Bad Trainer?

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by Marc

With regards the cgc I agree with most that its unrealistic (at best) to expect 6 weeks to have your dog able to complete the test, I dont even think ceaser millan could manage that.

My puppy earned her CGC at 7 months of age with NO training for it.

Are you familiar with the CGC? It's not something that should take 6 weeks to train for. Any reasonably well-behaved, well-socialized dog with a good temperament should be able to pass it cold.

In any case, it sounds like the owner and trainer aren't on the same page, and without being there and seeing what is going on, it's hard to assign blame. The trainer does seem a bit scatterbrained if she can't remember what you have and haven't covered already, but she may just be extremely busy and if she has a lot of clients, I can see how it's easy to get confused. Nonetheless, it seems like the trainer needs a better system of keeping her clients straight.

[Killian10]

My trainer is also a CGC evaluator. She said she was going to conduct his test.

Now, I don't want him to get the certification unless we are up to the task. I'm not wanting to get it for the certification I'm wanting to get him and I to that level because it's a goal of mine. The cert doesn't do me any good if he's just passed because the trainer "can" pass him.

I work with him every day, several times a day. He's actually with me 24/7 since I work at home although I do put him in his crate for several hours a day as a break for both of us.

I agree that the distraction is a good thing. I actually take him to Lowes twice a week to train somewhere with distractions. The part I didn't like is that I paid for one on one sessions and she brought someone else there to work with both of us because she said her schedule was busy. I wouldn't mind if she came to my house to train Murphy and brought a distraction but instead of the training session being focuses on us it was being shared. I know that may sounds whiny but I hope it comes off the write way, it's more of an example of the type of service I was getting.

[Killian10]

Here's another example, more of situational training.

Murphy has an issue with brooms. He thinks it's his job to attack brooms, especially when you're sweeping.

I told her about it and she said she'd show me how to correct it. Her idea, "When he tries to bite it BONK him on the nose with the broom". So she showed me and did it twice, and you could instantly see him getting more upset...drive getting higher to go after the broom.

Later, I tried it a different way. I took the broom out and gave him a treat. Every time he focused on the broom I would get his attention and when he watched me instead of the broom I gave him a treat. We kept doing this over and over for a few days. Finally I was able to start petting him with the broom and he acted like he could care less. Now we have no issues at all with the broom. So I was able to fix the problem without "bonking" him I just found it weird to go that route.

Again...I'm not saying I know what I'm doing over what she does I'm obviously asking the opinions of everyone here so I can learn and know if I should continue with her or go a different route.

[Killian10]

Oh and no, he still has not been tested. She asked me if I was ready...which I figured she should know that better than I do. I told her I'm not, because he still doesn't walk great on a leash without a pinch collar.

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by Killian10

I told her about it and she said she'd show me how to correct it. Her idea, "When he tries to bite it BONK him on the nose with the broom". So she showed me and did it twice, and you could instantly see him getting more upset...drive getting higher to go after the broom.

Find another trainer!

Any trainer worth their salt is going to realize "bonking" the dog with the broom is only going to make things worse. Now, if the question was "How do I encourage my dog to attack the broom?" the trainer's idea would have been brilliant.

I think you actually are a better trainer than your trainer is, frankly you'd be better off without her.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Killian10

I wouldn't mind if she came to my house to train Murphy and brought a distraction but instead of the training session being focuses on us it was being shared.

Again, that is something I didnt realise from your posts. this is pretty poor and very unproffesional, I agree that if you paid for the one on one lessons, you should have gotten them, the trainer should not be putting you together for a "Busy Schedule", I cant say to my boss, "I have a busy schedule, I can only do 3 days of work this week rather than 5" I would get sacked! I hope you only paid half price for those 2 lessons.

It seems to me you need to find a better trainer, she doesnt seem suited to you.

