Just can't decide whether to go back or not....  Took our 8 month back to classes this week (4 month break since he was last there as they don't run over summer, it's a KC Bronze class and we couldn't make it to the test in the spring).  He was absolutely MANIC (i.e. just like he was at 4 months old), so desperate to go and sniff and play with the other dogs that I just couldn't get his focus for more than 2 seconds, even with really tasty treats.  It was so embarassing, I felt like the trainers must think we'd done nothing in terms of training him for the summer, whereas at home he's pretty good and I've been working really hard on things like his self control, like staying down while I'm doing the hoovering, onto a long line for his hare chasing and general recall etc.  Should I just forget about my embarassment because it's good for him, or can some dogs just be so over excited that it's really best to work in a calmer environment, say with one or two other dogs around, and take him back if/when he's a bit calmer?  Someone said 'oh you've got a problem dog have you?'  He's not a problem dog, he's just full of life and excitment!  He's in for the snip as I write, maybe this will have a slight effect :rolleyes:  I was quite sad really as I'm desperate to do agility with him once he's old enough, but if I haven't even got control over him in a class full of puppies, it could be years yet before we can tackle that!

Sorry, I seem to be posting an awful lot at the moment :)

That is what is the best thing about classes, he will learn not to be over excited by the presence of other dogs with exposure, it will become less of a big deal.  I have a 10 month old pup and other dogs are still pretty exciting.

At least by attending you will be teaching him to concentrate and do as you tell him in a very distracting environment/situation.

As it is if you suddenly met up with all those dogs on a walk you would be in the same position as now, but once he is habituated to obedience around other dogs then you have some chance of the same when you are out and about where there are other dogs.

Otherwise all your really doing is practising avoidance.  In the same way as some people avoid livestock, works fine if your never likely to come into contact with any, but falls flat if you then move to the country.

In answer to the title I would say good classes will benefit most dogs as they provide a socialisation and distraction opportunity as well as training.

the only time I would think them not appropriate is for a fearful unsocialised dog where things need taking much more slowly, but even then depending on the accommodation such cases can be catered for allowing them to sit at a distance to the dogs and people until the dog is comfortable then to sit alongside and so on.

please dont stop attending classes the more you go the better he will be. Breeds mature at different times so you cannot compare yourself with others ie:terriers seem to mature quicker and miss out on the junior stage which can sometimes make you feel as if you are doing something wrong with your dog.
My breed for example mature late so appear to be behind other breeds in classes but suddenly catch up and pass other breeds by with thier intelligence once they grow out of the silly stage.!
Concentrate on your dog , you are there for him and yourself take no notice of silly comments , a few months down the line you will have your agility/obedience dog and be proud of yourself and your dog that you stuck it out.

It's all practise, as the others have said - the more he is around other dogs, the more he'll get used to it.  My male is a great example - when he started agility at 18 months, he was an absolute swine; forever running off to sniff stuff and play with the other dogs, even if they had a go (he's clueless about aggression directed at him).  But, after maybe a year of classes he was much, much better - listening to me 99% of the time and not wandering off.  It would have happened quicker I think, but we didn't go every week - more like every other, and sometimes we'd miss two or three.

Whereas now, he's been getting worse at running over to other dogs lately, simply because he's not been meeting many of them.  It's all about habituation!

Are there more classes running before or after yours that you could watch? I stay at our training club much longer than just the hour my class runs so she learns to relax and be calm surrounded by dogs. I stand at the sidelines and make sure I don't disrupt anyone else's dog. I find that after 2-3 hours another dog is cause for yawning not excitement. :)

A puppy being excited to see other dogs is normal. Mine can be a nutcase too - that's precisely why I take her to classes. Training in the back garden is good for introducing behaviours but the training club gives me a venue to teach her to pay attention when there are distractions. You will probably find after he goes a couple more times he'll start settling down and learning that school time is for working, not playing.

