Could you consider changing training centres. When I did classes with my two everyone were encouraged to use tit-bit rewards, especially for recall!! It never caused a fight and I don't understand how it could. When the dogs were off the lead, the owners would all move apart and recall their individual dog. Only once the dog was back with a hand on the collar were they given a treat. I'm really intrigued as to how they think it can cause a fight? When we did long distance re-call in a secure 6-7 acre field, the owners could keep their dogs on leads and the owner would go to the far end of the field (trainer would keep your dog) and you would call your dog to you. As this progressed, they would have distractions while the dog was being recalled.
They were a really helpful centre and I am sure, had I asked if I could go and practice recall in the huge fields when not in use they would have let me. Horses and sheep also there as distractions. Do you know any tennis courts etc that you could take Cain to (with a few friends and their dogs) and practise there. I have the problem that when both of mine are off lead together, they sometimes become deaf and always do come back but not always in a straight line I'll only let my two off if a)I know the area and where the roads are etc and b) it's big enough for them to chase each other - which they do all the time
Good luck.

Yep, he shouldn't be chasing horses, but nor should his quality training time be disputed by
a. A horse
b. Other dogs messing about

How is he supposed to concentrate, let alone learn anything, if he is surrounded by other dogs faffing about?

I think he maybe doesn't need a "socialisation class", I think he might need a basic obedience class, where HIS issues are paramount.

How about looking around for another riding stables nearer to you that you could take Cain to (on lead) just so he can keep seeing horses, that way he can soon see they are not to be approached?

Thanks I can't get to that particular horse. We do see some in Richmond Park and I do train around them, but because they are moving slowly, he's not interested. Don't get many other horses in London.

And to be fair, it wouldn't just be horses. It would be anything that caught his interest in "the real world", maybe a jogger, another dog etc. If he saw something, he would run over. Basically I need to know how to stop that.

ETA: thanks chaospony, there are stables by WImbledom common I think. I'll try there

Difficult one if you are not allowed to have food or toys in class. Can you not even have a couple of treats in your pocket?

I use food or my lead to play tug when rewarding Polo on his group walk but I move away from the other dogs and slide him a treat and then tell him to walk away.

Have you ever tried 'pushing' with Cain. I did it with Polo for a few weeks and now do push occasionally. It made him more responsive to me when aroused.

http://www.naturaldogblog.com/blog/2...using-pushing/

I agree he needs obedience too, hence this post. However obedience will not teach him how to interact appropriately with other dogs and living in London, I simply cannot avoid them. Class is giving him the only opportunity he gets to go off lead around other dogs, how else will he learn?

Thanks. I have let him off in tennis court, the odd empty secure park etc and his recall is good there....problem being no distractions. And I can't let him off lead around distractions to practise. Catch 22 We do practise recall around distractions, but he KNOWS he is on lead.

The class are running a special recall workshop next week, which will be reward based as dogs will rotate time off lead and we will be specifically training recall. The horse will be there, so it'll be interesting to see what happens. He's done good recall training there before, the trouble only starts when the horse comes right over to the fence and runs up and down. If it's just standing in the paddock, Cain ignores it.

That is sad you can't find a class where play happens after, that is how our classes work. First we all do obedience training, then when class is over we all (or whoever chooses) stay behind and can let the dogs have a play together so they learn that play time is when we say not the other way around.

No, no treats on your person while dogs are off lead. It is very sensible, you have a paddock of difficult dogs, no point in introducing another reason to fight. I think i read the pushing thing before and I didn't really understand it sounds like something Cain would enjoy, so I'll give it another read.

He will learn a good solid recall around distractions (which includes other dogs).

I understand your point, I had a very nervous rescue, that I took to a class, just to get him used to being round other dogs.

However, it sounds from your posts that your classes are not much more controlled than if you simply let him loose in in field of strange dogs. I really don't think having him in an environment with UNCONTROLLED dogs around him is maybe helping?