joannakathleen Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Hi, I just bought a nine week old puppy and am wanting to take her to a puppy pre- school in the sutherland shire. Can anyone recommend which one would be best? ...as there are a few around- kirrawee vet, como vet, etc. Any advice would be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalsluvbree Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Congrats on your new puppy - what kind it is? I live in the shire as well and used to work at Sylvania vet hospital which has a GREAT puppy preschool. The nurse's name is Deborah Rea-Foote and she is a CGC certified instructor but what i like about her is she teaches clicker training. It is a great way to teach dogs as it focuses on postive reinforcement. She is good and also does kitten kindy to. I run a puppy preschool but its in the eastern suburbs which may be abit far away. When you are finished puppy preschool you should join the sutherland shire dog training club at Sutherland on rawson avenue. I'm an instructor there and i think its a great way to keep your dog socialised and training it at the same time! Its like a family after a while. We are having a Dog's Big Day Out in October the 15th (Saturday) you should come along and see the club otherwise we train every sunday morning at 8:30am. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 When you are finished puppy preschool you should join the sutherland shire dog training club at Sutherland on rawson avenue. I'm an instructor there and i think its a great way to keep your dog socialised and training it at the same time! Although I love dog training and Im an instructor now myslef in another club all I can say that at the Sutherland club there are a couple of instructors that should not be instructing. I bet they have the dogs best interests at heart but I feel that they information of the methods is slightly (hmmm how do I word it??) incorrect. I would stay away from them, one especially springs to mind........ Im sorry animalsluvbree if this is not what you wanted to hear and I hope that you are not one of the people I have in mind, but I have been a member of this club and learned that its better not to go there any more. Majority of people are great but I never knew who is going to take my class and would not risk going to instructors that I felt were giving me the wrong information. JMPO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 (edited) I guess I should perhaps clarify what I mean by wrong information. My dog is dog agressive. For each sign of agression I was told to "get into him" and "not to let him get away with this sort of behaviour" In effect that has only supressed my dogs worning signs, and he became better and quicker at biting other dogs. My dogs problem is fear agression but no instructor managed to identify that and help me to work within the boundaries of my dog. After getting know K9 Force and having things explained properly I often would walk out from the class during excercises that I felt would put my dog in a uncomfortable position. I ahve tried to explain why I do this, that this is a recommendation of a professional behaviourist. That would only fall on deaf ears and I would be told that I am waaaaay to soft with my dog. Again - majority of people were really nice and if I walked out from the class that would not be commented on in the wrong way, but there were some that I just would not take what I say at all and always knew better.... I guess the word of a professional behaviourist didnt mean much to them. Edited September 2, 2005 by myszka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalsluvbree Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I would stay away from them, one especially springs to mind........ Hi myszka, I have been with the club for many years and i will agree that there are some instructors that i do not agree with their training methods and cringe when i see them tell someone in the class to get their dog into line or what ever they say. Unfortunately that is how they learnt - they are an older generation of instructors and I being the youngest instructor there (that should narrow it down as to who i am if you have been there in the last couple of years!) believe in a totally different style of training - i get told that i am too soft on my dogs as well and i just ignore it, it works for my dogs so i'm going to keep doing it that way and stuff them if they don't like it! I want a dog that wants to do stuff for me because its happy not because it is scared of the consequences if it doesn't. I have a feeling i know which one you are referring to (i would like to know who you are talking about - i am very curious of course). But i do not think you should tell people not to come to the club purely on one persons experience (not saying you do not know anything or that your opinion is not valuable) but i think people should make up their own mind. The club is changing - slowly - but it is and that is a positive thing. I believe in positive reinforcement (i clicker train my dogs). I find it a good challenge if i can get people to train their dogs without checking them constantly (its a battle i can tell you) and without using dominance over them but some people are set in their ways and it is hard to change them. I am sorry that you had a bad experience with our club, your comments and worries shouldn't have fallen on deaf ears and if you ever did want to come back and try again i know i would make a conscious effort to help you. I am very interested in dog behaviour (i want to complete a PhD in behaviour) so i am always on the look out for new ways to train and just to figure out dogs and what makes them think. But enough babbling....... I think we should let joannakathleen make up her own mind on the club (if she decides to come). Again i am very sorry that your experience wasn't good and that you feel let down i know it was never intentional! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 (edited) Im the youngest instructor at my club, but I can assure you that whatever I say gets noted and if I made a complaint about an instructor or the methods than MORE THAN ONE uses there would be something done about this. All I wanted to do is give people a warning, not everyone is a good instructor (myslef included), but an inexperienced person will not be able to identify that. I was such person. I have a dog of a "strong" breed an entire male, surly he is agressive becouse he is dominant... I listened to advice and only made things worse......... All Im saying is to joannakathleen is to find a good instructor, dont be affraid to ask around, learn more by yourself, go to a professional person etc. animalsluvbree - I will PM you the name of a "offending" person. i also belive that Im not the only person taht hold that opinion. There were several people that left the club becouse of the same reasons. Must be something in it, Im not the only one crazy here.... Edited September 2, 2005 by myszka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 But i do not think you should tell people not to come to the club purely on one persons experience (not saying you do not know anything or that your opinion is not valuable) but i think people should make up their own mind. Never told anyone not to go to that club. I only say dont go to certain instructors, find out who they are, and people around there know who they are......... it doesnt seem to be a secret........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalsluvbree Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I only say dont go to certain instructors, find out who they are, and people around there know who they are......... it doesnt seem to be a secret........ I'm not trying to stick up for the club (well i sort of am) but i know there are some instructors that have less than appealing ways of training - and you are 100% correct in saying look around for a good experienced instructor (of course i am not saying i am the best nor am i experienced as some - but i do try to shed new light on training -i'm always learning).....someone that can identify with your needs and wants for training....but you never know they may just be at sutho. I'm don't know what else to say......i'm not going to sit on my soap box and talk about how good SSDTC is or how bad it is...its not upto me...no nothing is a secret esp at dog schools (gossip fair!).....i just try to do my best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casima Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Hi joannakathleen, It was 2 years ago, but I have been to the puppy preschool run by the sutherland/como vet clinic and found it was very good and would go to them again next time I have a puppy. I have no experience with any of the others. I think next time around I will take my puppy to a few different preschools, no such thing as too much socilization, but then I am alittle dog crazy I too have been a member of the Sutherland dog training club, and agree that there are some instructors there I wouldn't let anywhere near my dog but most I found were good, especially in the lower grades and would recommend that people go there with their dogs, just keep in mind that training should be fun for both you and your dog, and if you do find an instructor who would rather you physically force your dog to behave instead of motivateing your dog to want to "work" then perhaps go and join a different class that week. I know who animalsluvbree is and would happily be in her class anyday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calzen Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 yes i have been to ssdtc b4 and there was just one instructor who was a complete b*****d...however I haven't been there for 2years so maybe that person has left....also i did find the agility people also a tad rude.... animalsluvbree - please let me know if it has changed as i would like to get back into it again and travelling to w'gong is too far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalsluvbree Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Thanks Casima and Calzen, Puppyschool at como/sutherland is great too - i have done some work with Darren who owns the practice and he along with his staff are soooo good and the puppyschool gets nothing but praise (i actually forgot about them in my first post - we kind of got off the subject but anywho)...alot of people who are doing their CGC course go their to learn how to do the classes and have so much fun!! Agility at sutho has its ups and downs...i would recommend coming back and seeing if you like it...there is an instructor called Peter who is very good - there are others too of course. I try not to take some of the older ladies (with all respect of course) too seriously as they can get on my nerves alittle but that is the same anywhere you go! I really like agility and hope to get into it abit more seriously once i have some more time (more time??? is there such a thing )! i think Casima is right about the lower grade instructors and that training shoul dbe about fun and when the fun is gone we should rethink wy we are doing it - we need to forget the politics and concentrate on why we took our dogs there in the first place! And thanks Casima for the wonderful complement - that really makes my day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Calzen I belong to the club at Peakhurst, that trains on Saturday afternoons. you might find Casima there too...... Surly its not an ideal club but that one certain person that we all know is certainly not there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buster's Mum Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 (edited) I am very interested in this thread because I will be going to the Sutherland group for the first time tomorrow. I have two rescue dogs, one has basic training which is the one I might take to Sutherland and the other one has no training at all. He has never been socialized either so he is going to the puppy school today at Hanrob as smaller dogs may be a bit less intimidating to him. Edited to add: Another reason for the puppy school is because I need more training than they do so because it is a slower paced group I get a chance to be trained as well Edited September 2, 2005 by Buster's Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalsluvbree Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 I am very interested in this thread because I will be going to the Sutherland group for the first time tomorrow. So how did it go - did you go down? It was raining so not many people came...some crazy people trained in the rain - they got soaked!!! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buster's Mum Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Sorry to say I was one of the wimps :rolleyes: It was pelting down at my place and the thought of standing around an oval with a soaking wet Maltese (who had been washed on Friday) was not very inviting. Hopefully next week the weather will be better. I did go to Hanrob on Saturday though with my untrained dog and it was great. After 15 minutes he was sitting and staying with the best of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calzen Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Myska Do they do agility/jumping training for trials at Peakhurst? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 (edited) There is some equipement and everyone can use it, but there is no official jumping or agility training. some people will give you tips etc, but nothing formal. Equipement is out before the class and long after the class and as long as there is an instructor present you can just go and do your own thing. And if you want to help there is a lot more equipement that can be taken out if we wish to, but its heavy and help to carry it is reguired. Usually the A frame is left behind. There is not hard tunnel at all. Edited September 5, 2005 by myszka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calzen Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 thanks for your reply, I'll look into it later :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagsalot Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 I took Riley to obedience at Sutherland and all went well for the first few weeks, then all hell broke loose! :rolleyes: Suddenly Riley was the terror dog and did nothing he was told, he really didnt want to be there. THe instructor we had for that week was very rough with him and dragged him along trying to get him to do what he was told. Riley also had a check chain on (they told me to use one) so he was getting choked in the process. At this stage i got my dog and walked off mid class and never went back. I never knew why Riley behaved so badly that one day and he has never done anything similar since (that was about 3 yrs ago). I really think he just didnt want anything to do with that instructor. He mis-behaved everytime the instructor walked near me so it was like that was triggering him off. Never had any prob in the previous classes with other instructors - he was as good as gold! Had a friend take his dog there though and they loved it and had no probs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 At this stage i got my dog and walked off mid class and never went back. :rolleyes: So where do you go now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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