[TexasGS]

Memphis and I are currently in a puppy pre-k. Last week our trainer was great. She loved lots of puppy play time and taught us a little bit at a time. This week we had the Puppy Kindergarten teacher come in and for lack of better words was a huge B****. She seemed very put off of Memphis, and mostly kept telling me the things wrong with him (he needs his nails trimmed, he jumps to much, he isnt focused on the other dogs) and just point out all the negatives she could dig for. She gave all the other dogs "puppy crack" but wouldnt give Memphis any. Memphis was then wining next to the door because he needed to go out. I asked her while he was wining if I can take him out, how thats his signal to me. She sarcastically goes well thats surely the most polite way to ask you.

Then while she was giving the other puppies treats, he wasnt getting any so he would jump up on her and she would take a step forward while lifting her knee kinda hard at him. I am in another training class stricly for GSD's and its mostly focused on Obdience training but its good for Memphis to be around other very well behaved GSD's. In this class the head trainer says you dont do that because you could hit the dog hard and collapse his chest in.

Am I over reacting or does this sound like the trainer has something against me/Memphis/ GSD's in general?

 

[onyx'girl]

you're not over reacting, I would stay with the class that knows the breed. Knee jabs are so old school, it can injure a young pup. Stay with your gut feeling...

 

[Stosh]

Well it certainly would piss me off if a trainer did that to my dog! There's no reason for a trainer to first of all touch you dog in that manner, second of all give you nothing but negatives and third of all exclude your dog from treats or anything else. Never ever have I seen a trainer do that to a dog- I've seen dogs that jumped and the trainer told the person how to correct it but never made contact with the dog themselves. I wouldn't ask permission to take my dog out anyway, it's your dog just do what he needs. I guess I would give it another try next time and if you're unhappy with the treatment I'd definitely complain, ask for a refund and go elsewhere! Check out your local obedience training club.

 

[onyx'girl]

I wouldn't give them a second try. The trainer clearly is negative and what good would it do to go back? Puppies are so very imprinted during the pre-k classes, it would be detrimental to return, IMO.

I'd let them know the reason I wasn't returning(unfortunately many classes are non-refundable) but I would be asking for a refund in a "dominate" way!

 

[Hunther's Dad]

Here's what you do: You walk up to the "instructor," about a foot away, and say "You're Fired." The "instructor" seems to have forgotten that you are PAYING her, not that she is doing you a favor by allowing to remain in her beatific presence.

 

[Whiteshepherds]

This whole thing sounds so bizarre...were there any other shepherds in the class? (Wondering if she doesn't like the breed)

Did she say why she wasn't giving Memphis treats? It makes no sense at all. I don't think you're over reacting btw, you probably showed more restraint than most people. I would have been furious.

 

[KZoppa]

i would demand my money back regardless of whether ite refundable or not. There is absolutely NO reason for a DOG TRAINER to treat a dog that way. They're supposed to help people help their dogs to be better canine citizens. If a dog trainer is prejudice against a breed, they have absolutely NO business being a trainer or even dealing with animals. I would be a royal b***h about it. Wouldnt give them a second chance or recommend them. Confront the trainer specifically and ask WHY she felt it appropriate to act that way and mention that if she's prejudice against GSDs she should think of another career choice given the fact that there are other GSDs likely to end up in her class in the future. Not to mention... what other breeds is she against? Having a bad day does not excuse treating someone the way she did. Her behavior is inexcusable.

 

[FG167]

I'd leave. Perhaps she doesn't like shepherds? Not worth keeping your pup in that atmosphere.

 

[TexasGS]

Thanks for all the replies, I will speak with the manager in the am about the whole situation. I forgot to mention they sell orijen and fromm and anika (orijen sister food) and wysong. I asked if they had got any LBP food in from orijen or Fromm. She said they dont make a LBP food from FROMM. Thats when I just walked away. I literally mid sentence just walked away from her. Ill keep you guys up to date the outcome.

 

[Good_Karma]

Good luck. That trainer had issues.

 

[EchoGSD]

She's just one trainer...one person who crossed your path in the years and years you will have with your dog. If you disagree with her training plan/methods/behaviors/etc then don't waste your time going back. I would definitely tell the management directly why you were taking your pup out of class (don't expect a refund), then move on to a class better suited to your training and life styles. Some trainers are unmoveable in their belief that their way is the only way, despite years of studies and evidence to the contrary. Kneeing a dog in the chest for jumping, for example. Very old school -- no reputable trainer would ever recommend it, let alone do it to someone else's dog.

 

[onyx'girl]

Unfortunately, I hear the knee to the chest for jumping dogs quite often.
The rescue I use to volunteer for even suggests it for the larger breed dogs... one reason I quit w/ them, they were always handing out info that I didn't agree with. I would tell people to just turn around and ignore, and get "that takes too long to train them not to jump, a knee works better"

 

[JakodaCD OA]

ewww this would peeve me to, BUT I have found some trainers are anti gsd.

I went to a trainer once, years ago, who told me when I first started classes, she was not a fan of GSD's, especially their temperaments. She wasn't mean to them, just had many negative experiences with them. I vowed to change her mind about MY dogs, and I did

Got a few titles under her training, ended up taking two of my gsd's to her, and she constantly told me years later, how my gsd's were the best ones she ever had in class)

No, your experience would peeve me to no end, especially with a very young puppy.
I love the YOUR FIRED post

 

[jakeandrenee]

My trainer also suggests the knee in the chest for jumping....interesting thread...

 

[Whiteshepherds]

My trainer also suggests the knee in the chest for jumping....interesting thread...

I've seen it done two ways.

The first is an actual PUSH with the knee so when impact is made the dog is pushed back. Push to hard and you can hurt the dog.

The second method is where you just lift you knee and when the dog jumps he runs into it. It creates a barrier between you and the dog. I wouldn't use either for training but I would use this method (second one) if a strange dog started jumping on me.

 

[codmaster]

I've seen it done two ways.

The first is an actual PUSH with the knee so when impact is made the dog is pushed back. Push to hard and you can hurt the dog.

The second method is where you just lift you knee and when the dog jumps he runs into it. It creates a barrier between you and the dog. I wouldn't use either for training but I would use this method (second one) if a strange dog started jumping on me.

The approach where you lift your knee and let the dog bump himself into it sounds reasonable, but I certainly wouldn't knee my dog (esp. a puppy) in the chest.

 

[TexasGS]

The approach where you lift your knee and let the dog bump himself into it sounds reasonable, but I certainly wouldn't knee my dog (esp. a puppy) in the chest.

If your dog is running full speed, or even just moving fast and he runs into your knee with his open chest that would cause problems of some form for him I would think. I just couldnt do this.

 

[codmaster]

If your dog is running full speed, or even just moving fast and he runs into your knee with his open chest that would cause problems of some form for him I would think. I just couldnt do this.

Don't you think if your dog is running at full speed right at you that might cause some problems for both him and you? If you don't think so maybe it would be fun for my 90 lb male GSD to go run full speed at you! The dog can not be allowed to jump on people unless he is invited "Up!".

 

[Whiteshepherds]

If your dog is running full speed, or even just moving fast and he runs into your knee with his open chest that would cause problems of some form for him I would think. I just couldnt do this.

Well it's not something I would WANT to do either and wouldn't do it with my own dogs.....To train them not to jump I turned my back to them.

I certainly would never do it to a small dog or a puppy but you betcha, if someones 85lb dog decided to take a leap towards my face I'd be blocking him.