The Most Amazing Trainer!
He simply told me what time to show up at his home and last week, the first day of classes there were only two other people there. Tonight it was only myself and another man with his dog. It's a bit long to get into detail but he trains dogs for the movies and stands at 6'6 and wears a cowboy hat which makes him appear to be at least 7 ft tall!!! Despite his outward appearance he's got a very gentle disposition and again within 1/2 hr of my arrival he accomplished the impossible - Merlin did not leave my side and stayed in the heel position without a leash. How this was accomplished was he threw a peice of chain without Merlin seeing it against the barn wall which echoed. Merlin ran to my side as he explained I represented safety to him and the next time Merlin wandered a bit away he jingled the chain in his pocket and Merlin immediately ran over to the both of us. This demonstrated that he also saw the trainer as a safe person and was not afraid of him. The eventually goal is that Merlin will always run to my side and get down in the heel or down position when a chain is jingled. He does not know that it would be my doing and the chain would be in my pocket. Some of you may remember when I had a scare when Merlin ran across the road - this training is imperitive for having a dog run to you if there is danger such as a car or anything else that may be of a safety concern. I'm thrilled as he spent over 2 hrs with me going over some rules I should establish in my household for the three dogs and said it's fine to bring my new dog Robin next time or Blue or Merlin ...told me I could bring all three if I wanted to or I could alternate dogs every week!!! All the facilities for training a dog for agility, rescue, or herding are on his acreage. He even has sheep!! He helped me trim Merlins hair off his face and took the time to show me how to apply bolts for leash ties to my fence so I could have all three dogs in the backyard at one time but safely away from each other to get used to one another while I work with one dog at a time. I'm sure I'm not exactly explaining it correctly but the eventual goal is that it is possible that I could have all three dogs listen to me at the same time when I give the down position. I've mentioned before that this person was recommended to me by someone( Steve) whom visits the dog park. Even with 15-20 dogs racing around Steve can give his dog the command and his dog will "down" even with the others racing around. So much distraction and yet his dog always listens to him. I was amazed and he too is always gentle with his dog but had definately established himself as the Alpha. Ironcially out of all the dogs at the dog park his dog is probably the Alpha out of all the dogs(so he's very strong willed) and yet views Steve as the Alpha. (for those who are not familiar with this term - in all dog packs the Alpha is the leader and rules how the others behave) It is important that in a household the dogs view the two legged people as the Alpha as they are the ones to set the rules. If the dog thinks they are the Alpha they can be destructive, not listen and display innapropriate behaviors. Steve has been on several tv shows with his dog to demonstrate his obedience training. Luckily for me he lives right behind me and we have ajoining gates in each others backyards should I ever need assistance with my three. Anyway, it was he that told me about his incredible trainer, Scott, and prompted me to sign up with him. The best news of all is that for almost one on one training at 1-2 hrs it's costing me only 55 dollars for a month. I've always paid over a hundred for other doggie obedience classes. So I'm a happy camper!! Well enough blabbering from me just wanted to share this wonderful evening and the ability to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel..ha ha and with time and enormous patience I may yet have three well behaved dogs. Crossing my fingers, eyes and legs and hoping. 
Marianne |
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| Saulmr gets to have 3 sheepies. Now you do too. And you find a dream trainer without looking!
