# Are there ANY decent trainers/clubs in Ohio?



## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

There is only ONE listed PSA trainer in this area, and they have some negative reviews... even going so far as saying that the "lead" trainer/owner has lied about his military service.  I really want to get into the PSA thing, but if there isn't a good club around I don't see this happening. So secondary is finding a decent trainer to begin with. I went to one Schutzhund group years ago and they refused to even let my dog work with dogs his age because they said he was a "show dog" and they all had sables. My new guy is Czech, but I don't want to go work with dog snobs. That same dog went on a sleeve for the first time at several years old and impressed the heck out of the helper who was in from another city. Again, though, my dog was snubbed by other club members. I want to join a friendly club, and if that isn't possible then I'd like to at least find a good trainer who doesn't lie about his capabilities or charge you your first born for puppy class. Anyone out there from near or in Ohio?


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

I haven't been out in two months ($$$) but you may want to try and contact Northeast Ohio Working Dog Club


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Have also heard good things about the same club.

Home


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Isn't Dan Cox' club in Cincinnati? He's a good working dog trainer.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Dan has Wildcat in KY - also in another club near Cincinnatti but over the border.....Wildcat is small and very very competition oriented....

Lee


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

How about Jürgen and Katharina Oster? They are in Grove City, Ohio, and I've seen them at showline and working venues so they could probably help you. Very nice helpful people. You should msg him on facebook and ask.


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## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

Ohio is a big state. I know some good ones, but it depends where you live.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

qbchottu said:


> How about Jürgen and Katharina Oster? They are in Grove City, Ohio, and I've seen them at showline and working venues so they could probably help you. Very nice helpful people. You should msg him on facebook and ask.



they went back to Germany   in July ....Kristi with Hexe and Jagr was working with them.....

Lee


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Lee: Did they go back for good?? I know they went for the working dog competitions in Slovenia, but I thought they were just dropping off Crok and returning.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I was told for good.....too bad, they were close enough that we could work with them....Jurgen wanted to take Jagr with him but Kristi won't give him up!

Lee


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## christinaekenn (Jan 10, 2011)

a great club is Mid-Ohio...but they are strictly IPO About Us


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

christinaekenn said:


> a great club is Mid-Ohio...but they are strictly IPO About Us


That's OK.. because IPO titles are what I'm interested in.


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## christinaekenn (Jan 10, 2011)

well you can't go wrong with that club then! They are incredibly nice and home of a few world team members. They seem to put out some incredibly successful dogs in that club!


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Do you happen to have any contact info. for this club? The website didn't have any...which I found odd. Thank you!


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## Princey009 (Aug 8, 2012)

Jag said:


> There is only ONE listed PSA trainer in this area, and they have some negative reviews... even going so far as saying that the "lead" trainer/owner has lied about his military service.  I really want to get into the PSA thing, but if there isn't a good club around I don't see this happening. So secondary is finding a decent trainer to begin with. I went to one Schutzhund group years ago and they refused to even let my dog work with dogs his age because they said he was a "show dog" and they all had sables. My new guy is Czech, but I don't want to go work with dog snobs. That same dog went on a sleeve for the first time at several years old and impressed the heck out of the helper who was in from another city. Again, though, my dog was snubbed by other club members. I want to join a friendly club, and if that isn't possible then I'd like to at least find a good trainer who doesn't lie about his capabilities or charge you your first born for puppy class. Anyone out there from near or in Ohio?


Do not go to Cory Dewberry. Horrible. If your dog is not bred right or show promise, he puts it on the back burner. Doesn't let you see the dog (because it interferes with training) Will work with them seldom. $1200 a month. Yea he is PSA and trains K9's but if your a nobody just trying to get a dog trained, he will take advantage of you. (Pickerington, Ohio) Drama.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Can you PM me and let me know if this is a club you're talking about and if so which one? I think I've found a good trainer for just obedience... puppy classes and all that. They also are certified in training service dogs, which is the second thing I want my guy to be trained in. This part is actually pretty important to me, but he doesn't have to do a lot of things. They will work 1 on 1 with you to train your dog to do service work, but also have trained dogs that they will match with a person. I don't think it would be hard for me to do, since I had my last male doing some things that weren't hard and he was eager to do. If I'd had really thought about it, he probably could have been trained easily as a service dog, but I wasn't in that position yet.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Mid-Ohio is a bust. Got an email from them saying their membership is "at capacity". Never heard of a club having a membership limit. Guess I'll look somewhere else. I think I'll start in other states. I really don't care if I have to drive six hours each way at this point. I'm told this dog *will* be able to do the work (pretty much any work) and I don't have time to play games with clubs. I don't want a delay because that could mean he never gets the chance to get onto the field. I wish I would've taken the time to do this before I got sick. I just had no idea any of this would happen. I guess it's a lesson to not put things off if you want to do them. You may not have a "later" to get to it.


