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Trainers and over nights...

1K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  selzer 
#1 ·
Hi all,

So my trainer really likes to have Chevelle for over nights.. she feels that is good for all.. she has a LOT of dogs at her place and I know that Chevelle likes going there but the over nights are really hard on her. I picked her up today (she was there 2 days, one night) and it literally took her 20 minutes to calm down enough to be put in my car. The trainers husband stood on the leash so she could not jump and we just waited and treated calm behavior, which lasted a few seconds before she was back to barking/whining/attempting to jump. She is 4 1/2 months old. My question is, are the over nights just too much? She is VERY attached to me, sleeps on my bed, total Velcro pup. I am wondering if we are asking too much of her here.
 
#2 ·
What is the goal for the trainer to have your dog overnight? I don't understand? Does Chevelle play with the other dogs or are they kenneled/separated?
I personally would not want my puppy away from me ever.
 
#3 ·
I would prefer not to have her stay over night also but I have been deferring to her better judgment as she is the professional. She feels Chevelle needs to spend time Away from me in order to get over issues she is having (mainly the jumping.. which was improving until today when I went to get her) she feels Chevelle needs more socialization so she does spend the time with the other dogs (I believe there are at least 13 dogs there all the time) My trainer keeps insisting MORE time there is better and acts weird when I say no, I'm picking her up now. Thoughts?
 
#5 ·
Socializing with other dogs is teaching her what?

Socializing done with you~taking her out and about, seeing the real world and experiencing different surfaces/sounds/scents...that is more informative than playing with a group of dogs.

I agree with sourdough, YOU should be learning how to train her with your trainer, not let the trainer have her for extended periods of time.
Not one person I ever have trained with suggests the dog is better off away from their handler.
If you don't know how to teach Chevelle manners, there are plenty of dvds, books, youtube videos available for help.

Just exactly what is your trainer doing with Chevelle? You should know this to be a better handler.
 
#4 ·
I guess it depends on your goals, what you can do yourself & what level of training expected. The whole 'bonding' experience rates kinda high for me. I'd be unlikely to send a dog off without a GREAT reason.

There may be times when ones has to, some trips etc.. For things like jumping up & basic commands I'd school up & do them yourself. After all, your not looking for a circus dog. JMHO of course.
 
#6 ·
I am working on educating myself on training her, have watched Tons of YouTube videos and read many articles so I am getting there! I have trained her to do some tricks and she is in love with treat training and will learn with just her standard kibble as reward. I am making some headway on the nuisance jumping (until I picked her up yesterday)... so I feel that I am not a total loser on the training end of things and I am asking myself the same question.. why is she insisting that over nights are good for Chevelle? She runs a doggy daycare/boarding facility and her constant pitch is The More Time there the better it is for Chevelle. My pup does wait for me in my car while I am working and playing with her group of dogs is more stimulating than that of course.. but I can't wrap my brain around the over night idea..
 
#7 ·
Is she charging you for these overnights? I'd outright ask her why she thinks staying with her is better than staying with you.
 
#13 ·
Is she charging you for these overnights?
She really loves Chevelle so she has been charging me basically half price to have her..

She told me that Shepherds can tend to mentally "snap" if not properly stimulated.

Having a puppy is about to make me mentally snap so I am glad I found this board and know that I am not alone in the puppy struggle... lol!
 
#9 ·
German shepherds prefer their people to other dogs, they are not golden retrievers. Is she experienced with the breed? It doesn't sound like it. I would not send her there at all. Find some classes that you can attend and train together. As mentioned, get her out in the world for socialization. You can do this! :)
 
#12 ·
German shepherds prefer their people to other dogs, they are not golden retrievers. Is she experienced with the breed? It doesn't sound like it. I would not send her there at all. Find some classes that you can attend and train together. As mentioned, get her out in the world for socialization. You can do this! :)
Thank you, thank you!

I really needed to hear this today. :):wub:
 
#10 ·
Weirdest trainer advice so far. Who knows what they put her through. The fact that she is wild for so long after she sees you is a red flag to me. When I pick up my dogs from the breeder's boarding kennel, they are happy to see me but in the normal range of "happy".
It reminds me of a situation in the past when I picked up my dog from boarding at a vet's office and he acted like that. Then I found out that he had been crated all that time instead of all the good and social play they promised.
I would never leave my dog at someone elses unless he had to be boarded when I go places where I can't take him.
It sounds like your trainer has too much power over you if you cannot standup against her/him. Trust your gut and stick with that.
 
