How long for an adult dog to calm down in a group obedience class???

[catembi]

Me again, I'm afraid...

We took Kane (3 year old rescue rottie) to a trial starter obedience

lesson this afternoon. It was held in an enclosed training field. There was a more advanced lesson in one part of the field, then maybe 18 dogs & puppies in our group. We were split into puppies & adults & started doing some stuff on the lead.

I've been training Kane at home & his recall has improved a lot, plus he will sit & stay for up to about 30 seconds, & we're working on down & stay. OMG, he was sooooo different at the class!! *I* wanted to train him cos he's *my* dog, but within 15 seconds I had to hand him over to o/h.

I only weigh 5 kg more than Kane & I just couldn't hold him.

He wanted to play with the other dogs. He didn't growl or snarl at all...just wanted to play...but was being v v v boisterous.

We got sent to the 'naughty corner'

with a newly rescued boxer to practise the exercise with more individual attention, but Kane wouldn't concentrate *at all*, not even for a treat. His brain seemed to have shut down completely.

He was obsessed with looking at the other dogs & kept barking even tho he's normally quiet & rarely barks.

What do I do now?? We can block book 6 lessons for £80, but there seems to be no earthly point in doing that if it's going to be 6 x 1.5 hours of being dragged around at the end of a lead. Can also do private lessons but I don't want to spend £50 for the privilege of getting towed about. He got zero 'training' out of today as he just wasn't having it.

Ideas? Suggestions??

 

[mattilda]

I love seeing your posts 'cos this is rotties all over. You've got to love 'em!! He may never have seen that many dogs all together before and just got totally over excited. At least he isn't aggressive and just wants to play. Can you take him and just sit and watch a couple of times, maybe walk around but not participate until he gets used to seeing all the dogs?

 

[LynneB]

hehe, just before we got Bailey I decided to take Jazmine to a dog trainer that Bailey's breeder highly recommended. It was true he was very good (though sadly allowed a complete novice to take many of his classes!). We walked in, now Jazmine has always been good on lead etc and very obedient, first thing she did is bite a dog who snarled at her so that was a good start to the day! She was also very distracted and Dave himself took her off to get her to listen.

The second week however she worked really well and I was really proud of her (apart from her growling at a puppy in week 6 we did really well - that was the first incling I had that Jazmine does not DO puppies!) I feel it really helped us again and allowed us to spend some quality time together. So don't give up, by next week he will probably be bored with the whole surroundings and do very well. most of the dogs at ours were German Shepherds and Rottweilers and all took a while at the beginning of each session to stop saying hi and settle down.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Perseverance, train at home to gain your confidence in that you can make him listen to you, and more perseverance.


Don't avoid it because he lost his concentration first time, though it maybe would help if there was a class with fewer participants = less distractions. Advice about how to continue, depends on how good you feel the instructors are.
As Breeze mum says, he could be better next time, but my experience is that in a class, the instructor only has x much time for each and everyone.
If you feel you need more help from the instructor, which I can't judge if you need or not, I'm still sure that with a good instructor, it would not end up with only being "for the privilege of getting towed about".


Whatever you choose, remember that Kane probably senses if you give up. I'd say you need to tell yourself "I will not give up until you listen, even if it includes take with me a anchor"

And I don't agree about [ QUOTE ]
He got zero 'training' out of today as he just wasn't having it

[/ QUOTE ] he just did not get the training YOU had planned. He maybe learned that it's no point to waste energies on barking at other dogs, because they still don't pay any (much) attention of him, or that you (or you + oh) didn't give up and just let him do what he wanted etc.


from Sweden.

 

[CAYLA]

As above....this is natural.....when my mam ran obedience classes the dogs used to get off lead play time to burn some energy off, im not sure if alot of classes do that, due to worried owners and trainers not wanting to be sued

There used to be many a first time owner at my mams classes that when out red faced

, after their dogs antics, it's part of the process, u need to go through this to improve and get to the end and hopefully get the training u are paying for.

Rotti's are pretty boisterous, when something new and exciting gets their attention, take him to parks and get him to do some focusing on you, when passing other dogs e,t,c, using a luxury treat, something he never gets, except for these exercises, get him to heel in close, lead in your right hand him on your left, hold the treat in your hand when aproaching other dogs, and allow him to get a sniff, but do not allow him to take until u pass the dog, it's a good exercise to get him to focus on you, give a command, WATCH ME.
Also b4 class burn some energy off him, play ball games at home and let him run some of the hyper energy, and BE FIRM, it's not always about strength, but in your voice to, check him firmly, again, I would have a check chain and good training lead, a good aid to help u, to help keep him in check helps immensly.

