Training classes.. what are yours like?

[Fran101]

I realized A LOT of us do training classes with our dogs yet I realized there really aren't too many threads about them. I am looking at different puppy classes now and would love to know what to look for

What's your instructor like? If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like? What kinds of classes are you taking? What kind of classes does the school offer? Do you like the classes? What would you change? What classes do you hope to take?
What do you like about taking group classes?

Anything you'd like to share really lol oh and of course pictures if you've got them

GO.

[PWCorgi]

What's your instructor like?
Hilarious and freaking knowledgeable as hell. They're also my friends

If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like?
I paid $175 for 6 weeks.

What kinds of classes are you taking?
My Dog is an Asshole class (aka: growl class)

What kind of classes does the school offer?
All kinds of stuff. Behavior stuff like different levels of growl class. Manners classes, obedience classes, rally classes, REACTIVE AGILITY CLASS! etc.

Do you like the classes?
Love them. Wish they went for longer!
The barrier setup I LOVE and the way that they bring dogs in and out of the class is spectacular (one instructor stays in the building with the group and the other walks with one person at a time to their car, helping them to make it as stress free and as much of a learning experience as possible for the dog)


What would you change?
The other people in class don't put as much effort in as I am, or at least that's what I feel like. There are lots of excuses for why they couldn't do XYZ. I ended up being the only person to acclimate my dog to a Gentle Leader between the first and second class. Fortunately it doesn't hold me back, but it just irks me to listen to them come up with 8,000 excuses when they probably just didn't want to do it.

Also there is a person who is only in the class so that she can get back to competing in competitive obedience with her reactive lab. Which, is fine. BUT the whole class ALL she wants to talk about is her stupid OTHER lab who has 8 gazillion titles. Nobody else cares! lol And then half of the last class she sat there saying "It's such a shame to not be able to show a dog that's so handsome" ugh, barf.

What classes do you hope to take?
I would like to eventually get back into Nosework (at a different location) and maybe agility (at the location SaraB trains/teaches at, a 3rd location lol).
I would love to take more classes with the current instructors that I am using, but their business is actually set up 2 hours away, one instructor just drives up to the cities every other week to teach this particular class. I would like to move on to Growl Class level 2 if I can afford it when the time comes.

What do you like about taking group classes?
They're cheaper than privates, lol. And with Frodo, asking him to work for an hour or even half an hour straight in sports like agility or nosework is just not gonna happen. When we were taking SaraB's weavers class (which we loved!) it was just us and another dog. It was a lot for poor slow Frodo, and he got tired and demotivated easily.

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

Originally Posted by PWCorgi

I would like to eventually get back into Nosework (at a different location) and maybe agility (at the location SaraB trains/teaches at, a 3rd location lol).

Where were you doing Nosework at? It's something that has always interested me, and I'd love to try it - it seems like something Jack would be able to do even with his vision issues.

Originally Posted by PWCorgi

They're cheaper than privates, lol. And with Frodo, asking him to work for an hour or even half an hour straight in sports like agility or nosework is just not gonna happen. When we were taking SaraB's weavers class (which we loved!) it was just us and another dog. It was a lot for poor slow Frodo, and he got tired and demotivated easily.

Jack agrees with Frodo. An hour is entirely too long to stay focused and active! (We're going to try taking more breaks this week.)

[SaraB]

What's your instructor like?
Awesome. I adore all of the instructors I take classes from, I wouldn't take their classes if I didn't. All of our classes are taught by very knowledgeable people that have the same training mindset as I do.

If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like?
They vary, the 2x2 weaves class I teach is only $60, the masters agility class taught by Terry Smorch is $150.

What kinds of classes are you taking?
Just finished a crate games class geared towards start line stays with Zuma. Bouncing around different PK classes with Zinga to utilize the environment.

What kind of classes does the school offer?
Puppy k through advanced obedience. Several different levels of impulse control classes, nosework, competition obedience, trick classes, CGC.. and of course agility up the wazoo.

Do you like the classes?
Yes!

What would you change?
Not a whole lot. There are positives to each trainer and curriculum, I'm constantly learning new things or new ways to approach problems.

What classes do you hope to take?
I've pretty much taken every class. If I could teach any class it would be a clicker-focused tricks class that is in the works now!

What do you like about taking group classes?
I looove the environment and distractions group classes provide, even with my reactive dog.

