# Trainer - take 2



## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Me again...

Tomorrow we are meeting with another trainer for Bristol. In the last 3 days, he has spent over an hour with me on the phone. I was pleased to find out that about 40% of his trainees are vizslas. He also works with two of the popular vizsla breeders around here. 

So far I have been pleased with him. Bristol will be there for two weeks to start out with. She will only be a half hour away so I can visit much easier than the previous trainer (2 hours away). She also will be able to stay in her own crate in the trainer's office instead of sleeping on a rain barrel in a kennel that is not clean. This trainer will also feed her her own food to our specifications. This impresses me as the other trainer only wanted enough food to make it until he could convert her to his food. Another thing that really impressed me is the dogs only spend about 10 hours total, including night time, in their crates. The rest of the time they are either working or socializing in a supervised area. New trainer only takes 3-4 dogs a session and works with them all day. Old trainer took 20+ dogs and worked with them 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week. New trainer also understands that "spanking" isn't an option, not because she is my "child" but because she is a vizsla. Old trainer constantly talked about how dogs needed a spanking when they weren't listening or obeying. 

If new trainer works out, the pups will also be going to him for a 2-day boot camp.  

New trainer also comes highly recommended from a friend and also had a testimony on his website from an old friend of my dad. 

Wish me luck! I already feel better about this.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Just an update...I realized what a small world it really is this weekend. We took Bristol as well as the lab pups to the trainer this weekend. He spent about two hours with us - showing us around his home, his grounds, etc... Then he brought some birds out for Bristol and the pups. I was nervous - the pups had never been introduced to live birds and Bristol's abilities haven't been fine-tuned yet. (hence - the training.) One bird escaped to a culvert - tall, wet grass. The trainer said he'd get one of his own dogs out to find it later as all of the odds were stacked against Bristol and the pups - young, inexperienced dogs and hot, wet conditions. After the trainer and my husband looked for the bird for a few minutes, they took Bristol over to the area. She found the bird within seconds. I was a proud mom.  

On the way home, we stopped to do some shopping and as we were at the store, another couple was looking for the same product we were - a fly spray for dogs, but found in the equine section. It's cheaper there. We started talking, I said, "our new trainer recommended it" and he asked who the trainer was. I told him and it turned out they were his neighbors. They said that they only board their dogs with him - nobody else and gave him a glowing review. I asked what kind of dogs they had, and it turned out that one of their labs was our lab's litter mate. 

The pups leave for baby boot camp on Wednesday. Bristol will leave mid-July.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Sounds like you just may have found a good one, that fits you and more importantly your dogs. Word of mouth gets around on dog trainers, just like any other business. I have seen people name a kennel on a hunting forum. They would be asking if anyone had used them for training. You either get people singing the trainers praises, or replies of you can find better. Then the ones where no one will reply online.
While you can't make everyone happy, a good trainer will have plenty of happy clients, compared to a very small amount of complaints.

Be sure to keep us updated, as Bristol and the pups come along in training.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

TR - I am hopeful, where before I had a feeling of dread. I thought I had done my research and the last piece of that was visiting the grounds. Thankfully we hadn't committed to anything ahead of time at the first trainer. I know that some are quite pleased with his work, and some people have hunting dogs just to hunt, not to be part of their family (Gasp!) for those - the first trainer would be just fine. The other thing I wasn't fond of was when he was showing his training methods, not once did he take Bristol's lead - he went and got one dog he'd worked with for 6 weeks and another one of his own dogs. New trainer took the time to work with all three of our dogs we brought with us - individually. He also seems to be more interested in mentoring than just a one time training stint. I appreciate that since I am so new to all of this. I will take as much instruction and advice I can get.  

I will definitely keep you all posted. 

Since my husband works out of town, I'll have to take the pups to boot camp by myself on Wednesday. My husband asked how I'd handle that. Honestly - had the trainer had time for them on Saturday - I would have even left them then. I am excited about the possibilities.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Mea - and the rest of us - breeder - a place to board or trainer - go earlier than appt - check out the kennels ! if dirty - RUN AWAY - if 2 lazy to keep clean - 2 lazy to breed kennel or train - fact of LIFE !!!!!!! PIKE stopped AKC trials & hunt tests at 1 sportsmans club because the clubs kennels were FILTHY !!!!! - asked by the 2 clubs that Sponsor the tests why I stopped - simple - will not support a facility that does not take care of their own pups !!!!!!!!


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

REM - that was one of the reasons I did not go with the original trainer. His excuse was that his cleaner didn't show up that morning. I get that, but he knew we would be there at 11am - we were even a few minutes late, only because it took us that long to find him on his grounds. He was in, cleaning the kennel. The other reason I didn't go with his is because he had dead, decaying birds in his coop. New trainer showed me everything I wanted to see, including his own dogs. I felt if I could see their condition, it would tell me a great deal about the new trainer. Clean, friendly dogs in great shape, eager to work!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Even if your dog never sets foot in your home, it still needs clean kennels and grounds. The more dogs a trainer has on their property, the stricter cleaning regiment they have to have.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

I dropped the puppies off last night. They were excited to be there and it warmed my heart. The trainer also has to make an unexpected trip tomorrow so he is keeping them an extra day at no charge to us. He wants to make sure he gets his time in. That impressed me. I was ok with leaving them until one of the new puppy dads texted me and asked me how it went. He is taking their sister there on Sunday. I'm trying to be good and wait until tomorrow to check in. Wish me luck! 

On a side note - Bristol woke me up every half hour last night to look for the puppies. She missed them.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

We picked the pups up last night. What a difference! They learned fetch, hold, give, drop - find the bird - all in 2 days! Bristol goes August 18 for her 2 week camp. At that time we'll take the pups back for a week as well and then the 2nd week, we'll take our red lab. I might need a second job! I'm ok with all the gone time, as we'll be out of town for most of it so I am looking at it as boarding. Thank you everyone who has listened to me ramble!


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