Puppypeoplenj
New member
Hey All! Orca's first Gotcha Day was last week, Feb. 9th. Things have been so crazy that we haven't celebrated it yet, but I'm planning on making him a celebratory cupcake and we'll all sing to him sometime soon. He won't know the difference anyway. :roflmao:
Anyway, some of you know that I was super excited to get Orca into a "terrible teens" themed training class a few weeks ago. I though the class would be great because I'd read a thousand great reviews about the trainer online, I talked with her via email before the class, and she seemed very knowledgable and in control the first class, including giving us an action plan (first step, get him a Herm Sprenger prong collar and get the pulling under control). Then, mid-week we had a pulling disaster: icy sidewalk, martingale collar, 40 MPH speed limit main road, and...a herd of deer. Long story short, everyone was okay but I was pretty shaken up and had to call my SO to pick us up from our walk because I couldn't get Orca under control (we've been working so hard on "focus" too! And it had been working in the house!)
So, I get to the next week's class, Orca drags me down the hall toward the other dogs, and the assistant trainer comes out to help me. The main trainer ends up having to leave and the assistant spends the whole class using Orca to demonstrate leash manners. He shows me how to use a choke collar and, at my insistence, shows me the proper fit and positioning of the prong collar as well. Well, at some point he has Orca on lead in one hand with the martingale, and a LEASH REACTIVE DOG (so the owners think and having been trying to impress upon the trainers) on leash on the other hand. As he's demonstrating something, the other dog turns, snarls, bites down on Orca's nose and lips, and shakes while Orca makes the highest pitched whine of pain I've ever heard. I'm obviously horrified. Orca's bleeding, I'm crying, and the man turns to me and says "Well, these things happen with dogs. But it's actually good that this happened because now you know how I would handle it." Horrifying. The rest of the class, Orca keeps one eye on the other dog, and growls with his lips pulled back whenever he gets too close.
Anyway, I wrote a letter, pulled Orca out of the class, and got a refund. But I tried the prong collar the way the trainer demonstrated yesterday and today, and guys, IT WORKS! I'm had pleasant, episode free walks with him! I was so afraid to take him out before with the pulling and the ice, but I feel so much more confident now and he's getting back to his regular walks (1-2, of 1-1.5 miles each). I feel gleeful. So, after that awful class, something good has come out of it.
The prong collar is the best this that has ever happened to us. And now we need a new training class.
Anyway, some of you know that I was super excited to get Orca into a "terrible teens" themed training class a few weeks ago. I though the class would be great because I'd read a thousand great reviews about the trainer online, I talked with her via email before the class, and she seemed very knowledgable and in control the first class, including giving us an action plan (first step, get him a Herm Sprenger prong collar and get the pulling under control). Then, mid-week we had a pulling disaster: icy sidewalk, martingale collar, 40 MPH speed limit main road, and...a herd of deer. Long story short, everyone was okay but I was pretty shaken up and had to call my SO to pick us up from our walk because I couldn't get Orca under control (we've been working so hard on "focus" too! And it had been working in the house!)
So, I get to the next week's class, Orca drags me down the hall toward the other dogs, and the assistant trainer comes out to help me. The main trainer ends up having to leave and the assistant spends the whole class using Orca to demonstrate leash manners. He shows me how to use a choke collar and, at my insistence, shows me the proper fit and positioning of the prong collar as well. Well, at some point he has Orca on lead in one hand with the martingale, and a LEASH REACTIVE DOG (so the owners think and having been trying to impress upon the trainers) on leash on the other hand. As he's demonstrating something, the other dog turns, snarls, bites down on Orca's nose and lips, and shakes while Orca makes the highest pitched whine of pain I've ever heard. I'm obviously horrified. Orca's bleeding, I'm crying, and the man turns to me and says "Well, these things happen with dogs. But it's actually good that this happened because now you know how I would handle it." Horrifying. The rest of the class, Orca keeps one eye on the other dog, and growls with his lips pulled back whenever he gets too close.
Anyway, I wrote a letter, pulled Orca out of the class, and got a refund. But I tried the prong collar the way the trainer demonstrated yesterday and today, and guys, IT WORKS! I'm had pleasant, episode free walks with him! I was so afraid to take him out before with the pulling and the ice, but I feel so much more confident now and he's getting back to his regular walks (1-2, of 1-1.5 miles each). I feel gleeful. So, after that awful class, something good has come out of it.
The prong collar is the best this that has ever happened to us. And now we need a new training class.