@ Freestep,

All dogs and owners are different, my Maya is only 3 months old, but I know for a fact, if she was to take the test now, she would not be able to do;

Allow basic grooming procedures
Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place.
Coming when called.
Reacting appropriately to another dog.
Reacting appropriately to distractions.
Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner

Ofcourse, im sure she will eventually get to this stage, and I dont know what training the OP's dog had before she hired the trainer, but it sounded like little to non, and I think going from no training to cgc in 6 weeks would be asking a lot.... maybe im wrong, Maya is my first dog so im no expert dog trainer lol

[onyx'girl]

It really is easier to get a CGC on a biddable younger pup than one that is over a year and more independent, leaning toward aloof.
From the AKC site:
There is no age limit for the CGC test. A dog is never too old to be a good citizen. Puppies who have completed all immunizations and boosters may be tested, however, because we know that behavior and temperament can change when puppies pass the CGC test, owners should have them re-tested as adults.

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by Killian10

I'll try to address everyone's questions here. I'm being vague on some things because I'm not sure if my trainer is on here and I want to get some outside opinion without offending anyone.

CGC - When I was searching for a dog trainer I told her that my end goal was to get him CGC certified. I said he had no training as of yet and I wanted to do whatever would put me on the path to getting their. Her plan was 6 one on one sessions (1 hour each) and at the end he would be ready to pass. If he didn't pass she would give me two more classes and retest.

Repeating - When I say things were being repeated I don't mean training commands or actions I mean she would bring over paperwork and homework that she had given me two weeks before or tell me "OK, today we're going to learn X" and we had already started that. When I told her we had already started that she would seem confused then say, "OH, we did???". I don't want this repeating to be confused with repetition, sorry about that.

Distraction (the other handler and dog) - I should have given more details on this. The second handler and dog wasn't a distraction..it wasn't another trainder...it was another student, who was further behind in the training than we were.

Expectations - I agree with you all 100% as far as where he should be and that 6 weeks is not enough time to expect this or that out of him. Right now he walks great on a leash. He will recall 75% of the time, knows sit, down, and stay and will perform them 70% of the time. Distraction...he has A.D.D. but he's a puppy, I get that. I think I let this trainer fill me head with false expectations and that's why I was looking at it the way I was.

This does not seem fair or professional. Maybe should get 1/2 off for those days.

I admire your honesty in making sure your dog has the skills it needs to pass the test. Our trainer has his own test similar to CGC, and the dogs do well at this test in the training field, but in real life - I've seen some fail and can't believe they'd had training in general.

The Petsmart near us does CGC. We talked with a trainer once about it and she said if our dog is basically trained, she said we could arrange one private petsmart lesson with her and go over everything that would be expected with CGC. That sounded reasonable, and if there is one area that needs improvement then you'll know what to work on.

So maybe practice on your own until you feel comfortable, then find another trainer to give you a private prep/run through.

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

It really is easier to get a CGC on a biddable younger pup than one that is over a year and more independent, leaning toward aloof.
From the AKC site:
There is no age limit for the CGC test. A dog is never too old to be a good citizen. Puppies who have completed all immunizations and boosters may be tested, however, because we know that behavior and temperament can change when puppies pass the CGC test, owners should have them re-tested as adults.

Thank you for posting this!!

I'd say my own dog was a better behaved/trained pup than when she got into adolescence. Thank goodness she has grown out of that.

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

It really is easier to get a CGC on a biddable younger pup than one that is over a year and more independent, leaning toward aloof.
From the AKC site:
There is no age limit for the CGC test. A dog is never too old to be a good citizen. Puppies who have completed all immunizations and boosters may be tested, however, because we know that behavior and temperament can change when puppies pass the CGC test, owners should have them re-tested as adults.

I can see how this could be true. My last two were tested at about 8-9 months and neither of their personalities, temperaments, or their level of obedience has changed. In my case I think it would be easier to go take the test now. I plan to retake it with both of mine in the next year or so. Heck, I might even attempt it with my older very stubborn girl