# Training club or privately?



## ross4545 (Jul 9, 2013)

Right now are girls train privately with Dean Calderon which they love. I will continue our private lessons with him. At the same time we are interested in the club atmosphere. Do you think it would be an overload to do both with the girls? Should we stick to one over the other? They are super green and just now getting into it and I'm afraid if we throw them into a club they would feel overwhelmed. If someone knew of a good club in central Ohio that doesn't frown upon newcomers I would be interested in checking them out. Thanks in advance for any input.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Stick with Dean.....you will only get conflicted as many clubs do not approve of you training anywhere else but with them....Dean is a fantastic trainer...I wish he had kept coming here to Pittsburgh 

Lee


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## ross4545 (Jul 9, 2013)

wolfstraum said:


> Stick with Dean.....you will only get conflicted as many clubs do not approve of you training anywhere else but with them....Dean is a fantastic trainer...I wish he had kept coming here to Pittsburgh
> 
> Lee


 
That's what I figured. Dean is great and we wouldn't give up that training. I had heard that some didn't approve just had never experienced it. Thanks for your advice.


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## KJenkins (Aug 29, 2005)

I'm sure he won't mind you contributing to his 401K weekly.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I train with my IPO club and also pay to train "one on one" with a great helper/trainer though not private sessions. There are usually 6 teams in a group session and they aren't always the same teams....so my dog sees other random dogs often.

I take the exercises I'm doing w/ "one on one" to my club. 

My club doesn't have an actual trial field, and I needed to get my dog on one so he could do the blind searches, etc.

I enjoy training and need more than once a week with the club so it works for me to go to the other place. 

I also train privately once a week with an obedience trainer and again, take the methods I'm working on from the pay to train IPO helper to her place, she spots me and critiques my footwork and handling. 
So that private session is more for me than my dog!
I'm training 4 days a week at 3 different venues, but try to stay consistent/though all three have great trainers and input in what we are working on.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Speaking from experience some clubs have a big problem when you train at another club-even when you talk to them about it before hand-it is nice that that is not the case in the clubs that you work in


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

For a novice, many clubs don't have the time to work individually on every little thing that is involved in beginning a team in IPO. Private sessions along with club time is most beneficial.
I think there should be _no_ conflict if someone wants private instruction elsewhere and take what they are working on to the club field. Consistency in the methods while learning is the most important thing to be fair to the dog. 
As long as everyone is clear on that, it is fine to train with other groups or instructors. 
Most of the places I've trained as a newbie it is hard to give quality one on one time during club,....or maybe I'm just needier, once a week with a club isn't enough!


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## ross4545 (Jul 9, 2013)

Thank you all for the input and stories on what you have been through. I personally checked out some of the schutzhund clubs here and went to just watch. Many of the members told me even going to different seminars is frowned upon. I want the help and atmosphere.... Not drama.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I don't know if I'd want to train with a group that frowns upon other 'influence' techniques. I personally want more tools in my toolbox and that only happens with more knowledge. Most all the clubs I've been to, are a bit tapped out on teaching novices so are ok with them reaching out and getting more exposure w/ training. 
BUT~ be fair to the dog and don't keep changing up the program~ that can be the reason for people to dis going to others for training. Setting a strong consistent(correct) foundation is so very important.


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## KJenkins (Aug 29, 2005)

One of the biggest reason going to others for help or even seminars is frowned upon is that people new to the dog sports want to re-invent the wheel every time they go somewhere. Even people that have been around can get caught up in the latest flavor of the month trainer/technique.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

KJenkins said:


> One of the biggest reason going to others for help or even seminars is frowned upon is that people new to the dog sports want to re-invent the wheel every time they go somewhere. Even people that have been around can get caught up in the latest flavor of the month trainer/technique.


:thumbup:

The problem is most people have no idea what "plan" they are on. So one trainer says do it this way and the other says that way. Now your dog is so screwed up because you're changing styles and it has no idea what you're asking of it. I see it all the time. I'm actually working a dog now that we have had to take completely backwards because the handler switched clubs and my trainer uses different words than her last club so now she tried to switch words thinking she needed to(she obviously didn't listen to my GF and I handle since we use the same words that she used to.). None of us caught on because we didn't know what words she used. Now the dog has no idea and is back at square one.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I don't think its the end of the world...years ago my friend let me take one of her titled dogs that was schutzhund titled in Czech to training -I yelled out and the dog instantly outed-and I got really excited because I thought the dog knew English-she didn't-she knew the exercise

I get that things get confusing if you are changing things all the time-but it also makes training more interesting new ideas-luckily its the people I train with that go to the seminars now-and the name dropping is kinda old -trying different ways keeps training more interesting


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

If you are an experienced handler/trainer, I see no problem with going other places, ( though I agree with K Jenkins that even some semi experienced handlers go to seminars and end up going backwards), but if you are a novice AND pursuing a title or a specific goal....it can be a disaster.! Lotta people in clubs are playing around and will probably never achieve the tile, but if you are serious about the goal, do your dog a favor and stay on consistent path....less conflict for dog and TD....jmo


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

If you’re happy with and you see forward progress with your current training, why change it?

I started out just being a member of a club. I really wasn't getting the training I was looking for and wanted. I started looking around for something better. I found a private trainer who is very good and makes everything look so easy and fun. He offers us what we were looking for in training. 

I remained a member of a club and combined that with the private training. Eventually dropping the club as we weren't learning anything there and there was too much conflict/tension coming from some of the club members. Besides, why pay the club dues/fees AND pay a private trainer if you can get all you need from one? That can get costly pretty fast.


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