# looking for Sch in NW Illinois



## kimi (Jul 29, 2010)

Looking for a trainer or club in the NW burbs of Chicago. Would like to check it out and talk to someone.. Anyone out there?


----------



## luvsables (May 7, 2007)

Sent you a PM Kimmi


----------



## chruby (Sep 21, 2005)

Sending you a pm....


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

There are several individual trainers & Schutzhund Clubs in the area.....where exactly are you located?
Also..."some" of the groups are not very nice to "newbies" and they tend to be "clickish"...so be cautious...FYI.


----------



## gsdheeler (Apr 12, 2010)

O.G. Edgerton Schutzhund Club in south east WI.


----------



## chruby (Sep 21, 2005)

robinhuerta said:


> Also..."some" of the groups are not very nice to "newbies" and they tend to be "clickish"...so be cautious...FYI.


Robin, I agree with you 100%!!!


----------



## kimi (Jul 29, 2010)

Thank you Robin-Closest big burb is Schaumburg. But, we are willing to do some traveling. Esp on Sundays. We like to drive. 
So any suggestions of what to do if we find it clickish? Time to move on? What do we do?


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Kimi....check your PM box first...


----------



## miaferominka (Jan 9, 2011)

kimi said:


> Looking for a trainer or club in the NW burbs of Chicago. Would like to check it out and talk to someone.. Anyone out there?


 
Here is a link and contact information to a club that trains in West Chicago, just off Rt 59, it is not that far from Schaumburg.


*Turner Junction Working Dog Club*
John Dolsen
Huntley,IL
630-217-0778 


Good luck in finding a club.


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

As a few of us have mentioned on prior threads, look for a club that you are comfortable with. In addition, ensure that you have experienced helpers and training directors in the club – people that have trained and titled their dogs in the sport, so they know what to do and how to train. Ask for examples.


----------



## chruby (Sep 21, 2005)

I agree with looking for people and trainers that you feel comfortable with. 

Also, make sure that you are able to ask questions and are respected as a newbie and time is taken by the Training Director, especially to answer your questions. Just because someone is experienced and accomplished does not mean that they are able to deal with people very well or are respectful to both dog and handler. Watch out for old school Training Directors that tend to be heavy compulsion and are not open to positive training methods and questions from handlers.

That being said, I recommend you check out several places. Turner Junction in West Chicago is an great place to train. Also, we have a training group that meets out in Kirkland that has people that have titled dogs as well as a training director that is into very positive training methods. I suggest you check out as many different places as possible and ask a lot of questions.


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

I agree: one has to be good at explaining/teaching as well as have the hands on experience of training and titling dogs.

You do need to check out a few different clubs/training groups and ask for proven examples of training and titling, just as you would with a breeder. 

Another example: 
We just went through this with tennis and our daughter. Started working with the Quick start group (tennis for young kids) in the area. Coach was with the main pro group and inferred that he was part of the pro team. Asked for examples and received somewhat vague answers. We wanted to see daughter's interest as well in the sport. Coach spoke well, worked well with the kids, but as she started in the clinics/groups in Sept, in a few short weeks, we did not see the understanding or any foundation of training (feetwork, etc  ). When ask, asssured it would come later and she was a strong player (2nd at 1st tournament). Not good answer. Pushed a little more for experience and mimimal - he trains with the pros, hangs around, helps with the tournaments, posts fotos, but not what we were looking for and what he was leading people to believe.

With the weather change and no nearby inside courts, we took a break and starting talking to tennis people with kids, friends who played seriously, etc. Found Devin, who started tennis as a kid, trained with some of the best and competed (and still does) at a top level. Documented proof Watched him work with a 6 yo and impressed. Talked at length with him as well as other parents of children and people that train with him. Travel time to lessons early Sat, inside courts, but at the 1st lesson - we saw immediately how he knew how to work with someone because he had done it and how to work with young kids because he had done it as a child as well.


----------

