# Teddy's first day of obedience class was a nightmare!!



## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Hang in there! It gets better!

He's definitely NOT too young. If anything, I'd call him way older than ideal to just be starting. You're starting out right in the middle of his rowdy teenage phase when every dogs turns into a giant ASS from time to time! ;-) (We jokingly used to say that Quiz suffered from Little Fu&ker Syndrome at that age!)

Definitely use the GL, but before you walk him on it, take about 5 days to teach him to LIKE having it on his face. Two or three times a day, put it on and feed a steady stream (as in constant... one at a time in rapid succession) of treats for 20 seconds while you praise. Then take it off. If you do that 3x a day for 5 days, I PROMISE it will be easier for him to adjust to being walked w/ it on.

When you go to class, if possible, sit farther away from the other dogs. Use as much space as the room will allow. Distance is your friend with an over-threshold dog.

If they don't supply "pacifiers" for the dogs, bring your own. Freeze a KONG w/ peanut butter and bring it with you so he has something to nurse on during any down time, like when the instructor is talking or you're waiting your turn to work.

Experiment with walking him before class to take the edge off. Don't over do it though. Too much exercise before class can make it worse -- think tired, cranky toddler syndrome!

Breathe. Relax. Remember that it gets better. Try not to hold a grudge. I promise your dog doesn't.

AND -- if the humping is too over the top, don't wait to neuter him. Plenty of dogs are neutered at 6 months (or even younger) without ill effects. I'm generally all for waiting UNLESS the behavior is too much of a challenge. If so, by all means, stack the deck in your favor as much as you can!

OH - and bring really, really, really good treats. Smart and Final sells pre cooked meatballs for really cheap. Those REALLY hold a dog's attention!


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## tennisball (Oct 14, 2009)

I adopted Rocky when he was 2 1/2 years old and started taking him to training when he was around 3. He had not been socialized at all and was an absolute monster in the class. He was so bad that people who were training search and rescue dogs would sign up for the class he was in just so their dog could be in a class with distractions.

After entering the room, he would bark at all the other dogs for ten minutes non stop, even though he had known them eight weeks. He'd hyperventilate the entire class and randomly bark/lunge after other dogs. I felt really embarrassed at first too, but at least we realize our dogs can be out of control and we're committed to training them. Some people have dogs that are little monsters and they're oblivious.

Just hang in there! Bring a variety of goody treats that he doesn't get often. The gentle leader definitely helps, or you could try a harness if you haven't already. Don't give up just yet!


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

Great advice Steph !


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

My King was so out of control I was kicked out of several classes .. embarassing ? yes. But, he went on to have a UD and was almost always in the ribbons in very competitive shows. And more importantly, he was a good dog.

I agree with all the advice given and also highly suggest you up the treats - consider using really high value people food - meatballs, steak and/or chicken cooked with garlic, liver etc. I probably would not use toys at this point. If Teddy did fine for the first 20 minutes, perhaps next week give him a potty break at the 20 minute mark? More correctly a brain break LOL. It might relieve his stress a bit and he may have been so excited that he actually did need to go?

My Towhee can be over the top, and I become a tree if she pulls, but generally keep her busy enough to prevent lunges. Work Teddy even while the instructor is talking - left, right, sit pretty, puppy push ups, stands etc are some examples of tricks that can be quickly performed to keep Teddy occupied. I do sometimes wonder why instructors talk so much in beginner classes ...


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

Would it help if you came early to the class? I always try to be the first to arrive, so I can walk Tess around outside for a bit to take the drive in the car out of her system, and then go up to the classroom to wait for the others. I try to do her 'homework' with her while we wait and everyone comes in, so she is focused on me and with her back to the middle of the room. Usually she is pretty mellow by the time we really start. I always think that there are too many smells around the school and especially inside the classrooms for a pup to behold, and as Tess is very smell orientated, I try to make the time to get used to it as long as possible.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I don't really have anything else to add, but wanted to chime in 

PLEASE do NOT give up!!

