How do I train myself??

[sarahd]

Last night I was at obedience and afterwards my trainer asked me if I knew what I had been doing tonight...I said, "ummm no" she tells me that I had been apologizing to my dog! Oh my! I did not even realize I had done that at all!!! So I guess I was correcting her then saying sorry...bad, bad, bad! How the heck did that happen and what is wrong with me???!

[Judi W]

Lack of confidence and the mistaken emotional belief that if one corrects a dog it will not love you anymore. That is such an error! Aren't you lucky to have a good instructor why corrects you! I know that intellectually you know better.

[sarahd]

Thats the thing Judi! I know better and I guess I was doing it without even knowing it! Yikes...the funny thing is that the more I train my dog the more I learn about myself...ie lack of confidence in certain situations! Who needs Dr. Phil when I have my trainer to enlighten me!! lol I am going to have to be much more aware of what I am actually saying to my dog and to myself!!

[Judi W]

Yeah, because trust me, your dog knows what you are really saying! BTW, we hope to "educate" people and "train" dogs............ I always hated it when the company said they were going to send staff to training. My immediate response would always be "I don't think so!"

[JeanT]

Don't feel too bad. I went through a few months when I was saying, " I see you" instead of "Watch me". And yes, it was ineffectual because it was a low period and I really meant "I see you". Well, he already knew that!

[Canadianrotti]

I don't know if you have ever seen, or watch Malcome in the middle. There was an episode where the mother went to dance classes, and at the end she thought she was dancing like a world class professional dancer. The instructor even said that she was doing so well that she should move to another class, and go to the next level. She later saw video tape of her dancing, and she was a total clod!! The instructor was passing her off to someone else to save his toes and shins from taking another beating.

Point is, your minds eye can be very different from reality, which is why going to formal traing classes is sooooo important. You may think that your timing is spot on, that your body is in the correct position, but you are in reality sending you dog very different signals.

[sarahd]

I agree completely...can you imagine if I had not gone to classes and never did have it brought to my attention that I was apologizing to my dog?? I would be the next one posting that my dog won't listen and did something horrible and I don't understand why! Thank goodness for good trainers as Judi said.

[majicka]

that's the one thing I adore about our "new" trainer (been with her for about 11 weeks now). She corrects ME!! I've come to realize Happy knows what to do it's me who's the one who needs the training! In the weeks we've been with her we've come a very very long way..

[miccmill]

Originally Posted by majicka

that's the one thing I adore about our "new" trainer (been with her for about 11 weeks now). She corrects ME!! I've come to realize Happy knows what to do it's me who's the one who needs the training! In the weeks we've been with her we've come a very very long way..

I feel that way too. I"m the one that needed to have my communication corrected. Hannah was pretty consistent and honest.
The first time I ever took her to class the trainer came to me and explained what her body language was telling him then spent more time teaching me how to work with a shy unself confident dog.
I believe that if he hadn't done that the very first night, I could've screwed up the process for her but as it turned out, after WE got trained a little we could work her in ways that were always rewarding for her and built her self confidence up a bit. It's exactly what she needed (handlers that could understand her).
She's smart and game and it would've been a real shame if we hadn't hooked into her strengths.

[AZBRAT]

I think this happens to a lot of people, especially when learning something new. The lessons I take with my private trainer usually consist of footwork and body language for me. We don't work with Sam much at all - I work on getting the steps and communication down and then my homework is to practice it with the dog. I look at it this way - If I am confused then my dog will surely be confused. I like to work with her only when I am confident that I am doing things right. Acting hesitant or unsure definitely throws her off.

[fischtail]

Oh boy... I think I may need to find a new traininer. I have a feeling ours is trying to fill the classes and keep the people happy. Some people don't like to hear constructive criticism... I personally don't mind but now thinking back, I haven't been given much of it at all. Darn. I've learned A LOT but may be confusing the heck out of the dogs. Do personal trainers come to your house? Do most people who work with a personal trainer also go to some sort of group classes for the socialization?

[rottcrazed]

Yeesh, my trainer is the QUEEN of 'tell it like it is', and if any of us were babying our dogs, we'd probably get an ear pinch ! Really, I got one once when I asked her how hard I should pinch Justice's ear for the forced retrieve .... NEVER AGAIN!

Training yourself, well, it takes time, gain a little confidence, take a few more classes and you will start to feel things come together for you. Maybe do some agility too - something fun for both of you!

When I first started with my above described 'ear pinch' instructor, I really didn't have a clue. She teaches competition obedience, so everything moves along at a much slower pace as compared to pet obedience where everything is put into one class incase people take only one set of classes. Well, I didn't know footwork, the commands they were using, nothing. I didn't know how to play with my dog (Justice really never learned to play), make a fool of myself when he did something right, all that good stuff. I was a lot more reserved about what I was doing because a lot of the people in the class had competed before, trained with Jackie, were comfortable with her and KNEW she was a little abrupt at times (but honest, it is hard to hear though). I learned with those first 15 weeks of classes and carried on. Now, 6 years later and onto my 3rd dog being trained under her, I can very easily make a fool of myself when my girls do something correctly (I have been told I do it with a certain level of finesse!!!), and I KNOW THE FOOTWORK!!! It is fun for both me and my dogs.

Just some time, patience, practice, and you will find you just 'get it'. Getting to know your dog better helps too. Once you start to delve into their personality, you will likely not feel the need to apologise either.

Kristi

[RottiMomCT]

I'm with you Kristi! Ben and I are in a competition obedience class as well, our instructor has been teaching each piece of the retrieve puzzle or other new behavior over a period of several weeks...she rarely, if ever, minces words. If I screw up, or someone else screws up, she'll tell us!