Hi Shona

Our training is split into 3 groups, with approx 6 to 8 dogs in each group. Absolute beginners, intermediates and advanced. I was in the advanced as this was my second round of classes with Max.

We do sits, downs, waits, stays (and combinations of those 4 commands), weaving in and out of people and dogs in a circle on and off lead, recall - with a trainer holding the dog, recall with the dog doing a stay, waits through doors or gates, "leave" with food or toys

We also do a "pass the dog" exercise where everyone moves their dog one place to the left and has a couple of minutes to do as the trainer asks, then the dogs get passed round again, so you can work with 4 or 5 dogs during that.

Also a "Simon Says" type game, where everyone stands in a circle (dog in a sit or down) and people take turns going round the circle with their dog at "heel" and every time you come to a person, they and their dog do a trick (or command) and you have to get your dog to do the same thing.

They also do a few things from the KC Bronze Good Citizen Award, such as handling paws, mouth, ears etc, and sometimes bring a tunnel or walkover for a change.

I don't mind the trainers handling my dog at all. It's important for Max to not mind being handled by other people. Sometimes the trainers pick a "demo" dog to show some of the commands etc with.

I've also been to a training class where they would seperate the dogs for 15 mins according to size, and discuss some of the problems of having a large dog, or a small dog etc (e.g. jumping up is more of a problem with a large dog) and see if owners had problems or solutions etc.

Phew, I think that is all!! I really enjoy the training classes, athough after writing it down, it looks more like hard work!

The class I go to covers the basics. Walking nicely on leash, sit, down, stand, stay/wait, about turns away from the dog and recall. The next group does the same but with more emphasis on precision and introduce about turns towards the dog and I think the retrieve. Not sure what else is taught after that group as we're always gone by that time. I know they used to teach things like drop on recall, send aways and stuff like that but not sure if they still do.

There are always quite a few at class. We have 4 groups but we all arrive at the same time then each group does 15-20 minutes and then watches the other groups. Then an interval where we have tea/coffee, socialise with the other dogs, take the dogs to pee and then another 15-20 minutes per group. One week there were loads in our group and we ended up getting split into two groups.

I've got no objection at all to any of the instructors handling Rupert. If they want him for a demo then they're more than welcome to try and get a better result than me lol.

The little things can help too. I'm constantly battling Ruperts tiny attention span and he's slow to follow commands. The first class I went to got really annoyed at it but at this one we're given encouragement and everyone seems to realise that I am trying rather than accusing me of not working with him at home.

Max always behaves impeccably if the trainers use him as a demo dog! Especially if it's something he won't do for me!

I couldn't get him to heel off lead round the circle, as he was too excited. The trainer (using some of my treats) did it with him, and he was like a Crufts dog in the main show ring!!

I often feel sorry for owners when they are trying so hard and the dog just wont do whatever, then when I have a go they do it like an old pro little darlings, there owners always look so :smt104 but it does give them the urge to keep going, the other thing I hear so often is, the dog does this or he does that but when they come along to training the dog behaves perfectly, they try so hard to convice me that they aint making it up and he is normaly a little git, lol, dogs eh make ya look a liar at every turn,

I bought Moss as a pup from a well-known sheepdog man/triallist and he holds the classes at his farm. It is really invaluable, especially to someone like me who
doesn't (yet) own any sheep :grin

What is covered? Everything from starting a young pup/dog off on sheep right through to nursery and open trials level stuff. It's great

I go to agility and ringcraft.

There are about 7 of us in agility - used to be 4 but we merged with another group.

Ringcraft there can be anything from 3 to 8 people turn up. It's very relaxed and we tend to get more people going when there is a competition night on. Someone (varies) goes over the dog and we move up and down the mat. We sometimes stand all together on the mat but there isn't any room to move all together really.

Helen

Hmm its difficult really as my clicker trainer easily forget things. She will set us 'homework' i.e teach the dog to 'bow' and then next week forget she asked us and we dont show our progress.

We are doing a lot of nose and paw at the moment, and setting up make-shift agility sets and practising little bits like going under things and jumping through hoops etc. then the trainer will lose her trail of thought and show us one her own dogs tricks (i.e walking between the legs) and get us all to do it.

Roxy gets bored very easily and we dont really have enough attention as I would like, I think the problem is she is used to Labs and doesn't know anything about Dobes. But its brilliant socialisation for Roxy as she is the only trainer I know that after the lesson the dogs can have as much off lead play as they like until the owners have gone home. (We're usually the last ones left )

My other trainer is 1 on 1 training and he will target specific behavioural difficulties, so we only go to him if we have any concerns, he is fantastic however fairly expensive and has a 6 month waiting list!!!! although we went last Saturday and he said to me next time I want an appointment stamp my foot and ask whoever is on the phone "do you know who I am!" to get an appointment quicker. He is a fantastic bloke, really honest and loves Roxy to bits.

Fab, must be great fun, guess if the right people are in the area you can get that sort of training, how long is a lesson and can I ask if they are expensive,
never heard of anything like this in my area,

It is great fun - I love it. Lessons start at 7pm and usually last until around 10pm, but last week some were still training at midnight!! I am charged £10 per session - which includes the lesson on a Thursday night and also the use of some training sheep at the weekends.

thats really good value, I had thought it would cost a fortune, the training clearly works I saw the video of you dog doing sheep and thought he looked like an old pro,.