Right training class for Cherry?

I started a new training class last Monday. Supposed to be for Cherry but I chickened out and took Parker instead!

I am unsure if this class is ok for her though? Please say what you think!

It is for the KCGC scheme and is held in a small scout hut and there were 10 dogs there last week (though I think someone else didn't come as the trainer said there was supposed to be someone there with a Boxer). Most of the dogs are medium/large sized.

Cherry has had "issues" with other dogs in that she can be reactive to strange dogs if they are "in her face". She has 2 obedience trophies so I'm not taking her because she needs training but because I think it is important to keep her mixing with other dogs and concentrating on me.
The class is run by someone with a black Lab who he said wasn't always good with other dogs. Cherry doesn't like Black Labs after an encounter with an agressive one that had bitten other dogs. The trainer had a half-check chain on his dog and was jerking the collar a bit in doing heelwork.

The other dogs are very assorted in age and behaviour, There was a Staffy there who barked continually and a Whippet who kept barking at Parker. I know people are there to get help for their dogs but I wonder if this will be too stressful for Cherry to cope with?

She has eyesight problems as she is still visual (after 2 cataract operations in which she delveloped glaucoma afterwards) but we're not sure how much eyesight she has.

I think this may not be helpful to her to go to this class. She has lots of doggy "friends" now she meets regularly and is fine with and can meet new small dogs and puppies no problem and will only react to other dogs if they get too close or run up to her.

My husband however, thinks it is good for me to go to training classes as something to do with the dogs and thinks I should give it a try with Cherry. I have also paid up-front for the 12 week course at £42 and doubt whether I could ask for the money back. What do you think please?

I think you may be right and it may not be quite the right class for Cherry.

Partly as I think it sounds too crowded, I think if a dog is blind it may be too stressful for her in a small scout hut.

I'd maybe try to find another one - maybe less dogs (5-8 ish) and hopefully a bit of a larger hall

Wys
x

I think this part might worry me slightly. If the person running the class hasn't managed to address his own dog's problems, how can he help other people...?

I don't think it's a problem that other dogs there are barking etc. Distractions happen when we're out with our dogs so if Cherry can cope with them in the class that's great.

But I think I'd want to know more about the instructor's own dog - and why is he 'jerking' his dog around?

If he can't control his own dog, how can he teach you or anyone else?

Sorry, I hate to sound negative

he didnt say that tho did he.. he said 'his dog wasnt always good with other dogs' not the same thing at all.

The OP mentioned that the trainer seemed to be 'jerking' his dog on the lead quite a bit.

And - this is just a personal preference - when I choose a training class, I prefer a trainer whose own dog(s) are totally relaxed and happy, so that the trainer can focus on the student dogs, as opposed to having to ensure his own dog is OK with all the others...

so trainers are only allowed robot dogs eh?

id rather a trainer that had experience with more difficult dogs too.

also a correctly fitted half check makes a noise,shouldnt 'jerk' the dog at all, although it could look like jerking.

Emmmm……you call your dog’s Parker and cherry? you don’t get any more middle class then that.....

You will find that with time, the dogs in the class will become calmer as each week passes, the dogs just need time to get used to each other, and the training hut?

I don’t think you can go wrong, especially at that price.

Thanks-this is what I thought too but wondered if I was being a bit negative.

That's what worried me-you don't expect the trainer's dogs to be robots but I thought they would have to be good with other dogs and when we were doing the heelwork he was walking his dog round in the middle of the hall very close to the other dogs.

What have my dogs' names got to do with anything?
It is not the money that worries me-I would rather pay more to get a suitable class that Cherry would be comfortable in.