how to pick a trainer or training facility

[onyx'girl]

broker

but I think this is one great accomplishment! Taken from her about us:

Have helped hundreds of children keep the
boogie men away at night.

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

broker

Thought so...
Thanks

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

broker

She has a kennel, grooming etc. Its a small time operation. She never has more than a half dozen dogs for sale at any given time ... she says she focuses on quality not quantity... she does private training at $50 an hour... from what I gather, most training is done with prior clients... she has a room full of trophies from Germany and here, complete with pictures of her on the podium... one show, she took the top three spots.

[sit,stay]

Originally Posted by Yoschi's_Pet_Human

... the lady I got him from suggested I not start training him until 4-5 months of age... she has also offered to do private lessons for about $50 an hour... but she has never titled a dog in sch. , but she has a room literally full of trophies and ribbons from showing dogs.

I am confused. Your broker/puppy seller has never titled a dog in schutzhund, but she has schutzhund titled dogs? Does she train her own dogs and then pass them off to a professional to handle? Does she buy then already titled?

Personally, I wouldn't pay someone to help me train my dog if she doesn't train her own dogs.

Be very careful about pet training if you have any thought about competitive stuff later on. You don't want to have any "bad habits" from strictly pet training that you'll have to undo later on (like straight sits and downs, etc.). A trainer who does straight pet stuff might not be aware of what a competitive dog needs. So I would go with the trainer that you currently have access to that is able to give you the training that will best translate to later schutzhund, in case you ever do get to that point with a club.
Sheilah

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by sit,stay

I am confused. Your broker/puppy seller has never titled a dog in schutzhund, but she has schutzhund titled dogs? Does she train her own dogs and then pass them off to a professional to handle? Does she buy then already titled?

Personally, I wouldn't pay someone to help me train my dog if she doesn't train her own dogs.

Be very careful about pet training if you have any thought about competitive stuff later on. You don't want to have any "bad habits" from strictly pet trainigng that you'll have to undo later on (like straight sits and downs, etc.). A trainer who does straight pet stuff might not be aware of what a competitive dog needs. So I would go with the trainer that you currently have access to that is able to give you the training that will best translate to later schutzhund, in case you ever do get to that point with a club.
Sheilah

I believe, but am not sure, she purchased adult dogs which were already titled... I am fairly certain she knows what to teach for basic obedience with a schutzhund future... she has certainly been around the block, so to speak....the thing is, I can pay as I go with her... the place that offered me private schutzhund training wants $450.00 up front, which I don't have at the moment.
I tried to ask what exactly I should look for in obedience training with a schh future and never really got a straight answer... most everyone says join a club, which I'm actively pursuing.. but I'm eager to get started

[onyx'girl]

I don't think I'd pay $50 per hour either...I pay $25 to have good helperwork and that person is getting bit by my dog. And it is more than an hours worth of training. My personal trainer that I pay $30 is for about 3 hours of training and we do quite a bit of diversified training. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of her facility and expertise.
If you feel you get your $ worth it's all good, and the progress you see is where it matters.
By the way, if your trainer isn't giving you feedback/criticism, it isn't constructive training

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

I don't think I'd pay $50 per hour either...I pay $25 to have good helperwork and that person is getting bit by my dog. And it is more than an hours worth of training. My personal trainer that I pay $30 is for about 3 hours of training and we do quite a bit of diversified training. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of her facility and expertise.
If you feel you get your $ worth it's all good, and the progress you see is where it matters.
By the way, if your trainer isn't giving you feedback/criticism, it isn't constructive training

Trust me, I've called around... the going rate starts at $50 an hour in my area... at least she has age and experience,,, the guy offering me private schh training at $75 an hour is in his early 20's... he may very well be worth it.. but for that amount of money, I want years worth of experience.
If nothing else, I know her to be a loud outspoken very opinionated German lady..

[sit,stay]

Originally Posted by Yoschi's_Pet_Human

I tried to ask what exactly I should look for in obedience training with a schh future and never really got a straight answer... most everyone says join a club, which I'm actively pursuing.. but I'm eager to get started

If I were you, I would ask these questions in the schutzhund forum. That is where you'll find the members with the most experience in that sport.

I can't give you particular differences or similarities in training for a pet and training for schutzhund. I never raised a puppy specifically for schutzhund. My interest in tracking came after Tanner's early puppyhood. I do know that there are certain things that you want to encourage in a schutzhund prospect that wouldn't necessarily be part of pet training. Go to the schutzhund forum and ask. You'll get good answers to specific questions there.

I would not automatically trust a trainer who has only been around the "I buy my dogs titled" block. They might know how to push the buttons on a trained dog, but do they know how to install the buttons on an untrained dog? Those are two totally different activities.
Sheilah

[onyx'girl]

If a puppy genetically has 'it' doing some obedience won't harm it. Doing bitework with an unskilled helper won't be good, and I don't recommend it. I'd also try to get some tracking instruction instilled now while pup is a sponge. I agree, conformation showing is not the same as doing sportwork.

And like I posted way back up....try to find a club member that may live near you to mentor you. I do know that most clubs have members spread out and about and most are more than willing to have someone nearby to train with mid week when they aren't at club. We should all be so lucky!

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by sit,stay

If I were you, I would ask these questions in the schutzhund forum. That is where you'll find the members with the most experience in that sport.

I can't give you particular differences or similarities in training for a pet and training for schutzhund. I never raised a puppy specifically for schutzhund. My interest in tracking came after Tanner's early puppyhood. I do know that there are certain things that you want to encourage in a schutzhund prospect that wouldn't necessarily be part of pet training. Go to the schutzhund forum and ask. You'll get good answers to specific questions there.

I would not automatically trust a trainer who has only been around the "I buy my dogs titled" block. They might know how to push the buttons on a trained dog, but do they know how to install the buttons on an untrained dog? Those are two totally different activities.
Sheilah

She does have a room,literally, filled with trophies ... she said we were only going to work on basic obedience and tracking... no bitework or protection... only enough to give me a leg up when starting with a club... in response to Onyx... I'm definitely going to take your advice if I can get any of these clubs to respond to me.. I've sent out emails and left phone messages with at least half a dozen clubs