[CAROLINM]

Hello, I am mexican, but moving to New Mexico for some graduate studies. I will be moving with my sister and our GSD pup 15 months (getting a place with a backyard).

He is a nice dog with us, really attached, house trained, he behaves great at home, he does have a great recall off leash. Yet, he is a reactive dog, he is not font of strangers, and his communication skills with other dogs were terrible a few months ago, and now they are decent. We have been working for three months with our latest trainer. We have seen improvements but he is not really into a "perfect" mode (for example, he still nips trying to herd some small dogs). I know he wont get into a "fixed" point but we are still working towards better.

We use a prong collar and we have recently started with a basket muzzle (according to the trainer the muzzle is more about me and my sister than about the dog). My sister and I get quite stressed when we walk him, because in the past we had our crappy moments with him. Just picture a huge 10 month puppy around 5 kilograms under my weight, -it used to be a challenge to walk-.

We began with the muzzle a week and a half ago, and it has been really good.



Anyway, what I want is to find a good trainer in Albuquerque or somewhere close, I know finding the right trainer is really important, our first trainer did more harm than good, and I still feel guilty about that. Our second trainer is quite good, yet, I believe my dog and us will need to adjust to our new environment.... Any suggestions?

 

[tim_s_adams]

It pains me to see this question go so long without some input, so even though I have no trainer recommendations in your new location, I want to give you some perspective from my point of view, and hopefully it's of some use!

You have worked with several trainers, some productive with your dog, and some not so much. So be honest and detailed with any new prospective trainers you talk to. Let them know all the methods you've tried, and what seemed the most successful for your dog. Then hear their response, and their perspective on training in general, and follow your gut response! Trust yourself to make the right choice and I'm sure you'll find a good trainer in NM!

 

[Nigel]

It pains me to see this question go so long without some input, so even though I have no trainer recommendations in your new location, I want to give you some perspective from my point of view, and hopefully it's of some use!

You have worked with several trainers, some productive with your dog, and some not so much. So be honest and detailed with any new prospective trainers you talk to. Let them know all the methods you've tried, and what seemed the most successful for your dog. Then hear their response, and their perspective on training in general, and follow your gut response! Trust yourself to make the right choice and I'm sure you'll find a good trainer in NM!

Over the years I've noticed the desert southwest is a bit underrepresented on the forum.

 

[Magwart]

There is (or at least once was) a German Shepherd Dog Club in Albuquerque: GSDC of Central NM. I don't know them personally. I heard from my shelter contact there that the rescue part of the club isn't operational, but I think maybe the regular club that hosts conformation and obedience events still exists (they've hosted AKC events with conformation, rally, and OB, as far as I know -- so *somebody* is training club members who are competing in those events).

Here is their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/cnmgsdc/

There's a wonderful shop on Menaul Blvd. near I-25 called Wild Pet Food Plus. They sell natural pet food, supplements, and toys. The owner, whose name escapes me, is a terrific resource, not only for all things diet related, but also for dog health stuff in general. He has a delightful rescued Golden Retriever named Diego. (Naturally, I remember the dog's name but not the human's...pretty typical!) This man did a lot of rehabilitation work with Diego, so he will likely know the dog training community there --he's definitely worth having a conversation with, for the rescue-side of training advice (which may be different than the AKC competition training advice). He's a wonderfully helpful person -- if he doesn't know the answer, he'll know who to call in Albuquerque for advice.
https://www.wildpetfoodplus.com/

That would be where I would start looking for dog resources in ABQ.

Well, actually, in ABQ, I'd *start* at Sadie's on 4th Street for a stuffed sopapilla "Christmas style" with a margarita on the rocks...dogs are allowed on the patio of that Sadie's only (and their food is better than the other Sadie's locations). But if it's breakfast time, then I'd start at Cafe Lush downtown for a breakfast burrito with Green...dogs are allowed in their sidewalk seating too. My dog has been all over Albuquerque's dog-friendly restaurant scene on our travels.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

I know someone in Albuquerque, I just sent her a message on FB.