Be careful, the sport is addicting, especially for someone that puts as much time and effort into their dogs as you do.

well i still don't know if teagan will be any good! i have to admit, i'm assuming the dogs at the field will be as confident as other SchH dogs i've seen and i'm SO curious to see if teagan pulls as much attitude w/them as she does w/the neighbourhood dogs.

luc started whining last night (he ran to one end of the leash and pulled himself on the prong) and she ran to him to shut him up. she didn't bite him or try to but got really in his face. she seems to feel she should enforce appropriate pack behaviour (i'm assuming that's what she's doing), so we still have a ways to go about who does what. but she is sitting beautiful when asked.

oh, randy! i'm afraid the chances of her being a long-lost mondio champion are slim if she knew 'platz' or 'assis' (the extent of my multi-lingual commands) she hid it well....

i decided i'll go to training at the old trainers on thursday and say to them 'i haven't been here for 6 weeks b/c of this, i'm not happy, etc' - and see how they respond. at least i should be upfront about it (after all this time, heh).

and i did get contacted by another trainer i found yesterday (google came up w/him for the first time ever) - but he mixes positive and correction, doesn't do group classes, and seems like potentially a good fit, so we'll see, he'll do a free assessment. (and he called my email concise and to the point! ha! he's obviously never read any of my posts here) edit: and he also does in-home training which is exciting to my no-car having self (i'm sure my poor mother will be thrilled).

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

well i still don't know if teagan will be any good! i have to admit, i'm assuming the dogs at the field will be as confident as other SchH dogs i've seen and i'm SO curious to see if teagan pulls as much attitude w/them as she does w/the neighbourhood dogs.

She will not have the opportunity to pull any attitude, because she will not interact with any of them. The standard protocol at SchH clubs is one dog on the field at a time. The only only exception to that is a dog or pup that is there for an evaluation at times will be leashed on the sideline while an experienced dog is working protection. Multiple intact working dogs and bitches that are fired up for protection work out at the same time in the same place is an invitation for doggie world war III. Just not good.

that makes sense....

i didn't think they'd really be interacting, but he mentioned he wanted to see her aggressive behavior (so i assumed there'd be another dog around somewhere but maybe he just means her dominant staring....? i think (well, he said) he's going to offer me advice, period, on handling teagan and then maybe also see if she seems like she'd be good for SchH....which who knows, i definitely don't have the experience to tell.

which i have another question....obvs. them having the field etc isn't free, and he's being very nice and helpful to me - is there a standard donation or something i could make????

(....luc has been around SchH dogs in the walking past them sense - but that's b/c at the old trainers we went after the sport protection class sometimes - i don't know if all the dogs in the class also did SchH, but i know some did. anyways, that's a digression.)

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

that makes sense....


which i have another question....obvs. them having the field etc isn't free, and he's being very nice and helpful to me - is there a standard donation or something i could make????

This is a wonderful question to ask whoever is running things at the SchH club and will be very well received. A 12 pack of beer never hurt either.

Jennifer,
Well the language thing was kind of a long shot thing anyways, but I thought what the hell if I'm going to go for it let's really go for the lotto. The Mondio arena sounded like the brass ring to me. Oh oh oh, maybe she was just being a snot. lol
I'm with John on the meeting other dog stuff. At any school or training ground that agitation takes place I've been to, the dogs never really get a chance to look at each other for that kind of outlet. They're always well separated. I've got a young dog so sometimes the helper will want her watching from the sidelines a more experienced dog work, but thats as close as two dogs ever get that I've seen. The potential calamity is just to large to take many chances.
Don't worry about Teagan, from what you've said about her, I'll bet the helper is going to be impressed. Oh by the way, did he say anything about collars or harness and a good stout lead?

Let us all know how it goes tomorrow.
Randy

i shouldn't be nervous for sunday, but i am! i still dunno about teagan, but we'll see (and i emailed to ask about donating $ or something as well).

the language thing was a good long shot! i had fun going 'platz!' even if she had no clue what i was saying.

ok, so - he said he was going to put her through different scenarios (i found my notes, that's what happens when i talk to people on the phone at work....holy compulsive!). what sort of scenarios would he be putting her through potentially? b/c he said he could help w/dominance/aggression and then he asked if i was interested in SchH as a sport....so i'm not sure what he's going to do. should be interesting, regardless.

no mention of collars/harnesses. i'll bring the martingale/prong and a couple of different leashes....my leerburg package with the new collars and leads (though they're the traffic leads and 2-dog lead, so i doubt useful for SchH) is in customs, maybe it'll have arrived by then!!!! (you know i'm sad when every day i've gone home this week i'm all 'OMG did it come yet! DD collar!!!!!! oh boy oh boy!'....maybe it'll have come tonight but probably tomorrow or saturday maybe....anywho.... )

i AM nervous for tomorrow. but i think it's only mature to go and at least explain why i am so unimpressed. also, last time luc was there he shook the whole time, not so good. the sport protection was before, and he always acts interested in the hitting (bitework) noises (he doesn't SEE), but maybe they actually scare him? though last time one of the new dogs stayed in the training area while luc and i were there so it could practice sitting/focusing or something i guess. it wasn't around luc, but at one end. anyways, i will let you all know what happens! eek!
(it's weird, i can be very alpha-ish myself in stuff i know and am good at, but dog training brings out all these 'am i doing this right?' worries and it totally translates to how i talk to those trainers....but i do feel strongly about this, so i'm not going to have a problem getting that across....if i do i'll be mad at myself. also, enough smart people (aka you guys!) have provided good input on why the advice was not good that i feel confident.)

Hah, take Teagan tomorrow, ask them if they'd care to demostrate their rolling technigues. Nah, just kidding.
Just remember Jennifer, 'those trainers' job is to help you with the dog, not the other way around. Their job is to help in finding the path you want, not to forge the dog into their idea of what it should be. You seem to me to have a realistic handle on what Luc is and isn't, I know you won't let him down and give in to the bullies at this school(?).
You don't have to be interested per se in the SchH sport to know or believe the training would be benefitial, for both you and your dog/s. And you're allowed to say that. Right out loud. Doesn't mean they're going to ban you. And if the helper says he won't train except for the ring sport; then you probably don't want him working for you anyway! He's not interested in dogs, only glory.

Stick to your guns Annie,
Randy

 Quote: randy allen

Hah, take Teagan tomorrow, ask them if they'd care to demostrate their rolling technigues.

i couldn't find an appropriate wincing icon....heehee

oh no, luc is not getting bullied by anyone! except me when i pick him up and hug him....man he hates that

it's more a matter of if i stay confident telling them why i'm mad/unimpressed or if i get unconfident. either way, nobody's hurting my boy. or eroding his confidence....i worked hard to get him as confident as he is! and i REALLY didn't like that he was so unconfident last time....avoidance my ass, he doesn't do that when it's just me working w/him. i am pretty protective of luc, no worries there. i just don't want any confrontation, i guess, and i don't know how protective they'll be of their advice....

Atta girl, go get em.

Don't let them get away with any gobbley gook either. From what I remember (I could look back, but I DO remember how stupid it was) their remedy for a small problem was way over the top. And now the dog doesn't even like it there. Goodbye, so long, have a nice life, etc etc.

Annie go get your guns.
Randy
PS.
It might help if before you go tomorrow is to read the original thread to help remind you of the reasons you stopped going in the first place.

Edited by randy allen (11/21/2007 05:05 PM)
Edit reason: post script