Sending away for training?? - Page 2

Sheesh, they are in Ohio and she is questioning whether she can make a two-hour drive - so how is your training group in Maryland going to be of any help?

And the last thing this dog needs is another "group" - he needs one-on-one training, either with his master or without.

 

Deanna,

Jim Alloway is doing training in Columbus.  Go to the USA web-site.

He is good, ethical and knows what he is doing/how to read a dog.

The school she's considering is in Columbus.  Ideally she needs someone in NE Ohio. 

Donald, I know she is in Ohio. We have had people come from much farther. They stay for a few to several days. They have daily one on one sessions with our trainer. This has been extremely productive in the past. If you read my post, I said our TD does private one on one sessions, HOWEVER, Deanna would benefit immensely from watching and observing others train and work with their dogs, and being able to ask questions comfortably, and have things explained clearly to her. Theresa

 A tiny bit off topic and I hope this is ok with the op....but why is it that professional training gets so easily discounted?
Granted, there are way to many weirdos, extremists, beginners and plain bad trainers out there. Heck, even a plain unexperienced trainer can be a waste of money and time.
BUT....there are many good trainers out there. People that have studied and lived working dogs in one capacity or another for decades. That can read dogs better. That can observe the little things a handler does wrong. That can explain all sides of an issue. 
Granted, a situation like Princes does totally require the involvement and commitment on the owners part. NO QUESTION about it.
But simply because she is inexperienced, and it sure seems to be that sometimes being inexperienced almost seems to be a crime at some places, and has her hands full, I think a break that may benefit both her and Prince, may be in order. Obviously the other way around has not worked all that well.
Prince may need to learn what is expected of him and his mom may need to get some confidence back which will be a lot easier if she is not constantly in fear of something happening.
And one more thing that I know from teaching and taking lessons myself, distance is a hard thing to overcome. In the beginning it is all fine. But it hardly lasts but with the most dedicated folks that are looking to go out and really bring home the bacon. But money, family and time can certainly reek havoc on the rather normal person that is just simply wanting to learn the basics and to enjoy their animal.

Having said that, there are many venues. I found a great venue in a rather untraditional agility trainer that I work with. This is not the usual 6 weeks of total basics, 6 weeks of not so total basics, 6 weeks of basics .... you get the drift, type of trainer. We have some dogs in class that the whole class is involved in helping out with "training".
One of the very best trainers that I ever worked with (and to me that means a trainer that has great command and understanding of not one but many methods and the skills, knowledge, ability and willingness to work with any dog no matter what venue and understands different venues on top of that) is a local AKC trainer. Granted, she gives clinics and workshops all over but still, just to discount her or the school she works for because she is not a SchH type trainer or whatever, would be totally foolish. 

             Thank you all for responding to my post....
                                  Deanna

                               

5 to 10 days isn't enough to do anythng with a dog that will last.

It is if you are working WITH the owner,most times THEY are the ones that need the most training. Theresa

Ruger1, You might want to find the closest shelter or rescue and go there in person. Ask them who they recommend for the hard case jobs and if they are experienced with the GSD. My neighbor found just the dog trainer she needed before it became a heartbreak, in that way. And yes, I think there is urgency in your case.