Had a great training class last night!

As alot of you will know I have been having problems with a recent change of instructor at our training class.
Last night we left to get there early so Loki could have a big of a play and meet the other dogs as they came in.
The change this week was amazing we had hardly any barking which I could stop fairly quick when he did bark, he did become unsettled when someone came in late with a different dog so rather than letting him get more and more wound up I just went over to the owner of the new dog and said can he just say hello or he wont settle which most people were fine about. At the end two people for the next class came in with their dogs and when I asked them they said both said no their dog didnt like other dogs (surely a dogs class with a room full of other dogs isnt the best place for them then?!) and Loki was back to only half concentrating on me so obviously makes a big difference!
The difference in how the instructor talked to me was even more amazing then the change in Loki, he used us for demonstrations and where before he was clearly getting annoyed with Loki's barking last night he said its just because hes so clever and keen to work! (thats what I said to him last week!) He didnt talk down to me at all and because of that I found him alot easier to talk to. I think before he just thought I hadnt bothered to put the work in with Loki and was just saying he knew it but he actually didnt, but last night he realised Loki can do everything he was teaching in the lesson pretty much already, and kept saying you dont need to do it this way as he knows it, when demonstrating the steps to do something, which was my main problem before I was trying to explain to him when he was trying to get me to teach Loki to sit etc that he already knew it he just wasnt concentrating and changing to doing his method for that instead of the one he knows will just confuse him but because Loki was too hyper to do as I asked I guess it just looked like he didnt know how to, but if he'd have listened to me about what Loki knew and spoken to the other instructor about what he could actually do he would have known I was telling the truth and he could do it.
I was so proud of Loki when we left and glad that I had struggled to get there even though my car is broken so Loki didnt miss a week, I just think its a shame that my dog has to be behaving for me to be spoken to not down to! We're not perfect we need to do alot of work on his doing things without a treat as hes not very good at this yet, and obviously work on him keeping his attention on me even when there are distractions, I dont mind being told where Im going wrong and I know the instructor knows more about dog training then me or I wouldnt be there I just wanted to be spoken too properly not made to feel like I was wasting his time and obviously didnt do any work with my dog! Now we are developing a better working relationship I think I can/will learn alot form him and am looking forward to the next session again not dreading it, because even if Loki was to play up again at least he knows now what he can do and that I do/have spent time training him!
Sorry for long post think I got abit carried away!

Good work Hannah and Loki. Both of you have obviously impressed the instructor It can take a little time before you each get the measure of the other - but that does not excuse your instructor for making you feel inadequate last week.

However, best to put that behind you and go forward from here. Sounds as though all is going very well indeed

Thanks SB feel so much beter now, I was worried classes would continue to be a clash but as you said I intend to put the rocky start behind us and just concentrate on Loki and on both of us learning what he has to teach us! Im alittle worried that the smaller group helped alot (was less people there because of the rain) and that in a bigger group next week he may not concentrate as much, but im going to do lots of homework as next week he wants us to do some off lead work so need to do more training when im out walking and he's off lead, (although we already do that abit now) and at least he now knows what Loki is capable of, even if he does play up abit next week.
He actually complimented us on Lokis attention on me and said to the rest of the class look at Loki's attention thats what you need to get with your dog and you will have half the battle won! :smt041 Im so proud of my little lad!

Phew, now that WAS a long post... Just kidding

So glad training went better Hannah, and good thing the 'getting there earlier' bit obviously helped. Hopefully you'll be able to communicate with your trainer a bit better now he understands Loki doesn't just Bark to annoy him

fantastic news Hannah!!!! Big tickles for Loki! Ax

Thanks DG and Alisa1! DG I think it will make alot of difference hopefully, just hope things dont change again too soon and set us back to the begining again cause once they think he is ready he will be going up to the next class!

Loki got lots of tickles and cuddles last night!

Glad you had a good lesson.
It takes a while to settle down. Once settled Loki should start focusing more on you.

Hi Hannah
Great news. What a clever little dog you have. Keep up the good work and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Well done

Well done you and Loki!