We went to our first dog training class with Dingo last week so you can imagine he was the rebel of the class. After Dingo was introduced to the rest of the well behaved dogs we were told to join in the with heel work and the sit commands but to leave the stay lessons until a future lesson. This was due to the fact that when dogs first meet new dogs they are anxious and want to see what is going on. He would be far too distracted to work past the couple of basic commands.

You need to remember as well that for the people and dogs in the lesson who are struggling to grasp the concept, you will need to work for a moment with the dog and handler to show them the correct way of doing things. If you have a whole class who needs this it could take some time.

Hope this helps. I'm not a trainer but this is my experience with a difficult dog in a first class experience.

Heidi

This may be slightly off-thread, but it is an example of what NOT to do. I`ve just got Shamus, a very good-natured GSP who needs training round other dogs so he learns to listen to me rather then play. So I trotted off to the local dog club , and watched a session before meeting the trainer to talk about what we could do. All fine. Except that the lady on the desk snarled at me because I hadn`t phoned first. I rose a above it and watched the class with increasing bemusement. 12 mature ladies with shtzu`s and similar small dogs. In a beginners class I would expect to see a manic collie, a snappy shepherd, a fat lab towing its owner round etc. Nope - just shtzus and lookalikes. All wriggling in pleasure as the elderly male instructor had them out in groups of 3 to do a little something like sit, then praised them.
All became clear when he spoke to me and said that I was being `assessed` (in spite of the fact Shamus didn`t move a paw) and that I would be put on his waiting list and told when there was a place. Then he looked at my big beautiful boy and told us another dog club had opened at....and maybe we would like to try that. OK, I can take a hint....

I think,, if it were me, it would read,
7.00pm
welcome, check collars, brief chat on training,

7.10

assess lead walk,

7.20
train heal

7.35
Incorparate heal into lead walk

7.45

train wait

7.55

questions and answers, go over the training done, advise them of next weeks training
hth

Just had a thought,,

scrap all of what I said above, its prob tosh if the course is a begginers course,

You would need to start with the very basic stuff,
eg,
Dogs on left hand side for training,
Lead control,
SIT., how to lure the dog into a sit, giving only one command,,then praise, then explaine how to move from lureing the dog or placing the dog, onto the dog taking the command, eg reduce the signal given untill the dog takes only a vocal command,

so your looking at the very basic starty outy stuff,

Shona - THANK YOU very much for your input

Yep it is a first puppy/beginners class (under 7months of age) class and this is what i have done for the first lesson - as you can see it has changed dramatically from my original post as I have worked on it

But any comments before I submit it would be greatfully received

7pm – Register, Introduction and welcome
check leads/ collars and ID tags.

Explain the course aims – The main aim of a puppy class is to give owners a good start to owning a well behaved and socially acceptable pet dog.

7.10pm – How a dog learns
A dog learns through what happens at one particular time – When the dog is off lead and you call him and he doesn’t come back, he eventually arrives and you scold him so he assumes he is being scolded because he came back, not that he didn’t come back straight away, and you will make him scared of coming back to you therefore he will think he will always get told off when he returns and stop returning, which is what you don’t want!

So whatever you do ALWAYS praise when your dog returns to you

7.15pm – Treats and Praise

If you are using food rewards make sure they are suitable for your puppy and take them into account when measuring out your puppies meal.
Training night you can bring your puppies meal with you if it’s a dry food, or not feed them a lot before you come to class as you will use up a lot of treats while training.

Good treats include their ordinary kibble (dog food) very small bits of cheese, sausage, ham, homemade liver cake etc. (Liver cake recipe to be handed out at the end of class along with a test treat sheet)
Please DO NOT use chocolate or large chunks of food.

If your puppy isn’t food orientated then use lots of praise and games or a small soft toy, which you can play with.

DO NOT get cross with your puppy as they won’t learn, if they can’t do something or get it wrong go back a step and try again. Every puppy learns at different rates.

7.20pm – Sit Demonstrate then owners practice.
If you keep in mind if a puppy’s head goes back then the bottom usually goes down, so you can see how easy it is to lure puppy into a sit with no need to man handle him at all. With a treat in your hand put in front of puppies nose and take your hand slowly back so it is above the eye line, as the puppy looks up at the treat the bottom goes down give the cue word ‘Sit’

7.30pm– Down. Demonstrate then owners practice.
In the sit position, take your hand with the treat in down to the floor between and slightly in front of the front paws. As puppy goes down use the cue word ‘down’

7.40pm – Stand. Demonstrate then owners practice.
With puppy in the sit position with a treat in your hand level with his nose draw the treat slowly away keeping it level with his nose.

7.50pm – Questions and answers. Recap on what we have done and hand out homework sheets

Handout sheets will be instructions on Sit, down and stand.
Homework is to practice these for next week, and also do the ‘Treat test sheet’ that is handed out.
Hand out microchipping info - costs etc from the local vets and the advantages of having the dogs chipped.

This seems as if there is a lot of talking and listening. 20 mins at the beginning and 10 at the end. This would only leave 30 mins for actual training. What will all those pups be doing while you talk?

At our class we had the chat whilst we were practising positions. It was interspersed through the lesson and was then given on a hand out to take away with us and read later. We were also given written instructions of all that we had covered in class.

Hope this helps?

Please note that this is for paper version only

I can see what you are saying and agree but it's so hard to actually get it down on paper this is what I'm struggling with. Hence posting and asking for help

Actually doing the class is a lot easier

Off to see how else I can tweak it

thats kinda how I do things,,, too but I guess on paper it doesnt work so well, It would be funny putting a paper into practice, and trying to stick to it ridgidly,,lol, one puppy has a shat in the middle of things and the whole lot is up in the air lol


what course are you doing? what do you aim to get out of it? eg do you want to become a trainer? behaviourist?

I'm doing the COAPE dog training course - I'm am hoping to help out at a dog training club (volunatary, to give something back to the club )

I decided to do the course as I have trained my dogs for years and thought it might be nice to have a course under my belt and also give me something to do as I only work 2 days a week

As for me being a trainer - mmm not sure, think I'll just stay as an assistant if they'll have me