Finding The Off Switch

[Agility Dogs]

My dog gets to play after training and sometimes before but I actually think that has helped her learn when she needs to focus... she gets a quick run around/play then is called back for training, or sometimes she is crated while I help teach a class.

From this I'm guessing you've trained a lot of dogs or put a lot of time into your dogs over a relatively short period and understand the value of a good recall and your relationship with your dog.

In that case I don't see a massive problem. It's more dogs that constantly go and visit other dogs during class and run off from their handlers to more exciting things that are an issue.

Fair enough. My girl was an extremely full on puppy and had lots of value for, well, everything OMG A BIRD! OMG A DOG! OMG A LEAF! OMG GRASS! OMG SPECK OF DUST! OMG HUMAN! etc. Thankfully she also has lots of value for me, so I just had to make sure that it was more rewarding for her to stay with me than make her own fun.

Some games I play with my dog which IMO make staying with me the best option... chasing food games, catching food, nose touches, fun tricks (she likes spin, roll over), running-away/catch-up games. I think that some people focus a lot of getting their dogs to calm down but I have found the calmness part came naturally after the bond was built and association made that handler = best place to be. I also trained a fairly strong "leave it" command which was rewarded highly (often jackpots or exciting play) and has definitely served me well!

EXACTLY, sorry if I offended, I meant you were doing an awesome job, but that not everyone can see the value of the games in your second par here and as a result their dogs don't have the same value on them that you do.

[wuffles]

My dog gets to play after training and sometimes before but I actually think that has helped her learn when she needs to focus... she gets a quick run around/play then is called back for training, or sometimes she is crated while I help teach a class.

From this I'm guessing you've trained a lot of dogs or put a lot of time into your dogs over a relatively short period and understand the value of a good recall and your relationship with your dog.

In that case I don't see a massive problem. It's more dogs that constantly go and visit other dogs during class and run off from their handlers to more exciting things that are an issue.

Fair enough. My girl was an extremely full on puppy and had lots of value for, well, everything OMG A BIRD! OMG A DOG! OMG A LEAF! OMG GRASS! OMG SPECK OF DUST! OMG HUMAN! etc. Thankfully she also has lots of value for me, so I just had to make sure that it was more rewarding for her to stay with me than make her own fun.

Some games I play with my dog which IMO make staying with me the best option... chasing food games, catching food, nose touches, fun tricks (she likes spin, roll over), running-away/catch-up games. I think that some people focus a lot of getting their dogs to calm down but I have found the calmness part came naturally after the bond was built and association made that handler = best place to be. I also trained a fairly strong "leave it" command which was rewarded highly (often jackpots or exciting play) and has definitely served me well!

EXACTLY, sorry if I offended, I meant you were doing an awesome job, but that not everyone can see the value of the games in your second par here and as a result their dogs don't have the same value on them that you do.

No offence taken! There are a lot of people out there giving advice who don't encourage play and fun (with the handler) in training. I certainly was never taught any of the games I listed at dog club, I got ideas from DOL, Youtube etc and the rest was trial and error.

[Agility Dogs]

No offence taken! There are a lot of people out there giving advice who don't encourage play and fun (with the handler) in training. I certainly was never taught any of the games I listed at dog club, I got ideas from DOL, Youtube etc and the rest was trial and error.

At the risk of offending others - it is really easy to see the difference between dogs that are trained using a high degree of reinforcement/play and those that are primarily trained using correction/control.

That is why I stopped going to obedience classes at our local clubs. I was criticised for my dogs not having enough attention on me, but when I went to play with them I was asked to stop because I was distracting others in the class????? I would let my dog have a game of tug when we had finished an exercise, but apparently that was over stimulating for others.

Oh well.......

[huski]

As an obedience instructor I don't encourage people to let their dogs play with each other at training because like Agility Dogs said earlier one of the biggest problems is that the average dog finds other dogs way too high value and distracting. I do however encourage as much play between the dog and handler as possible and from an obedience perspective getting people comfortable with playing with their dogs and actually teaching them HOW to play with their dogs can be quite a challenge. I spend a fair amount of time in my classes teaching people how to 'have a party' with their dogs and trying to show them the benefit to doing so as frequently and unpredictably as possible (I will randomly throw in a 'have a party!' instruction during exercises). It is definitely a challenge though for the average person!

[LilBailey]

I also have "control unleashed" and find some of the exercises a little difficult master such as the blinking and breathing ones. I am reading this thread with interest as I have simmilar issues with Flea. She really stuggles to control herself around other dogs that are having fun such as Flyball or Agility.

It was noted on the weekend though that it is only with me. I had her on leash (Hubby pinched car to take bubs for a drive) she was all jittery and wingey. When I left to go walk the course I left her with a friend and she laid down peacfully. Not sure what that is about.

[corvus]

That is why I stopped going to obedience classes at our local clubs. I was criticised for my dogs not having enough attention on me, but when I went to play with them I was asked to stop because I was distracting others in the class????? I would let my dog have a game of tug when we had finished an exercise, but apparently that was over stimulating for others.

Oh well.......

Aww, that blows. ;) I'm trying to convince my local club to let me join and then kind of attend classes at the periphery and do my own thing. It's a big ask, I think.

[poodlefan]

That is why I stopped going to obedience classes at our local clubs. I was criticised for my dogs not having enough attention on me, but when I went to play with them I was asked to stop because I was distracting others in the class????? I would let my dog have a game of tug when we had finished an exercise, but apparently that was over stimulating for others.

Oh well.......

Aww, that blows. I'm trying to convince my local club to let me join and then kind of attend classes at the periphery and do my own thing. It's a big ask, I think.

Seriously, if you're going to do your own thing, why do you need a class environment? ;)

As an instructor, I'd not be happy about it.

[ness]

I joined a club (well I was a member of that club of years anyway with my older girl) and then when I got my youngster she was trained on the periphery of the club. I didn't do it in a way that interfered with the classes in progress and when she was trained to an appropriate standard she just went into the trial ring.

[corvus]

That is why I stopped going to obedience classes at our local clubs. I was criticised for my dogs not having enough attention on me, but when I went to play with them I was asked to stop because I was distracting others in the class????? I would let my dog have a game of tug when we had finished an exercise, but apparently that was over stimulating for others.

Oh well.......

Aww, that blows. I'm trying to convince my local club to let me join and then kind of attend classes at the periphery and do my own thing. It's a big ask, I think.

Seriously, if you're going to do your own thing, why do you need a class environment?

The class environment is the whole point. Why would I join a club if I didn't want access to a class environment? Besides which, I think it's only fair to join the club if I want to use the grounds at the same time as them and take advantage of the controlled situation they have created. You sure are a stickybeak sometimes.

As an instructor, I'd not be happy about it.

Oh really? Well, I should probably just forget about it, then, huh?

[Agility Dogs]

That is why I stopped going to obedience classes at our local clubs. I was criticised for my dogs not having enough attention on me, but when I went to play with them I was asked to stop because I was distracting others in the class????? I would let my dog have a game of tug when we had finished an exercise, but apparently that was over stimulating for others.

Oh well.......

Aww, that blows. I'm trying to convince my local club to let me join and then kind of attend classes at the periphery and do my own thing. It's a big ask, I think.

Seriously, if you're going to do your own thing, why do you need a class environment?

As an instructor, I'd not be happy about it.

I've always participated in class as per instruction - even when I haven't agreed with how they have run the class.

I decided to leave the club because I couldn't reward my dog as I wanted. I also HAD to correct the dog for not performing exercises he didn't unerstand. Better off out of it really.

These days if I'm not happy I would just thank the instructor and leave the class.