I was at puppy classes again tonight, (got on great again :-D) but there is a lady there in her 60's who has a rather fiesty springer spaniel,  the dog is a nice dog although he has tried to nip the trainer, but nothing serious.  I don't claim to know alot about training dogs thats why i go to the classes but i just get the feeling that this dog and owner are not very well matched.  The lady is very nice but shows no willing when calling the dog to her, gives him no encouragement, and is not very firm when telling him off.  she obviously loves him but i just wonder what is going to happen to him, he is very very lively yet a bit shy too.  also the trainer i find a bit obnoicious(spelling) she treats us as if we can not do it without her, i know the lessons she gives us may help to save our pups from harm but she is not encouraging the older lady, it is sad to think that her dog may bite someone or just run all over her as he is already. :-(

(milly will now lie down without a food tit bit :-D :-D just a hand and voice comand(not always though she is smart enough to know better)

Something seriously wrong when a springer tries to bite anyone (whatever the reason). I've seen a couple of show type springers that are decidedly dodgy with other dogs and people. Really shouldnt be tolerated in a breed like springers. One of them (a bitch) is one of the very few dogs I have ever seen that will 'go for' other dogs without there being any eye contact. The owner is a man, but otherwise fits your lady's decsription perfectly

Have seen plenty of owners like that. Will never train a dog properly as long as they live!

Deedee, Is it the only training class around??? Because if you dont have faith in the trainer, In my opinion you are wasting your money going.
It does sound as if the trainer isnt that helpful.
(sorry not meant to offend, and hope I am wrong)
Lea :)

i agree lea, there are lots of really good classes & trainers about, you dont need to go to one   nowdays that is in anyway blinkered or has any control freak tendancies! see how it goes for a couple of weeks the trainer might settle down!! one of my real pet hates (sucse thepun!) are "trainers " that are patronising & think that their way is the only right way & anybody that does any different is a idiot!!!!!!

Deedee, get yourself another class, quick! A good trainer will build your confidence, increasing your dogs trust in you and giving you the most important training aid next to knowing how dogs think. Classes should be enjoyable too. Morse and I have made immense progress in the right class because the trainer shows faith in us, believes anyone who cares can learn to train a dog and appears calmly in control the whole time. From never being allowed off lead in a class before and having snide comments such as " Of course Morse dosent stay, he has to be tied up" made, we now regularly go off lead.

I do feel for your little lady and her hyper springer. Met a few mature people who have found a pup or new young dog a challenge, even if theyve had a dog of the same type before, they forget what the early days are like and seem to get worn down quickly. Most of them have coped BTW.

I got the trainer's name from the vet, but of course that does not mean she is great, she can definatly get the dogs to sit etc, and has a great manner with the dogs but not with the woman and her springer. or any of the people i mean one man never came back from wk 1 and another left early this week. I have started to look around for other classes i am sure they are not supposed to be like a bad day at school:-(.  I did try to encourage the lady with the spaniel,to try a little bit more just by saying that when my spaniel was young she was mad and a bit hyper and yet a bit shy, i said it is so much better when they are trained.  It is such a shame for both the lady and dog, he could turn out to be nasty simply because he was not controlled properly.  I am sure if the lady was given as much encouragement and spoken to a nicely and friendly as the trainer speaks to the dogs she would get on much better.  I even said to her how milly was getting better when she retreived the toy and she just grunted!!!.  :-(  what can i do? i feel a bit helpless the springer is just young i am sure he can be helped ??? :-( :-(

Almost forgot, i need some advice too, my pup is afraid of kids, not all kids but most, she does not see too many, and when she does i know she is afraid so i reassure her, if she goes over to the kid it is ok but not if they come to her, it has to be on her terms.  come to think of it my old dane was a bit afraid of kids too.  as you will understand i don't feel comfortable asking the trainer!!!  am i doing it right, i think she just needs time!

does anyone know any good trainers in the Perth & Tayside area???  :-D

I agree...classes should be fun and confidence building. You should be learning how to train confidently for the good of you and your dog.

About the kids, My Chi's and my Doberman had that tendancy, but you just need to get the dog around more kids....parks where she can just watch them play for a while. Then maybe you can get one or two neighbor kids to stop by and give out treats and play gently and quietly with her. I wouldn't suggest really young ones, but like an 8 yr. old or so. Just do it as often as you can without overwhelming the dog. Good luck. Lyric is still a little wary of kids. I don't have too many kids around here. But when they did come up to sled on my hill, after about 5 minutes he was playing and licking and having a great time. So, it just comes with age, exposure and gentleness. Good luck.

My Lab escaped on day last spring and went to the elementary school playground (about 1/2 mile away) while they were having a soft ball game. I didn't find her right away, but one of my neighbor kids said she ran out into the field and stole their ball and trotted around wagging her tail. Everyone seemed to be laughing when I heard about this afterward. She's 13 yrs old and grew up with a lot of kids...absolutely loves them. LOL. She searches them out if I'm not careful to keep an eye on her. Luckily we live on a dirt road with only a few year round residents. It's very quiet.

Carrie

Hi deedee, dont reasure your scared dog as it confirms her belief that little people are dangerous. You also need to watch which kids approach your dog as some dont know how to approach dogs safely or are so out of control themselves I wouldnt wish them on my dog. Im a mother of 4 kids so its not anti child, just knowing they need to learn respect. Maybe just walk past the kids in street,or sit in the car outside swimming pool/supermarket etc  reward her for calm behaviour then work up from there. For classes I would certainly visit a class without dog and see if I liked what I saw. Trainers have to be good with people. If you PM me I can send you a list of Kennel Club reccomended classes doing Good Citizens in your area. Do you live in Perth? Im from there and the parents still live in Perth.

Hi Deedee
There are training classes held at Dalcrue (near Almondbank). They do obedience and agility on various evenings. I think that Puppy classes are on a Wednesday. There are quite a few trainers, that each take different classes.