Find some friends for him to play with, so he can have some off lead play and interaction, then seeing other dogs won't be such a big deal.

I collected a rotti from the pound yesterday, he was a live wire, the kennel staff where to scared to be firm, I however was not......I gave him a sharp check, as I was ready with my check chain and trainng lead, he looks as if to say "where did she come from, and what the heck was that" he sharp, stopped jumping around like a prancing pony

Be patient, and jump on in there, it's just the beginning

 

[Skhosu]

Did the trainer give you any help with him when he was being boisterous?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Ha ha, speaking as the owner of a dog who today leapt a hurdle while looking backwards over his shoulder at a passing person and had to rely on a trainer to physically push him over the A-frame because he was so busy looking around him, I could ask the same question.

OMG people!
OMG puppies!
OMG mince pies!

In fairness, it sounds like a very big group to start off with. It is frustrating to have to hand your dog over to someone else, but sometimes a fresh pair of eyes/hands can help.

 

[catembi]

The 'spare' trainer came over to help the retards (us & the boxer) with some 1-2-1 training when K was being boisterous. He was telling o/h what to do but I couldn't really hear. I didn't want to get too close as Kane prefers me to o/h & I thought I might distract him. Or distract him even more than he already was... if that's even possible...

It was soooooo embarrassing... He was the only rottie & I kept hearing the word 'rottie' being mentioned by the other participants... Altho he did actually get quite a lot of admiring comments re being a good looking dog. I s'pose he's got to be good at something...

I take your point re it not being about absolute strength, but when he lunges forward & means it, I think I'd end up flat on my face. I'm quite petite... Maybe I should slap my WOW on him & a myler combi in his mouth - works for Adrian the horse...

Good idea re wearing him out first. He didn't get a run at lunch today cos we were out sj. Will try that next time...if we're allowed back...

 

[Skhosu]

As long as the trainer ishelpful I'd try it again

 

[LynneB]

I thought about this again after I tootled off for the night. You know Kane has spent the first years of his life doing who knows what. You have only had him a short time and he has come on in leaps and bounds, I mean really, who would have thought he would be so good with visitors to the house and their dogs. He sounds a really sociable boy.

As I mentioned before, the one I went to had lots of rotties, all relatives of Bailey, his sister was there (after they both finally arrived, but I started off there with Jazmine), his older cousins and uncles too. All in all there were 3 sets of families with Bailey relatives, very often we would swap dogs. Kerry who has Milo, Brock and Darla (Bailey's sister) had such a bond with Milo (who was 4 and huge) that he would not do a lot with her at training other than look longingly in her eyes. So she gave him over to Janice who owns his brother and nephew. So don't feel badly about someone else helping out, especially if it is your other half, building that bond is a good thing

You can't compare him with dogs who have been going to that class for a while as they know the ropes - give him a few more weeks and I bet you will be letting us know about the newbies to the group who got sent to the corner

 

[FinnishLapphund]

So true, Breeze mum. Catembi, there's nothing wrong with handing the leash over to OH or even somebody else, especially not in the beginning.

Me and my mother kept two of Jonna's puppies, and we've now almost finished puppy class. But both the fifth and sixth time, about 20 minutes in to the class, mother wanted to swap her Beata for my Blomma, which we did. Seventh time, I had Beata from the start.
And I'm glad my mother wanted to swap, because it's difficult enough for me to teach Beata something. My mother who has to teach herself on the same time, doesn't feel sure she understands the instructor intentions + she's not as nimble anymore (need to take painkillers before we go to the class, to reasonably be able to bend down, crouch etc., when f. ex. the instructor wishes her to reward or make herself more interesting), really gets more out of the training with Blomma. And just as importantly, Blomma learns the things we want her to, on the same time as my mother. With Beata it was a little more so and so, with whether she learned or if only mother learned.



from Sweden.

 

[Goya]

I agree with all the above. Just one point to add-- talk to your OH and be sure you are both consistent in the handling. e.g. If OH does the training classes talk to each other about what was said to do, and be sure you both "sing from the same hymn sheet" as they say.