When did you stop going to group training classes?

[ZoomieGremlin]

Hello wise dog owners!

My dog is now 1yo and we are still going to group classes, but I’m not sure we’re really getting anything from it anymore. We are, in theory, working towards the KC silver award, but my dog turns into such a dickhead during the classes that I don’t think we’ll ever pass. She’s mostly ok in the real world and is able to play with/greet other dogs. It’s just the class environment that makes her lose the plot and I leave feeling pissed off and embarrassed every week.

And the exercises we do in class can be really complex and involve me remembering which foot to set off with, etc. It feels like a dance class that I’m failing 😂

I think the trainer guesses that I’ve had enough because he said something about it not being the time to give up.

What would you do? I’m a first time dog owner so have no previous experience.

I didn't take my 5 year old to group classes at all. The trainer I used offered 1 to 1 lessons for only £5 more, so I did that instead. We did a bit of obedience training, but concentrated more on agility and gundog training.

I took my 2 year old to group puppy classes. It was a 4 week course. I decided it wasn't for me and we never went back.
I did take her to group gundog classes in the summer. That was more enjoyable.

Your trainer is correct in that now is not the time to stop training. Your dog is an adolescent and might start testing boundaries and being selectively deaf. But you can keep up the training without going to classes.

If neither of you are enjoying the classes, I'd stop going. Work on the skills you want your dog to have in every day life, rather than confusing fancy footwork. For example, my youngest will walk to heel off lead. But it's more of a 'with me' than perfect heel positioning, so we'd fail a test. It works for us though.

Decide what you want (or need) your dog to be able to do and work on those skills. There are plenty of videos on YouTube to help you if you need it.

I booked in for a few sessions several years ago, went to one and never went back.

I found them a colossal waste of time, money and patience. Too much time spent sat around, listening to the instructor drone on, and not enough doing things. By the time we actually did anything, my boy was losing his marbles (and the instructor said, 'oh give him a kong' because, of course the solution to a very bored, highly intelligent albeit debating with him dog breed, is not to actually train them - as one might think you'd do at a training class - but to give him a sodding Kong).

Apparently not all are like that...

Personally, I think the only reason your trainer said this: I think the trainer guesses that I’ve had enough because he said something about it not being the time to give up.

is because they want your money. It is true. But people are far more equipped to train their dogs than they often realise, particularly with basic commands like sit/down/heel/recall etc.

Personally, I think 1-2-1 classes are far more valuable and useful. But I wouldn't necessarily want to use the trainer you're currently using - if your dog is getting bored and acting out every week, and they are yet to realise how to help you manage that then they're not a very good trainer.

Thanks both, I feel reassured that leaving the group could be the right decision. Yes @SpanielsGaloreshe has definitely been testing boundaries and demonstrating her selective deafness, it’s partly why I’ve forced myself to go each week! I would continue to keep up with training at home, it’s just the group sessions that I’m really not enjoying and I actually feel like it could damage our relationship. I’ll look into 1-2-1 training instead (with someone different!).

The training is ongoing instead of booked in blocks, so I never feel like I have the chance to say we’ve had enough. There’s an assumption you’ll keep coming back forever! You make a good point @TheHungryHungryLandsharks- actually the most useful stuff we have learned hasn’t been through training classes, it’s been through my own research and training at home, so I can’t be doing too bad a job alone

My dog is 4.5 and I attend regular weekly classes with him, but we compete in obedience.
Also do agility - another class.

I love training with him and as we incorporate lots of games, it’s strengthened our bond so much!
I’m looking forward to starting training with my second dog, although he already has good recall etc.

I never went back after the first session when the womn leading the class looked at my dog, pulled a horrible face, and said "oh no not a schnauzer! They are sooo difficult to train!"

I did initially the bronze, silver type classes, my dog was an overpowering dickhead and I felt demoralised every week. We changed to doing different types of training, hoopers, basic agility, nosework, canicross and mantrailing. Far more fun, my dog thrived instead of survived. We still do those 7 years later.

We did up to gold good citizen with our dog. Also did scent training with him which he loved. DH used to take him once a week then I would carry on the training at home. We found it really beneficial but like all things it’s individual and not for everyone.

That sounds…unhelpful I think people can be quick to judge breeds because they met one, once, and assume all dogs of that breed are the same.

I love a schnauzer! 😍

sounds like us! Alongside our work on obedience I’d love to find a something suited to my dog’s high prey drive as an outlet, I think it would be much more fun for both of us

Yeah I bet it can be really fun and rewarding with the right dog/owner/trainer combination ☺️ Initially I was excited to do it all!

I got my late dog from Battersea , he came with very bad Kennel cough and was about 4/5 months old, completely untrained in all respects . I took him to about 3 classes in all as he kept getting the cough back so I gave up . I trained him myself using positive methods and common sense and he ended up very well behaved . He was a patterdale mix so not an easy breed .