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## GCK9 (Mar 29, 2011)

Well you must not put the cart before the horse and first understand that as I am sure you will receive a very nice versatile dog that PSA is a sport that the Mal and DS excel at. GSD have done Sch IP0 for a very long time and excel at it. Some GSD can do both sports but this is not the norm. It would be best to get your pup bond with it get the vaccinations finished and have your dog evaluated by a training director at whatever sport you want to try or have interest in.PSA is a very different sport even more so than FR MR as the decoys do not bring the heat at the dog like PSA decoys do.It is just different not better or worse than any other sport. IMO you will need a very high drive puppy that is very outgoing and environmentally sound with a hard character and you will have to keep it high drive and build drives. This can be a challenge for many new gsd owners that want a nice dog lol. I do not know any PSA people in the Mid West have but have trialed under Daryl Richie who is the Mid West Director. If you go to the PSA website you should be able to email him and ask who he could help you reach in the Mid West region. Enjoy and train your new dog no matter what else this is the most important thing!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

MOST clubs are "at capacity" - there is only so much time in a day and the helper can only work so many dogs a day. A newbie, with a dog from untitled - unproven - parents is often a big drain on the club, because so so many give up and quit after finding out that experienced people are able to make a judgement based on a pedigree that is more often than not validated. It is a many time played out scenerio! Some clubs, even full, will try to accommodate people with pups from the club or experienced people. 

There is a trainer out around you that is very questionable, go to the database and you will read alot about him - there is a saying - no training is better than bad training.

Lee


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

wolfstraum said:


> MOST clubs are "at capacity" - there is only so much time in a day and the helper can only work so many dogs a day. A newbie, with a dog from untitled - unproven - parents is often a big drain on the club, because so so many give up and quit after finding out that experienced people are able to make a judgement based on a pedigree that is more often than not validated. It is a many time played out scenerio! Some clubs, even full, will try to accommodate people with pups from the club or experienced people.
> 
> *There is a trainer out around you that is very questionable, go to the database and you will read alot about him - there is a saying - no training is better than bad training.
> *
> Lee


I agree with Lee, and there is a trainer in Cinci,OH that is posting ads on my local CL...if they were all that great, why advertise? 
I would still try to get with a club now, even if you don't have a pup...so much to learn and observe, I'd rather get a jump on it than wait til my puppy was mature enough(even if you don't bring your pup to club, it is worth going to learn).


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

I think GCK9 is right on point. I think you need to get your dog involved in a good working dog club, preferably Sch, SDA, Ring, Mondio, etc. After successful involvement in one of those venues I think you will have a good idea of whether your dog would enjoy PSA. Many dogs that enjoy Sch do not flourish in PSA. Not saying your dog will or will not, but I think Sch provides some of the best obedience foundation you can get.
Good luck


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Yeah, *finding* a club is an issue. I've gone to a couple... both times was told I should've had the dog out there at 8 weeks. Very discouraging if I can't find one that isn't "at capacity". I'll keep looking. I'm not opposed to Sch. at all. If this dog can't do the work, I'll eat my shorts. I'm confident he will. I had the same stuff said about my other male. He proved them wrong. He was a BYB dog to boot. I found a place for puppy classes/obedience. It's Circle Tail in Cinci. They also do private lessons for self training service dogs. It will at least get the obedience started, but won't do much for anything else. I'd love to go to a club to learn something. However, it feels like I'm trying to get into Fort Knox. They know nothing about my dog, either. So it's not based on anything they know or don't know about his pedigree.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Little advice....when you introduce yourself to perspective clubs I wouldn't be relaying the experiences with your other dog, or that you know know your dog will do it. I would just inquire, if there is a vacancy and they want to evaluate you let your dog's performance speak for itself. Many times people come to clubs with preconceived notions about the sport based on something from the past....and all clubs are different with different people. Not saying you are or are not....but I have heard you reference to your treatment with your previous dog and how they were wrong; a couple of times, and although it may be true.....leadership in a new club could take it the wrong way. Good Luck!
Like the way you start this post about ANY decent trainers or clubs in OHIO. OF course there are some decent clubs in the state.....now whether or not they are logistically feasible for you????is another issue. But the way you worded that could raise eyebrows.....just trying to help!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Don't limit yourself to OH either...KY or MI has some great groups just over the borders.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

cliffson1 said:


> Little advice....when you introduce yourself to perspective clubs I wouldn't be relaying the experiences with your other dog, or that you know know your dog will do it. I would just inquire, if there is a vacancy and they want to evaluate you let your dog's performance speak for itself. Many times people come to clubs with preconceived notions about the sport based on something from the past....and all clubs are different with different people. Not saying you are or are not....but I have heard you reference to your treatment with your previous dog and how they were wrong; a couple of times, and although it may be true.....leadership in a new club could take it the wrong way. Good Luck!
> Like the way you start this post about ANY decent trainers or clubs in OHIO. OF course there are some decent clubs in the state.....now whether or not they are logistically feasible for you????is another issue. But the way you worded that could raise eyebrows.....just trying to help!


