Arrrggghhhh! bad puppy class today!

[sian]

...and no - Izzy was quite good!

We had a new teacher. Don't know her name, because she didn't introduce herself.

We had to sit and wait for ages for other dogs to come into the field (previous teachers have us doing basic lead-work whilst we wait). Izzy got bored, and eventually jumped up, and mouthed me a little (we're working on this!). "That's because you praised her too much"! Derrrr!! "And you'll have to stop that nipping too!" - I bit my tongue: I know the difference between mouthing and nipping. Izzy hasn't nipped for weeks - but she still mouths.

Eventually, we started to do heal-work. Walking v slowly, in file. The dog in front kept vering to the left. I don't know about you, but I find heel-work with a leggy Weim puppy much easier if we can walk out a bit, so she isn't "entertaining herself" as she crawls along....

"Stop and down". So I stopped, and got Izzy to down. "No - get your dog to sit first, and then down". Grrrrr!! (blood starting to boil now)

We did the walking past other puppies / having them walk past us perfectly. So no comment! (I can see how positive re-inforcement works now - maybe that was what she was trying to demonstrate?! )

We did a wait and recall. When it was our turn, she stepped in before I had the lead off, turned Izzy so that her back was to where I was going, and with a treat, play-rolled her into a relaxed down. What's the point? She totally nullified half the exercise!! I could not give Izzy the "Wait" command, as she'd taken over. Of course, her recall was fast and accurate. No comment there, from teacher....

Grrrrr!

If it happens again in the next class, there will be a lot of "With all due respect, I know my dog!" comments!!

there - I feel a little better now!

[yvika]

Hi Sian

I know how you feel - its always dificult to find good classes I think - well certainly her in the UK. Izzy is still very young but sounds like she is doing just great ! BTW when we did stop down - we did exactly that stop-down!

Im not too good at biting my tongue TBH LOL - I made my feelings clear at Agility a few weeks back when I was asked to put Luke over the full height dog walk on only his second class ! He is still young too and very awkward (legs/ co-ordination everywhere) - I felt for sure he would come off it and I couldnt catch him on my own !

Good luck for the next class

Karen X

[greyghost]

Oh don't you just hate it! I think it would be better sometimes to socialize the dog elsewhere and go to training without your own dog . They never perform properly for you under those circumstances anyway.

I remember one guy was sitting nursing a headache one time (yonks ago with Abbie) and the other guy took the class. At the end of the session the guy with headache jumped up told us all was a load of wusses we all were and said we had been far too quiet.

45 minutes into the session Abbie was bored and he noticed her not responding much. He walked over and demonstrated a 'down'.

'This is what you do' he said as he slammed her down on the floor and held her. He then thought carefully and backed away carefully whilst still holding her in case she went for him - I wish she had.......

We never went back

[yvika]

Les - thats dreadful - I would have had something to say about that if it was my dog! A**hole

[sian]

The worst of it is, Les, that Izzy was actually quite good in the class...

She did excellent stays, both sit and down, (not noticed by the instructor) Considering the snails-pace we were walking at, her heel-work was good. Her sits were prompt, she did the bridge fine (when the instructor didn't "take over").... and we did little else!

Oh yes - at the end of the lesson, we were to sit our dogs in front of the open gate, then walk through, dogs to heel, but us going first . Make up your mind, Woman! Either the dog is to heel, or it's behind you!! Surely to make it an accurate exercise, we should have to open the gate. It's the new "freedom" that excites them more, rather than just walking between two posts!!

[jai]

Wow Sian what a class.
I have not enrolled Falko in one here yet, and he is 8 months old. I have been very busy with life with children. I am waiting until school is out and then I will go from there. he is doing well since I have a lot of help from Wolfgang, but I would not know how to respond to something like that. I think I might have left and gone home. Kudos to you for sticking it out!
jai

[Speeds]

Sorry to hear that the class was not good Sian - but thanks for making me laugh

[sian]

Well - I'm glad we at least can still entertain you, Karen!