We aren’t all shit, honest!!
Once baby fundamentals are underway, I tend to weave bronze,silver and gold exercises very sporadically (mostly because they are boring and repetitive for everyone) into classes that include agility, gundog,scent and tricks. With lots of games and (hopefully) fun for both dog and handler. Plus individual behaviour work where needed if it’s appropriate for a group setting
Tonight is rally/obedience. Advanced class. But ‘wait’ will be trained while the owners attempt to play hoopla. Recall will be through a chair maze of distractions or over jumps. Retrieve will be a fun game version Pribably a scent ‘treasure hunt’ That sort of stuff

so dog and owner learn, but while having fun and building their bond. Not getting frustrated and antsy milling about without purpose half the time

perhaps you need to look further afield

General dog group training was useless with my late spaniel.

We found a great gun dog trainer who taught me about his breed instincts and the trainer said yes he played up in general group training classes as he was bored and looking back it was so obvious.

We did group scent training but as an adult dog and we both loved that but again that was because it fed into his breed instinct and it really strengthened our bond.

We did agility for a bit but stopped as he was an arsehole if we didn’t get it right first time and that was because he was frustrated.

If I ever get another dog I would skip puppy and general dog training classes and either do 1-1 or ones that we both enjoyed.

You don’t need classes as training is everyday stuff you can do at home so if it isn’t working for you then don’t be afraid to stop or try something different.

Mine is 14 months now. We were doing kennel club up until 2 months ago when I decided I'd had enough. Pup was being a dick and the trainer was also a dick. He kept pulling me up on everything but not in a nice helpful way so I was getting really anxious about going. We are now doing scentwork, which Marley loves and is great at, and have just started an adolescent dog course which only has 4 dogs attending and is more fun based rather than very strict and structured like the kennel club was. Thinking about hoopers and mantrailing too.

Ahhh I never thought trainers are shit!! Your class sounds absolutely brilliant and I think we’d both have a lot of fun doing that. Unfortunately we live in a bit of a crappy area with not a lot going on, so I guess there isn’t much demand for it 😑

I took our dog at 5 months. Stayed for 6 months and he made no progress at all at anything he was supposed to. He was great at walking nicely on the lead and 6 months later - he was great at walking nicely on the lead. Commands of sit, lie down, fetch and other obedience training was completely ignored. He was supposed to retrieve a toy which I had to throw, but he wasn’t interested. When he did bring it back to me, once, he refused to let it go. He mostly didn’t stay on task and was more interested in the other dogs. He certainly would not come back to me. The trainer tried to use him to demonstrate how he would come and find me if I hid in a cupboard. He didn’t. He would not retrieve for her either.

Other dogs graduated to the next class. We stayed put having learnt nothing. So we left.

We knew his breed was low on training ability. They want to please themselves more than their owners. Other aspects of his behaviour were great but he never did master recall.

I only stopped taking my dog to tricks class when he became too old to get in the car easily. But he absolutely loved the classes and it did us lots of good - he learnt to focus on me round other dogs, it kept his brain busy and it gave us a lovely thing to do together. If you and your dog aren't enjoying it though OP I'd stop going and train at home, or look at another class you might enjoy more like agility.

My dog thinks obedience is a request to be considered and she will get back to me in up to 3 working days! 😂

Life got busy during gold. for us it was great, but I guess teaching can be variable.

My dog would never ever have done agility. Some dogs aren’t interested! Life is about what they want.

I stopped going when I realised the trainer's answer to every single scenario/situation was "give the dog a treat" . That's it, she literally had no other ideas other than stuffing treats in the dog's face to solve everything.

I found youtube to be infinitely more helpful.

I’d try an outdoor class, lots of dogs get overwhelmed in echoing slippery indoor spaces. And one with more fun training included like the ones above. Or one specific activity he loves. Teenage dogs can be the hardest time and ongoing training can really help.

A different situation from you, OP, but I took my dog to an outdoor class with a very good trainer and stopped going after one term.

She's a lurcher and was four years old when I got her. She's wonderful with people but she lunged and barked at other dogs, gulls, crows, everything, just didn't know how to cope.. She hadn't been socialised with other dogs or walked much and was overweight.

The trainer was so popular that the class got bigger and bigger and it was so stressful for her and as a result for me. She was ok walking round behind other dogs but face to face was too much for her. It was really the socialisation that I wanted but after a few months I stopped going.

I have friends who have gone to classes for years and they and their dogs got a lot out of it, but it wasn't for me.

I wouldn't stop formal training just yet, but by the sounds of it you need to look for something more suitable for you & your dog. Look into different activities or some fun pet dog training. My trainer does doggy coffee mornings which are just basic life skills, like sitting under a table in public, walking nicely on the lead, ... plus anything you want to teach including tricks she'll help you with. It's very relaxed and in a small group of 4-5 dogs & their owners.

I went to 6 classes as you booked and paid in advance.

My dog was by far the naughtiest dog there, the knob spent the entire time trying to dig a fucking hole! I didn't learn a thing and have absolutely no idea what use teaching my dog spin is to me in the real world.

I got myself a whistle, a clicker and a long line, followed a group on Facebook about force free training and did it myself.

He's mostly well behaved, he does still like to dig every now and then, mostly in my parents garden as my Dad, who treats him like a precious first born, chases him round in their own little game 😂