New Club Jitters and Hangups

[Anitsisqua]

There is a new club starting in my area on Saturday, "Houston Hundesports". I would really like to go, and I think it would be a great thing to do with my 8-month-old pup, but I have a few uncertainties.

1) I'm really nervous about bringing Gabe to the meeting because I'm worried he won't measure up to the other dogs there. We're progressing in his training, but he still has his unruly moments. I'm afraid he'll get excited and we'll look really bad in front of the others. Maybe I haven't been a good enough trainer to measure up?

2) I don't know ANYTHING about Schutzhund or training for it. I don't want to embarrass myself.

Advice? Please?

[Liesje]

My advice would be to go to the meeting without your dog. Just get a feel for the club and how it's run, ask a lot of questions, observe how people work their dogs, and then decide if it looks like a good place for you.

[KJenkins]

Remember...new or not everyone there started from ground zero at some point.

[lhczth]

Excellent point, Keith.

[pyratemom]

I'd go without my dog on the first visit. You can watch and see how people there train and treat their dogs and get a good idea if it would be a fit for you. Everyone starts at the beginning sometime so don't be shy about that. If anything I found the people that have been there a long time are never shy about sharing information to the new people. Ask questions when you get a chance and learn by whatever methods are available.

[gaia_bear]

Originally Posted by Anitsisqua

There is a new club starting in my area on Saturday, "Houston Hundesports". I would really like to go, and I think it would be a great thing to do with my 8-month-old pup, but I have a few uncertainties.

1) I'm really nervous about bringing Gabe to the meeting because I'm worried he won't measure up to the other dogs there. We're progressing in his training, but he still has his unruly moments. I'm afraid he'll get excited and we'll look really bad in front of the others. Maybe I haven't been a good enough trainer to measure up?

2) I don't know ANYTHING about Schutzhund or training for it. I don't want to embarrass myself.

Advice? Please?

I was in your shoes two weeks ago, I went to the first session without Gaia, asked a TON of questions, got to know people and observed what went on during training, I also took notes because my memory's not the best.

I was a little fortunate because the TD was/is my OB instructor so he was familiar with Gaia but that didn't override my nervousness of her not stacking up. I worked mostly on focus/heeling during the week and just went with it when training day came.

I'll have to say I was nervous for nothing, Gaia did great and everyone was very supportive. You've got nothing to lose, everyone starts somewhere.

Good luck

[holland]

Originally Posted by gaia_bear

I was in your shoes two weeks ago, I went to the first session without Gaia, asked a TON of questions, got to know people and observed what went on during training, I also took notes because my memory's not the best.

I was a little fortunate because the TD was/is my OB instructor so he was familiar with Gaia but that didn't override my nervousness of her not stacking up. I worked mostly on focus/heeling during the week and just went with it when training day came.

I'll have to say I was nervous for nothing, Gaia did great and everyone was very supportive. You've got nothing to lose, everyone starts somewhere.

Good luck

If you belong to the Saint John schutzhund club-that is a really nice club-I visited once and had a really good time

[Castlemaid]

How much obedience you have or don't have on Gabe won't mean much. What makes a good impression is the dog's personality, willingness to engage strangers in play, attitude to following directions, and his bond with you.

If you come with a very well trained dog who just sits by your side and doesn't move, that tells me nothing about the dog. But if the dog is eager, bright eyed, excited to play, willing to greet and engage people, attentive to you when you talk to him and engage him, stops sniffing around and becomes fully focused on a tug or a ball when the toy appears - that tells a lot about his potential for further training.

It takes years to get to the IPO titles. Lots of time to put formal obedience on your pup, no one will be judging you on his formal obedience at only eight months old.

[onyx'girl]

As this is a NEW club, others will be in the same position as you! I hope the club has a great turn-out and everyone meshes for these first meetings.

You really are in a great position, getting a foot in while the club is just beginning. However, I am assuming there will be experienced people to help get it up and running.

[gaia_bear]

How did it go?


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