Trust me, my emails were extremely short and only inquired about wanting to get info. about joining their club with an upcoming GSD pup. My frustration in the past I've only spoken about here and at home. I'm not stupid. I went to both clubs eager... wanting to learn. It was something I'd wanted to get into for years. The first place NO ONE even spoke to me.. other than to tell me that I had a "show dog" not a working dog. Nearly the same thing happened at the second club. Disappointed is an understatement. I was very happy with the helper, though, who did speak to me about my dog... and told me what to do on the field. I don't know crap about training a dog to do this. I want to learn. I want the people who do know to tell me everything they know. I want help. I don't want to mess up this dog. My reference to *any* is that I'll go anywhere I have to in order to get with a good club that has experienced people who are willing to share what they know. To be quite honest, I don't know how long I'll be able to do this type of thing. My wife may have to take over at some point, and will be helping me with this. Unlike most of you, my clock is ticking. I don't have time for politics. It seems like with some clubs if you didn't buy a pup from the breeder of the club, you're not getting in. Trust me, when you know you have limited time... the way you go about things is more urgent and more to the point. I am trying to find somewhere to go and watch and learn before I get this guy. I'll be very honest that I'm coming with no knowledge behind me... but I'm not saying anything one way or another about that in trying to find a club because I can hear the door shutting on me if I do that. If I have to, I'll send him to be titled first and then maybe he'd be "worthy" of getting into a club. 

Do clubs want a resume or the pup's pedigree or something to be approved for a club? I really don't know what to put in the emails other than "I'm looking for a club to join. I am getting a new pup in a few weeks, and am interested in coming to your club." That's about all I've put in emails, other than trying to find someone to do the tattoo. I've found neither so far. I'm trying to learn how to teach tracking from a book. I don't think that's the best way, but I haven't had any luck in finding somewhere to go to learn this from people that have done it. I keep reading that this stuff needs to be started early (like by 10 weeks) and if I can't even locate someone to learn it from how am I supposed to do it? I've just never seen anything like this... where trying to 'break in' is so frustrating. If it's wrong to discuss the frustration of that and ask for the secret handshake or the name of a club that isn't going to freeze me out, I apologize. So far, all three clubs that I know of in the area are a no go. I don't understand at all why clubs would be not wanting to teach. Most dog people I've met (outside of this arena) *want* to talk about their dogs and teach. The only trainers I know of in this area that do that type of training have bad reviews. So I'm at a loss. I guess if you're *in* maybe you can't understand the frustration. Especially after being told before that my dog wasn't "right" and now I am getting a dog that is "right" and I can't even get past the first email... even though I'm not giving them any info. at all basically. 
So if anyone can give me any help in this, I'd appreciate it. I'd also appreciate not being told that I need to go and watch and learn... because that's what I'm trying to do. Also please don't knock my pup. I don't knock yours, and I trust my breeder and I trust my pup's pedigree. If he is a wash out, I'll be sure to let you know. The pup's parents being titled doesn't mean squat. I say this because I had a female from German imports who were KKL1 and Shutz. titled and she was a weak headed dog with aggression issues. Her parents were supposedly "proven" yet she could have come from the worst BYB ever as far as her temperament was concerned. From that, I learned to look back further at the pedigree as a whole and not just mom and dad. There are probably lots of dogs out there that *could* be titled that aren't. There are also dogs out there that are titled that shouldn't be. Not to knock those that are, but it's just not the "be all" of deciding which dog will be suited to work.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

onyx'girl said:


> Don't limit yourself to OH either...KY or MI has some great groups just over the borders.


Thank you, that's my next stop! Do you know of any clubs in either place that would be willing to take in someone who needs to learn everything?  I know it's time consuming... but I'm hoping to run into someone who loves to teach. I am willing to pay for their time and expertise also, of course!


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Drache Feld German Shepherds in Winchester, KY. Might be a bit of a drive for you though. 

We like to teach and promise not to bite


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Brian Harvey is worth the drive, just over the border into MI. You can do a pay to play by sessions(stay a few days, if needed) or possibly join the club he runs. 
USA - Mid-Eastern Clubs


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Thank you both!! I went to college at EKU and lived in KY for a few years. Not too bad of a drive. I may need to get my truck ready to tow my camper to go to MI. I grew up there for the most part. No drive is too far to make this happen. It's on my 'bucket list' and I'd nearly given up on it. I'll get to one or both before my guy comes. I love to watch other people working their dogs, too, and without a dog I'd have no distractions for taking notes from anyone willing to talk to me.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would relocate to the east side of the state to train...if it weren't for my DH's job. 
If I won the lottery, I'd travel around to the clubs of my choice and train like it was my career. But I'd be sure that my dog enjoyed it as much as I do, or it wouldn't be worth it.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Sorry about the advice...you won't have to worry about me making that mistake again....Good Luck!


