[Diggit]

so I started ob class 3 weeks ago with a new teacher. the last teacher I had was awesome, she had been training OB and is active in many sports around OB since 1987. she was very good at managing dog aggressivness in her class, and giving me instructions on how to make her calm, all I would have to do is take 2 steps away from the other dog, bunny needs about 10-15 feet to be able to "work" and it worked amazing, unfort. I had to move away... damn I miss her

so anyways 3 weeks ago was our first class, bunny flared up a few times and the teacher keeps telling me to "make her lay down".. I would try and bunny would be stiff legged and if finally forcfully get her laying down and she would still be tense and making noise, (skreeching) it didnt seem to work as well as the other teachers method.

at the end of the class the lab next to us started freaking out about a kid in an isle down the pet store!
bunny didnt like the dog flaring in her direction and so she started up... then the whole class started up and the teacher had no control really. she kept saying "make them lay down!!! make them lay down!!!".. but they all kept barking while laying down.

after the class she tells me to move away from all the other dogs wehn she starts "as if" bunny was the reason why the whole class freaked out.

so they finally stop, and the teacher is handing out a sheet of paper for "homework" I was holding bunny keeping her calm, she passes me and hands out the papers to everyone else but me, by then, bunny was calm and I said "you missed us!" and she repiled "oh yes, you were busy"

the second class went better, no flare ups, most of the class we were each in our own area working on some hand signals. so it was easy, and I was super happy on our progress, bunny learned the hand signal for "lay down from a distance" in about 3 min.


today was the third day, we all went outside to a wet parking lot.

the all lined up and were listening to the teacher, and the man next to me was not holding his leash, his lab wondered over to us and bunny went into attack mode :S

"yeehaw"


before she could grab the dog I grabbed her collar and pulled her front end up.
the teacher again tells me make her lay down.
I told her if I hadnt pulled her up she would have bit that dog.

then she doesnt say anything and we continue.

then of course bunnys is not so happy from that incident...

the teacher did some "weaving in between the dogs" exercise on a leash... and "left bunny out" of half the class. because she wouldnt be able to "not react" so basicly we just stood there not doing anything... bunny was not so happy sitting on her butt on wet pavement...

and after comes up to me and ask's if we should put a muzzle on her and a choke chain to "get her around the other dogs"


is it just me or does this lady have not a clue?? she seems not to know a single thing about dog aggression !

after the class I was rather disapointed, we didnt learn anything new and was left out from half the class.

bunny could tell i was disapointed,.. but I wasnt disapointed in her but the teacher.

what should i do??

 

[Aireal]

don't go back, look up a more bulldog experianced trainer contact them tell them your situation and how you have a DA APBT and go from there. NEVER go with someone that will try to "fix" her but rather will work with you and Bunny. we had a great routine with my last trainer and all reactive dogs wore a red bandana so the other owner would know not to approch or let there dog approch that dog, but the dog was still very much a part of the class. anyway i would try to get my money back if at all possible if not write her a letter respectfully letting her know she doesn't have a clue and why you will need to find a new trainer!

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

I wouldn't continue with that lady either. Sounds like the training enviroment isn't the best for Bunny. From what you are decribing when she tells you to put Bunny on a "down" is making me question her training tactics I have had Bella for a month now and take her to two different trainers every week. We have a thursday night class and a saturday afternoon class. One of my first questions to them was do they train pit bull/bully breeds and are they familiar with the breed. I was pleased to hear that one of them had over ten years and the other has over 25 years experience with pits. Also, if you can......when you find a new trainer ask if you can go observe a class to see this trainers skills and to make sure it will be a good fit for you and Bunny

 

[pitbullmamanatl]

don't go back, look up a more bulldog experianced trainer contact them tell them your situation and how you have a DA APBT and go from there. NEVER go with someone that will try to "fix" her but rather will work with you and Bunny. we had a great routine with my last trainer and all reactive dogs wore a red bandana so the other owner would know not to approch or let there dog approch that dog, but the dog was still very much a part of the class. anyway i would try to get my money back if at all possible if not write her a letter respectfully letting her know she doesn't have a clue and why you will need to find a new trainer!

Great advice, Aireal! Hopefully Lisa will be able to give you some input when she gets on today, as well.

 

[American_Pit13]

I would find a trainer who has experience with this breed. I personally would not be paying to sit out half of a class.

