For What Length Of Time Have You Been Training

[PAX]

I think my club is around $30 per year fees and $5 each time you come, 2nd dog is less.

Erny, I take two dogs and I go every week unless trialling although if I take a class I don't pay.

I travel far to Seminars when ever I can and they cost heaps, does that count into your figures.

I would hate to add up what I spend and have spent on my dogs training or I should say my training.

[Erny]

I travel far to Seminars when ever I can and they cost heaps, does that count into your figures.

NO! I don't even want to think about what I've spent in that regards, either! The "total" sneaks up on you very quickly, doesn't it? But regardless, I don't for a second, regret any of the seminars (regardless of whether I've considered them good or not) I've paid for and attended, as I will ALWAYS learn something from them in one shape or form.

[MrsD]

My last club & dog I trained for 6 years - every week, 3 times a week (2 general training nights + 1 night for trialling dogs only ). For 4 of those years I trained 2 dogs.

As for the memberships question, I think it was about $10 or $15/year & $1/class when I first joined, then it went up to $2/class. While I was there I instructed two nights/week for about 5 years & the club very kindly allowed instructors to train their dogs free of charge.

Regardless, I would have paid the money to train every night if I had to - as someone else mentioned, I loved training . So it sort of doesnt really show a true indication of cost in my case .

Edited June 29, 2006 by MrsD

[MrsD]

I travel far to Seminars when ever I can and they cost heaps, does that count into your figures.

Should we also include trial fees & travelling expenses as well?

[Tassie]

Teeheee MrsD - I was thinking exactly the same thing - having just paid $80 for a day's agility trialling with one dog - and $20 for a tracking trial with the other - let alone petrol to get to the tracking trial!

In response to Erny's OP - I belong to 3 clubs - one $20 p.a. and $20 per 10 week term. The other two are about $10 pa. and $2 per class each week - so each week with obedience, agility and flyball, I shell out about $8 - $10. Unfortunatley all clubs train on Sundays only - so at least I can go to one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

I've been at one club for 19 years - training, instructing and committee for much of that time. The others I've only been a member for a couple of years.

ETA - I don't get to many seminars because of living in Tassie - but of course when I do, add in the cost of getting over to the mainland. Gotta say though, the ones I've been to were well worth it.

Edited June 29, 2006 by Tassie

[Dol_sam]

With my current boy Darcy, he's been training since puppy pre-school. I started him at 12 weeks just before christmas and only got in 3 classes due to the break. Continued home schooling over christmas and jumped to the end of the beginners course after the break, when he was 4 months. He's now 10 months and apart from public holidays (grrrr, why must training have a holiday too!!) he's been almost every week. I'm like Mrs D. I love training, it re-motivates me otherwise i get lazy at home during the week. Problem of having a dog who learns so quickly is that complacency is easy to achieve! Our classes are $4 each and i think annual membership about 15 or so.

My other muttley Jasper is a different kettle of fish. He did his beginners and got into 1st class but is never destined for trialling so he's pretty much been on training holidays since. Manners are the most important thing ffor him. Good solid basic training has made him a much more civilised pet (though he likes to pretend he doesn't understand what i'm talking about now and again).

[jaybeece]

If you take out the break over Christmas, my dog's been in obedience for around 7 months.

The club is $65 for the first year and $45 every year after that. We're having a break right now but I plan to keep taking him indefinately.

[Alpha]

On and off for over 15 years, started with one club and then moved but stayed with original which trained fortnightly, joined local with trained weekly ( Sats) and another local club which trained Sundays (am) and trained there alternative Sundays to original club. Dog one: 10 years ( he was doing agility at 10) Dog two: 7 years, this pup has been in in formal club classes since Feb, but training begins at home. I also trained with other instructors every Weds evening for about 6 years and did ring run throughs and such and every Sat arvo under a patch of shady pines throughout summer break. Boy, when I put it all done I am NUTS like someone said I was once Fees used to be about $35 -$65 (hubby and I both members) one club charged per week also $1 per dog so $2 per week there. As an instructor I got free drinks. Travel to trials, entry fees, don't ask, could'nt tell. Friendships made and advice/experience gained=immearsurable!!!

[J...]

Been attending almost every Sunday since Darcy started puppy preschool at 12 weeks. Paid $75 for PPS which included membership at the club til June 30 this year. $2 per class training fee.

She's now 6.5 months, started at new club last weekend, agility and obedience and will probably stick with that for a while. $60 yearly membership.

[Guest Clover]

This year is the first time in 6 - 7 years that i have not renewed my membership . Clover was 14 weeks old when we joined for the first time and she will be 8 this coming october.