If you stick with it and work with your dog on a regular basis it will get better!! Been there trust me.


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

Sounds like a rough go. Don't quit though - even if he's a PITA for every class. You paid for the class and it sounds like he needs to be in situations like this more so it doesn't blow his mind as much in the future. 

I did catch on to your last comment about humping your leg. My Max stopped doing that to me around 6 months old. For them it is a show of dominance, kind of like saying, I'm the boss of you! My dog however, humped on the boy for a lot longer. Leif couldn't be on the floor without being assaulted!! Leif started training him and now Max doesn't do that to either of us. I think if he is humping you yet from time to time, part of your problem may be he doesn't respect your authority! Like I said, clicker training really helped raise my sons status in Max's eyes and as for me, being the strong no nonsense leader figure helped a lot too. If I tell Max to sit, well, he better darn well sit and if he doesn't - then I help him to sit. If I tell him to come, then if he doesn't come, I put a leash on him and make him come. I think that if you let your dog ignore commands when you make them, that can cause him not to take you as seriously either.

Now I don't know how you are with Teddy, but I know that in the beginning I was much too much of a softie. If Max didn't listen, I'd think, ugh, whatever and let it go. Not letting it go anymore has really helped here!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

You are not alone!!!! Please dont stop....with time patience and practice it WILL get better....

Yes it is work...sometimes trying and difficult....but the rewards....oh the rewards!!!

Youre giving him a gift....having a dog you can enjoy in public will open his world....

HANG IN THERE!!!


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Don't give up! What you learn in class you can take home with you and work with Teddy without interruption. My Sam was a horror in obedience Class. He was an intact Male still and a female in heat showed up. Nightmare! The instructor said very much about Sam that was said about Marley in Maryley & Me. Needless to say, I was mortified and wanted to slink away but I stuck it out. I worked with Sam at home, using high value treats in my pocket, and he quickly came around. By the end of Obedience classes, Sam was one of the best behaved pups there. Just remember to practice, practice, practice!


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## whiskaz (Mar 20, 2010)

Try saving training day's dinner for during class - or put it off until after and bring some really good treats with you as suggested. My Maggie was pretty awful for the first half of a 2-month class. I started delaying dinner on training days and would take a bagful of treats to class. She was much more calm and she couldn't help but stay focused on me. She ended up winning "first place" in the class's graduation test


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## fuzzbuzz (Aug 3, 2008)

Don't give up!!! We will cheer you on!!!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

You can do it!

The first class I took with Danny was an advanced obedience/CGC class when he was 11 months old. Let me tell you, I grossly underestimated how much training I had put into him by that point. He lunged, bounced straight up and down and barked in excitement for the entire first class. He also would not lie down on command. 

So I took him home and for the next week, every meal he ate, he had to lie down and wait for release. At the next class, he was a PRO at lying down on command. I also walked him before class every day so I had taken the edge off.

After 8 weeks, he tested for his CGC and he passed! It even amazed *me* to see how far he had come during that period.

You can do it. Practice, practice, practice! And don't take it personally. He's just a young dog who is just learning his boundaries. Hang in there!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I so feel your pain! I did Ranger's obedience training myself (worked at a dog obedience school for a few years when I was younger) and had a behaviourist help me with issues I didn't know how to handle (nothing major). I wanted to have Ranger passed as a therapy dog and the test situation calls for 20 dogs crammed into a small room so I thought I'd do some obedience classes to get him focused around other dogs.

My bad that I didn't do more research into the trainer. Went to her website and talked to her - all seemed good. Showed up with a calm dog loose leash walking in a martingale collar. Left the lesson with a hysterical dog that was barking high pitched and was pulling like a freaking train. Not to mention he wouldn't sit automatically anymore. When the trainer took the leash from me to get Ranger to "focus" on her, she spent 10 minutes trying to accomplish this with no success. Then when he wouldn't sit for her, she told me to lift up on the martingale until his front feet left the ground. Don't worry, she said, he'll sit before he chokes. That's when I left, apologizing to Ranger the whole way.

Ranger forgot all he had learned in that situation but the "trainer" made it worse. Still, I was embarrassed, especially when Ranger started reacting to the lab that kept trying to take a chunk of him. Then the lab owners told me their dog didn't like ranger's energy and SHE was trying to calm HIM! What a disaster. I could go on and on but I won't. I didn't expect Ranger to be perfect but when the trainer couldn't help the issues that were happening at that point AND the fact that things were getting worse, not better...I left. I saw the amazing behaviourist get Ranger's attention in 2 minutes when Ranger was utterly distracted by rabbits hopping around. This lady couldn't get it done in ten and then pretended she had and gave me back the leash. 

I agree with the others about not giving up. Your dog will be better for it in the long run. I really want to get Ranger back in some classes...I'm just a little gunshy right now.


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## kaysy (Jan 9, 2010)

I really think some kind of "classroom" situation is best. You can train at home until you're blue in the face, but in a classroom with outher dogs, people, smells it's a different ballgame. Marty was pretty good in class, it's the rest of the time he s*cks. I've been working on him on the bike trail, road and try at daycare (he's the worst there, small reception area indoors). I still swear by the gentle leader, I think I mentioned before, if someone is home, put it on him and leave it on him all day. It's like a differnt dog is handed to you. Good luck and as everyone keeps saying don't give up things will get better.


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## AmandaSmelser (Mar 22, 2010)

William is 9 months too and his third obedience class last week was a hundred times better than his first!! 

Is there anyway you can get him really tired before class - take him for a run or play fetch for an hour?

The best thing that keeps William's attention in class is Swiss cheese. I use other treats too, but if he's not paying attention, the Swiss always gets him.


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Hang in there! It gets better!
> 
> He's definitely NOT too young. If anything, I'd call him way older than ideal to just be starting. You're starting out right in the middle of his rowdy teenage phase when every dogs turns into a giant ASS from time to time! ;-) (We jokingly used to say that Quiz suffered from Little Fu&ker Syndrome at that age!)
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reassurance!!  I feel better about it all today. I think a lot of it had to do with being in a new environment (building) around different dogs. His last two classes were with the same dogs he's known since he started his training.

We watched the dvd that came with the gentle leader and tried it out on him while feeding treats...he wasn't too thrilled, but I think he will get used to it.

I'll have to look into the meatballs you mentioned for treats. I've heard that hot dogs are really good for training so I've got some of those for next week and string cheese.


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

You post made me laugh out loud. I remember taking Zeus, my 2nd golden, to class and all he did was hump all the other dogs. Not only that he taught all the other dogs to hump. Luckily the trainer was very good and patient. It all worked out in time. 

Ranger, That first trainer needed to be held up by her collar till she choked. I'm glad you left!


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

tennisball said:


> I adopted Rocky when he was 2 1/2 years old and started taking him to training when he was around 3. He had not been socialized at all and was an absolute monster in the class. He was so bad that people who were training search and rescue dogs would sign up for the class he was in just so their dog could be in a class with distractions.
> 
> After entering the room, he would bark at all the other dogs for ten minutes non stop, even though he had known them eight weeks. He'd hyperventilate the entire class and randomly bark/lunge after other dogs. I felt really embarrassed at first too, but at least we realize our dogs can be out of control and we're committed to training them. Some people have dogs that are little monsters and they're oblivious.
> 
> Just hang in there! Bring a variety of goody treats that he doesn't get often. The gentle leader definitely helps, or you could try a harness if you haven't already. Don't give up just yet!


