Please tell me dog school will get better :(

[OrangeSamphire]

My pup is 6 months. We've done basic puppy training with her at home until now. She's doing well with food manners, sit, recall, toilet training, crate at night - all secure.

We are first time dog owners so we thought we had better put her through the good citizen training scheme too. I'd like to do up to gold as it's important to us to have a well trained dog and then move on to agility as I think she would enjoy it.

First session at training today at a local club I found via Kennel Club.

Within about ten minutes I felt like I wanted to leave.

As we arrived, through throngs of dogs leaving from the previous class, one of the trainers walked past me and commented 'what's that?' 'what's that coming into class'. Not sure if this was a joke, but it wasn't very welcoming. No hello, or welcome. I admit my dog does look pretty daft as she has an extremely shaggy coat and prances like a race horse when she's excited.

It was busy, over ten dogs in the class despite the website saying 8 or under.

We had been told sessions started today although others seemed to have been there a while. We seemed to be the only new ones and it seemed we were unexpected and our arrival threw them, despite having registered online and had an email exchange to confirm booking.

We then missed the start of the class as they had recorded our details wrong via email and wanted to do all of that first so we were hauled out to do that.

Then we were immediately finger pointed (literally finger pointed) to be taken for focused work at the back of the hall. I don't know why.

I was then given quite a sharp lecture because my dog had the 'wrong type of harness'. Apparently she should be wearing one with a front ring. Maybe she should, I didn't know, we bought what was recommended in our very reputable pet shop, but didn't appreciate the manner.

I was then lectured again ever more harshly because she didn't have her collar and tag on and the woman barked at that I was breaking the law without giving me a chance to talk. I had removed it when we got out of the car, as my dog had been car sick and then laid on it. I only had time to clean her up, not her collar and tag. And actually I didn't know I was breaking the law by having taken it off temporarily to go into a private building.

At that point I became tearful. This was probably not necessary but it's been a difficult few months (not dog related) and this on top of that meant I didn't feel particularly resilient.

We did learn a few useful techniques for not jumping up, lead walking without pulling, lying down. All in the ten minutes focused work at the back of the hall.

When we eventually rejoined the group there was only 10 minutes left and no further teaching took place. The trainer just went round to everyone asking if their dogs allowed them to handle and inspect them. Mine does.

I left a bit baffled to be honest. We live rurally so there aren't many trainers. If there were I would probably switch.

Should I persevere?

[BiteyShark]

I think the reason they make you pay for so many weeks is they know lots will drop out. However, if that was my business I would be concerned about why people drop out but I guess they have the money so they are happy with that and only having a few to teach.

If I got a dog in the future I wouldn't sign up for any group lessons unless it's things like scent work or agility and just pay for 1-1 for anything else.

[wheelwarrior]

Leave
We went to training class and she said well who is going be traing the dog despite me in front of her .She told me that be impossible for me to do from my wheelchair

Found a 1-1 who yes we tweaked couple of things but now at 4 ,am complimented on my boy behaviour .Do see the so called first trainer out and about and when her dog ran up to my onlead one .Loud voice saying shame some people can not train dogs as mine ignored and walked of next to me ☺

[Hoppinggreen]

We failed puppy class, and intermediate class
Ddog is a dream now ( mostly)
Did it all ourselves with help from books and YouTube. Don’t pay someone to make you feel crap

[PristineCondition]

On the different dogs for training front...My neighbor posted on our areas Facebook to find different dogs for her puppies to interact with and loads of people got in touch and did regular meetups in different places.
It became really social and she stil meets a lot of them a year on

[twoheaped]

They'd probably all been at the previous Bronze award class and failed, hence doing it again.
I have an Italian Greyhound whose backside won't go anywhere near the cold hard ground, not good when they need to do a sit and stay! My instructor was great, recognised that a sit would be impossible and we worked in the stand and stay.
There is a minute hold in the stay for the bronze award, if I remember correctly. Every week whilst practising, mine would be off causing absolute havoc......he was great for the other owners who could practise with their dogs to ignore him.
On the day of the test, he stayed for the required time, every other dog moved and failed on that point.
Much to the surprise of our instructor, we were the only ones who gained their bronze certificate
That said, we had GSP's before and took them to a 121 trainer. We only needed 4 lessons and he had equipped us with enough knowlwdge to carry on their training.

