I haven't joined Susan Garrett's training program as it's too expensive but there are some free videos which some might find useful, especially if you're on your first pup or dog. https://recallers.com/vip-guest-pass/
Thanks @Joy, for this, I have signed up for my "guest pass", fits in well with Tom and Lauren, and what I did at the first training class I went to.
I didn't sign up to the paid videos either @Joy I'm watching the free ones and finding that there's an awful lot of talking and not a huge amount of doing. Obviously I don't know if bought videos are more full of things to do with your dog (they probably are - it makes sense that she'd save her best material for purchase) but I'm finding the other videos a little loooooooong to watch. I'm a 'few dot points and a quick demonstration' kind of learner . How have you found the videos so far?
@Emily I agree they are rather waffly and I haven't found them very useful - I suppose because Molly will already stay in one place when cued (in all situations in the house and with most, but not quite all, distractions outside) so I'm certainly not going to start retraining that. I found the argument against luring to initially establish the behaviour was unconvincing - because after all when Susan Garrett throws a treat to release the dog it is then being encouraged to chase the food. I think if you join a paid-for course that you can send in your own videos for critique / help. I've also been watching some free videos from Tom and Lauren at Absolute Dogs - again a lot of talk. I've signed up for the free webinar on Thursday. I'm really looking for tips/ approaches to help me become a better trainer, rather than expecting it to be relevant to my work with Molly. I do find watching videos / following trainers just helps keep me on my toes, making me reflect on my training - but then I don't have a job or a toddler.
Gosh, the talk!!! I agree, enough now, get me to the good stuff! I don't follow SG's recallers programme, so can't comment on what's in there. With AD Training Academy, you get a big library of videos. The ones with games are normally about 15mins long, showing the progression and quite to the point. There are some slideshow presentations on learning theory which are longer, around an hour, but scripted so quite concise. The promo stuff is really waffling, though, as are the fortnightly live web chats. I don't normally bother with them because they are too fluffy for me, but I think they're good in that they build a real sense of engagement with the pair; it makes it feel far more like a community than just a business. I just can't deal with all the smiling and laughing; I'm just grumpy, I guess
OK I may have missed this somewhere, but what is AD training Academy please? When I google it has nothing to do with dogs, just saying...
@Joy thanks for the links. I signed up as always like free things to try prior to paying for anything. One thing I did notice through these is the dogs are very much breeds who are more single person orientated rather than multi people. Just my thought, having some friends who have similar breed of dogs. But yes the talking is nuts, and not sure I would fully get something out of it that is not already available through other means...
Hehe, it's a product by Absolute Dogs (Lauren Langman, a very successful agility competitor and breeder, and Tom Mitchell, a vet behaviourist) called the Training Academy. It's a monthly subscription group that opens up once or twice a year for new membership. You can buy other videos of theirs, too. They are very enthusiastic - a bit much for many people, including me if I'm honest! - but their relationship games are really very good. From people who have used both systems, I believe Susan Garrett's Recallers program is very similar, which isn't surprising, as they've all worked together.
Here's one of their products, and a taster of their enthusiasm https://game.absolute-dogs.com/leashoffgameon It's a good video, though. Worth the few pounds in delivery.
Oh my goodness yes!!! I like and respect Tom and Lauren and became a member but....for the last few weeks (I have been mega busy on other things not dog related) I just haven't wanted to watch the videos - there tends to be a lot of repetition and think a lot could be condensed. Not sure whether to cancel my membership. I have come to a bit of a stalemate with my training with Red. DH now takes her on two walks (one off lead but will become 2) a day and he is applying my training which I am so pleased about as we were definitely out of sync in our training views for a while. I just do an evening short walk. Only time really for training is her teatime and I use her food for training. I have quite a number of games we play but she is so good at them, it's as if we are just going through the motions. I reckon though it's ok to stand still for a while. Would be interested in what other people do and think.
I do think this is so. I've noticed with Cass that I've had to shift my focus of training certain things and when I've gone back, for example heel work, which I'm really lazy with, she does remember. You've done so much with Red. Those scentwork sessions sound good, I really think a small group of dogs and using her nose would really benefit Cassie. I too find all the talking a touch difficult, but thought I was just being fuddy duddy. I had no experience of Susan Garett before. Tom and Lauren - well I didn't really watch the Lease Off Game On dvd until recently, but I'm finding it useful with Cassie. I've rather come round to them now. Lots of things build on , or are similar to, other exercises that I've learnt here or elsewhere I find. I'm grateful for any free videos (!) but I guess you don't really get the best from these people unless you pay the full whack.
Well I have masses of videos (funny word isn't it, sounds almost old fashioned!) to catch up on. I need to set aside some time to watch them but I'm in no rush. The good thing about Absolute Dogs is that you can cancel your membership at any time.
I can't seem to find any details online about the absolute dogs training academy. Do they only advertise it when they have opened it to subscriptions? How much is it, and do you think it's worth the money? I feel like me and the Pig need a bit more focus at the moment...
@Lara if you google absolute dogs they have a website with lots of videos on there. Yes they only open membership once or twice a year. Personally, I do think membership is worth the money in that it focussed me early on. I have a lot to catch up on although it's not a race and you can select what you want and do it when you want. However, I do need to make good use of it which I'm not at the moment.
@Lara If you join their mailing list you will get emails for signing up to other courses, and training academy when it opens again. I have three of their online courses - loose leash boost, boundary games, and a naughty but nice workshop (for reactive dogs). They send me emails with a "limited time discount" and I get click happy and haven't got round to doing all of them yet! I think they were 97 pounds (...no pound button on my German keyboard) at the reduced price. I'm not completely sure it's worth it - because a lot of the games are really simple, but it has taught me to have more fun with Lucky - and that sometimes really simple things can make a difference. The training games are very different to things I've seen on free videos on youtube, so in that sense you can't find the same things elsewhere for free. I'm not so keen on Susan Garrett's "it's yer choice" game that she talks about a lot of the time. The way she describes it sounds very controlling - like training "learned helpfulness" through positive reinforcement. That's just my opinion though! And maybe for a sports dog you need that level of impulse control.
Yup, the TA is only available to join a couple of times a year (just asked on the FB page for clarification for you - I'll get back if I have an answer). I think it's £25 a month and I do think it's worthwhile. There's a lot of content, and the online community is very supportive. You can post videos and ask questions for feedback. There are fortnightly live webchats with Tom and Lauren and you can post questions to them. Like @Atemas, I dip in and out depending on how busy I am. I have loads of videos I've not watched yet - many, many hours of content. There's nothing revolutionary on there, but it certainly focuses you and sometimes puts a new spin on games you already have. You get a handful of videos to start, then a new one is released every Wednesday. After a couple of months (I've not been a member long), the entire back-catalogue is opened up to you, and they still continue to add a new video every week. They also release occasional bonuses - for example, we recently got given their "boundary games" course (five or six videos) for nowt. So, I do think it's worthwhile. And you can cancel at any time, which is good.
at £25 a month I'm probably going to join the Training Academey next time around. I've just paid for the Boundary Games video - not watched it all yet, but keen to get started.
I've been doing this from the ebook, but I think it would be worth me getting the video as well, it's such a good thing to teach.
Yes, @selina27 - I read the ebook, then decided to take the plunge (after it appeared yet again on my facebook - it's excellent marketing!) - the video is what you might imagine, but SHOWS you. I need showing. Plus it's broken into perfectly sized chunks.
