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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

This puppy class is fucking ridiculous

93 replies

PuppyChoos · 17/03/2020 15:52

I’ve paid £100 up front for a 6 week course. It seems that everyone else in my class is redoing the same class for the 2nd time as they all know each other and know the trainer. I get there and find a seat. Everyone else does the same. All of a sudden the trainer bursts into the room and screams “puppy party!” And everyone stands up and starts running around around the room screaming. The puppies all start going crazy and a few of them almost get trampled on by the over excited humans. It was fucking bizarre. I remained seated, mouth gaping trying to protect my dog from the madness. All of a sudden the trainer screeches “STOP” and everyone stands dead still, the puppies either look totally confused or carry on attacking each other. She then looks at me and says something about “awww no puppy party??” Confused so I actually said “I’m sorry, I’m confused as to what is happening ... “ and she replies “oh that’s ok! You get used to us!” And they all laugh.

Now after that the first part of the class involved Q&A game such as “where would you take a puppy when it’s po po??” There was a little boy in the group so he had fun answering all the ridiculous questions.

The shenanigans went on. Then the boy was asked to demonstrate something which his lab pup. He literally got a handful of treats and threw them across the class. I thought he was being naughty but no, this is what he’s been told to do. The pup then runs off searching for them the trainer runs around in circles screaming “hungry hippos”

I came out with a headache. I have obviously questioned it all and they tell me they use the most recent science based training methods and there are no refunds. I simply cannot do another class of that shit.

My dog is a working breed. He needs proper training and now I’ve wasted £100 on this shite. AIBU to take it further and maybe even take to social media to make people aware of what they’re paying for?

OP posts:
ChardonnaysPetDragon · 17/03/2020 16:21

This is the best thing I read on MN today.

Thank you OP!

You deserve a big treat.

Rumnraisin · 17/03/2020 16:29

No no no - from what you’ve described I’ve got an image of Chris and Alison from Miranda running this class...nauseating.

whiskeylullaby2 · 17/03/2020 16:30

Thank you so much for this thread. I needed a laugh!

of course i hope you get our money back BUT i also really wish you would keep attending to update on this crazy dog woman !

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 17/03/2020 16:37

I'm tempted to suggest we fund the OP, so we can have regular updates!

Puppy party!

FeedThemFlumps · 17/03/2020 16:38

Refund or not, leave now and do not go back.

The damage a shit puppy class can do to the dog's long term behaviour and character is not worth worrying over the money about, unfair though that is.

Leave. Please leave.

Eckhart · 17/03/2020 16:41

Ask them for specific references from the official training literature, detailing the methods they've used. Do it in writing/email, stating to them that it's either that, or you want your money back, or court.

They'll refund you.

CSIblonde · 17/03/2020 16:42

She's prob got no training experience or qualifications at all from sound of it. Ask your vet if his practice does one or if they recommend one. She's a charlatan.

VetOnCall · 17/03/2020 16:45

Trainer said I was wrong to teach him with such negativity and should be offering alternatives not just saying no.

@HeidiHoNeighbour their wording may have been a bit off but what the trainer advised in your case wasn't wrong. It's called differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour - very simplistic example being your dog jumps up in certain situations so instead of just saying no all the time, you train them to sit or lie down in those situations as they can't sit/lie and jump up at the same time. It has a lot of other applications, it's a well known positive training technique.

pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Training-How-to-Use-Differential-Reinforcement-of-Incompatible-Behaviors

WhatTiggersDoBest · 17/03/2020 16:45

Paste your OP word-for-word in a review of their Facebook page, as a warning to other people.

Soubriquet · 17/03/2020 16:48

I would ask for my money back...

That is NOT a training class

frostedviolets · 17/03/2020 16:50

I also have a working breed.
Never attended a single training class.
I’m not convinced they are really necessary although the socialisation aspect is useful if properly run. Which this ‘class’ obviously isn’t.

SapphireSalute · 17/03/2020 16:52

we have a new puppy ....ive trained him myself from youtube videos. mainly zak george

we paid £53 for 6 weeks at puppy training. first class he was overwhelmed so she came and did a home visit and downgraded him to puppy pre school

he excelled as it was all the stuff i had taught him from youtube!

anyway, we won't go back now due to covid 19 but if you want to train your pup you are better off doing it yourself

its really rewarding....

2bazookas · 17/03/2020 16:52

www.pawsinhand.co.uk/blog/what-should-a-puppy-party-look-like

Nothing like the one you describe :-(
I'd ask for a refund.

StillDisappointed · 17/03/2020 16:54

Tbh with the way the world has lost the plot at the moment I'd welcome a puppy party!

Bubblysqueak · 17/03/2020 16:58

I think op must continue going (with a hidden camera and live stream it to us) should keep us all entertained.

barnabybenny · 17/03/2020 17:05

That sounds batshit! There are a lot of people around who think because they've completed a Facebook quiz on something they are experts, I had a similar experience with a dog trainer. Her Facebook page was advertised all over the place but there was never a name attached to it, just the business name. I'd contacted them as my young dog kept marking his territory and I wasn't sure how to address it, when the 'trainer' arrived at my house (after I'd paid the pricey sum of £65 for an initial consultation) she turned out to be a woman from the same dog training class that I went to - she'd done an online course on dog behaviour. Her dog was awful at the class and she had very little control over him yet there she was taking my money to offer advice that was very limited (her course was obviously a freebie that is meant to be built on) and directly lifted from the advice that she knew I had already been given by our class trainer.

Don't go back to the class, explain why and ask for your money back even if she continues to refuse. The damage done to a dog through poor training when they are young is irreversible.

longwayoff · 17/03/2020 17:09

Get your money back., she's a loon. Poor dogs.

Herpesfreesince03 · 17/03/2020 17:18

OMG that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard😂😂 totally batshit of course. I can’t believe all those people thought it was ok??

DirtyTicket · 17/03/2020 17:18

Can't stop laughing at SapphireSalutes pup being downgraded to 'Puppy Pre-School'!

alloutoffucks · 17/03/2020 17:31

Keep going and write an award winning sitcom about it? I would watch it/

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 17/03/2020 17:39

I’m just melting over the image I have in my head of a load of adorable mischievous little pups running around mind. 😍😍😍
Sorry not helpful

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 17/03/2020 17:39

Mad not mind

isseywith4vampirecats · 17/03/2020 18:05

that dosent sound like any sort of training ive ever known for puppies but at least your pup didn't get banned from training back in the 80s I had a cairn terrier pup took him to classes local to me and he behaved so badly with the other pups he got banned and for the next fifteen years stayed a horrid dog with other dogs nothing I did stopped him

Joopy · 17/03/2020 18:09

You have to keep going and report back each week. Hilarious!

Kay1341 · 17/03/2020 18:23

I'd even be inclined to contact the Kennel Club, that's nothing like what a good puppy class should look like.

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