[Nala18]

I have a 10 month old GR who is the most adorable loving thing but puppy classes just didn’t work and I didn’t enjoy them neither did she. They were at most relatively informative in the sense of “obviously thanks for highlighting that”. My GR is well behaved mostly but is overly excited to see dogs, and recall when another dog there is none existent even though we spend money each week just for her to go to play group to play with dogs so that they’re a normal part of her day... it’s really testing having a puppy. I’ve given up on trainers, the only thing I got from them was that which I could find in a book! Maybe try reading first? Ps I would put a shitty review. They sound like right twats.

[OrangeSamphire]

Thank you valla I will PM you.

[OrangeSamphire]

I’d love to post a shitty review nala but I’ve since discovered they don’t have a Facebook page, only a private group!

Maybe I know why...

Incidentally they didn’t make me pay upfront for the entire course. They took a membership fee of £7 then £6 for the class. I have no idea how many sessions we are supposed to attend or what the course covers though.

That’s it. I’m not going back. Thank you all. I feel liberated! Ddog has just had an absolutely lovely run on the beach with her friends and is now sleeping

[pigsDOfly]

Pleased to hear that you're not going back, they sound awful.

[Teddy1905]

Good for you orangesamphire, no regrets for me not taking second pup. I think theres a definite place for the skills of a competent behaviourist if needed, or attending breed specific groups that expand their natural skills, like scentwork etc, but for the majority of dog owners like us, just use common sense. My two have learnt more socialising in the park, chatting with other dog owners than any class, and it's an environment they enjoy and are comfortable in. X

[Teddy1905]

And it was yet another occasion that I should have listened to my mother! " Puppy training lessons?? Well i've heard it all now, you paid how much for the bloody dog and now your paying what??? I've heard it all now, you've all got money than sense!! " the only good point of the training was listening to her in fits of laughter as i gave her weekly updates! X

[starcrossedseahorse]

Go elsewhere OP. My dog club is lovely and everyone is warm and friendly and bonkers about dogs. What you have described sounds appalling. Leave and don't look back.

[CoffeeCoffeeLove]

I've never taken my pup to training on the advice of my mil whose had dogs her whole life, she told me every one she's been to has been awful and barely anything was taught/learnt. She recently got a new pup herself though and took him to a session because it was recommended by the breeder, she was going sign me up if it was a good as she was led to believe but it was in her words 'the worse training session I've ever been too' and never went back even after having paid upfront for all sessions!
I've done most training at home but we still have a few issues re jumping up and recall so I've been looking into home trainers. Found a couple who come to your house and its essentially teaching you how to teach them in order to be able to continue once the trainer has left, I haven't been able to book anything yet though as it's quite pricey so currently saving up the money whilst trying out techniques from Google/you tube (slow process, my dog is a lazy bugger!)

[PuppyMonkey]

I took my pup to a puppy class from hell once too. Never again.

The instructor was the biggest arse I have ever met and he did nothing but criticise the owners, no support or constructive stuff. And loads of really advanced techniques which left us all humiliated while he got off on telling us how we were doing it all wrong and “that would be a Kennel Club fail” in a stern voice. My puppy was TEN WEEKS OLD

We’d only gone for a bit of puppy socialisation.

Anyway, my puppy shat on the floor at the end which just about served the twat right.

We did find much a better class run by our local Dog’s Trust branch. Highly recommend them.

[ProfessorMoody]

They sound awful, I hope you manage to find a nicer class.

Lots of dog people aren't very good with humans - I've come across awful dog trainers many times. There are some amazing ones too though, so persevere!

[littlehayleyc]

Personally I have found training with my puppy (now 2.5yrs) a really positive experience. We've done various classes starting when he was about 10 weeks old. We now do Rally classes once a week. I think you just need to find a better class. The trainer who runs the group I go to is lovely. She explains everything properly, tailors the training to the individual dogs and is never harsh with either the people or the dogs. If you find another group, maybe ask to observe a session without taking your dog so you can get a feel for the trainer and methods used before exposing your dog to it.