Thoughts & frustrations

Recently I have had some unpleasant situations... but what remains constant is my dogs, and my training...
Just a few thoughts on the way things are in my life.. nothing serious, just making sure there's no 'mud' when it comes to training and my dogs.

I am not a selfish person, but I am really trying to work on this for my dogs' sake. I want to spend more time on my own dogs and their training, and their fun, and less with people that so often let me down. I want to be more selfish. So.. I have narrowed down my group training to one day a week, and stuck with a training partner for the rest of the time, plus of course, I train at home alone.

Often I wonder what people expect of me... How many times have I heard: "Oh PLEASE can you help me" and "I will do ANYTHING to have my dog do xyz". I am always pretty strict. I do not force my "ways" on anyone, but I make it clear if YOU come to ME for help, PLEASE TRY what I suggest, and every step, not just for 2 days! I am sooo despondent with people's lack of commitment after they SWORE blind that they will do whatever it takes to achieve great things.

Someone came to me a while ago and begged me to help her with her new border collie puppy. I really didn't have time, I had my sheltie puppy to train up, plus some other puppies that I was working with. I know this doesn't sound a lot, but I work a full day (8am to 5pm) and need to train my own dogs, and then fit in other people as well.. it is really hectic! This person continued to beg and beg and said that she had not received great training previously and she was desperate to learn new things and do things the "right way" with her new dog. Of course, I am soft, so I gave in and spent hours of my precious time with her. I was disappointed as she sometimes didn't listen to strict instructions and raced ahead and missed steps, and I spoke up about this. "Yes.. yes.. yes.." was the response but it continued happening.

I am very strict when it comes to the dog's health and prefer to "max out" on foundation work and not do anything very strenuous for the dog before it is ready. I never train full courses, only exercises and little scenarios. This is one thing that I try and drill into my students, DO NOT ask your dog to do something, in any situation, that it doesn't already know how to do.... ie dont ask your dog to run a course and go from a tunnel into a go-round-spread, if you have never trained go-rounds, if your dog hasn't done a spread and hadn't ever learnt the go-round spread!

So what happens, this student goes to another club, runs her young dog on full courses. It is now competing, and cannot string 3 obstacles together without veering off the line or circling, cannot enter the weaves from anywhere except 1 specific spot, at 1 specific speed, cannot do a left or right turn on cue...

I am sorry, people I cannot work like this :(
I have very high standards but I cannot help someone that doesn't follow the program.

Another person (that I also spent hours and hours on) went to great lengths to get advice from all and sundry and flitted from one training 'tool' to another, and eventually settled on another 'trainer' and ignored my valuable advice on training a border collie for agility. I continuously got "so-and-so and I have decided that I am doing it this way.. which forced me to have to work around this. I was her "Agility trainer" who was in fact not able to train her in Agility due to all these obstacles in my path. Mega problems ensued and the controlled drive that I was trying to install is off-the-wall, the tools I suggested for a "connecton" to the dog for reward and release were challenged, the time-outs I begged for were hyped isolation.. the basics that I instill in all my dogs and all my student's dogs were unreliable to the point that further work was difficult.. the bond between handler and student just wasn't on the right "plane" to work... All these things made stress in my life and took time away from my own dogs and my training and no matter how many sugar-coated, kind times I tried laying it out, explaining, going through things, nothing ever seemed to sink in. Excuses, excuses, excuses were all I got in return and more pleas for help until I finally came to my wits end and said it as plainly as I could, in black and white, BLUNT. Needless to say I cannot work with this person any more because I can teach them nothing.

I do not charge for training, I do it because I want people to achieve and have great rounds with their dogs.
All the cost of the equipment, the ground rental etc is on me. I ask for nothing except for the people to enjoy it and to achieve.

So I will say it again, I cannot work like this, people! I am an agility trainer and instructor, and if you come to me (I am not saying do it "my way"), please take in the ENTIRE picture, decide what you want to achieve and we will set out a plan for you to get there. I have certain methods of training contacts, weaves etc, and you may do a different method, fine - I can steer you in the right direction, and help you with all the steps - but the basics, the foundation the reward types, the control, the drive, PLEASE let me help you with this!!!

Being strict about these things, and using my previous track record of champions to relay certain points across to my students, I have been accused of having an "ego". I am really sorry that anybody feels this way, I do not believe that I am better than anybody, or that my dogs are better than anyone else's. I DO, however, believe in my training methods, I have proof that they work, other great trainers use the same methods that I believe in, and they have proven that they work.... and THAT is what I "harp" on when students argue silly points and insist on doing things in an unproven way. And when they don't work, I hold back the "I-told-you-so and focus on the best "fix" (against my better judgement).. thereby taking up more of my (free) valuable time, only to be confronted with more of the same.

I don't have any more time or energy for this, so I have to say this: from now on my time is my time. I am taking on no more students, except my new puppy owners, that I will spend a little time with to get you all going and answer questions and offer advice. This is my hobby and my dogs are my family, and I would like to enjoy my dogs and I won't put up with ungrateful people and sacrifice my own life any more.

I am known for "saying it like it is", and so anyone that is offended, get over it, this is just me. At least I am honest. I refuse to sugar-coat anything!