my nephew did paws and stripes for his service dog. there is help out there. dont get down.
I do a lot of work with Molly as my goal is for her to be my service dog. I have way more faith in her than I do myself. I am starting to feel very drained and overwhelmed by the task at hand.Actually in tears. I think for her age we are doing well. But I went to class this weekend and I don't think my brain attached to any of the new info. All I remember is the mat and that I need to get her one.
I guess this is more of a vent of frustration.
my nephew did paws and stripes for his service dog. there is help out there. dont get down.
Jollymolly (01-25-2015)
Hang in there. We all reach that point. We're here to support you.
Jollymolly (01-25-2015)
You know it may not be all you, Hemi has a new agility trainer, we have been going to her for 8 weeks now. A lot of people don't like her, she is known for being hard. Not hard on the dog but hard on the people she very quickly points out what people are doing wrong. Some people need that. A lot of people see Hemi and have a great connection and don't want to mess that up, however sometimes you need to change things up. I know Hemi and I have improved our agility drastically, however because she let me know where exactly I was messing up and then told me how to fix it, funny thing with her too it's never Hemi's fault it's mine. Most of Hemi's issues were my problem not his which I knew but I didn't know how to fix. Now I am not saying you need a hard trainer but perhaps this trainer isn't focusing your attention. Hemi, besides myself has worked in classes with 14 professional trainers, probably more as there are some I am forgetting. Since i have got Hemi he has been in at least one training class a week but usually 2. Currently he is in 3, Agility, Nosework and Flyball. Now not because I didn't like any of them, I loved them all but because all have different ways of teaching and have different ways of teaching the dogs and different ways of teaching me. Then if you throw in dog scout camp, one day seminars and sessions there is at least another 10-15 different trainers.
So it may not be you it may be the class environment, it may be the trainer not engaging you, if could be a wide variety of things. Anyway don't beat yourself up too much, in the end just enjoy the time you and molly spend together.
Charlotte K. (01-26-2015), Jollymolly (01-26-2015), xracer4844 (01-26-2015)
Jeff brings up some really great points. First, don't get down on yourself. Training is a lot of work and can be frustrating and upsetting but if you just keep on going eventually you will see all the rewards.
I would never have been able to train my dog on my own. Ever. If it wasn't for our trainer, we would never have become certified. We would never be at the level we are now. Having a good trainer is so important. I agree with Jeff especially on this point...It was never the dogs fault - it was always mine. A bad signal. Bad body position. Something. My trainer was hard on me - not the dog and honestly that's what we needed. For me to get it - so that I could transfer all the right signals that I possibly could.
Jollymolly (01-26-2015)
Get the mat for Molly and you two relax together. Don't be hard on yourself. Learning takes repetition so it's perfectly normal to have to be taught the same thing over again. Take a deep breath.
Jollymolly (01-26-2015)
Email or call the trainer and let her know you are feeling really overwhelmed and all you can remember is needing to get a mat. Ask for advice on what else you should be working on or doing. By the way, the mat could be a rag rug, or anything you already have- does not need to be a specific type of mat. Remember that this should be fun so when it is overwhelming and not fun, then take a break from it and reassess what you could do to turn it around. Puppy training is important but it has to be fun so as the lessons become harder your dog wants to work for you and please you. This is the foundation of all the rest so keep it enjoyable. Always end training on a positive note. Even if it is asking your dog to sit (something most pups will always do) just so you can reward and you and the pup are happy at the end of the session.
Jollymolly (01-27-2015)
I just wanted to throw some support your way, too. Raising a puppy to be a happy, healthy, well adjusted and well behaved adult dog is hard, hard work. While it can be fun and engaging and ultimately it will certainly be rewarding, it can also be frustrating, exhausting, and trying. I've flopped on the floor and cried more times in the last three months since bringing Ellie home than I can count (and she's not the first lab puppy we've raised!). Please be kind to yourself. It's a huge endeavor you're undertaking and there will be good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks. Just remember to take time outs for yourself as recharge periods. Training breaks are so, so important! I am at my very worst with Ellie when I am tired and frustrated and it reflects perfectly in her responses to me (I call it her giving me the puppy finger).
I agree with what some of the other posters have said about getting in touch with your trainer and talking over your sense of being overwhelmed. Our private trainer (as opposed to the puppy class teacher) told me flat, right off the bat, that my expectations for where Ellie should be in her training were wildly inappropriate for her age and to cut her some slack and let her be a puppy. She let me know, too, that Ellie was also a little immature for her age, so it was even more important for me to give her some time for her intellectual capacity to develop. Once I lowered my expectations for her, my frustration eased a little bit. I still lie on the floor and sob some days (for example, the day when, in her over excitement and exhaustion after a walk, she bit me on the nipple), but those moments are now fewer and farther apart.
Jollymolly (01-27-2015)
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