Training & Activities by Wendy Clewley
Breed Clubs & Training Clubs
This page deals with finding the right training cub for you and your Stafford.
Additionally there are buttons on this page which lead to other pages within this site, including pages on all disciplines, Agility, Working Trials, Obedience, Flyball and Breed showing.
There are 19 SBT breed clubs within the UK which offer help on all aspects relating to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
There are also many clubs specialising in Staffords especially for Ringcraft training.
Finding A Training Club
Look through your local newspaper
Try your vets or dog food suppliers noticeboard
Look through the Kennel Club yearbook
Ask owners of dogs in your local area
Ask at your local exemption show if they schedule obedience classes
Agility Training clubs can be found by contacting the Kennel Club for your local club or via the Agility Club secretary or through the AgilityNet Website.
Working Trials training can be found by contacting either your local club details can be found via the Kennel Club or subscribing to the Working Trails monthly.
What To Do Next
Go along and watch the training without your dog, checkout a few clubs in this manner, you'll soon get a feel for the right club for you and your dog.
Questions?
Does the trainer compete?
Do they hold different levels of instruction?
Do any of the other dogs compete, if so in what?
Can you use titbits and/or toys?
Can you use any style of collar?
Does the instructor have any experience with Stafford's or bull breeds?
I personally would avoid any clubs that specified a check chain must be used, or didn't encourage play/praise between exercises, but go with your feelings.
When you have chosen the perfect training club for you, remember training must be fun!
Dogs learn by repetition and praise, I personally ignore when something is wrong, your dog will soon learn, Stafford's have a desperate need to please and it is this that needs to be channelled into getting the results!
Don't expect a miracle on your first night, your dog will need to acclimatise himself to the new surroundings, different dogs, different people and all those new smells!
Importantly training classes are just that, don't expect fido to be perfect, to impress his/your fellow colleagues, use the time you have to train, but you must continue the training for basic obedience at least a few minutes everyday.
Above all 'talk to your dog' it really saddens me to see people constantly pulling and jerking a lead to stop a dog pulling, without uttering a word, by all means correct your dog but make sure they know what you want.
Always know what you going to teach before you start, and achieve it
Keep training short, especially at first
Stay happy, don't train if you are unwell or in a mood!
Keep a toy especially for training.
DO NOT - shout or smack your dog
Always end on a good note with lots of praise and play
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog ......................anonymous
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