I am just so jealous! Keep us updated. Love the way things are going so far. He sounds like a very level headed and well-equipped trainer. Wonder how he can do it for so little? |
| Hi,
It's been my experience that most doggie obedience classes are for 8 wks duration and aprox 100 or so dollars. He charges 55 for 4 wks but has them for, although I think they were supposed to be for 1/2 he doesn't seem to be on a time limit as each time I've been there so far it's been 1-2 hrs. He also never has more than 3 people at one time in the class! His facility is so large that one may work on their agility training in a seperate part of the building while another is working on obedience and he goes back and forth and makes corrections when necessary. I think this man does this from morning to night as he trains dogs for the movies (which I assume must pay him well) but I thought the same thing..that he still does this in the evening and could charge way more than he is charging now. I think he does it out of the love for dogs. (Either that or he saw my haggard look after only a week with three dogs and felt sorry for me and is trying to help..ha ha) The leash/bolt method I spoke of for the fence in the backyard sounds a bit tough and he even wants me to do this in my living room! Oh groaners! The eventual goal is that each dog will know their down spot in the house ( so no crates needed) that if I have guest or am answering the door and give the down signal each will go to their assigned spot. Gasp would be heaven if this were true! (We're also talking about what my life will be like for the next 10 years, day after day) :O) I'd have to start off with leashing them then eventually they learn to just go to their assigned spot in the living room when I give the signal. Ha! now can you imagine me hiring someone to have three bolts( for leashes) applied to my living room walls??? On the other hand I can't wait to get back to life before Robin when the sliding glass door was open at all times and the dogs were free to come and go as they please from outside to inside. At this moment I am like a lion tamer trying to distract potential fights when Robin tries to enter the house. I also want to say that he suggested this method because I have THREE dogs and will eventually want to invite people over for dinners,(sigh maybe some day) or will want to answer the door and not have to race down the stairs with the three of them should someone come to my door. He also said I could use this method initially when I want all three to sit peacefully in the living room. ( I would not overuse this method, but will need it from time to time) So while it sounds a bit tough at first, I also realized he is looking at me and my life style long term. Ah to be able to answer my front door or eat a meal without being surrounded by three dogs and be able to invite friends over again during the holdiays. Yuppers, this really will affect my life for the next 10 years or so and I realize it may be tough at first but on the other hand this is the alternative. If for example, I was to invite my family over for Christmas dinner I would have to place all three outside - I can see the scenerio now...all three would be giving sad faces or worse barking to be let in during the meal (and I would probably feel quilty having them out in the cold in December) This way they are free to be in the house at all times (as they are family members ) but know that if the signal is given they have to go to their down spots temporarily. So in reality he takes into account that I do want to continue allowing the dogs to be free to choose in/out . It's also with the mindset that it's very hard to train three at one time as the other two distract. It's also important for me to note that, I would only have them in this position outside when I work one on one with each dog for short periods (no more than 10 mins)the rest of the time they are free to play and do their doggie business. They would NEVER be leashed to the fence any other time and only when I am working with them. Hopefully all of us know that leashing a dog to a fence is cruel and he only suggested this method so I can work one on one as I have three. He also told me that eventually the other two would understand not to distract when I'm working with one and I would no longer have to resort to anything other than give the signal. Sounds too good to be true so we'll see how it works out. The only other alternative to this at the moment is having two in the house and me outside with one. The two inside get upset and want to be out with us. Oh what to do? I can't be in two places at once. Again, taking in consideration that there is only one of me and I can't correct the barking ones inside if I'm outside with the one. So in a nutshell he did listen to what I had to say and take into consideration that I want all three to continue to roam freely in and out, and this was the solution which will eventually make us all happy in the end. Okay another long winded post from me ...Yikes! Marianne |
| hi marianne,
This guy really does sound amazing. How long does he feel it will take before you will have that lay down in your spot routine conquered with your three angels? I hear you about the dinner table and holidays. All my family has dogs, so when we'd all end up at my mom's it sometimes would be havoc. We'd try to give them the biggest rawhide bones to keep them occupied while we'd eat or sit around but my brother's retriever ZAB would always eat his so fast and then move on to Rosie's. He would lay patiently for her to get up and go get water then he would get up and go over and get hers. He'd do this when he had his own still too  To funny. She would then come back and tip her head, stare at him, then me and give up and lay down and stare at him, til he got up and went, then she'd do the same. There's a great pic of the two of them in Rosie's tribute pics behind a gate at my mom's looking at us having Christmas dinner and wondering why they weren't invited too!
I wish you all the luck with this training. It sounds like he does know his stuff. Like you said, you are looking at your future here. Heading off to Syracuse tonite to Mom's then onto my brothers in Rochester tomorrow and then back to other brothers in Constantia on Sunday. All in NY state, thank goodness. Have a good holiday weekend to all. Oh and, Marianne, thanks for the moral support on the other post.  |
| Hi Ragamuffin,
As always enjoyed reading your post and hope everything went well visiting your family over the Easter Weekend. Everything on my end has been working out pretty good, haven't had the bolts placed yet but was fortunate to have 4 days off and so worked with all the furballs ...sigh still going for 6 walks a day. A neighbor whom lives at the other end of my block whom I never met before I started my numerous walks, commented to me yesterday...Um so what number of dog is this ? and...."so how many laps have you done so far today?" Whee I even managed to have both Robin and Merlin out at the same time without suffering from permanent "pull out arms" syndrome...ha ha. Okay the first block I braced while they tugged...then Yipii!!!! they were both heeling...ah miracles can happen!!! I should be thanking you Ragamuffin as you are always so supportive in your comments to me and others...so thanks for that.  |
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