ASK THE TRAINER
SOLUTIONS FOR CLASSROOM CHALLENGES: VOICES FROM THE TRAINING COMMUNITY
By Jamie McKay CPDT KSA
Ask 10 trainers a question and you’ ll get 10 different answers! If you have a suggestion for a topic to be covered in this series, please email jamiemckay @ optonline. net.
This challenge was suggested by Jamie McKay, CPDT-KSA.
My personal demo dog is“ semiretired” and was not present at class so I decided to ask a student if I could use her dog as a demo for the exercise I was explaining. Previously I had worked privately with this team and thought the dog would be comfortable with me handling him. Much to my embarrassment, the dog began to jump wildly all over me and I could not get him to stop or calm down. I handed him back off to his owner and said to the class“ Well, that didn’ t go the way I planned!” What do other trainers do when they don’ t have a dog they can demo with or if things go horribly wrong during a demo?
If you would like to contribute an answer for this challenge or have a suggestion for a topic to be covered in this series email jamiemckay @ optonline. net.”
Carol Ouhl A-HA Animal Training, LLC When teaching 30 years ago I would get embarrassed by a demo dog that would act out. Now I love it when student dogs don’ t demo what we’ re trying to train. This is exactly why people are in class. I feel they learn more if you can show them that these“ bad” behaviors occur for everyone. I point out the behavior; this is how we’ re going to try to redirect or channel it. This is where things likely go wrong. This is why we need patience. Here’ s another way we can try to fix this. If I can I also try to pick the dog I think will NOT do the behavior. I’ ve had many students tell me it makes them feel better, less stupid, less frustrated, less intimidated that I have trouble too; and it gives them hope to keep trying.
I frequently choose one high energy and one low energy, difficult to motivate dog in class to demo the same exercise. It doesn’ t help the student with the wild and crazy dog to see a demo with a low energy slow moving dog and vice versa.
When I use my own dogs, I might take the best trained to do a quick demo of this is what the finished product looks like. Then I try to demo with one of my dogs more likely to not do the exercise. There are some exercises I never teach my dogs so they are at the same point as my level 1 dogs to show them different approaches to use trying to determine what works best for a given dog. If I don’ t have a personal dog untrained, then I will also choose the class dog I think is most likely to be workable.
Kristine Mele CPDT-KA www. alldogzone. com The first week I have the owners attend, without dogs, and use my dog for demos. After the first week I actually use a class dog for all demos. I think it’ s important to show the process with a fresh dog. I also pick a dog that may be a little challenging, so the class sees that you can change techniques to find what works, and patience is important. If it is taking more than a few minutes, I say“ In the interest of time, I’ m going to switch dogs, but I’ ll come back and help you after.” Sometimes, I don’ t have to go back as the dog responded well to the owner. Other times I must keep trying different things until I figure out what works. It shows the class that even pros have work with the dog in front of them rather than trying to force one technique on every dog.
Melissa Miller, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA Detroit, Mich. I’ m usually teaching advanced handling for animal control officers or shelter staff and volunteers. I would view it as an opportunity to talk about how dogs are sentient beings and a shelter poses unique issues. They may have been woken up
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