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

cliffson1 said:


> Sorry about the advice...you won't have to worry about me making that mistake again....Good Luck!


I am puzzled by this response. I explained what I put in the emails. I also explained more about my position and what I don't know/need to know. From what I've read, you know quite a bit about training, bloodlines, and basically everything else so I'm kind of upset about this response from you. I seem to not always make myself clear, and when I try to make myself more clear then it just seems to offend people. It wasn't my intent. I actually went through the entire thread again to see if anything stood out. I did make a mistake in the last paragraph. I should have made a separate post for that as it wasn't in response to anything you said but rather something someone else said. Either way, I did ask for your input as to what I *should* put in the emails.. asking what they're looking for (if anything). Please explain to me what I said (other than the mistake I mentioned) that you found upsetting. I'm finding trying to communicate on here frustrating at times. I wouldn't continue to attempt to do this except for the fact that I need info. on certain things from people that know what they're talking about. I don't come on here to tick people off or to offend people. However, I do need to know what it is I'm saying that is offending people so I can attempt to clarify. My apologies for whatever it was that upset you.


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

I've had better luck with phone calls over e-mails when I was contacting clubs, although this was several years ago. I think they may take you more seriously with a phone call, and some of the trainers (at least around here) don't really even use e-mail. 

It may be old fashioned  but might be worth a try.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

phgsd said:


> I've had better luck with phone calls over e-mails when I was contacting clubs, although this was several years ago. I think they may take you more seriously with a phone call, and some of the trainers (at least around here) don't really even use e-mail.
> 
> It may be old fashioned  but might be worth a try.


Thank you, I will try that! What exactly should you say (or not say)?


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Too late to fix my previous post, but I obviously won't be speaking of any prior experiences. I want to come in as a blank slate (which is pretty much where I'm at). I am concerned, though, that being honest about my lack of knowledge would be a deal breaker for some clubs. I will try to call tomorrow to the two listed.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

No problem! I interpreted your post wrong in terms of advice based on your last post. I agree with previous poster gabout phone calls being helpful. I am always willing to help someone and take a lot of phone calls also. If you want send me a pm and we can go from there.
Cliff


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

You have been given plenty of advice from people who have experience and knowledge - you have an unknown puppy that is from untitled parents - with a risky pedigree - and much of that advice does not validate your HOPES and unsubstantiated beliefs, so you are very belligerent about this puppy's ability. No one can guarantee you a titleable puppy....I have seen washouts who were sired by World Champions....getting a pup from PROVEN parents, ie credential parents who have produced credential progeny, is different....lets not even go into the difference between potential in working and show lines and what most working club helpers think of show lines on the field...yes, there is a predjudice, I have seen it for years, and I also know that it is valid....yes, showlines get titled, and the training is not only harder, the judging is softer, and judges and clubs specifically chosen to "get them through" as the sport titles are - by many show line breeders - a nuisence! You are closest to Gtr Cincy....the old Gtr Cincy in Vernoa now has a different name, Kentucky Ridge, and the club split - so try them again as the dynamics will be different....go to observe a few times.....

Unfortunately, many many newbies come to clubs with ingrained determined attitudes that the BY bred pup or the show pup or the whatever pup they have is the greatest thing since sliced bread. They won't listen, they won't learn - they already KNOW everything because they read it on the net or they were fed alot of BS by someone to sell them a pup - seen it over and over and over....and so has everyone else who is experienced in these clubs....You came here after the fact with this same insistance that this pup - which you have never even seen - is a solid working prospect and are belligerent when anyone has cast any doubt over the potential based on the non existant records of it's parents and breeder. Yes, some do work - some make a club dog with alot of dedication and effort on the part of the TD/Helper....but the owner, if they get hooked, will also learn and get a better suited dog fairly quickly. And frankly, when a newbie comes to a club with this type of attitude, people give up on them early on and no, they won't get help...I have refused to sell pups to people who insist that they are going to join Club X or Y - tell them to go get a pup from someone in that club....less hassle and more chance of sucess for the buyer....

I am sorry for your personal situation, I know that it must be extremely hard - I have been training for 15 years nearly, and a car wreck in March has left me extremely compromised - not the same as your illness, but devastating none the less.....but the reality of the scarcity of IPO opportunity and the dynamics of clubs is what it is...

Good Luck

Lee


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