German Shepherd dog

Is this just obedience training?   It sounds all wrong to me.  You really should do a little reading on training and educate yourself to different techniques.  Some training does cause discomfort and even some pain in measured amounts but there are all kinds of trainers. I agree this doesnt sound right for only a third day into whatever this is.  Stepping on back feet is used sometimes for the jumping up, but not an arm twisting.  One might even put a well placed knee to the chest of the dog to discourage jumping up on people.  I would suggest visiting again right away and maybe address some of your concerns with your trainer.  See what his reaction is, that may decide this issue for you right then and there.   It isnt all that hard to obedience train your own dog with the right information.  I dont use plastic base ball bats either, or a short leash at the begining of obedience.    If I were you I'd get all the knowledge I could now and not let to much time go by.  Get your husband educated as well as yourself.

JMO

yes get your dog out of there. he's pushing 75? that would have been my first clue. i would have watched him train some others first. he's probably stuck in the old school training that was total compulsion. compulsion is a tool that is used as a correction only after a dog has learned what he is supposed to do and decides he's not going to listen. then you give a correction. this guy could not have taught your pup enough in 3 days for compulsion to be used at this point. get your pup back and find a better trainer before your dog is ruined. he may be able to train your dog and get him to do what he is told but you will have a dog doing it out of fear and not a happy working animal.

go get your dog  asap....do not tell the man you are coming to get him....when you get there.....ask can you have your dogs leash and spend a few minutes with your pup...take pups aside   check him for any scars , broken skin or bones....if any thing found  make a notice to him at that time.....hope you do not find anything other than a normal pup intact....take the pups to your car...put him in......take husband and wife....if your husband wont do this  please tell him this is not the right or humane way to treat a   5 month old pup...this is compulsive training for a dog that is 3rd level and has problems...not a baby.....

tell him you do not agree with his methods...Thank him for returning your pup and you do not deem the kind of training to be necessary for his age....and you would like a percentage of your money refunded.......

leave with your pup....write him a letter when you return asking for your partial refund...

be thankful you discovered this...

 First off, "Go Get Your Dog", Today.

10 years ago when I got my first GSD, Shelby, and she started moving from puppy to adolescence, I realized I had to start to learn how to train this dog.  I wanted to kill her, not figuratively but literally.  She was a pain in the a**, or so II thought.  Actually she was a 5 month old pup with no training who had an owner who didn't have a clue (that would be me)  I tried the local Community College obedience class which consisted of the standard "Get a Choke Collar or Prong" and the lady who was teaching meant well, but the class basically was just  showing me how to correct behaviors with the collar. Want the dog to sit, pull up on the collar,  want the dog to down, pull down on the collar, most of you know what I mean.  Well after a couple of weeks I knew one thing, I wasn't having fun and Shelby wasn't having fun.  What I did notice was that before class I would take her to a nearby field and throw the frisby for her to burn off some of the never ending supply of energy this dog has, and during this time she would gladly do anything I asked THAT she KNEW how to do.  That night at class I asked the Trainer if I could just use the Frisbee with her.  To the trainers credit she said to use what ever worked.  We ran through all the excersises that night with the leash dragging behind her, and her ears up and alert.  I soon found another local trainer and began a wonderful 10 years with my dog that continues today.

Some important things to remember when training that I've learned.

The dog ALWAYS has a choice.  Whether you use positive or compulsion, the dog always has a choice, they can choose to do what I ask because all good things come from me and that when I do what the biped asks me to do, great things happen for dogs, or in the case of compulsion training they can do what is asked of them to avoid pain.  But the dog does have a choice.

Call me a wuss for using primarily positive means for my dogs, that's okay, and you won't hear me say that compulsion training doesn't work, obviously it does.  But my dogs and I are happier with a ball and a bag of treats and a pet on the head.

I could talk about this for hours but my new 5 month old puppy is laying quietly at my feet waiting for breakfast and a quick five minute lesson on doggie zen......

 Amen to that KCzaja! 

I also train dogs for a living and offer in kennel training as well. I don't know about you (it sounds like we kind of do the same things) but even MORESO with shepherds I let the dog have the first couple of days to adjust to the setting, and bond some with the dog (spend time grooming, playing, maybe some handfeeding for obedience type things, take a walk etc.) I normally just prevent poor behavior during those first few days but it's rare indeed to correct a dog for it depending on the dog. Some dogs come in just fine and are perfectly ok, or maybe knew me before we started, with those I might start right away, but even then I wouldn't really correct a dog like that, and particularly a 5 month old shepherd ya know? And I don't allow a visit from the owner within the first week at all. And THEN it's just to come in for handling sessions, very controlled by me...preferably though I don't set up a handling session until the dog has been there for a little longer (I do 3,6,8 week programs) so they're a little more adjusted.

KCzaja is right railroad, I think most trainers wouldn't have the handler come on day 3. Did this trainer do any kind of demo or did you really research before taking your dog there? He doesn't sound BAD per se (I've heard of some very awful in kennel trainers trust me....we're talking like this one near me that literally put a puppy in a crate for 4 days with a bark collar on and did not let the dog out at all (not even to go to the bathroom.) dog had urine scald all over and rub marks on his neck when the owner came for the first lesson at day 4...yikes! The trainer said he was crate training the dog, and that the dog had not been quiet the entire time so he couldn't let him out until he learned to be quiet....) but he sounds pretty "old school" and there's better ways to work with your dog then that. Personally if I were going to be letting my dogs go into anybody else's care without me there, I'd check and double check about them, check references, ask to see him/her work a dog, and not only his demo dog, but also YOUR dog. Ask in detail questions on what sort of training technique he/she uses. And don't just let them say "positive" techniques, many trainers know the buzzwords people want to hear. Ask specific questions like "what would you do if my dog did _______" Remember that trainers do NOT have to have any kind of credentials, anyone can hang a shingle. It's better to find one that DOES take the time to keep up to date, and voluntarily gets credentials (for instance, joins one of the major training organizations (APDT, IACP, NADOI) and passes one of their tests for example). Years of experience may be good, but it's what they DID with those years of experience that makes the difference. A trainer could have been training for 30 years...but if they're still training the same way they did 30 years ago, they won't be as good as someone that has trained for 10 years and has kept up to date and is open to learning anything new to help the dog. 

 Go get your pup out of there before this guy crushes him, and definitely research your trainers better for next time. 

Thank you all so much for the advice and comments.  My husband just went and picked up our dog (Ginger!) from the evil trainer!   Now the problem becomes where do we take her?  We would like to bring her to a trainer that would keep her because we both work full time and a once a week class that requires a lot of work with her during the week won't work very well for us right now.  It's kind of like, we need her to have a good month of base training and then we can keep it up.  She can already sit on her own and lay down.  I've taught her that using treats.  We need to work on the loose leash walking and breaking her habits of biting/nipping and jumping up.  We live near BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.  Please!  Does anyone know of any trainers in our area?  We don't mind traveling to another state, but preferably not a state 3,000 miles away!

Thank you Thank You Thank you for going and getting your dog.  The training was not appropriate for her.    Try

http://dogtrainersearch.com/ or www.apdt.com to search for qualified trainers in your area.  I don't know if these folks are near you but they might also be able to recommend a good reputable trainer: