I'm rather frustrated with the training options we have here locally and have been kicking around the idea of starting a "meetup" group. There is a website/app called Meetup for people to meet other people who are interested in similar activities- like running, bicycling, hiking (options are endless). I joined one for people who like to go hiking with their dogs; we've only been twice but it has been a good experience and I will go again when it cools down.

I'd like to have other people to train OB / basic skills around regularly... I don't mind signing up for classes but we also need to practice around other people and their dogs in between classes and the "clubs" here don't offer open practice time. I feel like it's inappropriate to lurk around others at the park if my dog is barky and excitable that day.

I would have to be honest and say that the group is intended for practice in between classes, that no one attending is a professional trainer and that there will be no instruction (for people). We'd have to use public parks (that would probably be safer as well). It could be an open time slot for come and go- whoever shows up. I would have to come up with some basic rules about leashes, space between participants, etc. Maybe add a legal release as a part of joining the group? Also some notes about type of training allowed: OB, tricks, CGC...? Nothing involving obstacle courses or bitework- there are better, safer places for that.

Some concerns: this is a decent sized city and there's always the risk of attracting a creeper. Also, how to deal with people who can't follow the rules- there's always going to be that one. Next, would I be expected to tell people what to practice that day? I wouldn't think so as who knows where everyone is in their training or what they are training for...

Is this a terrible idea? I'm honestly on the fence and I'd love to hear some other thoughts. I've been thinking about this for a while but haven't moved on it since it seemed like such a risky undertaking. I'm positive it will be a lot of work... but then again Greta and I are already training daily, it would just be adding people management on top of that a few times per week. This is also assuming anyone showed up...

You have some good thoughts, IMO (releases, for example).

For quite some time I led an ob class that was kind of similar to what you describe, but it's hard to picture with no leader/instructor.

I would love to read folks' ideas about this. I know there are other experienced people who check in.

Ditto with Connie!

There are so many ways/methods of training and with the right handler they all can work.

Another thought is possible join a established training club and discuss group training away from the once weekly "formal" training.

Even with that if you don't have someone with "good" experience it would be open to as many interpretations as there are members in the group.

Every dog will have it's own strong points and weak points.

That's where the experience comes into play.

You need someone to recognize those weak points and how to over come them.

While it sounds like a good idea, I do think there needs to be a general direction or theme to be training... there should also be someone with experience in a leader role.

I used to get together with some dog owner friends and we would rent another friend’s empty dog daycare facility for a few hours on a Sunday to work our dogs on various things. One hour would be agility, the next would be rally, etc.

If you are taking a class, I would talk to some of the other members of the class and see if they would want to do something loosely structured outside of class time, and build it from there. That way, at least there might be some common training goals, and you can apply what you learned in class, so methodology would be somewhat similar as well.