Right, like this Kennel Club member here has "training" classes, but she does not seem to be a very good trainer as her dogs are fearful little robots that hide behind her legs. When a K-9 officer came from a nearby town for a demonstration for our law enforcement class, she was trying to impress him with her "knowledge" of working dogs. He was polite to her but it was quite obvious that her main interests were AKC showing and she had no real knowledge of working dogs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Kelly, do have a guess as to why there were fearful?

Well I have never actually seen her train her own dogs, but I have seen her at shows and she jerks them around constantly and she also seems never to have bothered to socialize them. She brings them out occassionally but not much and they also spend their entire lives in the back yard.

I walked into our local Petsmart oneday..and there on the door was a sign.. it said..
"Obedience trainers wanted...NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY" So.. I asked one of the clerks about this.. and her reply was the "trainer's to be" went thru an 8 week course that Petsmart put on...and that certified them to be trainers. Incredible..

Jody

Oh yeah?! I'll put my 3 stars up against their 8 weeks any day! So there!!!LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

heh, I guess I'm the only one here who's taking Petsmart classes. Before you all laugh at me, my dog already has a strong foundation in basic obedience. She already knew sit and down (and will hold until released), plus many other commands. She is basically 100% on listening in the house. I signed up for the class for socialization, and for a nice, controlled 'distraction' setting to practice under. The instructor is a nice guy, but I know I can train my dog (and probably most dogs) better than he can.

In short, the class is really improving my dog's social skills and gives me an opportunity to show off my obedient dog <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

(the instructor also asked me how I taught her how to crawl on her belly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

I went to a Petsmart in Ohio with my cousins and they were running an obedience class. I pretended to be interested in something as I listened in on the class. I about died. They trainer looked to be 12 and was telling the class about how and why pinch collars were not used (they were hurtful to the dog) and that the halti and gentle leaders were. My cousins had to hold me back. I so wanted to say something. What I felt like doing was going and picking up a prong in the store then going back and asking her why they sell the collars but won't use them. If they feel they are wrong then they shouldn't sell them. I was even going to email Petsmart and ask why they sell them but won't use them. I may just do that now.

I also had a run in at Purdue U. I had a Golden Ret. I rescued that had a diseased that caused him to have locked jaws. He could barley stick his tongue out. He was out of control when I got him so I stuck him on a pinch collar and started teaching him some basics. When they saw that I had him ona prong they came out with their halty asking me if I wanted to purchase one from then and how much more gentle it was for him. My rely was- "you want me to put a a halti on a dog that can barley open his mouth to breath and restrict his mouth even more?" I don't think so. They had no response. I told them I was doing fine with the prong. Even the vet students are being taught that the halti is the end all be all for dog training.

Karmen:

How's Dante?

ok ... i never post - just lurk and enjoy the wonderful discussions - but ..here goes. i have been teaching at one of "these places" for a quite awhile. i give an orientation the first night of class on how i am not, and will never be politically correct or fashionable in the area of dog training - i will never, ever "cookie cutter" teach any handler/dog. i will only take tops 8 - 10 students (i have an assistant). i also show and explain different types of equipment - and explain how it is very possible to misuse/abuse any training tool - and how the aesthetics of a piece of (prong collar) equipment should not disuade its use - you simply need to read the dog being worked to see that. i use prong collars, correction collars, flat buckles, etc in class (i personally have used prongs, e-collars, etc.) i talk to my students about drives and bringing dogs out of stress using their drives, rewarding with tug/ball, food rewards, how and when to correct - what a fair correction is - they learn about teaching and proofing. i give them a talk about about working their dogs in different environments - and how comming to class one day a week is not a magic bullet, and that training has to be incorporated in to a few short sessions everyday and consistancy with house rules. i talk to them about how alot of temperament issues are innate and not "he was abused" - i try to explain how dogs are not children and do not have to play nicely in the sandbox with all the others and be social butterflies. sorry - i'm quiet until i have something to say then ....well i'm very long winded. it makes me cringe when i read posts like some i have read on this topic and think of getting lumped into those categories when people ask were i teach classes. i do agree that there are many people teaching who shouldnt be - and they arent all at petco or petsmart - but do also consider this - many people come to these classes after the fact - to deal with problem behaviors that already exist. those few who come to proof their dogs are a joy to have and set a great example of what the class can strive for if they put in the dedication and work. it can be equally frustrating to try to explain to someone how to deal with specific behavior to how to train a dog when their response is very frequently "he just doesnt want to do it" and throw up their hands and laugh (arrgh!!!), or those who have crated the dog all day all week and only try to work the dog in class after not working them all week!. alot of the folks who come to class are not going to compete in schutzhund or ringsport or do sar and may not even know what any of those disciplines are - but i treat them with the same sincerity (although some of my guys have stuck around for some time and have competed in agility) i call my "no shows" to see whats up - i encourage people to come back to class - i truly enjoy what i do - i am not a bally's gym counting on drop outs - i do not make a living training and left the animla field several years ago cause the pay frankly sucked - but i still love to teach people how to train their dogs -
ok so whats my point? a student approached me and said "i hope you dont get insulted but i am so glad we came to watch your class before we signed up, when we mentioned we were comming to a ***** store for training classes she said - i have heard terrible things about those places and their trainers!"
whew! now that i got that off my chest

Ok, who feels foolish here? Me too.

Nyspirit:

I have a dog I need help with. How much do you charge? LOL.