# Trainer in Southwestern Ontario?



## autopsy_survivor (Apr 2, 2013)

We had an incident at our house on the weekend - someone tried to break in while we were home. Everyone is fine, the small dogs were in the crate as we were getting ready to leave, and Bru was upstairs sleeping. We managed to get the front door shut and call the police, but the guy still broke the window to our screen door and now there's a small hole in the main door. 

Part of me is glad that Bru stayed upstairs, most likely because we have band practice up here and it probably sounded similar to the drums to him. He's also pretty shy still, although he had been doing much better. Another part of me is po'd that he didn't come down at all, he didn't even look down the stairs. 

I will admit that we have been pretty lazy the last little while with his training - he knows all his basic commands and will do them when I ask him 95% of the time, 80% with my s/o. Come is the one that we were having the hardest time with, we recently bought a long training line but haven't been able to work with him on it yet. I'm not trying to make excuses, I know it's our fault for not working harder/more often with him. 

He's a year old, intact male King Shepherd, if that makes much of a difference. He seemed nice and stable at the breeders place but when we brought him home he completely regressed and was afraid of everything. It's been about 5 months now that we've had him and he has come a long way - he will come downstairs if there are people here, go outside, etc but still avoids coming down for "new" people and prefers to hang out upstairs with the cat. On walks, he sometimes still gets a bit jumpy if people walk to close to him or if a bike/skateboard passes too closely. He has come a long way already, compared to how he was, but still has a long way to go. It's nice to see him acting more like a puppy now though than the 15 year old dog in a puppy body. 

Back to the point - we're now looking for a trainer to help us and give us some fresh ideas and things we can do with him. He is not food motivated and doesn't like toys, loves attention from us but doesn't seem to respond to it as a reward. We have been doing NILIF since we got him and I use a prong collar when out in public with him (he weighs 10 lbs less than I do and could easily pull the leash out of my hand or drag me along with him otherwise). For now, we'd like to just work on basic things and maybe work up to something else as he progresses, although I'm not sure what yet. Ideally, I always wanted to do personal protection with him but after he regressed so much when we brought him home I didn't think it was a good idea. 

Can anyone recommend a trainer in the London area? Ideally someone that will come over or do private lessons, although small groups may be alright too. We've never used a trainer before, although I did go to Pets Plus for conformation handling classes with one of my dachshunds for a long time... I just don't think it's what I'm looking for and their schedule doesn't mesh with mine well - that's why I would like someone that does inhome training because if I have to work, my s/o can work with the trainer since he doesn't drive. 

Any help is very much appreciated!


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## autopsy_survivor (Apr 2, 2013)

No one has any suggestions for trainers around London?


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## BUBBAGSD (Jul 16, 2010)

*trainers around london*

Hi Survivor

Here is a list of a few trainers that we have trained with or friends have trained with

Top dog training in kilworth
T: 519-473-6156
T: 519-404-2355
E: [email protected]

zorra k-9 outside thamesford
Zorra County K-9 Home

another trainer you might want to look into is 

berendhaus training academy just outside London
Please direct all your questions to

cheers


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## autopsy_survivor (Apr 2, 2013)

BUBBAGSD said:


> Hi Survivor
> 
> Here is a list of a few trainers that we have trained with or friends have trained with
> 
> ...


Thanks! I found the zorra k9 site and was just going to ask about them! 

One thing my so and I were talking about was to whether or not to do a group class or go completely private. I think completely private because he already has a decent foundation with the exception of come, we could work on what we need to and things that a class might not be able to help with (bark at the door, for example). We would also be working with someone who can help us work towards something without having as much "untraining" to do. My so thinks that group would be better because he would get more socialization and be around more people. I'm going to ask the trainers about that when I contact them.


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## autopsy_survivor (Apr 2, 2013)

We started training with Dennis at Zorra County K9 almost two weeks ago. The first time we went out was for an evaluation and then again a couple of days ago for a private training session. The difference we have seen in Bru already is huge! He's much more relaxed and calm, Dennis had him taking treats very quickly - something Bru wouldn't really do before. 

We have him tethered to us for a couple of hours each everyday and have the bedroom door closed unless we are in there. Bru is spending a lot more time downstairs on his own (when he isn't tethered) and is much more comfortable when we have people over - he actually fell asleep in the middle of our guests last night. He will take treats from them and looks for pets (although we ask the guests to make him do something before they pet him - lay down, sit, etc). 

I'm surprised how quickly he's learning too - before when we would try to teach him something it would take forever, he looked concerned and like he had no clue what we were asking him to do, even though we would show/lure him into the position what seemed like a hundred times. With Dennis, it seems that he only needs to be "shown" how three times and then he's got it. We've been doing our homework as well, now he knows sit, down, leave it, wait, sit stay, down stay, come and drop it. He's learned that his release word is "ok"

We're ready to start with group, we can either start in the puppy class, or do another private session and then likely be able to start at level 1 instead. I think we're going to do the private session and go to level 1, I want to make sure that we have these commands down well and that everyone is comfortable before we go into group. I also only have a limited amount of time that I can ask to be off at a certain time of the day for group, so I'd rather not do the puppy one if we don't have to. 

I highly recommend Zorra County K9, we've been very pleased with everything so far and the difference in our dog already is huge.


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