 

[Diggit]

oh good so im not going crazy here? lmao...

I live in a small town here, and shes the only person I could find.

shes doing the course through a pet store francise, so I doubt I could get my money back.

I think im going to try something lol... I think if she says "skip" bunny again... ill just randomly go off and do my own thing with her. infront of everyone ill weave the "imaginary" dogs with her hehehehe....

game.... on.... girlfriend.....

and ill continue saying "no" to her stupid antics... no way in hell is bunny going to get a muzzle on her. or a choke chain.

her head halter is good enough.

and ill tell you what.... never again will I take a class with her.

ill be getting bunny a "pool" pass instead... where it will be just me and her playing in an indoor pool.

 

[Aireal]

if it is a petsmart you should be able to get your money back, i was able to at the end of the course after i felt neither i nor the dog had learned anything so you still may wanna give it a try just speek to a manager.

good luck finding a good trainer is very hard!!!!

p.s. i <3 bunny she rocks so hard

 

[performanceknls]

UGGG stupid trainer..... this sounds like your only option to stay there at this point so....

If she is that bad my suggestion is to muzzle her in class. Not because she is a bad dog but it will allow you to be closer to the other dogs and work on her aggression. Also if the other stupid owners let their dogs get to close she cannot get them.
Making a dog lay down while they are going nuts is not going to work. I can see where the trainer thinks putting her in a submissive position may help but an APBT doesn't care

What type of training collar are you using? You need the right equipment if you are going to fix this DA out bursts. You cannot take the aggression away but you can demand she ignore the other dogs. Watch her carefully and as soon as she looks at another dog with interest you correct her with a strong jerk up on the leash and tell her leave it or no. She is not allowed to ever look at other dogs right now, she needs to know if she looks she will get into trouble. Take her close to the other dogs and correct her when she ignores than praise her. When she starts to make the choice to not look at them because she knows it will get her into trouble then you know she is learning to leave it. It is much easier to correct her for the thought of going after a dog rather than waiting till she blows. When she blows up the drive is very high and hard to bring it back down and also if she blows you were to late with your correction. It is all about timing so watch her body language. She can look around but if her ears prick up when is looks at a dog or she goes stiff then you need to make the correction there. That is what I mean for correcting the thought of going after a dog. Also start walk her where there are dog barking behind fences and correct her for trying to react. Then work on your sit and down stays by those barking dogs. That is a perfect distraction and a great place to make her understand she cannot react to other dogs.

That should give you some where to start but again what type of collar are you using?

 

[MY MIKADO]

Good post Lisa. I was going to suggest she start training the Leave it method with Bunny too. It really is helpful with a DA dog to know that they NEED to listen and focus on you and not the stuff around them.

I would contintue to go to class but take the lessons pointed out here and use it to make Bunny a better dog. You know it isn't the trainer helping you but it is a great way to teach focus and you already paid might as well get something for your money.

 

[performanceknls]

I agree you already paid for the class use it as a tool to work with the DA.

 

[Diggit]

yep we have been working on getting more controlled, and it works. I can get bunnys attention before a dog passes by and she will try not to look at the dog and wimper a bit, while the dog passes because shes trying hard not to look LOL.

but sometimes people get too close, even the teacher, and it starts her up a bit.

im using a head halter so far this is the thing that I have found that works best for getting attention.. correction and healing.

it seems any pressure on her neck doesnt effect her half as much.

 

[MY MIKADO]

The only I found that once I stopped using the head halter I had to basically train all overagain. That I didn't ike so I said I would never use one again. I perfer a flat collar and I work on focus with out any collar correction.

 

[performanceknls]

Head halters are dangerous and do long term neck injury I won't even allow ppl to walk through my front door them when I teach classes. Sharon is right in the fact it does not train dogs it just makes it uncomfortable to pull but never teaches them not to pull.

Get a prong collar and fit it correctly, it should fit tight right under the chin and stay there. Get a 14" prong collar it is the smaller of the 3 sizes you may have to add a link but I find the 14" fits most pitties. If she is blowing up when dogs are too close then you still have a big problem and it is not under control. She should not care about the other dogs unless they make contact. Also a muzzle will allow you to relax, if you get nervous of dogs being too close that goes down the leash to the dog and compounds the issue