I felt like the trainers must think we'd done nothing in terms of training him for the summer, whereas at home he's pretty good and I've been working really hard on things

don't worry...class is to learn not to be tested!

A lot of people feel like you. I feel like you when I go to agility! My dog gets so excited the adrenalin makes him loose everything I taught him and it's like I just picked up a wild dog from an animal shelter!

It could be your tension is adding to the worry...relax and appreciate training class is meant to be fun and it is about learning to get trough to your dog even when he is the most excited. If you can get through to him there then in calmer situations such as the park you will have more than enough control.

It could be worth struggling on or maybe you could take a look at different training classes. Some trainers are better than others at managing with the more excitable dogs. To be honest in class I love nothing better than to see a dog who is really enjoying life...It's just when it's my dog that I don't like it!  but end of the day who would want a dull calm and boring dog! ummmm..okay that's argument's  lost! lol! :rolleyes:...... well  have fun and enjoy your pup!

Don't worry & stick at it. Sounds like he will make a brilliant agility dog! My rescue GSD found other dogs much more interesting than me up to the age of approx 18 months/2 years. I am so glad that I carried on though with the obedience training, I started agility at around 18 months & have never looked back. In my opinion you need a dog with an outgoing personality, if they are too shy & quiet agility may be too much for them. Make some liver cake & carry on with the classes, he will get better, but not without a lot of hard work. Eventually though, the work will pay off, but you need a fairly obedient dog to do agility.

Thanks for all the replies, yes I must try and relax rather than getting stressed out, there is usually a class afterwards so we could ask to stay and watch that.  He's currently feeling very sorry for himself after the snip, head collar on, so he definitely won't be able to go back till his stitches are out, he's rip them out in his excitement!  Dreading 10 days of short lead walks only :rolleyes: :)

I know how you are feeling :)

Our GR, who used to be a manic participant in his training class, is now really laid back in his class and is about to take his gold good citizen test. I love taking him to training class as he is so good there :)

BUT I am just about to start taking our terrier cross who came to us as a rescue a couple or so months ago and have to say I am dreading it :D He can bark for England, has perfected the art of walking on his back legs rather than all four and has a massive selective deafness problem. I know he will bark non stop when we get there and all through his class - and it will be sooooooooo embarrasing. But he has already missed out on so much socialisation that he desperately needs. I am going to buy a wig and some sunglasses :D

We have just done the 10 days of lead walks after neutering as well and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so hopefully the classes won't be so bad either.

Oh & I forgot to say, had a policeman come to judge an obedience competition at our dog training club the other week & guess what, we won it!! If you had told me that  2 or 3 years ago I would never, ever have believed it possible. So, it just goes to show, keep at it!

Just to add a bit about the snip, or recovering from it...my dogs were running off lead 2 days after the op, and never needed a head collar or anything. With bitches it's a different matter but with dogs they're usually absolutely fine a few days later :)

be patient im sure since your dog is good out of class it will only take him a few weeks to get him good in class, he sounds like he is just a bit excited on seeing the other dogs, sure when he starts to go every week again he will stop getting so excited.

I used to take our GR a good half hour before our class started and just sit and watch the previous class. He was able to see all the other dogs, greet a few but, most importantly, he had a chance to get over his excitement before he was expected to work and be paying attention to me ( he's not a vocal dog so wasn't disturbing those who were working).

This worked really well for settling him down - in fact now he is the opposite, so lay back I spend the first 5 minutes geeing him up :D

the first 18months of my dogs life was hell for me at classes because i was invisible and he was fixated on other dogs. i didnt want to go but i stuck at it and at 2 yrs there was a turning point that i might never achieved had i given up, i ended up winning best dog & trainer when he was 3.5 so stick at it, it will pay of in the end.

So glad there are other dogs like him, I've made him some stinky liver cake and tuna cake though to be honest I don't think even those can compare with the excitment of other dogs!  We will persevere though, I KNOW he would be really good if he would focus.  Thanks everyone :)