Good dog trainer needed

[gruntygiggles]

[quote=bluninja;1768652]My point was a general observation on the whole thread.

And your point was a good one........thoroughly agree with you. My brain is currently fried from all this so I can get my qualifications properly and start doing this for a living.

It'll beat having to deal with idiots that earn too much money every day!!!

I noticed your pic shows your dogs in the water....Me and Stretchie took our four to weston beach today.....COLD does not even begin to describe it. Thank god the tide was out...lol.

Remember your certification is just a piece of paper. Knowledge, skills, experience, and referrals from delighted clients are far more valuable. Does your 'course' include some business training?

That pic is of my dogs on West Wittering beach (near Chichester), the foreshore and beach round here is mostly stones.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by bluninja

Remember your certification is just a piece of paper. Knowledge, skills, experience, and referrals from delighted clients are far more valuable. Does your 'course' include some business training?

That pic is of my dogs on West Wittering beach (near Chichester), the foreshore and beach round here is mostly stones.

I just want to get certification as it means a £30 a month saving on the business insurance. I've already got some lovely client testimonials and to be honest, I disagree with most of what standard trainers and behaviorists do. It's like "The Dog Whisperer". I live the show and love his philosophy, but it does give a false impression. Yes, he or any good behaviorist can deal with the issue in a matter of hours, but then, the owners have to keep that up.....nothing with dogs is a quick fix. I also worry that people will try some of the techniques at home, not knowing what the real problem is. Dominance aggression and fear aggression can look very similar if you don't know what to look for and most people think that most bad behaviours come from dominance, when personally, I think it is highly over diagnosed.

I had a woman recently ask about a dog that would snap at her husband and sons when they shouted "no" at it and would then go and cower in the corner. She said everyone told her that her dog was dominant and needed clicker training and firm corrections. Actually, the dog was fearful of the husband and sons because it had never developed trust in them, so when they shouted, it snapped back in defence, then ran away scared. It was frightened of the clicker, so why would you use that and give the dog more stress?

You can probably tell, I'm quite pasionate about this...lol.

Luckily, I've got plenty of experience in business and studied animal business management (equine) back in college so I'm ok there. Insurance, business bank account, website, marketing and testimonials all good to go......all I need now is for the company I work for to sort out what I am doing over the next 6 months so I can give myself a time table too. Got to be earning good money while I start things up or won't be able to feed the poor muts that we already have...lol.

You going to be at the AR this year?

AR. I think I need to get some group rides under my belt first.....and see if I gel with people. I've stayed away from group rides since being back in the UK, but used to go out on Mondays from a local pub, Weds with Rob Wilshire Suzuki rides (they were crazy) and weekends with 600plus group.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by bluninja

AR. I think I need to get some group rides under my belt first.....and see if I gel with people. I've stayed away from group rides since being back in the UK, but used to go out on Mondays from a local pub, Weds with Rob Wilshire Suzuki rides (they were crazy) and weekends with 600plus group.

Well, I don't ride yet, but Stretchie takes the bike and I come with the car, tent and dogs. Have a think about it. No one would care if you did the actual ride out, it's just a really great social and chance to meet everyone.

Not forgetting the beer, food, beer, beer and watching hovis teeter on his bar stool at the end of the evening!

Hovis, is you read this.......when are you coming to help us with our pub quiz???

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

Well, I don't ride yet, but Stretchie takes the bike and I come with the car, tent and dogs. Have a think about it. No one would care if you did the actual ride out, it's just a really great social and chance to meet everyone.

Not forgetting the beer, food, beer, beer and watching hovis teeter on his bar stool at the end of the evening!

Hovis, is you read this.......when are you coming to help us with our pub quiz???

This is wandering off topic guys....

We trained ours with a shock collar (waiting for the masses to shout about it being cruel...)
Some people use them to stop barking too.
You can set them to vibrate and it distracts them and if that doesnt stop them a small sharp shock seemed to work.
I think its just a case of showing them whos the boss in the end though.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by speedplay

We trained ours with a shock collar (waiting for the masses to shout about it being cruel...)
Some people use them to stop barking too.
You can set them to vibrate and it distracts them and if that doesnt stop them a small sharp shock seemed to work.
I think its just a case of showing them whos the boss in the end though.

I don't think the shock collar itself is cruel....just some of the idiots that don't use them properly. Used properly though they can be really useful, especially with dogs that chase cars and have dangerous habits. Glad it worked for you.

[Shellywoozle]

I may bring Sam to AR in car think he should meet you guys after you have given him so much help LOL

Few of you have already had the pleasure

We had a set back this morning in the fact he thought he would wake the street up by fighting with a boxer that was on the loose in the street, in fairness to Sam (who was on the lead) he was pounced on from behind and that early in the morning if I was taken from behind I may have done the same

Backwards step for us but keep plodding on !

Originally Posted by speedplay

We trained ours with a shock collar (waiting for the masses to shout about it being cruel...)
Some people use them to stop barking too.
You can set them to vibrate and it distracts them and if that doesnt stop them a small sharp shock seemed to work.
I think its just a case of showing them whos the boss in the end though.

Lots of passionate debate on e-collars. Sadly they were originally used to 'blast' dogs off a chase and despite improvements in design and flexibility many idiots use them as a long arm to 'slap' their dog when it doesn't do what they want. There's a chap called Lou Castle in the US who has some low stim protocols for complete dog training.

With vibrate I guess you could condition a dog to accept it as a reward marker, just like a clicker. Also good to get the attention of a deaf dog when it's not looking at you.