Thank you! I'm really hoping the gentle leader will help. We had been using an easy walk harness, but Teddy figured out how to do this little backwards dance thing to get a foot out of it. :uhoh:


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> My King was so out of control I was kicked out of several classes .. embarassing ? yes. But, he went on to have a UD and was almost always in the ribbons in very competitive shows. And more importantly, he was a good dog.
> 
> I agree with all the advice given and also highly suggest you up the treats - consider using really high value people food - meatballs, steak and/or chicken cooked with garlic, liver etc. I probably would not use toys at this point. If Teddy did fine for the first 20 minutes, perhaps next week give him a potty break at the 20 minute mark? More correctly a brain break LOL. It might relieve his stress a bit and he may have been so excited that he actually did need to go?
> 
> My Towhee can be over the top, and I become a tree if she pulls, but generally keep her busy enough to prevent lunges. Work Teddy even while the instructor is talking - left, right, sit pretty, puppy push ups, stands etc are some examples of tricks that can be quickly performed to keep Teddy occupied. I do sometimes wonder why instructors talk so much in beginner classes ...


Thanks! I'm definitely going to try upping the treats next week!  When our instructor is explaining is when he tends to really get out of control so thank you for the advice on continuing to work him. We're lucky that there are only 3 other dogs in the class with Teddy and their owners are very understanding. All of the dogs are at different levels though...one is already showing in obedience, one a female is much more calm, and the other hyper...but knows her stuff. LOL


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

inge said:


> Would it help if you came early to the class? I always try to be the first to arrive, so I can walk Tess around outside for a bit to take the drive in the car out of her system, and then go up to the classroom to wait for the others. I try to do her 'homework' with her while we wait and everyone comes in, so she is focused on me and with her back to the middle of the room. Usually she is pretty mellow by the time we really start. I always think that there are too many smells around the school and especially inside the classrooms for a pup to behold, and as Tess is very smell orientated, I try to make the time to get used to it as long as possible.


Thank you for the advice! We were the first ones there with a dog, but it was still pretty hectic. The training was moved to a new building that he had never been in before and I think that may have been part of the problem.


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

AmbikaGR said:


> I don't really have anything else to add, but wanted to chime in
> 
> PLEASE do NOT give up!!
> 
> If you stick with it and work with your dog on a regular basis it will get better!! Been there trust me.


Thank you! I have a much better attitude about the whole thing today and will definitely not be giving up.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Aww! We're here for you!

First...the mounting... is definitely a conflict behavior! It was a fairly normal day...then you went to the place with all the DOGS! and PEOPLE! And excitement! And treats and excitement and more excitement... and you interacted with him and he interacted with you (and the floor...and everything else...!). And then you ignored him. And he didn't know how to get your attention and he could tell you were stressed and that's really hard for dogs. Mounting isn't inherently a bad thing... ignore it. Reinforce other behaviors. Work on the behaviors you learned about in class. He'll be learning more appropriate ways to get attention.

Age/neutering: definitely not too young for class. And neutering will probably not help what you saw in class.... many dogs have a hard first night (...but it still shouldn't happen...instructors need to get better about management!). 

Maybe sign up for a private lesson to learn more about the exercises and get a better one on one start. There are a lot of tricks with how often to feed treats, when to feed, your timing, how to hold the leash, how to handle him when he's distracted... and that doesn't get covered in most group classes. 

YOU should not feel overwhelmed in a class.


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

momtoMax said:


> Sounds like a rough go. Don't quit though - even if he's a PITA for every class. You paid for the class and it sounds like he needs to be in situations like this more so it doesn't blow his mind as much in the future.
> 
> I did catch on to your last comment about humping your leg. My Max stopped doing that to me around 6 months old. For them it is a show of dominance, kind of like saying, I'm the boss of you! My dog however, humped on the boy for a lot longer. Leif couldn't be on the floor without being assaulted!! Leif started training him and now Max doesn't do that to either of us. I think if he is humping you yet from time to time, part of your problem may be he doesn't respect your authority! Like I said, clicker training really helped raise my sons status in Max's eyes and as for me, being the strong no nonsense leader figure helped a lot too. If I tell Max to sit, well, he better darn well sit and if he doesn't - then I help him to sit. If I tell him to come, then if he doesn't come, I put a leash on him and make him come. I think that if you let your dog ignore commands when you make them, that can cause him not to take you as seriously either.
> 
> Now I don't know how you are with Teddy, but I know that in the beginning I was much too much of a softie. If Max didn't listen, I'd think, ugh, whatever and let it go. Not letting it go anymore has really helped here!


