Here's a thought ....

when looking at classes for beloved pooches .. what would our dogs choose given the choice?

I offer some different classes - and when I started at my new place - I offered a 'fun run' which was basically a tester 6 weeks. I had one dog who came and Loved (really loved) the clicker training, but her owner enjoyed the agility so that is what she is doing.
She actually comes for basic obedience as well so I managed to sneak quite a lot of clicker fun into the classes!! I was quite amazed she could not see how much her dog enjoyed the shaping and fun work. (I will also point out that the dog is 10!)

I try various different activities with my dogs to see which they take to.

That might depend on the dog!

My dog likes to get to a task so something with activities. Then a play session at the end. (that means he may be the only dog there and I may be the only owner or him with a bunch of select females )

Something where he uses his nose, he likes that.

is this the same 2manydogs that used to be in here?

I have seen a 'drop in' class advertised that looks good. It has 'experiences' for the dogs, so a paddling pool, crinkly stuff......

Also Rally Obedience, Loui would enjoy that (and me too)

My dogs make it very clear which activities they do and don`t enjoy, so the choices aren`t hard.
Daisy likes anything that isn`t repetitive so HTM, agility, tracking is Yes!. Competition Obedience is No. Which suits me fine.

My dogs have done practically everything there is to do and appear to have enjoyed all of it, so who knows?

I think that most dogs enjoy "natural" behaviours, genetically based behaviours, far more than the artificial ones like heelwork, or stays or even tricks - unless the tricks are "natural behaviour biased".

From the dogs that we have in pet dog classes, I would say that many dogs enjoy the scenting work out in the open most. Tracking or air scenting. Air scenting being easiest methinks.

Unless of course it is herders in which case, a few sheep and away we go......

Unless of course it is the natural retrievers, in which case you throw it, ill get it, no worries.

Unless of course......and the list goes on!

I think it depends a lot on the breed. But NATURAL, genetic based behaviours, arouse natural "pleasure" in the dog that artificial, behaviours, no matter how positively or well trained, do.

Naturally occuring behaviours also bring out a completely different personality in some dogs that simply isn't given an airing often enough (in my view). >

Yeah, but I am not sure how popular "fox pooh rolling" " hump a cushion" or "consume contents of kitchen waste bin" would be among owners..................

Mine like anything that involves the liberal supply of treats!

Lotsadogs ;
my thoughts concur most definitley with yours!!!
Have been turning this over in my mind for some time now ... looking at how teaching is put together to allow more of such behaviours to be built into relationship building and "training" ( my how I DISLIKE the word training) ...... hence my question .. if a dog had ANY say in where it went to class what would IT want to do .. I am pretty darn sure it would NOT CHOOSE to be dragged and jerked by a piece of linked metal around it's throat ..
or walk round in a circle or made to sit still whilst being circled by other dogs and people ...
I am pretty darn sure actually that most owners wouldn't choose this if they had a little more understanding and help very early on....
Lotsadogs;
My dogs would probably plump for scenting & playing with me.. one of my bitches would choose to manage other dogs and retrieve and my latest - 12 weeks of pure attitude .. would chose rock climbing and A- frame scaling eek.. as we found when he attended our pre-agility last week as a socialisation exercise..

if it was understood what a dog would choose maybe classes geared to this much more would achieve a more balanced animal/ owner relationship ...it s a shame the term "doglistener" has been defined commercially .. as Listening to dogs is something we need to teach to ALL who live, love,and share their lives with dogs.....

Got me thinking .......................