Need Idears...

[petmezz]

hi all

i'm taking obediance classes at the moment, and tonight at class i was noticing that i had lost some of the people in the class. they where their but staring into the stars not realy listining. i was wondering on ways to inproove my presintation to the class, i have had a lot of positive feedback but i wan't the class to stay interested.

the lession generally starts with soculisation and looslead walking, then calming pats in sit or down and getting them to tuch different parts on the dog ie feet, mouth etc. then heel work sits and downs. mid way their is a problem corner whear i descuss variouse issues that the clients are having. it is a puppy class so most of the problems every one is having. then a varied heel pattern with interesting things, 360 turns, different serfaces not heeling in lines but going whear they wan't to go and praticing what they wan't to pratice like sits drops and stands (show prople). then calming the dogs, pats at their leval then sit stays it is around hear that some of the clients start staring into space. after the sit stay their is a recall exercise to finish on a positive note.

so how can i keep the people interested through out the session, after all they are the people i'm ment to be training. any idears?

[Sayreovi]

Sorry dont have any, but i stare into space no matter what i am doing, i have a very short attention span LOL

Hope you get some good ideas.

[m-j]

HI

Gee this is a hard one, as not everyone enjoys the same things ie if you put a bit of comp into your lessons, games with prizes some find that off putting, some find doing the basics and getting them sound before moving on, boring. I find it hard to juggle the necessary basics, what people want, and make the lessons interesting for all. I will be interested what suggestions people may have.

cheers

M-J

[Alpha]

I think it depends on what people want from the class and it will always be different for everyone. At the club I instructed at, I took beginners almost every week with a second instructor as I could then take the handlers with "difficulties" aside at diffrent times during the class to work with them one on one. This way, they were getting practical help and felt there was a solution in sight. I would always remind them that everyone had been where they were at some stage and would tell them about my "bastard boy" who would be sitting quitely nearby, which they often found hard to believe.

Maybe asking what everyones expectations are of the class, you might not be able to met them all but it would go a long way towards helping you define the exercises. For example, the person who only wants a nice socialiable dog can have it pointed out to them that the sit/stay command is good for it the are walking along and need to stop and tie a shoelace or such.

No offence to any one here, but my experience now at obed club is there is not enough practical, hands on stuff, too much talk ,talk, talk...dogs get bored and start acting up and owners get even more bored and frustrated and eventually leave. I know someone who left the local club after TWO classes in beginners, because all they do is "talk at you" and show you nothing. If you look at it from the view of a "never handled a dog before" person, you can see where they are coming from. The club I attend has a "we will show you how to train you dog" policy, and that is were it ends, no help, no assistance; I think they are more interested in the accolades of competition than declining membership which is truely a shame.

[hopenfox]

Maybe you could hand out questionairs to the members to find out what they'd like/expect to learn?

Your class sounds pretty interesting to me, so I wouldn't really mind the few who drift off - maybe talk to these people and find out why?

[shoemonster]

Yeah a questionaire sounds like a good idea, get their opinions

I tend to stare off into space at training, half the time cos its boring and half the time because I am thinking about what they are telling me

[bloss344]

Your class sounds pretty normal for a puppy class. I must admit I found the earlier classes pretty boring and so did Bob. Lots of talking but it's really what is required at this stage. I tend to drift off a bit too at times. I think it's just part and parcel of early learning. Remember people probably want a magic wand at this stage to have a perfectly trained puppy in just a few easy lessons, which is just not going to happen.

Good on you for wanting to make it more interesting though.

[Ons]

I think the class sounds interesting, wished I still lived in Canberra!

people's minds do tend to wander no matter what, mine does!!!!!! The class is at night, most people would have had a very busy day, it would be cold out so people are beginning to think about being able to go home and relax for the first time that day, I don't think it has anything to do with your teaching. The main thing is that the people are interested enough to come every week, if they weren't they wouldn't!

good luck!

[MyGoldie]

One thing that my instructor has recently put into our classes is a "new trick" each week. We don't tend to spend a lot of time on it, but she will show us the initial behaviour which is what we have a go at during class, then we are shown with one of her dogs how we would shape and progress to get to the end result. It's then up to us to work on it at our own pace at home, if we want.

For example last week we went through getting our dogs to push a basketball with its nose. Other things on our upcoming programme include "spin", "wave", "crawl".

These "tricks" are a great diversion from the "obedience" work adding a lot of fun and often hilarity to the class.

It's always great to be able to show off to friends and family!!

[PAX]

Every week we do one easy peice of agility equipment, the owners seem to love it and that makes the dogs have a good time.

I also do stupid challenges, like make them walk from A to B with a glass of water and dog on loose lead. Whoever has the most water left at B wins. Just silly things like that but it always seems fun and popular.

The last 15 minutes we will do the tunnel, low table or low tyre. Just vary it and make it fun.

