Classes. How was it for you?

[CannyJB]

Hello All – can I get opinions on Classes? For puppies or Adult dogs. I think I should let you know I’m a Trainer but this isn’t market research for me, I want to look at client satisfaction or otherwise, your expectations and outcomes. A relatively low percentage of UK dog owners attend group classes and I’m interested in why this might be? As a Trainer I have many clients who book One-One private training having previously attended/or dropped out of Group Classes. As a starting point it’s worth asking those of you who have gone, whether it was worthwhile and positive for you. If you’re interested there’s also a very quick survey here. goo.gl/forms/SXbPLJhw9cnUPD5p2

[CannyJB]

Thank you FittyPheasant, sums it up really 'all the people who started the class with us finished'. Great stuff!

[CannyJB]

Thank you Gruffalo some really interesting points there, obviously group settings are not good for all dogs. I personally have very mixed feelings about puppy groups, rather than classes purely for socialisation as they can be too full on for a lot of puppies unless very well run. Sounds like you've got an interesting family there, well done for your patient perserverance as the guardian of a super reactive, damaged rescue dog myself I know what a slow, slog it can be.

[ScreamingValenta]

Good tip Canny. Mine's an old fellow now - 12 this year, but I'll remember that if I ever have to train a small dog again (I would probably go for a rescue adult in future, now I have some experience as a dog owner, but would still go to classes unless by some miracle the dog was already perfectly trained )

[wheelwarrior]

We tried two first to big second one we left as she told me i never be able to train manage a big dog as in a wheelchair

I found private trainer in end had couple lessons and used you tube and at 3 he is fantastic my dog walker borrows hin when has puppies as he is non reactive very gentle and he walks fine with my wheelchair never had a problem despite his size

[JaimeLannister]

I'm on my second lot of classes with YoungGoldie. First lot was a 6 week course which was great. Small classes and lots of help. Once we passed that then next set of classes were booked up so fast i couldn't get in and the next ones e not for another two months.

I'm in class number two now. The classes are much bigger and no one gets much individual attention but I'm using it mostly as an opportunity to work with YoungGoldie in distracting environments.

[CannyJB]

Thanks to those of you who have done the survey too. I really appreciate it

[missbattenburg]

I went to two different lots of classes and neither really hit the mark for me.

Perhaps I chose poorly, but it feels to me that the most critical parts of training were totally missed in favour of just teaching sits and stays.

A training program that really focussed on building a great relationship with the puppy, making all future training much more successful and understanding how much consistency and repetition plays a role would be brilliant.

I imagine a course that is almost all relationship building with some fun training thrown in. The best fun (and I think the most useful time) we had was a session in which there the trainer placed all sorts of objects around the room, like a agility tunnel, small platform, buggy, pop up tent etc. We were encouraged to take the puppies round each object and play/interact with them so they were comfortable with new things. It felt like play time but had a real benefit. More of that and less luring dogs into a sit (imo)....

[CannyJB]

Thanks wheelwarrior how frustrating and demoralising to be told you wouldn't manage, more fool them. Well done for proving them wrong.

[CannyJB]

missbattenburg I think you've nailed it there, communication and bind are absolutely key, to everything really.

[CannyJB]

JaimeLannister interesting are both these classes by the same provider?

[CannyJB]

Meant bond not bind. Two glasses in!

[CannyJB]

Thanks once again for survey responses. Great, detailed and thoughtful info here.

[Elphame]

Thoroughly enjoyed our classes and would have loved to carry on but the next level was a 9pm start on a midweek night.

Far too late. Pup is generally crashed out by 8pm.

[CannyJB]

Blimey! Elphane 9pm that's mad. Good you enjoyed the first lot tho

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Having found myself living with (but not owning at that point - long story) a year old dog that was almost totally untrained except for being housebroken, I chose the classes we went to because they were local, sensibly priced (£60 for 6 sessions in London) and started at a time I could get to after work. It helped with basic obedience and gave us somewhere warm and light to go in winter when parks are unappealing, but the trainer does still have some lingering ideas about pack leadership so I had to filter those bits out.

