If you were teaching a 1 hr random class... Options

[TsPoet]

My dog training club has a "trainer training trainers" series which is mostly about fun and just communicating new (or old) ideas.
I am 'teaching' one of these classes in 2 weeks and have no idea what to do. So, I'm looking for ideas.

I go most weeks and its a surprisingly fun and informative format - random is oddly good.
The last 3 weeks, for example have been:
1) precision healing (taught by our most accomplished obedience dog trainer with champion papillions)
2) freestyle (taught by a woman who just sent in her first competition video)
3) 2x2 weave polls and sits/downs

Even though the people taking the class aren't necessarily into the topic, it's still a wonderful class and dogs/owners enjoy it. The trainers don't always know what they are training, last night's 2x2 was a new concept even for the instructor, this is one advantage to this class, since it's club trainers, they are ready to try something new and find out what works and what we need help with.
I only assistant train (CGC, home companion, and agility). My personal experience revolves around socialization.
ideas, anyone???

[CallaLily]

How about teaching "Responsible Dog Handling".

In all the dog training classes I have taken, be they Obedience (Basic thru Advanced), Agility, or trick training, there have been overly friendly in your face dogs and those that were shy and those that were dog aggressive.

I think a class that stresses that the handler is responsible for their dog's behavior is very important whether they are coming into a class, waiting for class to begin, participating in the class, leaving the class.

Since 2004 when I took Rain to her first obedience class, through all the other little dogs' classes this topic has not been addressed. When I went to obedience classes with my first Dobie back in 1974 to 1976 this was addressed and handlers and their dogs were excused from class if the dogs were not under control at all times. Handlers were aware of their dogs in relation to the other handlers and dogs in class or they had to leave.

Rain has been jumped on twice in class while on a long sit and a long down....nothing was said to the offending dog's handler on either occassion and we quit the class. Rain, as you know is my Service Dog, and I was worried she would become afraid again of other large dogs as she had been jumped on 5 times while we were out and about and she was working.

Whispy was charged at 3 times in her first agility class .... nothing was said to the offending dog's handler and we quit the class. Whispy could have easily been killed by the Silken Hound that had been run in Lure Coursing as Whispy was on a leash and not able to get to a place of safety and I couldn't see the Silken behind me. This scared me to death!!

When I watched my sister doing the obedience class with baby Twig she had to be hyper vigilant to protect Twig from being stepped on by the other people in the class and them allowing their dogs in too close to Twig. Though the instructor never told the class to be careful of Twig because he was so tiny, my sister had absolutely no problem telling any of them!

In a later agility class there was a hyperactive lab that jumped on me, I am of course in the wheelchair, as I sat listening to our instructor as the inattentive handler and dog passed by me. Nothing was said to the handler. I spoke up and asked the guy to please keep his dog away from me, Whispy was in my lap at the time. The second time it happened I was not nice and I was not soft spoken. The guy quit the class and I was glad. I don't like dogs running at me, especially at my face level, or jumping up or onto me. I didn't like that behavior when I was not in a wheelchair. I love dogs but keep your dog under control and by your side because I don't want to meet it unless asked.

Dog handlers need to be aware at all times where they and their dog are in relation to the other handlers and dogs in class at all times. If a handler wants a "meet and greet" that handler needs to ask the other handler first, not assume that it is alright for their dog to get in the face of the other dog.

It would be nice if instructors/trainers would be pro-active in stressing Dog Handler Responsibility so that all the handlers and all the dogs have a good training experience in class.


...okay so that is a class I would love to see (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TsPoet]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear about all of that, and a little embarrassed - I'm on the other end. My dogs are the problem, that's why I've joined the club. Finn's got her CGC (just barely) no way could Murphy ever get one - he'd bite the judge and attack the other dogs.
I was thinking along the same lines, but somewhat opposite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/closedeyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) . I was thinking of doing some weaving in and out, so some dogs are in sits and others are walking through them under control. That sort of thing. I've worked very hard at socializing my dogs so I can bring them to club events, I still have to keep them in the corner, but I can bring them, which is a huge win.
I wonder about adding a person or two sitting on the ground and making the dogs behave (ie ignore them).
In the past 2 years my club has had two major events happen - 1) I joined with my problems (it's a dog training club!) and 2) we had 1 dog nearly kill another. The club learned a lot of lessons. I have been super pleased with how welcomed me and my problems have been.
Bottom line, yes a class on behaving in public for both handlers and dogs - might work. I could add distraction techniques - that's what I do with Murphy when someone gets too close - I start doing tricks with him. You'd be amazed at how well that works - bicyclists can ride within a foot of him if he's doing tricks and whatever other tricks I can think of. He will NOT just sit and watch them go by, though.
We need to learn more tricks, though.

