Training classes

[hridika]

I have signed up for a training class for Remie our border collie rescue that hates men... I was very clear to the teachers about what her issues are and what she knows. We went to the first class and it was full of puppies and young dogs, and we did basic, sit, down, watch. My husband was furious as he thought it was a behaviour class to help with her issues. and so yet another fight over the dog.

When I e-mailed the trainer stating this isn't what I signed up for, they stated, basics are always good and to provide more info, which I did and they never responded back.

Is this a load of crap? There are 7 dogs in this class, and it was very hard as Remie kept lunging at the dogs if they got too close. We asked everyone to keep their dogs away from us, but.. not everyone listened.

I am hoping that just being there with the dogs and strangers she will eventually learn no one will hurt her and start calming down.

We had walked her for 1hr prior to class as well. (along with her morning and lunch walk)

I talked to a Dog Behaviorist and he stated a few things, and I said well she hates men..so..he said, I never give up, look at all my scares from bites. I thought WTF?? I wouldn't be bragging about being bit all the time. So I asked him about only positive training, and he went on and on about nature and how that's not always possible. and I thought WTF?? This is a rescue dog that was obviously beaten and abused (which I told him) and he still thinks it's ok to be too rough and negative?

So needless to say, I was hoping classes would help.

I can't afford to pay $200- $300 per hour for someone to do one on one training, when I doubt their abilities or if it will even help.

What kind of classes should I be looking for?

With her bad hip I can't do agility or flyball, I'm hoping a trick class opens soon as she loves to learn tricks, but any other ideas, we don't have a lot of options here, and I'm finding that finding a good training class is hard.

I went to one with my golden puppy to puppy class, and at the first class she kept telling me to get her to stop barking, and I said THAT"S WHY I"M HERE!! and she didn't help at all, so we never went back.

So I really don't like training classes much either, for a few reasons, but I'm at wits end.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello, sorry to hear the classes were not as expected.

 

Was it mentioned to the trainers that Remi wasn't comfortable having other dogs nearby? Usually, in such a case, steps are taken to provide further distance from the other dogs, and sometimes the addition of a visual barrier can help. It is certainly not a nice experience to go through that for both you and your dog.

 

As mentioned, in a previous post, training classes (with the right trainer of course) can help dog and owners bond together, but if the trainer is also a behavior consultant that's a big plus considering that training is mostly about teaching dogs to perform desired behaviors such as sit, down, stay etc; whereas behavior modification falls more around fixing behavior issues and tackling the underlying emotions.

 

Sure, dog trainers can help dogs gain better impulse control and more frustration tolerance, but a dog trainer who specializes in behavior problems is a plus, especially if they have experience in reactivity/aggression.

 

Considering Remi's issues, private classes versus group classes may be less stressful and dog trainers should accommodate them if you feel Remi may benefit from some one-on-one attention and you need individual advice on working on her issues.

 

However, something to consider is that often the initial group classes are the worst, and as the classes progress, the dog often improves if the trainers take some steps in helping your dog feel less stressed (by providing distance from other dogs, taking some time in helping you create some positive associations). Also, as the dogs learn better to improve their impulse control things should improve, but of course, that's not always the case.

 

Some dog trainers/behavior consultants may come into the home to help out. If your dog is calmer at home and doesn't do well around other dogs this may be a starting option.

 

I agree, that this "dog behaviorist" is one I would run away from. Bite scars are just proof that he has failed many dogs refraining from reading their body language and putting them up for fail. Sounds like a balanced trainer who will readily use negative reinforcement and positive punishment without giving it much thought.

 

Clicker training classes can also help in boosting confidence. You can find some great clicker trainers from the Karen Pryor Academy website's directory. https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/#!directory/map

 

The Pet Professional Guild is also another good resource for force-free professionals offering behavior modification:

https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Zip-Code-Search

Edited October 3, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli