Dog School Failure
 As some of you know, I am attending grade 1 dog school with Avalon.... I had attended grade 1 with her when she was about 7 months old and at that time she was way too rambunctious and was giving me a hard time at school. I was SO embarrassed when it was suggested that maybe she needed to mature some and then come back to try grade 1 again.
Ok so now I am attending grade 1 again with her. She is no longer rambunctious, she is doing everything right but she is nervous. She doesn't want to play with the other dogs (that is not what the class is for anyway so I figured that was fine...she just shows no interest in the other dogs at all) She doesn't want the instructors near her....its like she has ADD she is having a hard time focusing at class...all the noises that go on there seem to bother her. Today was our second class....the instructor asked to see us after class....uh-oh...what did we do wrong? Well it seems that Avalon is too nervous for them and they want her to be comfortable so we will have to do private lessons before we can attend grade 1.....sigh....Avalon is my most outgoing dog at home....that doesnt say a lot for my other dogs does it....how do I socialize a dog that lives in the country and never sees other dogs or people? The dog school wants her to only have 'positive' experiences...how do I guarantee that? And how do I keep Scarlet from catching my other dog's neurosis? I'm so humiliated |
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| I think things will work out, hopefully you can get Avalon to gain some confidence, just expose her to lots of situations and people. Even occasional trips to a plaza type mall to walk around a bit to start with, or a walk down a street that has a few more people.
Scarlet is doing fine, socialize her lots too and you shouldn't have a problem the same way  |
| Breena went through the same nervousness when we went from puppy to elementary classes - New instructor, new pups- she freaked (typical Bree) the instructor did one one on one with her and after that hour she really loves Donna and the bond is there. Now she is just a snot and barks all class when no one is using her for the example dog. |
| MO is like this. Loves people on her turf, doesn't like them away from home. Same with dogs. All you can do is take her with you everywhere, keep up with the classes, even if you just sit and watch. I've given up with MO, don't you give up. |
| I'm sorry it's not working out the way you want it to.
But at least she'll be comfortable enough to learn this way. |
I'm sure she'll do great in a one-on-one setting. Perhaps she is very sensitive to emotions around her - feeding off of everyone's nerves in the room . . .  |
At the vets today I was telling the vet about Avalon and dog school.....she said several of her clients were also told about doing private lessons when she thought the dog should have just stuck it out in class and gotten used to it. She said she isn't recommending that dog school anymore because she thinks they are wanting to do too many private lessons at $60 for 1/2 hour 
The dog school still hasn't contacted me yet about our first private lesson....I will see how that goes and then decide if we stick with that school or find another one. |
| Kim I think looking at another school is a great idea. Who knows maybe Avalon is picking up on something with these people that you are missing.
There is hope for the country sheepies - Harry was so scared of the "big city" and now he is the old pro. We went to get ice cream last night and it was music night on the plaza - he was such a chicken last year but last night he just kind of gave it a look like "oh yeah, I remember that". Just take them out and about once in a while and they get used to it. |
| I think trying a new place is a good idea. I thought part of the reason of going to group classes was to get them used to obeying while surrounded by some amount of chaos. Maybe you can find classes that are smaller/quieter but still a group so Avalon is more comfortable? Or maybe private lessons, but with a couple other dogs who also need a smaller group? |
Kim , I wanted private lessons but the trainer I go to said no, Dutch ( and me) should be with other dogs so that she learns to behave even when other dogs are around. So even if I am petrified of all dogs but my own we are sticking it out and so far so good  |
WizardMerlin wrote: ....how do I socialize a dog that lives in the country and never sees other dogs or people?....
I learned a lot about people behavior from my dogs. I always thought of them as furry four legged people. They basically have the same wants, needs and desires. Some of us like the country, the seclusion, the peace and quiet it offers, and others don't. Same with the dogs. A little taste of city life can last a long time. The noise, the people, the hassles are what we country people don't miss about the city. Country dogs aren't any different. The city even makes me nervous!
One on one training is the opposite of what you want. Take your dogs to pet shops that allow them inside and walk around. Some offer classes. Drive into the city, park along a busy street, and just let the dogs look around and listen to the sounds. After a few trips find a safe place where you can let them out on a lead. Maybe classes after that? Just remember, you have a country dog that may never like the sounds, people and animals of the city, but that doesn't mean anything's wrong with the dog. It means you have dogs that care about the same things in life that you do, home and family. |
| im sorry, but every time i read the thread title "beauty school dropout" starts playing in my head
Avalon will get better....shes just strong minded!! |
Amanda P wrote: I think trying a new place is a good idea. I thought part of the reason of going to group classes was to get them used to obeying while surrounded by some amount of chaos. That is exactly why I signed Maggie up for lessons. She is great with me alone at home -- so obedient! But she has a much harder time on busy streets or with groups of people. I want her to learn to focus in the midst of distractions. mouthypf wrote: Some of us like the country, the seclusion, the peace and quiet it offers, and others don't. Same with the dogs. A little taste of city life can last a long time.
Yup! Chummie is completely energized by the hustle and bustle of street traffic and crowds while Maggie just hates all the noise and wants to flee. For Maggie, it is great that we are not in Philly anymore but I don't want our quiet life to disrupt the progress she was making with street noise so sometimes I take her to do errands with me and have her walk around a bit in louder more crowded areas just so she doesn't become completely intolerant. |
mouthypf wrote: Some of us like the country, the seclusion, the peace and quiet it offers, and others don't. Same with the dogs. A little taste of city life can last a long time. The noise, the people, the hassles are what we country people don't miss about the city. Country dogs aren't any different. Just remember, you have a country dog that may never like the sounds, people and animals of the city, but that doesn't mean anything's wrong with the dog. It means you have dogs that care about the same things in life that you do, home and family. The funny thing is.... Avalon and Merlin grew up in suburbia.....we only moved to the country here last year....but you are right Pam.....I think like me,they do like the quietness of the country. Quiteness is relative....we are only about 1000 feet from a highway so traffic noise the dogs are used to..... So I guess my 'homework' will be to bring the dogs one at a time in the car for city 'visits'. I think Avalon's confidence is better when she is with her 'posse' she is a different dog when Merlin is not around...and its the same with him when she is not around. |
| Kim I say too, look at another training school, I would want Avalon in with a class and getting use to all the sounds, other dogs etc etc. Private lessons are not the way to go as she will probably do OK there on her own, but she is not really learning anything being on her own. She needs the group sessions. Really sounds like this place is in it for the money of getting people to have private lessons, private lessons are OK if a dog has aggressive behavourial problems towards other dogs or people.
Working with a group, regardless of how she behaves in class, a good trainer will work on that with the individual dog in a group situation. That way she is learning and adapting to different situations & gaining confidence. 
Take her on her own in the car when you go shopping etc and get her use to all sorts of crowds, noises and situations. Go for a coffee somewhere where there is plenty of people in the street walking past and sit her next to you while your having a coffee. I do that with mine, if it is not too hot in the car, I take one and leave in the car at a supermarket while shopping and they sit in there and watch the world go by. I use to also take one when the kids were at school and when picking them up tons of kids coming out of the school ground and all over a sheepie, patting them & fussing over them etc. Great socialisation that was then when they were youngsters. Walk her down a busy road on the sidewalk with lots of cars etc going by, just take small steps with her and put her into different situations to get her use to everything that goes on outside of her home enviroment. Takes time but worth the effort to get a sheepie use to all the wonders of the outside world and you end up with a calm adaptable dog to take anywhere with you. |
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