Choosing Seminars

[Aleron]

You went to an agility seminar where correction based training was being used? I'd have been a bit surprised and disappointed for sure.

I used to be more interested in seminars but I've become a snob about them lately LOL I have to really, really, really like someone to want to fork out the money for a sport, especially a working spot in a seminar. Part of the reason is at this point, I just don't feel I need a lot of rehashing of basic training ideas and I'm pretty set in how I like to do things. Not to say I won't try new things or take suggestions but I'm not looking for a new "program" or "system" to follow. And because I'm pretty set in my ways, I find far less people's opinions interesting enough to want to pay for them. Like I said, I've become a snob LOL. But most seminars around here are obedience oriented and I don't really need to fork over $250 to watch someone show people how to use leash jerks and ear pinches. I can hang out at the local training club and watch how people do that for free and it would have about the same impact on my desire to do those things to my dogs.

I'd go see Denise Fenzi or Silvia Trkman in a heartbeat though

[monkeys23]

I'm auditing my first seminar in March... its a play rewards in training seminar with Denise Fenzi. I'm pretty excited! And my clicker trainer has a working spot with her Belgian boy. It will be really interesting to see what they learn there given his nervousness issues.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by monkeys23

I'm auditing my first seminar in March... its a play rewards in training seminar with Denise Fenzi. I'm pretty excited! And my clicker trainer has a working spot with her Belgian boy. It will be really interesting to see what they learn there given his nervousness issues.

Oooh, my friend is going to that with her papillion in the fall. He, like your trainer's Belgian, has a lot of nervousness issues and is extremely soft, so I'll be curious to hear your report back!

[Flyinsbt]

I want to go to a Denise Fenzi seminar. There was one recently I could have done, but it was the same weekend as my club's agility trial, and I chose to do the agility. (money was an issue too, with the Invitational in December, I didn't really have enough money to pay for a seminar in January)

Lately, for agility, I just keep going to Barb Davis seminars. Barb is a great presenter who doesn't try to make anyone learn a whole new system, she's good at finding ways to make you better at what you're already doing.

This last seminar, I got from her: 1. Pirate can't see my arms with the baggy sweatshirt on, if I'm cold, wear a vest.
and 2. Add a verbal to the rear cross (she had an exercise in the seminar to teach that, took a few minutes, and all the dogs got it).
If you've seen videos of me running Pi before, this run from our last trial will show you why I think that was $300 well spent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9nCdaNQbkA

There was other stuff too, of course, but those 2 really basic and easy to change things made a huge difference for us.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by Flyinsbt

doesn't try to make anyone learn a whole new system, she's good at finding ways to make you better at what you're already doing.

.

this is huge for me.

[BostonBanker]

I appreciate all the feedback. I do think I need to stick to presenters I've either seen work before, or a very select group of people who *know* me and how I train have worked with. Seminars in general scare me, but I went to a camp last summer that was really highly recommended by friends I've trained with for years, and it was so wonderful. All three presenters were great, and one of them (Tracy Sklenar) I've been seeking out further opportunities to work with because I was so blown away and happy with it. I hate to think I'd miss finding someone else who I enjoy that much by not attending seminars - but I think I'll take the risk from now on.

You went to an agility seminar where correction based training was being used? I'd have been a bit surprised and disappointed for sure.

I would bet my life that the presenter wouldn't have considered it correction based. And that all the people I know raving about it wouldn't - at least yet. It was certainly the least positive training I've ever seen in agility. I got called out for playing too much with my dog before running him (we do fast, fun tricks as "warm up" to get him pumped and focused - "It's not your responsibility to make him excited") and giving him a treat (after saying that he has a huge issue with sniffing in that particular venue, and he walked away from sniffing to do a perfect start line on one cue "Don't give him a cookie, it wasn't that impressive"). It was a novice dog seminar.

We went to club practice tonight, and played silly games on the sidelines and he got cookies for all kinds of stuff that impressed me, and ran like a dream and did some really hard discriminations for him and never broke a start line and hit a crazy hard weave entry with confidence. I'm grateful he's so quick to forgive, and still feel a bit like crap for not standing up for him more at the seminar.

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

Oooh, my friend is going to that with her papillion in the fall. He, like your trainer's Belgian, has a lot of nervousness issues and is extremely soft, so I'll be curious to hear your report back!

Sweet I'll be sure to report! I think it will be interesting for sure!

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

I would bet my life that the presenter wouldn't have considered it correction based. And that all the people I know raving about it wouldn't - at least yet. It was certainly the least positive training I've ever seen in agility. I got called out for playing too much with my dog before running him (we do fast, fun tricks as "warm up" to get him pumped and focused - "It's not your responsibility to make him excited") and giving him a treat (after saying that he has a huge issue with sniffing in that particular venue, and he walked away from sniffing to do a perfect start line on one cue "Don't give him a cookie, it wasn't that impressive"). It was a novice dog seminar.

Wow that doesn't sound very...fun :/

Would you mind PMing me the presenter's name? LOL she would so hate the way I am with my dogs. I am always telling them they did sooooo well and were soooo good and had sooo much fun...and playing with them and revving them up.

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

We went to club practice tonight, and played silly games on the sidelines and he got cookies for all kinds of stuff that impressed me, and ran like a dream and did some really hard discriminations for him and never broke a start line and hit a crazy hard weave entry with confidence. I'm grateful he's so quick to forgive, and still feel a bit like crap for not standing up for him more at the seminar.

That's more like it

[MandyPug]

I've worked with 3 seminar hosts. One I've learned from 3 times and the other two only have been once so far but the most recent one I will be working with again in June.

Basically I go to presenters that my instructors have gone to and bring in for us. I trust them so they know presenters that will mesh with us and have things to teach and who believe in the "go with the flow and do what works best with you and your dog" system lol. None have pushed anything on us.

[Red.Apricot]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

(we do fast, fun tricks as "warm up" to get him pumped and focused - "It's not your responsibility to make him excited") and giving him a treat (after saying that he has a huge issue with sniffing in that particular venue, and he walked away from sniffing to do a perfect start line on one cue "Don't give him a cookie, it wasn't that impressive"). It was a novice dog seminar.

That would have crushed me. :[

I'm glad you're coming out of this positively with him. He sounds amazing. :]