Thanks! I think I can definitely be too much of a softie and Teddy knows it. I'm going to start trying more of a tough love approach. We've already been working on him not getting anything without doing something for it. I know it will all start to pay off.


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

LibertyME said:


> You are not alone!!!! Please dont stop....with time patience and practice it WILL get better....
> 
> Yes it is work...sometimes trying and difficult....but the rewards....oh the rewards!!!
> 
> ...


Thank you for the support. I'm definitely going to hang in there. I have a ton of faith in Teddy and I know it's all going to work out.


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## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

paula bedard said:


> Don't give up! What you learn in class you can take home with you and work with Teddy without interruption. My Sam was a horror in obedience Class. He was an intact Male still and a female in heat showed up. Nightmare! The instructor said very much about Sam that was said about Marley in Maryley & Me. Needless to say, I was mortified and wanted to slink away but I stuck it out. I worked with Sam at home, using high value treats in my pocket, and he quickly came around. By the end of Obedience classes, Sam was one of the best behaved pups there. Just remember to practice, practice, practice!


HAHA that's exactly how I felt last night. I feel much better about everything today though and I'm going keep at it and try not to stress out so much.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

See, you're finding the humor in this already.  You'll be fine and Teddy will be fine. Just be persistent and consistent. Keep us posted on his progress. I bet you'll be beaming with pride by the end of the session.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

OMIGOD - don't give up and don't get discouraged. It takes a lot of time, work and patience but you will get there. And please don't feel bad, Darby is almost 3.5 yrs., he has been in puppy/basic obedience since he was 12 weeks old and he still acts like that in class.

He will suddenly lunge at the dogs or people in class, he won't stay, pulls and spends and inordinate amount of time at the beginning of every class admiring himself in the mirror. He will mow me down on a recall or occasional go to someone else for a quick visit. I never know when he will all of a sudden take off to visit someone (he is 92 lbs. and he just leaps). And if that isn't bad enough, he drools constantly and loves to do a big head shake before an exercise, yup - spit flies everywhere. 

So don't feel bad, you have a puppy acting like a puppy, I have an "adult" (I use that term loosely) acting like a puppy - after 3 years of class.

Uhh - this was supposed to cheer you up, not scare the socks off of you!!


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

The description you gave of the first night in class brought back memories!:doh: I had Jackson in a puppy class when he was 5 months old and he did just great and I was thrilled. Then in basic obedience he started out well until he hit the age of 9-10 months, the terrible adolescence. Suddenly he was so excited seeing other dogs, wanting to visit every dog in class, even the ones that wanted to bite his face off, and constantly pulling. One time he pulled so hard he ripped the leash out of my hand and my knuckle joint is still a little swollen :no:. Yes it is embarrassing. I was ready to give up until my instructor told me he is a typical, young golden male and it will get better. But I needed to be more consistent in my training and stop repeating commands, which I didn't realize I was doing until she told me. Give a command 1 time and then make sure your dog does it. I didn't realize that by repeating the command I was nagging which the dog just tunes out. I also started giving more treats as rewards for the behaviors I wanted and to work on getting him to focus on me. I also found that taking a break outside after 30 minutes of class greatly helped Jackson get his focus back for the remainder of class. An hour was just too much for him and I finally learned to read his expression and body language that told me he was shutting down. He has made a lot of progress this past month. Don't give up! Being around other dogs, new environments is a good thing and he will only get better. Teddy is a great pup!


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I'm laughing reading this thread.



2golddogs said:


> ... so excited seeing other dogs, wanting to visit every dog in class, even the ones that wanted to bite his face off, and constantly pulling.


Ah yes, I remember Maggie's (RIP) obedience class days. She was deemed the class "Social Butterfly" by the instructor :doh:. I'm thinking this must be a golden trait!


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