What would you do? Need some thoughts on this.

[martemchik]

You know to me it sounds like you're pushing yourself to do this for the dogs...have you ever thought about doing some other sport? AKC obedience, agility, tracking, something that might be available closer and at a cheaper rate?

I know you think that your new dog needs this, but maybe she doesn't, maybe she'll be fine doing agility or AKC obedience? I've only met a few dogs that NEED Schutzhund training (but maybe your dog is one of those). My dog is higher drive...would do well in Schutzhund, but I'm too far from a club and just don't want to dedicate my whole Sunday to dog training and everything that comes with being part of another dog club. My next pup is coming out of our regional champion and a sire that was on the world championship team twice...so she will be a high drive pup. If I'm able to put aside my Sunday football and Sunday golf, I might start doing Schutzhund, but I just don't think I'll be able to love the sport enough to get the level of commitment needed to keep going.

It sounds to me like you really want to do it for your dogs, and its kind of a huge inconvenience for you. You're not enjoying yourself, so why keep doing it? I suggest finding something closer to you, that you can enjoy as well as your dogs, and focusing on that.

By the way...I wasn't saying your level of commitment was any less than those members that want to trial, but sadly as soon as you make it known to someone that you're not going to, you get less attention. We want to think of dog clubs as businesses, that are in the business of training dogs, but they really aren't. The helper/instructors are pretty much donating their time. It's a hobby for them as much as it is for us. They make a few bucks here and there, but it's not like they're making a living off of it. So at this point you're upset at a business, you don't want to give them your money anymore, but you don't really have another choice. They won't really care though because they're not in it for profit...they're in it for the same reason you are...its fun.

[TrickyShepherd]

Originally Posted by martemchik

You know to me it sounds like you're pushing yourself to do this for the dogs...have you ever thought about doing some other sport? AKC obedience, agility, tracking, something that might be available closer and at a cheaper rate?

I know you think that your new dog needs this, but maybe she doesn't, maybe she'll be fine doing agility or AKC obedience? I've only met a few dogs that NEED Schutzhund training (but maybe your dog is one of those). My dog is higher drive...would do well in Schutzhund, but I'm too far from a club and just don't want to dedicate my whole Sunday to dog training and everything that comes with being part of another dog club. My next pup is coming out of our regional champion and a sire that was on the world championship team twice...so she will be a high drive pup. If I'm able to put aside my Sunday football and Sunday golf, I might start doing Schutzhund, but I just don't think I'll be able to love the sport enough to get the level of commitment needed to keep going.

It sounds to me like you really want to do it for your dogs, and its kind of a huge inconvenience for you. You're not enjoying yourself, so why keep doing it? I suggest finding something closer to you, that you can enjoy as well as your dogs, and focusing on that.

By the way...I wasn't saying your level of commitment was any less than those members that want to trial, but sadly as soon as you make it known to someone that you're not going to, you get less attention. We want to think of dog clubs as businesses, that are in the business of training dogs, but they really aren't. The helper/instructors are pretty much donating their time. It's a hobby for them as much as it is for us. They make a few bucks here and there, but it's not like they're making a living off of it. So at this point you're upset at a business, you don't want to give them your money anymore, but you don't really have another choice. They won't really care though because they're not in it for profit...they're in it for the same reason you are...its fun.

Not exactly. This has actually been something I've been wanting to do since I met my old friend back in elementary school that had a police k9 at home. I watched him work a few times and feel in love with the breed and the protection sports.

At the time, we raised/showed/trained golden retrievers. I loved them... but always said I wanted a GSD some day to do a protection sport with. I didn't learn of Schutzhund until about 10 years later. I tried to get into it, but wasn't allowed to get another dog at the time, and I was way too busy with my horses and the goldens. Years and years later... When the time came and we got Duke.... I was finally able to make this a reality.

If there was anything that I would be concerned about, it would be pushing my DOGS to do something they don't enjoy because I enjoyed it. Thankfully, Duke, Storm, and I all enjoy Schutzhund. So this is not a concern. Which is a huge relief, because to be honest.... no other dog sport interests me.

And the group I'm with does not follow the same guidelines of a club. It's not a club, just a group of random people who enjoy training dogs. Either it be for just a house pet, or all the way up into competition. Just my trainer, our decoy, some regular people and lots of new people. My trainer is more into Police K-9s and Personal Protection training, then he is Schutzhund these days. But he trains all of it. There are no club fees and our decoy is not paid... he gets free training with his dog multiple days a week. My trainer makes a LOT of money off of this... it's not just for fun, it's his job, he gets paid well. Our decoy gets good business off of this, and he did all his training for free through my trainer.... so he doesn't complain. It's earned his career, and he's got a personal trainer at his finger tips for his breeding program.

Right now, honestly, I don't know what his issue is. He's been a bit rude lately and doesn't have any sense of keeping a business and making sure everything is kept in records. Which is why when it comes to Storm, I have EVERYTHING documented... just in case he doesn't... we don't have to do the whole 'he said, she said'. His wife runs the financial part of it and it's always different answers from one to the other... very confusing and very unorganized. Which leads to all these problems. I'm just frustrated with this, and not getting the attention I pay for and need with my dogs... Not the sport, and not my dogs levels.