And having tried both I can definitely say that pet dog classes have a much happier and relaxed feel. No one is expecting their dog to win completions for them, they are just enjoying learning together. Much nicer attitude in my opinion.

The first training club I went to was awful. They had been recommended to me saying she's great with dogs but not with people. The warning bells should have sounded then. She was infact awful with dogs as well. She made one poor dog pee herself in fright. One girl used to say she needed a gin when she got back! Even though I had paid up front I didn't go back after that. Luckily I found a wonderful trainer who is kind and patient and even bakes liver cake for the dogs. I make sure I always recommend her and not the one stuck in past.

Been there, done that, got T shirt etc. What really miffs me is going to watch a so called reward based training club, joining and then 2/3 weeks later, seeing a dog floored or rattle bottled.

I'm now with my 5th trainer. George managed to get his Gold KCGCA after me changing clubs numerous times. the worst one was training for gold where the "trainer" was just reading from the exercise sheet. When I suggested shortening the distance to send to bed exercise, as it was a strange place, she said it was a good idea! Owners were shouting at their dogs and not corrected. I left and found another club.

Clubs are mostly run by well meaning, non-professionals. Best to find a professional and attend every other week if funds are a problem. Proper trainers don't ask for money up front for so many weeks. Classes should be on a when you attend basis. You may find 3 one week and 10 the next but it shouldn't matter.

I hope you find something soon. You are doing so well with your training and dogs do need group contact with good professionals.

Good luck,
Nicky

Baxter8 sounds like you went to the same training course as the one I went to at first-I only went once and never went back-so glad I'd forgotten my cheque book that night!!! Can't imagine any of their dogs ever got trained!!!! Luckly I found a fab class which I still attend. I think there should be stricter rules on who can run classes-also think any new dog owner should be forced to attend sessions-this would cut down a lot of the problems society has with dogs at the mo! (Shelters being full, aggressive dogs etc etc...) I have no idea how this could be inforced tho!!

Oh my god, where have I been?

Been out of the actual dog world for a little while and naively thought the situation would now be much better and that most if not all actual dog trainers would train reward based methods...??
How can people still want to train dogs not using treats, when there is such MASSIVE proof that they learn best when being rewarded with treats or toys??
I'm a bit disillusioned if I'm honest
And makes me a bit wary of going to a dog club with Ella.. I guess I'll just have to see if I can find a good one.

Hi you are so right,maybe if you have a pedigree,the trainers at the classes,thinkyou may be grooming your dog for crufts,and are tough because of that.Maybe the answer is to find a class that has mainly family pets,they may be more relaxed, in there training and letting dogs have fun and learn at the same time.crystalgirl

I went to one......and I really persevered with it even though we never moved on from sit and wait on a mat......did bits but as someone said earlier too busy talking to other trainers.

Took Daisy for socialising and recall mainly......after this club she is ok meeting other dogs(because so much time was spent waiting the dogs naturally socialised) but her recall is awful (possibly needed a bulldog specialist, as bulldogs do what bulldog want when they are ready....or for food )

But the final straw was when she brought her own dog in to show us how to do give (got excited, we were learning something new).....we were all instructed to take our dogs to the far end of the hall......and we were told to ensure our dogs did not make eye contact with her dog...... obviously she had done a marvelous job training and socialising her own dog

OMG! But people keep going because they presume its the only way to train when really, a tiny bit of research on the net would show them a whole new world of training!
Definitely agree, find a professional. I don't agree with proper training classes should charge on a when you attend basis. My behaviourist friend runs pay in advance classes. You pay for 6 classes in a row and need to let them know, if possible, if you aren't coming for a couple of weeks. This is because they always have a long waiting list, if you miss lots of classes in a row you will miss important things to teach your dog and will have to catch up...which then can be hard to join in some of the exercises in the class when your dog can't do the initially stages its missed. Ultimately they are running a business and have to pay hall fees etc wether people turn up or not.
I definitely wouldn't go to a dog club! There are so many out dated methods being used! Unless you want to enter competions then stick to APDT classes. There are ones who use kind methods to get to completion level but so often the wining seems to come first and the methods to get there aren't seen as so important.

True, even though there is no reason why positive methods can't be used for show and competition dogs.
You don't need a bull dog specialist you just need to find the thing that really motivates her to return to you and take it slowly. If trainers advertise themselves as breed specific trainers then I wouldn't trust their methods. I know breeds have certain traits but that doesn't mean that you have to use other methods on them. The methods should always be kind, fair and effective. We used to have people come to classes with, for example, sighthounds...you had been told it wasn't worth them attending dog clubs because their dog would never want to do downer sit stays. Yes, they might not be comfortable doing it on a hard floor...so we gave them some nice soft vet bed to do it on!