Hi everyone

As you may know my Charlie 4.5 months old now, he is an EBT and i am taking him to training classes on a sunday for an hour. I have to say that he is the worst behaved there, keeping his attention on me is a nightmare! Does anyone else have the same probs with their dogs?? i have been thinking of taking him to some more classes, as personally I dont think an hour a week is enough for him. I think he just needs to be socialising with more dogs and people more and we are doing as much as we can, but i just think he needs as much as possible. There surely must be someone out there that does some more training classes! The one im with is brilliant, but she doesnt do no more than an hour a week, unless i want to go out walking with her dogs which i know will help but i wanted more of a training class. Its an 8 week course which ends soon and she said i can carry on, and do another one which i will do but i just feel he needs more a week than an hour. Ive looked on the list of APDT trainers in my area, but how do i know which ones would be good. The one i have now has a lovely website that makes you want to join as it looks very proffessional, but the others dont have websites just their contact nos, im just unsure of which one to choose.

I live in Loughborough.

If anyone can recommend any socialisation/classes/ringcraft then i would be very grateful!
I want to show my dog so i really need to work at him having his full attention on me!

Look forward to your replies.
Thanks a lot
Debbie x

Whatever you learn at a club you can carry onto into everyday life, take him to markets, into town etc etc hes only young our middle dane was a total nut job at obedience he dragged me everywhere i looked so incompetent it was unreal lol but he came good in the end with a little maturity dont expect too much of him whilst he's still young as their concentration is next to zero. :D and a judge should be forgiving in a little horseplay when showing.

Don't worry, I think mine was the naughtiest dog in the class for a few months! An hour a week should be ok for the first class when you have a young pup, usually the classes may increase to about an hour and a half for the advanced classes as the dogs are more able to concentrate. You need to practice and consolidate what you have been taught in class in the real world. You should practice everyday at home and when out for walks etc I found my trainer through the ADPT website. She ran 3 sets of classes so you progressed onto a more advanced block of classes once you had passed the previous one. She also runs training walks in the parks which I think is a brilliant idea. If a trainer is registered with the adpt she should be reliable. You can always go and watch a class and ask questions. It should be positive reward based. If you want more socialisation, then why dont you ask your trainer to put you in touch with others who have been through her courses who may be looking for others to walk with.

at 4 months mine was a TOTAL NIGHTMARE, eventually they get used to what they are supposed to do, hes still very young, just keep it up, as someone said, in and out of class.

To grab the attention of a 4.5 month old pup, was something I didn't manage when my one was that age.  I got soooooo frustrated and there was no dog as bad as mine.  Everybody says that, but my one was really bad, being a Springer, they are easily distracted and very boisterous.   I got very good tips on this forum (esp. from 1-2-3), which I like to pass on to you.  Either get a brand new toy out of your pocket or buy some mackarel or warm roast chicken (and a damp cloth for your fingers), take such a high value treat which your pup never gets anywhere else.    Not that these things work suddenly wonders, but it can help, which gives you a real up-lift.  It is very difficult to compete with all these dogs and people round your pup.  I don't know what his feeding times are, but you might be able to take your pup a bit more hungry there.  In fact, that is something I still do (she is now one year old), I don't feed the dinner before we go to class.  I often was afraid, that this pup will always be like that, but I saw such a change in her, once she got 10 months old.  Not only in training class, but also in the house or outside.  As it is "only" a phase your going through (seems to go on for ever though), don't despair, but persevere and  don't expect too much.  My one can still be a real pain in the neck, but we're getting there.

Edited to say:  Since you like to show your dog in future, could you join a ring craft class somewhere?  The kennel club does them for example.  You could do ring craft in addition to the training class your doing just now.

I have a terrier breed too and both mine were madness on legs at 4 months. I think it might be the canine equivalent of the "terrible twos", as it really was just a phase in both cases. By six months they were both both much better. I still find it hard to get mine to focus though, they have grasshopper brains and are very easily distracted.

At that age, he just needs to meet and play with as many dogs as possible. I'd exercise him somewhere there are lots of other dogs walkers and at a busy time of day, so he gets plenty of socialisation and keep reinforcing what you've done in class.

He's still a very young puppy and will grow up all too soon. Don't worry about it and enjoy his puppyhood.

You also have to realise that he is a canine baby, his attention span will be short and training should be for five minutes at a time several times a day.

Classes are really more about socialisation and teaching you how to teach your dog.

Totally agree with brainless that classes are more about socialisation.  So many times I get proud puppy owners telling me their 10 wk old puppy already "knows" down, sit and recalls .  I say - that's great, but has he seen a fire engine, skateboarder and a sheep? 

" I say - that's great, but has he seen a fire engine, skateboarder and a sheep?  "

That's a good point!!!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your advice, it is much appreciated. I know hes only young and he only a handful when it comes to the training classes, at home hes fine!:rolleyes:

Just looks like we do no training with him when everyone elses dogs are soo much better than mine.... ah well... like you say persavere and i wont give up!

Thanks
Debbie x

Don't be discouraged Debbie. Remember that some breeds are easier than others - and terriers aren't usually in the easier category. ;-) We have someone at class who wants to swap her bull mastiff with another lady's perfectly attentive cavalier for just one night. Swapping dogs at class is a real eye-opener for some people.

Sileby has a match every second tuesday in the month. They have puppy ringcraft training before the match starts. It's down that little road opposite Chine House Vets. Also Loughborough & District Canine Soc
at Cotes Mill on a monday, but I'm not sure which monday. If you ring Cotes Mill I'm sure they'll tell you.

The professionalism of a website does not necessarily reflect the ability, skills and experience of a trainer...............