FAQ's 
Clicker Training - a fun and positive way to train your dog!
I CANNOT ATTEND PART OF THE COURSE AND MAY MISS ONE OR TWO OF THE LESSONS. SHOULD I STILL ENROL?
Yes you can still enrol on the course, if you let us know at the start of the course which class you cannot attend we will provide you with the relevant handouts the week before, and you can work through these at home. You may decide to let another family member or friend bring your dog instead. This is fine but you will need to show them what you have done prior to the class so they have an idea what to expect!
CAN I PAY FOR THE COURSE ON A WEEK BY WEEK ATTENDANCE BASIS?
No. You must pay for the course upfront in full.
I DON’T KNOW IF MY DOG WILL BE HAPPY IN A TRAINING CLASS SHOULD I STILL ENROL?
All potential class registrants are asked to complete a confidential questionnaire and are required to attend a pre-training assessment class (at a nominal cost of £10) at our Gilesgate venue prior to enrolment, however this is not a requirement for our Little Learners course or dogs that are progressing through to advanced levels from our previous courses. The questionnaire and assessment is designed to give us some information and will enable us to observe your dog’s behaviour in advance of any enrolment. We will then be able to determine if a class is the best option.
WHAT DO I NEED FOR THE CLASS?
The first week of the Little Learners and Bronze Level course is a seminar for owners only, no dogs. You will receive all the information you need for the course (including a variety of useful handouts), on the first week. At the end of the class each week you are also given extra handouts and homework to complete for the following week and a list of anything you may need to bring!
WHY IS WEEK ONE OF THE LITTLE LEARNERS AND BRONZE COURSE A SEMINAR WITHOUT DOGS?
The seminar on the first week will prepare you fully for the next six weeks of the course. It will include venue orientation, course overview, an introduction to our training methods including an introduction to clicker training, how dogs learn, a training demonstration, a chance to ask questions and the opportunity to purchase training tools and equipment. The seminar lasts one hour and every enrolled client will receive a FREE goody bag for their dog. There is no seminar for Silver Level or Higher Hounds.
CAN I BRING THE FAMILY AND CAN WE ALL TRAIN OUR DOG IN THE CLASS?
Absolutely, all of the family are more than welcome to attend and take turns training their dog during the class, however to avoid confusing your dog, we ask that only one person trains your dog on the training floor at any one time.
I WOULD LIKE TO TRAIN MY OTHER DOGS AT THE SAME TIME. CAN I BRING MY OTHER DOG/S TO THE CLASS AND TRAIN THEM TOGETHER.
No, we have a one handler/ one dog policy for the training class.
MY DOG IS AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE/DOGS. SHOULD I BRING HIM OR HER TO TRAINING CLASSES?
If your dog has already learned to behave aggressively around other people and dogs, a class will not solve this. Why? Because you could be putting your dog into a situation they will find very stressful, and this will make them nervous and anxious. They will be very close to other dogs and people they do not know. A dog that is very anxious and stressed is unlikely to learn anything constructive. Aggressive dogs are often in a heightened state of anxiety/excitement around other people and dogs, and these emotions can often override everything else. You need to teach your dog to relax and focus on you around dogs and people away from the class.
If your dog is displaying predatory aggression towards other dogs, animals or people, a class is certainly not suitable. We have to consider not only the safety and well being of your pet, but also other pets and owners in the class.
If you dog is behaving aggressively, we would need to arrange a Behaviour Consultation.
HOW QUICKLY CAN I EXPECT MY DOGS BEHAVIOUR PROBLEM TO BE SORTED OUT?
Canine behaviour can be extremely complex, and there is no quick fix. It is possible to see results early on, but you will need to work on your dogs training every day for real long term benefits. There are so many factors to take into consideration when working on behaviour problems and some of these are mentioned below:
What's also crucial to behaviour modification is how much time and effort you can put into helping your dog. Behaviour modification can take many months. Food for thought...........Are you willing to change your daily routine to help your dog? Are you able to commit to an intensive training programme? Is your dog in an environment where you feel an improvement can be made? Can you ensure that the training is delivered consistently? Are you able to increase your dogs mental and physical exercise as a key part of a programme? We are here to help you, guide you, and offer the best advice, but you will also need to put work and commitment into your dogs rehabilitation.
WHY DO YOU NOT ALLOW CHECK CHAINS?
We have a strict no check chain, prong collar policy. If you bring your dog to class and they are wearing a check chain or similar, you will be asked to remove the collar and use a suitable alternative. If you do not have another collar with you, we have flat collars of varying sizes for sale. We are a member of the APDT and must abide by their code of conduct. But it's not just about check chains! We do NOT endorse, support, associate with, or encourage ANY harsh training methods including physical punishment, bullying, pulling or other forceful handling, or any electronic punishment devices. Our reasons for this are detailed below. We employ the use of positive reinforcement (reward based training) including clicker training. To learn more about clicker training visit www.clickertraining.com.
