I'd like more classes at my club - as I don't want to stay for the very late top obedience class, all 3 of mine are in the same intermediate class, from my 11 month puppy to the nearly 8 year old. I just swap which I take each week. There just isn't enough time or space to put on another class alas. My dogs have all had pretty much the same socialisation, but one is shy of most dogs, not scared, just wary. Two can take or leave other dogs, they don't mind a bit of sniffing and messing about and will then tell the pushy one they've had enough. And the last one, the puppy, absolutely adores all dogs, the bigger the better in fact!

> They seem to take the view, 'Well, we've made the effort and they're only going to be small so don't need the same amount of training as a larger dog'. Very sad.

I agree that this is sad.  When I trained a Toy Poodle in obedience, and then we went on to do tracking, it was a sight for sore eyes when we were out training, as all the rest of the class seemed huge next to her.  But she was passionate about it, and really enjoyed working.  You certainly benefit from a strong bonding when you do something with them.

There are exceptions, of course. Have had a fabby Bichon bitch who got her Gold Good Cits and I'm still in touch with her owner six years later.

Agree so much! I have a Papillon here (the one in my avatar) who has passed his gold, one who has done silver and is working towards gold, my Cavalier has also done silver and is pretty much ready for gold, my previous Cavalier had his gold, etc. They can do SO much if given half a chance!

> What I find sad, as a trainer, is when the majority of small dog owners only do one course at club. They seem to take the view, 'Well, we've made the effort and they're only going to be small so don't need the same amount of training as a larger dog'.

I think that's true. When I do obedience with my toy she is the only toy breed in the class (she's in the top class now). Even when I take puppies to obedience, there are hardly ever any toys there. It makes me wonder if the tales I read on here about all these undersocialised toys are partly because it's not common practice for people to take their toys along, or if they do, it's not usually for very long.

So I'm starting to think that the toy dogs with the nervousness problems are taken to classes because they are nervous and therefore they are not a representative sample of their breeds.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I suppose, but i think what drew me to big dogs.

I have also seen 'big' dogs that are scared and fearful so dogs being frightened is not just confined to size. Any dog that is fearful of anything can usually be traced back to puppyhood & socialisation by owners which is purely human fault.

Of course a lot of dog owners only want the basics of a well behaved dog, and to have basic control, and are not into more advanced training. 

I have to confess I belong to this majority, love watching dogs worked, but haven't the commitment to train beyond the basics/my needs.

I always used to take my pups to training classes for the basics, but these days I don't even teach sit (as i don't need it) down, off, wait, leave etc Yes.  For showing of course Stand, steady and to be gone over.

In the days of more relaxed dog walkers in my area a major part of training was a decent recall in a independent breed that can turn a deaf-un, and tends to range.

These days they rarely go off lead, I stick to brisk lead walks and they play in the garden.

Hear hear! Ellie used to do well at formal obedience particularly at the toy only shows, as she wasn't precise enough to compete with the collies, though I know some that do! And of course 2 of mine do a lot of rally obedience and have championships and titles in all 3 types of rally in the UK. Just because they love snuggling on my lap doesn't mean they can't do proper dog stuff too! :-D

My jap chin has his silver good citizen and is also agility trained. We do get some very strange looks at agility shows but he is proof that small dogs are every bit as capable as big dogs and incidentally all three of my chins have excellent recall.

However  today at the park we were walking in a group of several dogs and owners,ranging from my two chins and cavs,two westies,a newfoundland ,three labs,a beagle,a yorkie and and a staffie. After several laps of the park with all dogs happily getting along we were joined by a lady with a young but very large golden/doodle.

This dog was offlead and a total nightmare.The owner was of the opinion that it only wanted to play but it totally lacked manners and the lady couldn't call it off when the other dogs started to get annoyed.

My chins started to get jumped on  by this dog and got caught up between some of the other dogs who were now getting grumpy. At this stage I picked my boys up for their own safety.

I have worked hard to make my dogs comfotable around all shapes and sizes of other dogs but i really do think that the average dog owner doesn't see things from the toydogs point of view.

A toydog can be easily killed by a large dog bouncing around by it,s head.It is much more difficult to try and socialise a toy breed puppy in the park than say a lab etc as they really are much more fragile.I'm constantly amazed by how many off lead dogs have no recall at all

"Of course a lot of dog owners only want the basics of a well behaved dog, and to have basic control, and are not into more advanced training."

The trouble is that if they only attend a seven week course, which is what usually happens, they're not even scratching the surface of having a well behaved dog. It takes a lot longer than that!

>When I do obedience with my toy she is the only toy breed in the class

I agree with Esme.  I have found this many times, where I have been the only Toy Poodle owner, amongst primarily Border Collies.  However, when you get the people looking down their noses at the "lap dog", don't you find it satisfying when said toy beats the BC?

:-)  :-)  I know, I feel smug! 

Haha yes, it can be very satisfying. My little one is like greased lightning too and is really watchful so is very quick off the mark. She often beats the rangier dogs hands down for speed on a recall!

She's also winning friends right left and centre, many of them people who say they used to think that toys aren't proper dogs!

At my fun agility class there is a Jap Chin and a IG, the IG in particular is brilliant, springs about 3 feet into the air to clear the jumps!

I watched Paul O'Grady last night as I have done since the series began.
I am a complete dog lover and sometimes dont know why I put myself through it as every week I find myself weeping.
I was disgusted to see the mongrel puppies that had been left in a plastic box with the lid on, they were very nearly goners and the vet said and yet every one of them after a rough time of Parvo too were rehomed and given a new chance in life.

I think people who mistreat animals in that way deserve to go through the same treatment themselves.

I think people who mistreat animals in that way deserve to go through the same treatment themselves.

I agree, I believe that anyone who is cruel to any animal loses the right to walk this planet and should be shut in a room with some animal lovers !!!

I'm really going to miss this series!