I've been training my 4 - 5 month puppy using Ed's "Power of Marker Training" video and Pat Miller's "Power of Positive Dog Training". We're slowing working through some of the basics. I'd really like to attend a training seminar sometime soonish. I've got my eye on one of the Michael Ellis seminars coming closer to home (SW Ohio) and I also had http://dogskillsadventure.org/ recommended to me up near Columbus, OH.
My question is about the logistics of taking a dog to a seminar like this. I take Suzzie out with me fairly often; but really never around other dogs. I'm just wondering what types of skills it's expected that she/we have before we arrive. With Ed's whole warning on Dog Parks (which is mainly about other dog owners I guess), how do you hadn't being at a seminar with your dog? For that matter at local dog clubs and such?
Never have been to a seminar, but from FR training - it was very rare that dogs be out on the field at the same time. Really it only happened while dogs were working in obedience, and even then they were being worked in distinct areas, not next to each other. For protection, the only time I saw dogs out together was when Neb was little, so that he could watch the bigger dogs.
Same is true in my limited experience of SchH clubs.
Which is to say I would expect the level of socialization most of us here strive for - our dogs behave around other dogs, but no interaction is expected.
Don't know if that helps or not.
Edit: so, depending where the training is and how the seminar is set up, I would expect to have to confine Suzzy for periods of time - you'll have to consider adequate ventilation and heat protection in the summer as well, access to water, etc.
Dogs stay in crates until it is their turn to be worked with, For OB, it may be a couple of dogs on the field at a time, but most of the time just the one being worked with by the person giving the seminar.
FYI you will get 90% of your instruction by watching all the other teams work. Take notes if you can, and LISTEN. You will see the mistakes others make, see the solutions and watch them put into practice in real time. Learn from this.
Michael Ellis does not allow more than one dog on field at a time. He also does not require the dog or handler to know anything... we had an 8 week old pup last year
The reason we go to seminars is to learn.. and Michael is an amazing teacher. You really WILL learn a lot watching, so take a notebook. ASK questions!!! Michael will answer anything you ask him and patiently explain something if you don't understand.
I second the comment that Michael is an amazing trainer! We had a couple AKC obedience/Agility people at the last Ellis seminar that I went to that were working on dog reactivity issues. We used my male Sinjin as a "dummy" dog as he does not respond to a dog that might lunge at him etc (He is worth his weight in gold as an intact male ACD when it comes to this :-p). It is only in situations like this or working on stay issues that I have seen another dog out on the field at the same time at an Ellis seminar.
Michael's seminars are worth every penny. I just did one OB session with him with Frost and the advice he gave me has made a world of difference in the issues we were having.
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Preparing for a Seminar
#242079 - 06/01/2009 10:34 AM 
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Suzzie, the Australian Shepherd
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