[elfiedude]

There you go: a class on handling distractions for dogs and people. How to keep yourself focused on your dog and your dog focused on you. We get distracted in class too along with our dogs, and aren't always as alert as we should be. Dog training can be a lesson in multi-tasking!
Although I am not confined to a wheelchair, Starrie my littlest IG and I were also 'labradorized' at an agility class, and when the owner made no move to remove her 90 lb beast off my chest, I regret to say I came unpsun. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/1angryfire.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/1cussing.gif) Starrie was doing her best to defend me. I was paying attention to the instructor, sitting down on the grass and holding Starrie when the dog broke away from his owner and her two little girls and made us the target of his 9 month old lab enthusiasm. I did not see him coming, nor did Starrie. If the owner had made an effort to reclaim her dog and apologize..... instead a friend removed the lab after I yelled "Will someone get this *censored* dog off me?" as I am flat on my back with his front paws flattening my mammary glands and Starrie is doing her ineffective but ferocious best to savage his jugular.
So I vote for "training distractions for the dog & handler"!

[TsPoet]

On-line I found a really cool "focus and socialization" exercise. I love it for me and my dogs, but thinking about it I wonder if others will like it?
1) pair up with someone and call your dog back/forth. When the dog comes to the non-owner it gets a treat and the owner calls it right back. Ideally the dog is polite and sits in front (come front) for both people.
2) one dog, multiple people and dog gets called by random person (treated) and called back to owner. Next person, owner… always the owner is between other people.

For me/my dogs, this sounds like a terrific exercise – but do people want their dogs going to random people when called, or do they not want their dogs to do that?

[CallaLily]

I did something like that when Whispy and Twig were babies, it was called "Pass the Puppy" and it was in their puppy socialization class. It was fine because they were less than 16 weeks of age.

I would not participate in a class as you describe, with any of my dogs that were not tiny babies for a couple of reasons. I don't want them to come to others when called...not everyone in the world is "their friend" and dogs are stolen from their fenced back yards where I live to be used as bait for pit bulls "in training". Nor I don't want anyone feeding my dogs anything unless it is something I have just handed them after giving them permission to get my treat to my dogs.

Rain on the other hand never eats in public let alone take a treat from a stranger, class or no class. She is not to look at strangers as "treat machines" or her "personal scratching post". She will not go to someone when called but will happily go with them when on leash which might be necessary if I ever need medical assistance while away from home.

...but then these are just my personal preferences (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TsPoet]

I would not participate in a class as you describe, with any of my dogs that were not tiny babies for a couple of reasons. I don't want them to come to others when called...not everyone in the world is "their friend" and dogs are stolen from their fenced back yards where I live to be used as bait for pit bulls "in training". Nor I don't want anyone feeding my dogs anything unless it is something I have just handed them after giving them permission to get my treat to my dogs.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I asked this question of a few local dog trainers - and got an amazing answer. I was expecting answers like yours, but...
In this past year our club has lost 2 dogs - one was in a car accident and despite the fact that police and several well-wishers desperately tried to rescue it from the median, it would not come to them and eventually got hit by a car.
The second got out from a backyard and when it would not come to the police officer who was calling him, another police officer shot it. (I kid you not! the decision at the inquiry was that since it didn't come, it was justified shooting - big to do around here. Oh, it was also a Pit bull, so that was excuse #2).
So, bottom line, the local people love the idea. The treats, though, will depend upon the owners. I'd like the person calling my dog to give it a treat. I think for most other dogs, it would be better to be praised on the go to someone else section and treated when they come back to their owners.