Training poll

[sddeadeye]

With my last GSD, we didn't do any formal obedience classes. We lived pretty much in the middle of nowhere and the nearest training facility was over 100 miles away. He was still very well trained in the basics though.

Now that we live in the city, I do plan on pursuing formal obedience and agility with my next GSD. My husband's lab will also probably do some dock diving and possibly field trials. I would love to get into ScH, but the nearest club for that is still over 3 hours away.

[Stella's Mom]

We have graduated basic obedience and intermediate obedience at Petsmart , have taken some more obedience and agility.
We have just begun Shutzhund a few weeks ago. We will continue with that as it has obedience, agility, tracking and protection.

[southernfiction]

I bought the Schutzhund books when I first brought my puppy home and started her that way. Tried for months to find a training partner or group, but I might as well be living in the Northwest Territories for all the good that did. Then her hips went "weird" and I see I can't ever train her that hard, but she does not limp or act in pain, so we continue with happy obedience lessons. She really likes to learn. If her xrays come out decent, we might go for obedience competition.

The other girls have house manners.

[Gwenhwyfair]

Started Schutzhund training this summer.

Same with our obedience classes, started with 10+ dogs and it's varied but only 4 of us have been consistent. Sometimes it's just us 4. Not sure what is up with that as the place we train is very nice, affordable and friendly to all newcomers.

...and as luck would have it we 4 regulars all have German Shepherds that are going on to schutzhund/protection training. I bought all my GSD training buddies a little present, a sticker for their car..... (get yours at amiart.com )

Originally Posted by BlackPuppy

Oddly, I'm in an agility class that started out with 7 dogs. Now there are only 3 dogs at any one time in the class.

[iBaman]

Originally Posted by Karla

Unfortunately, I see a lot of people who get dogs and don't do anything with them and then when they grow out of the puppy stage, they are dumped at a shelter. Over the years, I've seen many obedience classes start off with a large group and in the end, there may be 3 or 4 who stuck with it. People want a nice dog, but don't want to make the effort to train it. That's my rant.

I totally agree with this!! Especially the people who get a breed like a Husky, GSD or the likes, and don't do ANY sort of training or socialization, and then don't understand why their dog doesn't walk on a leash right, or pulls, or gets aggressive, and then they end up at the pound and are put down just because someone wouldn't take the time to train their dog. My neighbors have a husky who is about 3 years old, who they let pull on his leash, he's WAY out in front, doesn't listen to them, and they don't put any time into behavior training. sorry. end my rant now.

[EchoGSD]

All of my dogs have earned obedience and rally titles. I and a CGC Evaluator and I teach classes instructiong folks on how to teach thier dogs companion dog manners (sit, down, stand, stay, coming when called, and loose leash heeling) and am always happy when students leave my classes with a dog who they have bonded better with in addition to learning the basics of obedience. Of course, I am always encouraging my students to be active with thier dogs, as well: be it obedience, rally, agility, therapy work, or other non-strucutred but equally rewarding activites.

[ed1911]

Both have multiple titles in AKC comp. Smokey recently earned his BH in Schutzhund, I hope to have both titled in Schutzhund in 2012.