MY DOG NEEDS TO LEARN TO BEHAVE SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH USING PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT?
Physical punishment can be anything ranging from a harsh lead correction, to hitting, scruffing, or forcing a dog to the ground to 'make' it submissive - and that's just a few! There are other forms of punishment such as shouting or screaming at dogs. There are tools available to help 'deliver' punishment more 'effectively' such as check chains and electric (shock) collars.
Take aggression to other dogs as a common behaviour problem in dogs, and take physical punishment as a proposed solution. Some dogs learn to associate the punishment with the target of the aggression, but what if they don't make the connection and instead learn to associate the punishment with something else, for example, the child standing next to the dog they were looking at? Other dogs may redirect their aggression as a result of being physically punished, to the nearest thing i.e. their owners hand.
Using physical punishment can seriously damage the pet/owner bond. Trust begins to diminish or fails to develop at all.
To deliver physical punishment and for it to work the timing of the punishment has to occur at exactly the same time the dog misbehaves. One second after is too late! The intensity has to be such that the dog does not exhibit the behaviour again. Very few people can deliver physical punishment correctly or at the right level to solve the problem. That is why lead corrections do NOT work effectively. If lead corrections did work why do people have to keep repeating them over and over again? Even if punishment was delivered accurately, it can cause the dog to stop offering new behaviours and it's training begins to slow up, it stops looking at it's owner-not giving eye contact can be a sign of mistrust, it appears to reluctantly do what is being asked of it, or worse still, it 'shuts down' completely. This is known as learned helplessness.
Dogs are also 'location specific' in their learning. New behaviours that are learned in a class or elsewhere, have to be generalised. Using punishment in a class environment, for example for a dog reacting aggressively, may not work anywhere else other than in the confines of the class. Just because Fido was punished in a class for behaving aggressively towards other dogs, and he stopped the reactive behaviour in the class, does not mean he will be fine with other dogs on walks at home. He simply stopped reacting in one specific place (the class) with a certain group of dogs.
Physically punishing a dog for exhibiting a problem behaviour does not get to the root of the problem. It looks like it works, particularly in the short term, because the behaviour is temporarily suppressed (remember - learned helplessness). Think of it as papering over the cracks. The problem has not been solved (although initially it may appear that way) but often it will emerge later on, worse than before or in a different, but perhaps just as undesirable, form. Punishing your dog does nothing to show him what behaviour you DO want. The temptation if the suppressed behaviour re-emerges, is to increase the level of punishment. But when do you stop? If you feel that this is the only way to help your dog then you should try a different trainer.
For more info go to http://coape.org/awsn.html - Ask Why? Say No!
CAN I TURN UP TO A CLASS EVEN IF I HAVEN’T ENROLLED?
Class sizes are limited to six dogs. Registration is on a first come first served basis and is done prior to course commencement. If you have not registered you should not attend with your dog.
If you want to come along and watch a class without participating, perhaps because you haven’t decided whether to enrol, we would be happy to see you but please do not bring your dog.
MY DOG IS NOT WELL SHOULD I STILL COME TO CLASS?
You should seek veterinary advice regarding bringing your dog to class if he or she is unwell. Your dog cannot attend if he or she is not fully vaccinated, in season, or has a contagious illness or parasites i.e. Kennel Cough, Fleas.
IS MY DOG ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH OTHER DOGS IN THE CLASS?
The answer to this is no. We want to teach your pet to focus on you, not other dogs. The class environment gives them the opportunity to learn in the presence of other dogs, but physical interaction is limited. Any play sessions in the class are between owner and dog, not dog and dog! Your dog will, however, be meeting many other dogs coming in and out of the class so it's important that your dog is sociable and happy to meet other dogs if you do want to attend classes.
WILL MY DOG BE OFF LEAD IN CLASS?
All of the training exercises are done on leads and training lines with the exception of recalls. In ‘Higher Hounds’ your dog will be taught off lead for many of the exercises.
I HAVE JUST GOT A RESCUE DOG AND DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIS OR HER BEHAVIOUR SO CANNOT ANSWER MUCH IN THE PRE COURSE QUESTIONNAIRE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
The first few weeks in a new home are a critical period. Adjustments can be difficult. If you have just adopted a dog, allow a few weeks for them to settle in before you enrol them onto a training class.
IS THE VENUE FULLY ACCESSIBLE?
Yes both Gilesgate and Lanchester venues are accessible. There are restroom facilities in both venues, free parking, and level access.
Vicky Welsh 00849
Contact us: Tel: 0191 4102325
E Mail: enquiries@haveagooddog.co.uk
Web: www.haveagooddog.co.uk