Small steps versus in at the deep end

I go to two training classes a week, both in small halls, and both run by volunteers. One is for competition obedience, where we are at different levels and exercises are carefully structured and tailored to each dog. I really like this approach as the dogs are always set up to succeed. The other one is a fun class for dogs who've passed KC GC gold and it's just a random selection of activities. I'm involved with this club socially and as a trainee trainer so want to go to the class even though I'm not so keen on the lack of structure. I've taken to just saying ' we'll give this one a miss' if it's something I haven't yet trained (like yesterday's walking backwards).
However every so often I just have a go at something and am surprised at the big leap forward we get. At my 'organised' class we've just started scent cloth work and it's been made very easy for Molly (a treat hidden in her cloth, only two other cloths, well spaced etc). But at the fun class yesterday I decided to let her have a go - about a dozen cloths, no hidden treat, dog taken out while cloth placed - and I was really pleased when Molly found her cloth straight away and returned to me with it.

At the organised class we occasionally do a group recall - three dogs lined up, well spaced, owners on other side of the room, all call dogs at once. At the fun class yesterday we did all the eight dogs at once -and it's such a small hall they were tightly packed - and it worked.

I think perhaps the more lighthearted class balances out the more structured one.

 

Whaaaaaaaaaaat ? ? ? Is that even possible? Wow, to say I'm impressed is a huge understatement!

 

Joy that's great news that you are a trainee trainer, good for you. Sounds like a great class, wish there were more like that. I love reading about your training with Molly x

 

How fabulous that you're a trainer in training! That's a huge time commitment, but from my limited experience the volunteer obedience clubs definitely need more +R trainers. Scent work is so impressive to me, go Molly for finding the right cloth!

 

I'm lucky in that my fun club have agreed to pay for my registration with the KC as an accredited instructor (in return I will take classes as a volunteer). You have to have 5 years instructing experience to become fully accredited, so I'll be well into my sixties by then! Seems a bit ott considering it only took me 3 years to train as a primary school teacher...