PestDog is reactive in certain situations - occasional other dogs on lead, and motorbikes. Unfortunately after about half an hour in a training class he gets a bit frustrated if there isn't enough movement for him and will get rather shouty. I think there's also an element of territorial guarding of 'his' corner of the church hall No other dogs seem to do this, so I'm not sure if it's just him or if this is something observed in other dogs too (anyone?)

We've graduated from the initial training classes, having done the classes for almost all of two terms. Started off at another but they're held outside and I spent 2 hours freezing to death with a reactive dog, which wasn't even slightly fun. The cold was offputting, and work commitments have interfered too as I work erratic hours at certain times of year. We'll go back in the warmer weather for the shorter (1 hr) classes.

[CannyJB]

Yep having assisted another Trainer through winter mornings at outside training classes I can relate AvacadosBeforeMortgages, did nothing good for my concentration. Be good to go back to outside classes tho perhaps for PestDog (once it's warmer) as the extra space will hopefully keep him happier and more able to relax and larn. Thanks for another perspective/angle on this,

[SkeletonSkins]

I love training classes. I was introduced to our club through a puppy party which wasn’t at all about puppies all going crazy playing, but all about different experiences eg wobble boards, a ball pool, enrichment toys etc. Was great fun and I was really impressed.

I like -

• friendly people
  
• classes split by ability (went to one with newbies starting each week which was frustrating as kept going back to basics)
  
• Facebook group for us to compare notes and ask questions
  
• they sell treats which is so handy when you’re in a rush
  
• homework each week which we always always follow up on
  
• club which focuses on focus rather than letting all the dogs run around together.
  

We are currently up to Kc good cit silver and working in our gold.

I went to another club but it just started too late for me and I wasn’t keen on the set up - people starting every other week meant the trainer spent most of their time reteaching the basics.

I’m also a member of an agility club which I just absolutely love and so does my dog.

[Shambolical1]

I've been training my new rescue pup (now 15 months) at a positive, reward-based training school since the beginning of December. We've done the KCGC Puppy Foundation and are aiming for the Bronze next week, have been doing well and both been enjoying it.

At our last class, I was expecting a run-through of the exercises for the Bronze, since I had asked which class to book for that and been put in a different class to our usual, but after a bit of warm-up heel work (we're outside), we went out of our enclosed paddock to the 'outside world' and did some work with major distractions. The trainer and his son played football while we walked around them, they sung and danced, passers-by got roped in, etc.. My dog had never come across that much distraction before and although he was good ish on the move, he totally froze when it came to doing sit and down stays.

I took him out of the group, stood to one side and tried to catch the trainer's eye to get some help but to my disappointment he didn't seem to notice, though he was working with and encouraging the others. This group have trained together for a while and all know each other, whereas we were new to the group that day.

When I mentioned the problem to him as we started the next exercise, he said I just needed to work on it and was quite dismissive, although it was aberrant behaviour from my dog, who is normally pretty cooperative. On this occasion he went totally 'dead' and unresponsive on me, not even offering a sit or a down; sits can be tricky as he's physically not a dog who finds sitting easy, but his downs are good, we can do them at a distance now, and his stays are normally excellent.

We didn't even get to do the next exercise properly (a recall over distance) as my dog somehow slipped his collar and arrived far too soon, and by the time everybody else had done their recalls the class was over.

There is an exercise in the Bronze we've only had half a go at (the gate) because somebody wanted the trainer elsewhere, and one we have an issue with that I never got the chance to mention.

I don't know what to do now as the classes have been really good right up till this last one, where we only managed a third of the session, while the rest of the group got the full class.

