oh dear what a horrible experience

try the kc website, they list all the training places in your area, saying which type of training they do. i never realised how many were there was near me, theres loads! so when i get a bit more money, im hoping to do agility and obedience and get all 3 good citizens, busy busy busy give it a go and find somewhere better.

The training club I go to with Bella to the KCGC is very good, it is held outside but there are rules which the club are very clear about when you sign up. I was offered to come and watch a session to see if it was the right thing for me and Bella. They dont use water sprays and certainly dont encourage shouting , they teach you to change your tone of voice rather than get louder. The trainer is hard on the handler not the dog ! The dogs are not allowed to greet each other and that works for me as I want her to be able to listen to me and not be overinterested in the other dogs. They teach positive reinforcement and are very much about you being in control so therefore your dog is under control. Bella has thrived on it to be honest and for a 3 yr old retired grey has done really well, nearly got all her Bronze skills and some of the silver in a few weeks, and I have learned so many skills I can transfer to Tom , it has given me much more confidence in handling my dogs. I hope you find somewhere that works for you , these classes should a fun learning experience and mine certainly are.

Sorry to hear of your upsetting experience. The one I started on Monday night I wasn't keen on either. The instructor had a black Lab on a half-check and kept jerking him to heel. In this class he got every one in the middle to socialise with their dogs and then asked if anyone's dog wasn't good with other dogs and said that his wasn't always very good either! Help-remind me not to let Cherry go near this dog. She has an issue with Black Labs after meeting a really aggressive one anyway-I don't want to re-enforce this!

I have doubts whether I should continue but you have to pay for the whole 12-week course on the first night so that's £42 I would lose.

Fair enough but just if you are still thinking of working him - it is often best to start as you mean to go on........other wise traning can become MUCH harder if habits that you don't even realise have set in before you even start - but doing obedience would be good and would probly help if you plan to work him, - agility could be quite good BUT can encourage a dog to be noisy if your not careful and would not recomend the tuggy toy type things they often use if your going to work him. and flyball - well it's something I'd avoid if you might work him as a gundog for a few reasons.

Just some thing to think about IMO it would be best to decide if you are going to work him or not BEFORE you do to much else.

HTH

Sophie

In my book absolutely not, no.
Unfortunately there are many training clubs in which traditional, dinosaur trainers still teach in, and they get support from other trainers and dog owners like themselves.

They are often people who have worked their way up,in the same club/group, and who know no different.

To be honest some of the thigns you've said, such as the person yelling at her boxer when when she trod on its paw, is really what one sees all over the place when in a poor training class UNLESS the trainers are specifically supportive of reward based training (and they are likely to be members of the APDT).

Some people will state they use reward based training but still use aversives (ie water bottle) - again these are not what you want really.

We know it's perfectly possible to train dogs without sprays, yelling in their faces, stringing them up, etc so any instructor who is still doing that is behind the times and has chosen their path, they may sadly stick to it.

Half checks are OK as long as they are adjusted correctly, ie so that they are not acting as a choker. They are good for dogs whose necks are the same size as their heads but should not be used as a choke chain.

...
Was this class meant to be positive? Just wondered how you ended up in it I'm sorry it was such a horrid experience for you.

I would certainly write to both the instructor/club and to the KC. If there's one thing I loathe it's people like the boxer woman and her ilk - YUK.

Try here www.apdt.co.uk for a class near to you which should be quite different to the one you describe!

JMO

Wys
x

See I didn't have to pay the whole course, just for the night - it's suppose to only be a 10 week course. You could always ask for the rest of your course money back.

See as he is 9 months old as it is - most places won't start training until he is a year old. And he's already picked up bad habits, which don't get him into trouble atm, like chasing crows across cornfields - I'm thinking about asking the farmer to employ him - he won't ruin his crop and is much more effective than a scarecrow But on a shoot it wouldn't be acceptable. I mean if the farmer does for my idea - then he's fine His obedience is great he knows about 26 commands, just I've been slacking a bit lately - getting the house sorted and family emergencies. So it was just a refresher really - but I'll just have to start a stricter routine. I've done some training with him tonight anyway, and he's great. I just need some other form of distraction.

I thought being the KC it would be positive - it wasn't until I got there that I found out. I know about check collars but most of the handlers were all tense, leads were short and the collars were at the top of their heads, even when walking - it was awful - I felt like I was in a class of idiots.
If I wasn't nervous - being my first time and Louie wasn't so excited, he'd had performed perfectly, just like he does in our training sessions on the drive and in the house.

Meh - I'll work it out, a few more sessions with the whistle and I'll have his recall sorted *fingers crossed* today a neighbour was feeding him choc drops - he was allowed and I thought - Hmmm let's try something - blew the whistle and he recalled from chocolate drops - his FAVE! I was blown away I was like - this could work - I just need to borrow some ducks or chickens and a long line - and see if he will recall from animals - I can try with the rabbits - thats easy...

He should be able to do classes at his age no reason why he can not start the basics at gundog training classes

From all you've said I'd recomend that you try and get into gundog training classes if your serious about wanting to work him. They should also provide distractions etc that will test his 'obedience' and ducks - well I would not expect to recall him from ducks - if working he'd either need to flush them (but not chase) - or if they are running would need to retrieved as obviously pricked. Though obviously yes, you'd need to teach him to not go until you say so.

I've been practising with the bunnies, they stay/leave part. He loves them - they have to be pinned down and have their ears licked Well I was practising but one has E.C atm and so we're a bit wary of handling them atm..I don't know if I want to work him in that sense. Just recall with distractions around. To be honest atm it isn't the right time to get him into anything cos there are no promises set that he would go everyweek - not through choice but circumstance. I don't know everythings a mess atm, moving house, ill rabbits, ignorant puppies...I'll let you all know what we decide to get him into.

Thanks everyone for the support. It's nice to know that all KC classes are like the one I attended - still wish I had opened my mouth more there and then. But thank you for the support.

I understand that you've got a lot on and hope you get things sorted.

Only writing this incase you want to get into gundog work...

I think he'll find wild rabbits quite different to tame pets one's and yeah I'd teach him to ingore them.
The stop/sit to whistle is very useful/important when working.
You don't have to go to gundog lessons every week - if you went once a month just to get a bit of advice and keep on the right track that would be alright.

But yeah totally understand you've got a lot on - good luck with what ever you decide to do with him

Honestly, I think I'd get the heck out of there. I had an awful experience in a class and ended up walking out of the second one it was that bad. It just wasn't worth it to put the stress on myself and my girl!