Obediance Clubs, Instructors Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr

[Alpha]

I believe any instructor that makes comments about the trainability of any dog is really making a statement about their own skill as an instructor/dog trainer.

I agree wholeheartedly

I was the victim of an insensitive, biased instructor years ago who actually suggested I have my ACD boy PTS He was dog aggro due to an attack at 5 months , was all we could ever put it down to.

I went on ;with the help of some much more experienced instructors ( over 30 years experience and 20plus obedience titles); to be able to get my boy to his CD before he tragically left us. I also went on to become a senior instructor and I took great joy in helping the people who may well have given up on their dogs and their own ability. I rather have worked with a class of frustrated handlers with rogue dogs anyday, it was grounding and makes me remenber where we all came from once, or still do. :rolleyes: You sometimes have to suck it up and spit it back at them later ;)

[Bindibu]

I have a better story - 12 months ago I entered the beginners class obedience, having never done dog obedience in my life. The instructor I had refused to teach anyone with a check chain or martingale collar - said I dont know how to teach people who have that kind of gear on their dogs. Guess what I had , yes a martingale collar - so for the next 8 weeks I was ignored, not actually thrown out of the class but ignored

So I trained at home with the help of a good friend. Graduation Day came and my dog worked the best in the group, but guess what happened, yes the so called instructor refused me a pass ( I now hold the record of the only person in the Club haveing not Graduated from Beginners.. But sanity prevailed and the then President of the Club awarded me a pass (after eveyone else had left) as she was ashamed of what had happened.

I competed in my first trial three weeks ago , after only 12 months obedience experience, - but unfortunatley my dog sat in the long waits - gone, done and out.

Last week I attended the Clubs training day and guess who was a member of the beginners class - yes the so called instructor I had 12 months previously . Still in beginners and has never trialed - Guess who had a huge smile on their face - yes me.

[shekhina]

The training club that I go to each week is mostly excellent, the only complaint I have had is about one particular helper instructor. She wasn't at all keen in coming near Daegon and approached him very nervously saying that she "wasn't sure about Rockweilers".

Not a problem with Daegon as he's super friendly, but with another dog that may have reacted to that nervous tension it could have been different.

I sometimes get frustrated with the way people react to Daegon, he is the most friendly, gentle dog and people are always warning their kids "definitely don't touch that dog" when they see him. While that's good that the kids learn not to just rush up and touch dogs it makes them think there's something wrong with certain breeds and will create a whole new generation of breed haters :p

[wheres my rock]

Clubs can suck sometimes but isnt it a great feeling when you can stick it to them lol

i understand your concern with Daegon some instructors have only had limited experience with big dogs this board is really helpful you have given me another thought to add to our training course getting instructors comfortable around different breeds and learning how to read that breed of dog.

I have the opposite problem everyone thinks that because my dog is little cutesy he should want to be picked up and cuddled so when he des his little happy dance and wont let them touch him they get annoyed the amount of times ive had to block people so they dont try to grab him is ridiculous

[Kavik]

What I thought was odd was while at the GSDL open day mock ob trial, they had a person helping out who seemed to be scared of GSDs . She gave me the long line for the recall (OK, so Diesel is not totally reliable yet and I didn't need him running off in such a big event ) and when Diesel who is super friendly went up to her as she approached, she backed away and was obviously scared. Whey would you help out at such an event if you were scared of the dogs?

[Puff]

Sadly only negative reports seemed to be viewed about clubs. I have belonged to several over the years and like everyone else met the good :p , the bad and the ugly instructors but I've also met some fantastic ones along the way. Most clubs are run by volunteers who have perhaps trained several of their dogs and that's the limit of their own dog training abilities and occasionally you get lucky and there will be one or two instructors who do have the talent and or qualifications.

The truth is as always 'you get what you pay for' if you really want value for money in training your dog its better to seek out a really well qualified private trainer and pay that money for quality education. ;) Once you know what you're doing and have good control of the dog then go join the dog clubs and have fun and share your knowledge. The clubs at the end of the day do provide a great deal to the doggy community by offering some level of education, activities such as agility and obedience competition. Plus I think we all have to give credit that running a club is work intensive and none of these people are paid.

[shekhina]

you have given me another thought to add to our training course getting instructors comfortable around different breeds and learning how to read that breed of dog.

Absolutely

That is the one and only thing I haven't liked about the club I go to, and it was just that one person. The other trainers have all been fantastic and the level of help that is given to each dog (my class there is only 3 dogs) is just great.

[indi_dog]

One of our instructors said to our class once, that he didn't expect *any* of us to ever be up to trial standards...

Guess what my new goal is now...

Vengeance shall be mine!

[shekhina]

One of our instructors said to our class once, that he didn't expect *any* of us to ever be up to trial standards...

Guess what my new goal is now...

Vengeance shall be mine!

Haha! I'm like that too, if someone says I can't do it, I make darn well sure I do it

[wheres my rock]

Yup al the dogs ive trialed were because epople said i'd never get them there now with my current dog i dont have the motivation i used to lol

[lab and poodle]

"My job is Adult Education and Training Developement. I could give you some real horror stories of people in this postion. The sad fact is knowing your subject matter does not make you good at teaching. "

It really is a skill in itself, and not everyone has it. I believe that it is akin to acting. You might want to say "Your dog is a time waster" but that is so counter productive, so hard on the handler.

My firm belief is that you must look at the dog handler combination and work with both in a positive caring way. It is just as important to shape the handler as it is for the handler to shape the dog.

I have experienced all sides of the coin. My lab got kicked out of his first dog school for being very dog and people reactive. He wanted to dominate all the other dogs, and say hello to all the people. My wife couldn't handle him. The solution with him was so simple. It is space, and then dwindle it down. From this experience I like space in my classes.

Instructing is a dam hard job. Some days, I feel absolutely drained. It is the old story though, hardly any feedback comes back

[lab and poodle]

"Yup al the dogs ive trialed were because epople said i'd never get them there now with my current dog i dont have the motivation i used to lol"

That is exactly why I trialled my dog, and then continued on. Used to sludge on many a morning getting him ready. (Generally I was going backwards doing stupid things). worked for me. For my new one, I am having a ball, and I can hardly wait to show her off. (she is very cute apparently. Us blokes don't understand this). She has such natural sense of "straight" etc (or am I training her better?)

[Bindibu]

Someone suggested getting a private trainer - "you only get what you have paid for". Live in the country where there are no professional trainers only your local dog training club you would soon find it impossible to obtain private training. The nearest professional trainer would be about 4 hours travelling<one way> with an overnight stay.

If there are any professional obedience dog trainers willing to give private lesson (or a weekend school ) please email me and I will arrange a Clinic. Big town people ar sooooooo lucky.