My confidence for the Bronze test is out the window and I'm not sure what to say to the trainer. This class group is quite loud, with a lot of banter going on. One of the dogs is an 'eyeballer' - another new thing for my dog - and one or two are quite barky and bumptious, and I felt that us quiet ones got overlooked that day. There was a guy with a basset who seemed to be struggling, too, and he wasn't part of the 'gang' either.

I dithered for ages before joining this school as I've not worked in a class situation for years and wanted to make sure it was right. I thought it was, but it now feels worrying and a bit disappointing.

Sorry for length! I have rampant insomnia, and have been brooding.

[Greyhorses]

I also found mine rubbish. I attended with dogs 1 and 2 but didn’t bother with dog 3 as I felt they were teaching me things I already knew and everything was a bit basic.
I also felt there was lots of brushing under the carpet with my dogs issues, just a case of avoid that rather than fix the issue.

I did one to ones with a different trainer which were much better!

[CannyJB]

So sorry your confidence has been knocked by this class Shambolical1 your dog found the increase of distration too much during that exercise. Which is abslutely fine by the way, however, the Trainer should have noticed and adjusted the critera for you in my view.

Please don't let him put you off doing the test if this is what you want to do. Can you arrive a little earlier and have a word with him? Explain that the increased distraction was too hard for your dog and see what he come up with. He should be able to manage the exercises for ALL participants. Lowering/raising criteria and adjusting distance/distractions to set everyone up for success.

i.e. if the distraction is too great, increase distance from other students or lower criteria. Which means for your dog I would have allowed you back in the paddock perhaps in view of the others but far enough away for your dog to refocus on you. Or if that wasn't feasible to allow you to stay back and rather than ask for a specific behaviour for your dog, ask instead for you to engage eye contact perhaps reward.

You and your dog didn't fail any of those exercises in that particular class, you were let down by inadequate management. Don't beat yourself up,. I bet you and pup can sail through your Bronze when you're ready to.

[CannyJB]

Thanks Greyhorses glad you found a good One-One Trainer. Seems to be a theme developing here of not enough/adequate individual guideance, which is the hardest aspect of running a group, perhaps the ratio of trainer/assistants to clients is key?

[Squirrel26]

I picked our classes pretty much at random (the vet’s gave me some leaflets and the dog chewed up all of the others...) We started off in a beginners class with about 10 people and one trainer with 2 or 3 helpers, then they suggested we change to the ‘special’ classes (SquirrelDog is quite nervous and has issues with concentration) where in our class there are 3 other dogs and 3 trainers. I’d be a bit lost without them - I have quite often been a bit in dispair at some of SquirrelDog’s less helpful characteristics and they’re really good at practical advice (‘Ok, so this is why he’s doing it, it will take time to fix it, but try x and it’ll make life easier right now.’)

[SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon]

steppemum look up your closest Dogs Trust Dog School (they hold classes not only at their rescue centres but at other places too). They run separate puppy, adult and rescue dog classes. It doesn't matter where your dog came from.

I did Dogs Trust Dog School and it was really good. There are 3 trainers to a class of 6 dogs.

They start the classes with barriers to create a booth for each dog and gradually remove them as the classes progress. This is really good for teaching excitable (like my spaniel) or nervous dogs to be calm with other dogs around. My boy learnt his recall at 1yr old (when I took him to classes) because he finally learnt not to get so over excited that he could see another dog.

Because of there being one trainer to every two dogs, there was loads of individual help and advice. They also made themselves available to advise on specific individual problems that people had, that weren't necessarily covered in the class.

[CannyJB]

Thanks Squirrel26 & SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon both of those sound fab. Yes! I've built little pods/screens for puppies in class, they're a great help.

[bluetongue]

I’m glad I went to classes as a first time dog owner but some were definitely better than others.

It’s interesting to hear about breed favourites from others in this thread. Sighthounds aren’t that common where I am and I found my hyperactive little whippet puppy was very misunderstood. Pupppy pre School was the worst for him. It was mostly the trainer talking and the puppies were expected to sit still on their mat.