Obedience class: WAY too boring for Nattie

[hheldorfer]

This was week 2 of obedience class with Nattie and I think we're going to be drop-outs.  This isn't for lack of trying or lack of intelligence on Nattie's part.  We've been practicing sit/stay/down/stay/come/"leave it" every day at home and Nattie is progressing very well.  House training is also checked off the list - no accidents in the house for a month now.  Crate is no longer wanted or needed because Nattie moved out of it on her own about two weeks ago and hasn't gone near it since.  The class, however, is so unbelievably low-energy and boring that I don't know how anybody can stand it.

[At this point you may want to grab a beverage.]

The first class was VERY basic:  Get your dog's attention.  Teach your dog to sit.  Teach your dog "leave it".  So, okay, that was 15 minutes.  And then there was the instructor, who probably hadn't been born until I was on my second marriage.   I'm sure she has lots of experience with dogs but I think it's going to be a while until she has the chutzpah to effectively handle a class.  I expected an alpha bitch instructor who would be enthusiastic but firm and have a lot of energy.  What we got was a young woman who is relatively soft-spoken and not at all a take-charge kind of person; not exactly inspirational.

So I took the first class in stride and figured it had been dumbed down for people who had no clue about dogs or training them.  I kept a positive outlook.   I bought a truckload of Charlee Bears.  Nattie and I practiced "sit" and "leave it" until Nattie's eyes glazed over, at which point we started stay, down and come.  She was doing great and showing some real excitement about learning new things.

Today we arrived at class early so we'd have time to walk around and make sure Nattie's tank was emptied before class started.  Before class starts the instructor has us let the dogs off-leash to run around for a few minutes.  Nattie *loves* that part.  She checked out every inch of the floor, greeted the other dogs and wagged her tail the whole time.  Once we leashed the dogs and started class, Nattie's tail fell to half-mast.  The instructor started droning on about "capture", which is to reward a naturally-occurring behavior when the dog does it.  I admit I'm behind the times in this area.  Color me stupid; I didn't think you had to reward a dog for playing with a ball.  That was the first example she used, placing a ball in front of one of the dogs (a Lab mix) and treating the dog each time he looked at it or touched it.  The instructor showed us what to do and cheerily said "Now I'll give each of you something to work with!"  There are three dogs in the class.  The aforementioned Dog 1 got the ball, Dog 2 got a mini-tire toy, Nattie got . . . a dish towel.  Nattie stared at the dish towel on the floor.  Following instructions, I tossed a treat on the dish towel.  Nattie looked at me, puzzled.  She wouldn't eat the treat.  (I think she was still wondering what the dish towel was for.)  The instructor came along and sprinkled the towel with tiny bits of cheese.  Nattie looked at me, looked at the cheese and walked away.  The instructor then told me that I should not feed Nattie before class; in other words, it was my fault that Nattie didn't want the damn cheese and had no clue what she was supposed to do with the dish towel.  Nattie turned and stared across the room at the ball, her tail wagging slightly.  "Why would any self-respecting dog settle for a damn dish towel when they could have a ball??" I thought to myself.  Instead, I said "Um . . . I don't think a towel is going to do it for her . . . ".

I asked the instructor what result she was hoping to get with the exercise.  She said the point was to get the dog to lie down and, therefore, teach the dog "down".  I said "Nattie already knows 'down'.  We've been working on it at home."  My comment was ignored and the instructor switched all the dogs from toys to dish towels.  "Great," I thought, "now we've ruined it for the whole class."  Sure enough, all the dogs looked confused - not to mention a bit disappointed at having their toys taken away.  We went back to work, trying to interest our dogs in pieces of cloth on the floor.  Nattie sat down three feet away from the dishcloth, looking disgusted.  I tried calling her over to me and she ignored me.  The instructor suggested that maybe Nattie's hearing needs to be checked.  (You have no idea how hard it was NOT to burst into hysterical laughter at that comment.  Nattie could hear me just fine; the problem was that the exercise was stupid and meaningless and Nattie knew it.)

The instructor said maybe Nattie needed a "reboot" and suggested I take her outside and walk her around for a minute.  Nattie trotted obediently outside with me and commenced an enjoyable sniff-fest.  We returned to the class and tried again.  The towel was still there.  The cheese bits were still there.  Nattie was overwhelmingly disinterested in any of it.  She sat and looked at me imploringly.  And that's the moment I realized that this class was so mind-numbingly boring that no Cairn should ever be subjected to it.  

I have read many posts on this forum from people who hired dog trainers or took classes, and one of the most oft-repeated comments is that you have to find a trainer/instructor who understands terriers.  So very, very true.  Our instructor apparently had little experience in this area.  Cairns need challenges; chances to show their problem-solving ability.  They need enthusiasm and excitement.  Staring at a dish towel does not meet this criteria.

After a solid half-hour of staring at cheese bits on kitchen linen, Nattie and I called it quits.  I excused myself by saying that Nattie "apparently isn't into this" today.  I doubt that we will be returning.  In the meantime I found a local kennel club that offers Barn Hunt and Earthdog.  The 2018 class/event schedule hasn't yet been published but we'll be keeping an eye on it.  I have a feeling that hunting critters will be ten times more appealing to Nattie than sitting and staring at a towel.

 

 

[bradl]

I'm right there with you. We started out with our first Cairn in a class where the instructor looked positively horrified when I mentioned that we planned to try earthdog. "You'll never get control of your dog after that!"  I think we finished the brief intro series and found a class more suited to our dog and us. While Barley was never a "robo dog" she did earn perfectly respectable CD and RN obedience titles on top of Master Earthdog. 

It's likely your local kennel club will have some obedience people who might be able to recommend a terrier-aware trainer.

The exercise with the dish towel kills me. It made me think of Stella when I tried to get her to take the glove (part of a Utility exercise). I could see right then and there it would have been a knock-down drag-out battle of wills lasting months if not years to get over. She's 13 so I wasn't going to spend our last years together fighting over a cotton glove.

Can't wait to hear what Nattie thinks of barnhunt. Dogs generally adore it.

[Hillscreek]

I have taken quite a few dogs to basic obedience class.They were OK if you had a good instructor. Yours sounded particularly dreadful hheldorfer. Can't imagine the towel set up. I did have a lively, take control excellent experienced instructor who understood her job was to teach the owners how to train their dogs. She did it well. I must say the dogs were never ever allowed off leash to meet and greet ....my goodness there would have been some scenes!

But I did not take Angus because I was pretty sure he would be become bored and/or naughty and disrupt the class.  And like quite a few of us on this forum I did know the basics of sit down etc. I wanted socialization for Angus and found it visiting with friends where a young dog could get used to other dogs and other human beings. I took him to the local farm store and did sits and stays etc there. Real life situations were much better for him plus I could do it for a few minutes here and there and not have to go through a whole hour which even with my willing to do anything Golden was pretty stressful for a young dog.

I personally think the treat reward for everything has gone extremes in some cases. It might be useful at times and I was never without Charlee Bear treats in my pocket but mostly I preferred to using voice.

Barn hunting and earth dog that sounds more like it!!! I bet Nattie will love that! Go for it!

[sanford]

You nailed it Helene... Reminding yourself of the oft repeated comment here... To find a trainer who understands terriers! Good luck and keep searching!👍

[Sam I Am]

Helene I was killing myself laughing...sorry...but it sounds so typical Cairn. They are way to smart and adventures to do things ad nauseam. I really enjoyed our two sets of classes with Sam, but if things went on to long I  would get  that , Mum I am not doing this anymore, look. At that point  I would just go back to my chair and he was happy just to lie beside me.  Good for Nattie...a tea towel...really,  I am getting  bored with it, imagine a Cairns thoughts. Balls are way more fun ..they move. I want to try barn and earth dog also in the spring.🤠

[hheldorfer]

1 hour ago, Hillscreek said:

I personally think the treat reward for everything has gone extremes in some cases. It might be useful at times and I was never without Charlee Bear treats in my pocket but mostly I preferred to using voice.

 

Wow - do I agree with you on that!  During the first class we started by using no voice commands whatsoever and treating the dogs every time they made eye contact!  I was wondering how this was supposed to work - maybe the dog would eventually read my mind?  I've always trained using both voice and hand commands, purely out of habit.  As for treats, they have always been given with a super-enthusiastic "Good boy!" or "Good girl!".  I'd never just toss a treat at the dog and walk away without reinforcing it verbally.

[gd4]

I laugh about the experiences as Trina Joy will be starting her adult obedience course in February. She went to puppy obedience but I think she was bored. And, the instructor was dreadful. She didn't even let the puppies run around at some point to socialize. It was straight on instruction and a lot of yelling from her (which Trina Joy seemed to find funny instead of scary). Now, I have no idea what to anticipate. She has remembered some of her commands but truly does her own thing. These dogs are intelligent but stubborn. They do what they want. Funny, the treat rewards for potty outside seem to not excite. I am surprised but she doesn't get too excited about food or treats. First pup I've had that acts in such manner. Trina Joy is truly a dominant female and I look forward to seeing her personality unfold.

[Dempsy's Mom]

I did as you suggested and got myself a glass of water.

 God bless you for trying and being quite nice about the whole predicament.  I  don't think Nattie minds being labeled a "drop-out" when the next goal is barn hunting and earth dogging.  Besides she sounds like she already knew everything she was gonna learn in that class - a little overachiever.  Looking forward to hearing about her take on the new kennel club activities.