Starkehre Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Ah, thought that may have been the case... sounds your trainer wants you to raise your dog how she raises hers. Her goals are very different to yours. She is training and competing in specific disciplines where it can be advantageous to structure raising your dog a tad differently to the average pet person. Furthermore she may be terrific at training her own dogs (I don't know) but sounds like she can't differentiate between her goals and her clients' goals, which in turn means that she is possibly not good at training people. Training dogs and training people to train dogs are two totally different skills. Relax and breathe, you're doing fine. Enjoy your dog and don't get too caught up in other peoples' opinions... cause hey, we've all got one :D Edited November 5, 2014 by Starkehre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 I'd say you just don't need to be getting ANY "advice" about training Ernie from that particular trainer - she's way off the mark. Seriously... MY dogs would want to come live with you if they could read Ernie's daily routine! (I'm not reading it to them or they may leave home to find yours) T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 *sniff* I love you all. I'm such a worrier. Someone slap me. It's just been ages since I had a pup. I think I've forgotten it all and I'm teetering on the edge of senility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Get rid of the trainer & at this stage I wouldn't bother with another. Your dog has a good life, you are kind, you have raised 2 children & it sounds to me like you are tired with not being well & the puppy stage is just a bit much for you but its not a major drama & won't last forever. Have more confidence in your own ability & opinion :) you are not being stupid, cruel or unkind & many people world wide have got their dogs to an acceptable level of behaviour without a trainer. Everyone has their own way of training, there is no single right way, & what & how they want their dog to be & it varies so much from person to person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Well, our agility dogs spent the day in their runs etc today even though I was home from work for the day. I did get them out periodically to spend time with them and we all slept in together this morning, but for the most part I have kept their usual routine the same. I find it causes them more heartache if I suddenly change the routine and spend all day with them, then leave them alone the following day. They cope perfectly fine with it, I personally don't think it is healthy to teach a dog that it can be with you every waking minute. It sounds like you are doing a great job, I think our dogs would love to come and live with you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 I think Ernie is in very dedicated, loving hands IMHO... You are doing are terrific job stressmagmet from what I read. Ernie is an extremely lucky boy :) I most certainly would be getting another opinion from an experinced dog trainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 *sniff* I love you all. I'm such a worrier. Someone slap me. It's just been ages since I had a pup. I think I've forgotten it all and I'm teetering on the edge of senility. Nope! I am not going to slap you. I will give you a BIG cyber-hug for making every effort to make sure Ernie has the best of life with you. Geeze, that trainer is way off. Dear me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 The trainer is an idiot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonjuro Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I agree with the others, this trainer is living in la-la-land. You are doing a great job, find another trainer and save yourself the stress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 (edited) This trainer considers herself an expert and reckons Labradors are people focussed dogs and by 'confining him outside when he wants to be with me', I'm weakening the bond between owner and dog. She trains agility and obedience dogs - kelpies and Border Collies are her own dogs. She says Labs 'should be part of the family'. I grew up in a family where dogs were outside all the time. They never came in. I've never wanted that and all my dogs, while not having free rein to go in and out as they please, ARE part of the family. Or so I thought. Because Erbie spent the first 6 months as an outside kennel dog, we are working on inside manners but he does really well. After he comes in, he gets 15 of training then goes to his place for a bit and then on and off during the evening (Unless The Walking Dead is on) we gently reinforce the settle; the sit; the stay and the 'get the hell out of the kitchen lol'. He has chewies on his mat (place) but yeah, the girls and I are chatting to each other in the evening too - we aren't 100% focussed on him if he's quiet and behaving. A few 10 mins structured training and quieter indoor games at odd times during the evening then back and quiet on his place. I dunno. Does this woman want me to be totally and utterly focussed on him all the time since I got him late and he's a pup? He's pretty well behaved I reckon - except for normal pup stuff (digging, stealing my gorilla slippers and my youngest teddy who he covets). I guess I'm just confused. He IS part of our family but he's not my child, he's my dog. And it's not always convenient to take him everywhere, he doesn't fit in a handbag! I know he'd LIKE it, but isn't part of dogdom being able to handle being separated calmly and confidently? It is a pet peeve of mine when people who train agility think they know everything there is about dogs. Especially a breed they don't own! They seem relatively rare, but i have met a few of these people recently. yes labradors are people focussed, but that doesnt mean they need to be with them 24/7. I think it is definitely a good part of dogdom being able to be separated from you, and something i practice with all my dogs from pups. TBH, he sounds like he gets more attention throughout the day than my guys. I have to work, so they are alone and outside at least 6 hours during the day. For any worried i do still give them plenty of enrichment during and outside these hours :D So dont rehome him, he can live a lovely and fulfilled life at your place, sounds perfect to me. And IMO, just ignore this 'trainer'! Edited November 6, 2014 by denali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Actually... I want to come live as a pet at your house Stressmagnet! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpette Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'd say you just don't need to be getting ANY "advice" about training Ernie from that particular trainer - she's way off the mark. Seriously... MY dogs would want to come live with you if they could read Ernie's daily routine! (I'm not reading it to them or they may leave home to find yours) T. If one or two left home and moved to Stressmagnet's house, you could then have a Rottie pup from Allerzeit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Ooh don't tempt me. I have such a soft spot for Rotties but as I have a weak leg - the Rotties would be walking me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Actually... I want to come live as a pet at your house Stressmagnet! T. HAH. Tell my girls that. Apparently I'm too embarrassing for words, their friends think I'm cool but I'm really not and I'm FAR TOO STRICT. Oh, and I don't know a thing about anything. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I don't think any balanced dog needs to have company 24/7. Your dog sounds very well looked after and lucky. I have a lab and she is by self for up to 8 hours a day some days. This is broken up by a dog walker, or me coming home and she does get 2 hours of exercise every day and agility training, but she seems happy enough to sleep or potter around when she is by herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Ooh don't tempt me. I have such a soft spot for Rotties but as I have a weak leg - the Rotties would be walking me! A well bred and stable tempered Rotti wouldn't pull like a Labrador... *grin* T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisys Mum Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 (edited) You are doing an amazing job :) the trainer should get a kick up the a** ! Relax and enjoy your dog :) Edited November 6, 2014 by ♦ Marg ♦ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 (edited) Your trainer is crazy - that's a lovely life for your dog and more than enough interaction with his people. My dog spends 11 hours in the yard when I'm at work. She couldn't care less and chases lizards/sleeps under the house all day. Our time is the evenings and my days off (granted I have a 7 day rotating roster and never work 5 days straight). Edited November 8, 2014 by melzawelza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Thank you all. Talked to Ernie's trainer Thurs night at class and she agreed - he's got a good life. She also trains agility/rally dogs but says what you want/require from a pet is much much different from what you require from a sporting dog. And then she said he's doing really well and it's obvious that we have a good bond even though I've only had him a month. So time to just... Breathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Umm most sporting dogs are pets too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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