I would like to take my dog to an obedience class or agility, something for us to do this winter. All classes are indoors and so very loud with barking dogs inside the tin building.
Is this an issue that others worry about? The noise?

The only class I've noticed a lot of barking noise was puppy class--and it was off-putting to some of the pups the first week. But, like anything else, if you don't coddle their fears and give them something else to focus on (whatever the activity is that you're there for), they get used to it.

In an adult obedience class, I haven't observed much barking. Indoor agility rings usually have a thick rubber floor and that absorbs some sound. I haven't noticed our agility place being overly noisy--and it is one of those metal pole buildings.

You should go for it. Having a planned weekly activity is a fun way to break up the week and have something to look forward to. Unless your dog is super sound-shy, I don't think it would be a problem.

I haven’t really paid attention to the structure of our building but it’s big and there are rubber mats. We have two barkers in our class. Both bigger dogs (about 50 and 60 lbs) full of more energy than they know what to do with. Doesn’t bother Echo but it’s a bit annoying for me. You’re so right, it is really loud.

I think the ladies are trying their best though. In our class, the dogs are all in x-pens between turns and these two dogs are being blanketed. Not that it muffles the sound any but they calm down a little quicker when they can’t see all the action going on around them.

The trainer has to pause every once in a while so she can get a few words in between the barking, but for the most part she just speaks louder and I “try” and ignore it. It’s what I want Echo to do, which he does.

It’s probably good distraction training for the dogs that go on to competitions.

So it probably all depends on who your participants are but the barking is certainly not something that would deter me from the enjoyment of the evening out with my pup. I too would say go for it. We love it!!

Most the classes we have attended indoors are in pole building type structures and haven't had an issue with the sound. A lot of the places around me use that mulch type stuff as floor covering and the dogs have found that way more distracting than noise. The first day of OB class always seemed chaotic to me regardless of whether we are in or out, quiet or wild participants. That being said I do have one that I haven't taken to a class because of his sensitity to a lot of things, and that is a goal of ours to be able to attend a group.

Like others said, it has been helpful as a distraction. Have FUN

I've been to a gazillion (okay, just a small exaggeration) classes over the years with my dogs, at a few different facilities in my area. I have to say I've never encountered a class that was extremely noisy. Most of the buildings I've been to are pole barn type structures with shingled roofs instead of metal, are insulated, and have rubber mats in the training areas, all of which help dampen sound.

Every so often, there is a "problem dog" in a class that barks a bit, but I don't think any of the instructors I've had would put up with a class full of noisy dogs. I do have a sound-sensitive dog now, and the thing that scared her the most in the beginning was the sound of furnaces coming on.

I myself am also quite sound-sensitive and I would not continue going to classes if they were so noisy as to be uncomfortable. That's why I could never get involved in flyball, LOL. Talk about noise.

I mostly take obedience but have taken a few beginner agility classes just for fun and have not really had a problem. If you have checked out a particular facility and found it to be extremely noisy, are there any other places you might be able to look into?

I am going to check into other places. The only place I have been is a facility owned by an old horse client of mine, it is a giant building and they run agility, obedience, flyball, multiple classes at once, all in the evening. We quit going when my dog was < 5 mos, the trainer kept referencing my dog as the "mean dog" in the class which pissed me off. He was also the "smart dog" though, and that part was fun!