Best type of trainer/training?

[elsielouise]

Hi and hope this doesn't turn into mammoth post but.... Apologies if it goes on.

We bred our Jrt last year, she had four pups and in advance as both my family, the owner of the stud dog and a couple of friends friends wanted a pup. She had four beautiful pups and two went off to great homes. I didn't sell them but did ask for donation to a dog charity. All was well Then my @&)&£) close family member decided that after all it was too much commitment after I had told other friend they had all gone and she had got a pup from somewhere else. (I won't breed my bitch again).

Cutting long story short I am reluctant to sell the 'now extra' pup and my OH and I always said we would keep rather than sell soooo I now have boy/girl litter mates, the bitch and two elderly rescue dogs.

I am happy to keep them, have plenty of room, don't work and happy to train them. Indeed both are sitting on command, recall is coming and they have had leads on at nine weeks.

But I have no experience of training litter mates and apart from training them separately which is fine, and splitting them to sleep which I have done I want some m ore structured training too.


Sooo I called several "dog trainers" yesterday to basically be told I am asking for too much to expect them to be as good S their mother /ineed to pay for 'one to one' training/I should sell one and it is too early to be saying one has potential dominance issues (I know it wants to be alpha from watching it with my son who it also thinks is a litter mate).


Soooo i am looking for recommendations in the south easy who will accept that I am not being an idiot and who will help rather than want me to use their method and forget any of mine(I like clicker training, am considering crate training-bought them doors currently off and pups love 'em but again yesterday one trainer completely anti crate and another anti clicker)...


Sooo anyone? Or, be honest, am I asking too much?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I think training separately is key, something I failed to do, but fortunately have two very nice natured dogs (but one that does need lots of extra work ). I would look for a decent training group and as long as there are two of you going, sit separately and train away, or even better, attend different sessions so the pups aren't distracted by one another.

It is not impossible to train together, but it does take a heck of a lot of work and two bold pups will encourage poor/OTT behaviour and this will make life more difficult than it has to be.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Training two littermates is hard, I will not lie to you and I would not have littermates again, personally.

Finding a good trainer can be a minefield, try and find someone with experience of the breed and type of dog, someone who is flexible and does not think their 'system' is infallible, unchangeable and the ONLY thing that will work for your dog.
Some people use a one-size-fits all method which does not suit all dogs. They will blame your handling or the dog for this. Your dog will never improve. But they still get paid.

The best trainers will look at you, your dog and tailor a programme/training style to suit.

Clicker training is excellent if you do it properly and I agree crating and time out time would suit these dogs well if you do intend to keep both.

Good luck

 

[2Greys]

Most trainers are happy for you to go and watch a class before signing up (either for classes or 1-2-1) which gives you chance to see their setup in action (class size, facilities, how they handle issues) and whether their training style would suit you.

I like clicker training, at the class we took you could click or just use a word instead. I agree with CC its not easy to find a decent trainer, the last 2 trainers we've used were both listed on APDT, their methods differed and the site gives home area so even if not particularly close its worth checking to see where trainers cover. I've had littermates too but mine came to me as adults so were easier than pups.