[bridgie_cat]

Been training with Lana since i got her... so that is about 2 and a bit months > we are in grade 2

[Rom]

YEs i have always trained in the corner luckiy our club never really worried about what was doing and apart from the odd comment it was fine. Mid you im pretty forward when i want my own way

these days they have a different attitude they respeact what i have done wth my dogs and i have been asked to help out rewriting the manual running the instructor course and generally make changes its a slow process but we are getting there

Good onya CC. This is the first dog I've taken to formal obedience training and I can't say that I feel as though I get the best out of my dog in a class situation.....seems to go against the grain of the Time b4 Distance b4 Distraction thing. Not that I have anything against obedience clubs in general, they serve their purpose for those handlers who need to learn more & they are a great place to meet other doggy people. But I'd really like to see some changes at our club, hate the way beginners start of with dogs on a check chain amid loads of new distractions...just seems so counter productive!

Erny, I haven't paid anything yet...I was instructing for 12 months or more before I got my current dog! Maybe my accounts in credit

[Seita]

hmm... I don't really want to think of how much I have spent... I started training about 10 years ago with my first dog, lost her got a second got him to trialling level (never did much good in obedience so diverted him to agility) then introduced the next dog, sometime while i was trialling her I became an instructor and that was the end of membership and training fees for me!! the training fees before that were i think $20 membership plus $4 each time you came or you could pay i think the membership and then $40/50 which covered the whole year (i took this option as I never missed a day of training!). I trained there for about 8 years before moving away without a car and with only one dog. So I prolly paid for about 4 years there and got the rest free... thats pretty cheap actually, what somewhere between $200-$300 for 4 years and then the next 4 free!!! I have basically had a break from training (lack of a dog was a problem) for almost 2 years now and have only got back into it with my new puppy... her puppy classes will cost approx $100-$120 then basic obedience approx $200 and then after that its $10 each time i attend but i dont think there is a membership fee... so what will that add up to by the end of this year... $300 plus maybe 3 months at $10 a time which will be about $120... so for this year (only just started) it will cost me over $400... wow thats more than i paid in 8 years! I think i need to move back up north again!!! .... and then theres trials, seminars etc etc.... makes you wonder why we do it!!???

[wheres my rock]

So if we are looking at the lifetime of one dog i probabaly do two years of club over the time im trialling

but then there is a difference with mst of the epople here and an averge person mosy ehre are really keen dog poeple that spend a lot more time trianing and working with their dog than most.

Over the past twenty years ive spent thousands on trianing seminars provate coaching etc etc but its worth it i lovemy hobby To get a real persective you need to as the person in the street

[wheres my rock]

first id be looking at retention rate past the first year of trianing what percentage stay on look at people who join the gym with good intntions its like 2% that stay on past th first year.

I would have to look at the database but id say our club has around a twenty percent retention rate still though i will check those figures coz now im curious too

[Guest Piximatosis]

I've been taking Kaeleigh since Feb this year... so nearly 6mths.

It cost $33 as an annual fee and then $3 every time I go as ground fees.

[wheres my rock]

Hi Pom

Yes unfortunately the old block heeling can be counter productive we ar trying to implement more find your own space and station training but its hard when instructors have done it one way for many yaers I tnd to take individuals on that are struggling and work them away from the class.

Really classes are there to show epoeple what htye need to do then go home and practise it we are lucky our class sizes are small most fo the time

[Mooper]

We've had Jack for a little over two years and I've been a club member for all that time -- for memory, it's about $70/yr, no ground fees. So $140 all up thus far. But they only offer obedience, no agility, flyball etc.

The club is entirely run by volunteers, and I think part of it is subsidised by the City Council.

We haven't been since late last year. Partly because my PhD is getting more busy and I can't get home in time (they only offer weeknight classes), and partly because there are several instructors whose methods I don't agree with.

I have learned much more by taking Jack sheepherding for the occasional weekend than I did in 18 months or so of weekly obedience classes! And his respect for me as a handler has improved.

[wheres my rock]

isnt it amazing the bond developed by working in areas that are instinctive

I have always said doing things like herding and retrieving really enhance your relationship with your dog

[Mooper]

But I'd really like to see some changes at our club, hate the way beginners start of with dogs on a check chain amid loads of new distractions...just seems so counter productive!

This is how we started off, too. Jack was fitted for his check chain at the club shop, which was great. But then our very first instructor showed me how to put it on and did it the wrong way, ie choking, not checking

I told him so and he insisted he was right. I thought "bugger that", then fixed it. Meanwhile the instructor told me off for having my dog off-lead for those few seconds

I should have known then that he wasn't the instructor for me, but we persevered for the rest of term!

He was taking Advanced when we last went to training, which is initially why we didn't go back ...

EDIT: Oh, Jack's on a flat collar now. Much better

Edited June 29, 2006 by Mooper