I also throw tricks in, in week three of the eight week course. The handlers love the challenge and they have until the end of the course to show off the trick. I get ribbons printed for best trick which they all get if they attempt to train a trick, they all have so far.

I'm trying to get them hooked.

[sas]

We ceased going to obedience with our older dog because she and us were bored to tears....we'd like to have more interaction and time to play with the dogs because 1 hour of solid training is too much for us.

[Herr Rottweiler]

We ceased going to obedience with our older dog because she and us were bored to tears....we'd like to have more interaction and time to play with the dogs because 1 hour of solid training is too much for us.

1 hour of solid training is stupid and it clearly reflects the lack of understanding any trainer has for dredging a dog through that.

[Baja]

Hi Petmezz sounds like you are feeling a little overwhelmed with your class. Some classes are boring and owners will switch off perhaps think about dividing your hour into four segments the first 15 minutes could be spent by asking if anyone in the class had specific problems that they would like to try and resolve this encourages interaction and breaks the ice. You can then select something that is offered and advise on how to resolve it. The next quarter ask each person to complete a task from the previous lesson. The next quarter add the new exercises and give everyone a chance to try and finish the last section with a bit of agility as mentioned earlier or teaching a trick.

[petmezz]

hi

thanks for the tips i will try the trick training just to break it up a little and work on simple agility equipment . i rember being bored through out the first few terms at training myself, and i don't wan't to be like that. i wan't people to enjoy training not get put off by being bored or not seeing results.

Hi Petmezz sounds like you are feeling a little overwhelmed with your class. Some classes are boring and owners will switch off perhaps think about dividing your hour into four segments the first 15 minutes could be spent by asking if anyone in the class had specific problems that they would like to try and resolve this encourages interaction and breaks the ice. You can then select something that is offered and advise on how to resolve it. The next quarter ask each person to complete a task from the previous lesson. The next quarter add the new exercises and give everyone a chance to try and finish the last section with a bit of agility as mentioned earlier or teaching a trick.

Baja

hi Baja

that is prity much what i do, just with different exercises and managing excitable and quiet exercises. i will be trying to have more fun at the end of the lession as this is when the clients are starting to switch of. oh yes i am feeling overwhelmed.... first class i have taken by myself (been through extensive training though) their is a performance evaluator watching me for the term, and several people i respect highly for the way they have trained their dogs and the knowlage on dog training that they have. i'm learning to take controll of the class and ask the people i respect ways i can inproove... though they usualy don't say much, just your doing well, just think before you speek (nerves got to me ) never any thing ealse. so i'm attempting to inproove by other means .

[Dogsfevr]

I often think the problem is people think obedience is a social playtime for the dogs,they dont appreciate the talk & when you get the few that think they now it all they wonder off .

You will never satisfy everyone but aslong as 99% of the class is learning/listening you are doing well.

We have trained junior handlers in the past & whilst obviously there is a different age group,we did out of our own pocket hand out treats or print off a home made certificate/s to the keenest listerner,those with trouble dogs succeeding,a small pack of smackos,we would go to good sammies & get a bag of good teddies & hand them out,you would be surprised how adults/kids get chuffed at being noticed & i believe for many people they sometimes feel invisible.We may not do it every week but it does make people a tad competive.

I mean i now it sounds stupid but do the people in you class now each other,there dogs names??People feel more at home when they now each other.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Have people Demonstrate one thing they and their dog can do well, go around each individually. Yes it does put the pressure on them, but if they are cruising through the course and not practicing at home then they might just think twice about a few training sessions before next weeks class.

You might like to do some web searching on adult learning in general, one big thing I learned at the first Delta intensive was that each of us learn in different ways, just lecturing the class you may only reach 30% of the people, we need to see, hear, and try it ourselves for things to sink in.

Tricks are great, as are training games, they lower the stress levels of the humans, and it encourages them to have some fun with their dogs. As tricks aren't part of your 'pass' criteria, there is less pressure on mastering the tricks. It doesn't matter if the dogs learn roll over or shake a paw before the end of their course, it matters that they have thought outside the square in regards to 'getting' behaviours from their dogs.

Mel.

Edited August 16, 2006 by Staff'n'Toller

[lab and poodle]

Some things that I learn't about adult learning too from TAFE teaching

1) Put some of the feelings on the table about learning too. Not everyone has had great educational experiences. I learnt to do some pretty funny things to break down these experiences.

I got adult students to do maths in front of the TV (Maths=fun=relaxation). I would give them 1/2 marks for a plot synopsis on the TV programme they watched. Maybe you could do something about stays like this?

I used to offer a slab for catching me out before i noticed.

2) Your task is to teach the handler who will teach the dog. We know you could do better with the dog otherwise you wouldn't be teaching the class.

3) Get a bit of humour going if you can. To be honest there is only one safe target and that is you.

4) Make the heeling fun and unpredictable. side steps, backwards one step to halts straight into a down, even for puppies. Reinforces "The main thing i sfocus" Reinforces a good approxiamtion i swoth a reward.