My setter loves little dogs

[Sue McFarlane]

We just started Obedience Class and Ryver cannot take her mind off of the little dogs in class.  She will only focus on them.  The heck with mom at the other end of the leash.  At home she can do all of the exercises perfect.  In class the little dogs take over.  Will she ever get over this?

[Louise Perry]

Hi, sounds like Reuben when he first started classes! we just started our second five week course and I have noticed that he is much better and kinda of got use to the fact that he doesn't go there to play! Stick with it but I know how you feel!

[Sue McFarlane]

Thanks for the encouraging words. She just turned 1 and can be a handfull. She tries so hard to be good! On the upside, everyone in class just loves her because her tail never stops wagging. Someone commented that she comes in with a big smile on her face!

[Louise Perry]

arrh, she sounds and looks great. Reuben is 8 months and very wilful but like your Ryver a very happy soul. I am constantly on his case at the moment with 'wait', 'off', 'come' etc, etc and it just seems to be endless but hopefully one day he will be this very happy AND beautifully behaved dog, lol

[Geraldine Gaul]

I am having exactly the same problem, at home JD is fine and follows my commands most of the time but at obedience class he is terrible he seems to see it as playtime.
I have often commented to the other owners that I am only there for their entertainment! I have just signed up for another lot of classes and I am hoping that the novelty of the other dogs will wear off and he will actually join in with the training. The trainer has told me that it can take a little bit longer with setters.
Its good to know that I am not alone.

[danielle rowles]

I have been doing Good Citizen with Jensen, only done the puppy foundation so far, I will admit he wasn't the best in the class, but he wasn't the worst by far!! Looking forward to starting the bronze course with him!
When I started the puppy course there was a bronze course that started a couple of hours later on the same day so decided to take Jensen older sister Amber along for that. Amber has only ever done very basic training at home and I was so pleased with how well she did. Despite only ever having done home training she was better behaved than those that had done training classes before, I have high hope for her doing her silver and gold with no problems!!

[Ossian]

You all have the same problems!!
I run training classes and it is the biggest issue we have. All the new "mommies" come to class and say "but my puppy does it at home"

Of course... there are little or no distractions at home.
One - you need to seriously "up" the value of the reward you use at class
Two - dont change what you do at class (most use the word they are "supposed" to use rather than the cue they use at home
Three - train in the kitchen by all means but train in the park, train at the shops, train at the school gate. That way training in the hall will be a dawdle.

[Louise Perry]

Very true, totally agree Ossain! I have been really training everwhere outside with distractions ie, people walking by and get Reuben to stay down or wait etc and we are really progressing now. At class he is definitely responding to my commands and that is with 6 other pups running around. It is very much a case of using lots of opportunities in your everyday schedule to practice and is becoming second nature now. We have a long way to go but I have seen a real step forward and my efforts are starting to show, yahoo!

[Sue McFarlane]

I agree that we need to train everywhere. The weather where we live has been so miserable we have had little opportunity to venture out. The weather is starting to get nicer now so we will have to venture out more. We went for a really long walk over the weekend and I implemented the training into our walk. She was actually very good; even with all the bird distractions. Our trainiers all agree that setters just take a little longer and I just need to keep working at it and have a lot of patience. We have class tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Ossian]

I am not sure so sure that "setters take a little longer" I think that is a misconception from people who dont interact with the breed.
Watch very closely and you will see that your setter "gets it" very quickly and then wonders why you want to keep repeating something they have already learned "BORING" is the expression you might catch.

Build your training pattern so tht you only do each exercise once and then move on, take a quick fun brak and go back and do them again. Actualy that is why I like clicker for setters - they get to use their creativity. Give it a try!

[Sue McFarlane]

Thanks for the tips. I can tell she gets bored. At home we will do an exercise a couple of times. On the third time she will do it, then start talking to me about it. She is so beautiful and smart. Tonight I am the carpool driver for one of my sons activities. We have a couple of hours to kill so I am going to take Ryver with and take her to a couple of pet stores that allow "pets" and work on her manners and listening there!