[Shai]

Originally Posted by SaraB

the masters agility class taught by Terry Smorch

I hate you a teensy bit right now lol

[Red.Apricot]

Right now I'm taking a rally class. It's $120/8 (2 hour) lessons the first time you sign up, $60/8 lessons after that. It's not through a school, it's through an obedience club.

I like my instructor; he knows the rules of the game, and he's very capable of communicating to me what it is I'm doing with my body that's making my dog mess up; leaning to get a crooked sit, waving my hand around like an idiot, whatever. He also doesn't pull punches or give false praise, which for me is important, because that way I to know that the praise he does give is genuine.

I like the class quite a bit; pretty much everyone is friendly, and many of the dogs are absolutely lovely. The main thing I'd change is the method taught; I was looking for a clicker class, and this one isn't. The trainer doesn't give me a hard time about training on a flat collar and using a clicker, but I'm really the only one who does, which means I'm not getting solutions that are tailored to my chosen style of training. Since the trainer is familiar with clicker training and does understand timing and stuff, he's still a huge help, and, as I said, I do like him quite a bit, so it's not the end of the world, especially since the classes are a great deal and are quite close to my house.

I like the amount of distraction in the class, both because of the other dogs, and because of the instructor. This week, Elsie was running the course really well, so he started walking through it snapping a garbage bag, and throwing balls at us, lol. At first she was like OMG LET'S DO THAT INSTEAD, but then was all, 'okay fine this works too.'

Anyway; in my area, there are surprisingly few clicker for competitive obedience classes, which is originally what I was looking for. The closest one is 45 minutes away if there's no traffic, and costs tons, so it wasn't super do-able for me right now, unfortunately. I'll sign up for that one as soon as I can, but rally (since the judge isn't in the ring with us and strangers don't touch the dog) is something we're able to muddle through without having a clicker class.

[BlackPuppy]

What are your instructors like?
Extremely knowledgeable

If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like?
$25 for 7 weeks. One hour per week. (I'm a club member.) For the public $90

What kinds of classes have I taken?
Obedience, rally, agility, tracking, conformation, puppy Kindergarten

What kind of classes does the school offer?
The above, plus an occassional specialized class, like trieball.

Do you like the classes?
Yes.

What would you change?

What classes do you hope to take?

What do you like about taking group classes?
Being in a group.

http://qcdtc.org/location.html

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

What's your instructor like?
Awesome!

If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like?
I paid $105 for 5 weeks.

What kinds of classes are you taking?
Right now, we're taking a Basic Obedience class, mainly to work on Jack focusing on me, and to help work on his reactivity.

What kind of classes does the school offer?
Obedience and agility -

Do you like the classes?
Yes! I love the setup and the large amounts of space - you really have room to work! The last class (at a different facility) I took with Jack was overcrowded and in a very small space - it made both of us uncomfortable.

What would you change?
There are a few people in the class that definitely don't put in a lot of effort, and it shows. It doesn't affect us and what we're doing, but it irritates me on a large scale. I'm like that with anything though, not just training classes - I dislike people that I work with that don't put in any effort, and I dislike people that I go to school with that don't put in any effort. If you don't want to be here, then don't show up.

What classes do you hope to take?
The training facility offers a Mind Your Manners class that I'm seriously thinking about taking.

What do you like about taking group classes?
Jack has reactivity issues, and in order to work on them, I need to be around things that he reacts to - hence the reason for working around other people. I also like seeing other people work their dogs, and what their style is - learning from observation and all that.

[Jenne]

What's your instructor like?
She's an older retired lady. She's very nice and knowledgeable.

If you don't mind sharing, what are the prices like?
6 classes for $125

What kinds of classes are you taking?
This will be our last puppy class then we'll move onto obedience.

What kind of classes does the school offer?
Puppy, Obedience, Rally, Agility

Do you like the classes?
Yes

What would you change?
More obedience during puppy classes. The only things she really covers are come, sit, stay, and name recognition. She covers housetraining/crating/ introducing new stimuli as well.

What classes do you hope to take?
I know we'll go on to most of the classes offered. Chase really enjoys them and I enjoy teaching him new things.

What do you like about taking group classes?
Learning from other owners and the socialization offered for the dogs/puppies.

[PWCorgi]

I want to do nosework at A Great Dog Now, but I heard it is expensive. I know the trainer though, which makes me want to take it there

I know there is a place in Cottage Grove that apparently has really nice nosework classes and would probably be closer, I just need to figure out where that is, lol.