Sounds like your class is quite stressful sometimes! I went to a 6wk puppy foundation class which was great (the lara west one I mentioned in your other post) but couldn't get a place for her next class. My friend took me to her local training class which was very informal but so boring, for me and Charlie, 3wks of just doing sit, then walking round the hall 3 times then we sat down. Sometimes that was all we did in one session. I stuck it out for a few months for the socialisation aspect but I didn't enjoy it at all and I think you and your dog should enjoy training.
I am restarting training with Charlie but will make sure it is a set number of weeks class or one off workshops as I think they will be better.
Would it be possible for you to have a chat with the trainer and ask her opinions on how you and Mia can move forward?

Have you tried the mat work with her, it seems very useful ime.

Re the aversive training I use. Basically I'd teach her to ignore other dogs she dislikes and use the stimulus of the e collar to generalise that to any/all environments. This is the advantage of the e collar in that it always feels the same no matter what else is happening. Dogs seem to generalise this very well.
Also on the aversive front simply having a 100% recall would stop the charging/aggression. I wouldn't look to make her clingy (safe spot training is only short term for very nervouse dogs) just make her listen no matter what.

Using aversive's thge dog feels in control of (via its behaviour) increases their confidence and convinces them they can cope with other averisves such as other dogs.

Adam

Thats told you BMF---AP reckons you are doing it wrong. Slap an e collar on and send a few shocks through the dog and you'll be sorted!

We think you are doing it right and doing well.

rune

Yes- I trained Cherry and Parker to hand signals in case they lost their hearing but poor Cherry has lost her eyesight so hand signals aren't much help!

Pam, sounds like good ideas - if you find good classes/courses please let me know - and be careful I have heard some horror stories from some classes around here - unfort I dont know where they are!

Adam, I have done a fair bit of mat work with her but havent built it up enough for a class situation yet - that is a good idea tho, I will get onto it some more
I appreciate you are trying to help but I will never use shock collars or anything to train a dog
It really wouldnt work with Mia anyway, a couple of times kind well meaning @ssholes have tried to prod/foot tap/ psst whatever to get her attention away from the thing she is reacting to and she has whipped round looking for the new attacker, only amazing self control stoped her biting them - then she has whipped back to her origonal threat
Another time a lady by total accident trod on her paws JUST as she was about to react to a dog, her reaction was much much worse
- her reaction is her screaming 'are you going to hurt me' if she was actually hurt she would become MORE agressive, she does not have the personality to back down or shut down (not that I would want that) Mia acts first and considers her personal safty later/never

Thankyou Rune! I am sure everyone with a dog with issues worries that they are using the correct methods - and sometimes wishes there actually WAS a magic noise or tool that fixed things

Making something else even more scary is not an option in my book, and I am struggling to understand how a trainer can understand the principles of (what some people say) are quite complex books like CU but then resorts to quick fix behaviour supression training

It sounds to me like you are doing all the right sort of things. I have a reactive collie and I honestly think there is a place for them in agility if their ' enthusiasm' is correctly channelled.On a different level my mums collie spent the whole if her first competition season leaving the ring to chase other dogs. She was in no way aggressive, just had a strong eye. It was still very embarrassing and upsetting. After lots of work to turn her onto the equipment and my mum she grew out of it and now competes at grade 6. I think it would be a real shame if you stopped mias agility training as it sounds like you have overcome heaps already. When she loses focus on the equipment is that usually at a point where you lose a bit if focus with her ie could you be thinking how to handle a part if the course? We found these were the places my mums dog took to dashing to the hills. Lots of young or inexperienced dogs also see windows of opportunity when turning. If any of these bits sound similar to Mia I could post a few of the ideas that have worked for us and friends dogs.

yes she only looses focus when we get something wrong, if it is good and flowing then she ignores everything
the only other place is at the v start. her stay is perfect but if something distracts her as soon as i release her she is off. in class i just have to be real careful if anything goes wrong to try and carry on and keep working her and ignore the trainer till i have done

any tips would be fab tho!

i have been so lucky with ben, never gone off course, i dont think either of us even notice anything but the course when we are running. i know it can be so stressful for people when their dogs run off

at an agility show atm with ben :

Hi
hope you've had a good show, I've been at one for the weekend unfortunately my dogs seem to have forgotten how to count but they had fun. I've jotted down a few ideas, you've probably tried a few of them so ignore those. Firstly I'd say trust your instincts, if it doesn't feel right it possibly isn't. Several years ago I was training one of my dogs, I'd worked really hard to train her contacts before the course started. Two weeks in and the trainer told me to do them off lead I knew she wasn't ready and would jump off but after much heated discussion I did them off lead. Sure enough she jumped, she's now ten and contacts are still a hit and miss affair.
Try to make yourself the highest value thing to Mia, even above the equipment. If you reward her with the toy try to make it one that you can interact with so the reward always come from you.
If possible do short segments that she can be successful on and reward after every segment making you and the toy very exciting. If possible have the toy in your pocket so your hands are free and she never knows when her reward is coming. When you both feel confident on small segments you can start to add an extra piece slowly building up to a whole course.
If Mia is still happy you could try to persuade some people she is happy with to stand at different points on the course with their backs to her. If she is happy with this then these people could then hold their dogs still facing away from her so reducing the confrontation. Then these people could move in closer until she is happy with dogs and people in close proximity while she works. This sounds a bit tricky for a class but there may be some willing friends.
If you take Mia to shows try playing tug with her at a distance to the rings for a few seconds then move away. If she is happy next time move closer. If she becomes unhappy take a few steps back the next time you try. You can build this up slowly and Mia will soon associate being around other dogs doing agility as a time she gets lots of interaction and fun with you. My guys get near a ring and instantly turn their attention to me gagging for the toy. It did take me a few months to get my young dog to do this and my mum even longer but it's worth the effort.

I hope that makes sense and I haven't waffled on too much, if I have any more ideas I'll post them.

Jo

Thankyou they are really good ideas
Unfort I cant do them in class because of the structure of the class, the trainer tells us what to run and we do it one at a time, in the class there isnt time to work on training anything I want too, just what we are told
Hopefully I have a plan in place joining a different club where I might be able to get access to the equipment

- Mia isnt toy motivated really so I cant do tuggy, but she loves food and we do lots of fun stuff at the sidelines

I will prob mail the trainer in the morning with my concerns - I am a total chicken!

try to cliker train the play