#11 ·
Well.. even if I go into the garage and come right back Chevelle is a maniac... so happy I came back. So the crazy jumping etc when I picked her up isn't that unusual for her but it is THE MAIN point of taking her to the trainer, is to try and get the jumping under control. My trainer says that the jumping suggests that Chevelle does not feel supported by me...

I love my puppy, I take her everywhere, including the grocery store or to HeadStart to get my daughter. She goes where I go. She does have separation anxiety and when I come back to the car if she has been waiting for a bit she is pretty excited.

I am working on stimulating her more, doing more early morning hikes before work, and when the weather is warmer I do all day hikes (12-20 miles) once a week, by myself, which is why I really wanted a dog. So I know it's tough on her right now as a puppy to feel stimulated enough waiting for me in my car while I am working. And that is my trainers beef.. she doesn't feel I can do enough for my puppy, therefore she is better off there. It's getting a bit annoying.
 
#14 ·
Personally I want a trainer that will work WITH me, encouraging me and my dog to be the best team we can be. Not someone who is either focued on making money or putting me down.

Find someone else who is experienced in the breed and that you're comfortable with. Whether it be group or private lessons, any time that you spend with your dog is quality time. You can easily mix training in with fun, during car rides, walks, even standing in the kitchen making dinner. GSD's are total sponges, they will take everything you throw at them and beg for more :)
 
#15 ·
Shes 4 months old? My pup is 4 months old and is the same way. He is just as happy to see me after I take a 5 minute potty break than he is after a full day's work, lol. They are PUPPIES! They have endless joy and energy. Yes the jumping is annoying but I think a lot of it is age. I'm not really harsh on it at this age. We work on manners and impulse control in general, but I would not be sending a puppy away to a trainers because it's happy to see the owner and jumps up.
 
#17 ·
Shes 4 months old? My pup is 4 months old and is the same way. He is just as happy to see me after I take a 5 minute potty break than he is after a full day's work, lol. They are PUPPIES! They have endless joy and energy. Yes the jumping is annoying but I think a lot of it is age. I'm not really harsh on it at this age. We work on manners and impulse control in general, but I would not be sending a puppy away to a trainers because it's happy to see the owner and jumps up.
She is 5 days shy of 5 months old... and the jumping was getting out of hand, which is why I sought out the trainer. She was jumping ALL the time, on everyone, including my 5 year old so I felt we really needed some guidance. It's improving some but she still jumps when she is super excited. But I take comfort in your statement and good to know it isn't just Chevelle!

Personally I want a trainer that will work WITH me, encouraging me and my dog to be the best team we can be. Not someone who is either focued on making money or putting me down.

Find someone else who is experienced in the breed and that you're comfortable with. Whether it be group or private lessons, any time that you spend with your dog is quality time. You can easily mix training in with fun, during car rides, walks, even standing in the kitchen making dinner. GSD's are total sponges, they will take everything you throw at them and beg for more :)
Thank you for this also.. I work with her as much as I possibly can, she has responded extremely well to clicker training and using that I taught her to roll over, eliminating all verbal cues, in about 10 minutes. :wub: She is definitely a sponge.. as well as a sharky crazed puppy..!
 
#16 ·
How can she learn to stop jumping on you , when she not with you. If the trainer is having to step on her leash after all this time in overnights its obviously not working. Listen to the advice below.
I know when my dog is happy because he will calmly come to me and then go back to the babysitter and lick her. If he runs to me wildly and runs to the car we dont go back there again.
 
#18 ·
You can use the clicker training to defeat the jumping urge. When she jumps, you turn your hips a bit so you aren't directly facing her and do not acknowledge her until her feet go back to the ground. ClickTreat when she's back on the ground.
There's probably better tutorials out there for this stuff, but you get the idea.
 
#19 ·
Of course, it is better if your dog was trained to stay in kennels while you are on your 3 weeks holidays. That is the only reason I can find to let her to stay over nights. Do it purposefully by extending number of nights with time. She's alright during the day, it is enough for now. I'd leave her over 2 nights in a month time, one week stay in three months, and two weeks in six months.
 
#20 ·
1/2 price is still worth it for your trainer. I think she is encouraging you to pay her.

Find training classes to take your puppy to. They train you to train your puppy. Only praise or treat or pet or acknowledge when there are four (paws) on the floor. Four on the floor. Your puppy is smart, she will get it.

Overnights in a chaotic atmosphere is not good for your puppy. If the puppy is going to have to spend time in a kennel, then it may make sense, like David said. But for training and socialization, she needs you to train and socialize her.
 
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