admit I love the sport but don't know much about it but I like the amount of importance they place on obedience and thought it would a cool thing to do with Quinn even though we will never progress past that.

I'd also recommend getting to go see the Steve Courteny's training day in September if you can make it, I took Quinn to the seminar in Febuary and even though she's naturally a drivey dog, the change in her I have seen since then has been incredible. I learnt heaps.

Hopefully someone can provide some more info, I'm not that savvy. But I adore Chase (have a soft spot for him since his emergency) and I'd love to see him get working.

[fuzzy82]

Dunno what area of Qld you are in, but PADS is pretty good ( http://www.pads.org.au/ ). We have done both puppy classes, basic obedience and motivation & control there. The instructors are pleasant, I don't always agree with everything, but they pretty much let you do your own thing. Like if you tell them you have a different goal or a different method of teaching something they let you do it, or even ask you to demonstrate. They use reward based methods and clickers, and I'm not sure if they allow different collars as I have never seen it come up.

There is an obedience club at Lawnton ( http://www.pineriversdoc.org.au/ ) where they are more into formal obedience. The instructors seem pleasant enough and they allow check chains and show you how to use them correctly, but they prefer reward based methods. We have learnt a few things from there, but the dog is expected to heel pretty much the whole hour, which is a bit unrealistic. We decided to take a break to work on heeling on our own before going back, as I don't want to force my dog to heel for an hour and make it unpleasant for her.

There is also Teamwork ( http://www.teamworkdogs.com.au ) (various locations). I only did the puppy class with them, not obedience, so I don't know what that's like, but I enjoyed the puppy class.

Edited April 9, 2011 by fuzzy82

[Caesars mum]

Kate when I lived in HB the obedience club there was great, I even had my pug at trial stage. It has been a long time but they are definately a good place to start.

The contact person ATM I believe is not the best idea of the club itself from my currant knowledge of the club so best to rock up and check it out on a training night, they do both show and obedience or at least they did when I went there.

they have great facilities and reasonabley price too from memory.

good luck I hope chase is more motivated than Odin is as he is way too laid back and unlike Nala is really independant which is making it hard to find what works for him as Nala would walk over hot coals if I asked it of her, whereas he has his own ideas of what he wants to do.

Also I highly recommend a trip to Brissy on the 3/9 to see Steve cortney at Metro he is brilliant check out the thread on DOL definatley worth the trip down and you are more then welcome to stay here the night if you need accommodation.

[Kaffy Magee]

Thank you for your replies

Im in Hervey Bay so limited training clubs around and no IPO/Schutzhund as far as I know.

BQ He is a special boy and would be great to get him working. I tried to do some heeling and stays the other day and he is not as in to it as I thought he would be, he got bored very quickly even though it was only 5-10 minutes but we will give it time

Fuzzy thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately a bit far away from me

Hi Vicki. I didnt know you used to live at HB! I have emailed the club contact twice and had no response, thought I might ring but may be I'll just show up. Do you know what nights/days they do it? Sounds promising anyway, Im keen to get out there not just for the dogs but for myself as I know no one here and it will be great to meet people with the same interests My 9 year old daughter would like to join with her jack russell Sniffy, do you know if kids are allowed to participate? She would absolutely love it, she's a mini me when it comes to dogs,lol.

I would love to go to Steve Courtneys seminar, would be awesome, I'll check out the details. Thanks for the offer of accomodation, greatly appreciated :D