Okay well, I just e-mailed the company requesting my deposit back. Then I had a frustration-induced cry session in the bathroom at work, lol. I'm seriously very troubled by this and I've been so stressed lately that I think this was just the straw that broke the camel's back and now I'm an emotional wreck.
I've always been opposed to shock collars (especially after an incident when I was a teenager in which a child who I frequently babysat for got ahold of the control for the dog's shock collar and gave her very bad burns on her neck by mashing the button down - disclaimer: this was a 4 year old child and it did NOT happen while i was babysitting, but while he was under the supervision of a parent) so I feel really stupid that I didn't recognize the collar for what it was. He called it a vibration collar, and after feeling it on my hand, I accepted it. You're right that it would feel very different on my dog's trachea.
I'm having difficulties training her on my own, so I wanted to take her to obedience classes to get some kind of guidance and input on what I can do better. Also, I've been looking into agility classes for her, and all the ones I've seen want the dog to have taken an obedience course first.
I had originally looked into this company:
http://www.dogquestagility.com/ for obedience and then later agility. Their most recent class was filled up already so I wasn't able to get in. They are starting more classes after the new year, only now I don't trust my own judgement. Can anyone look at the site and let me know what they think? I'm scared of damaging my dog by going through the wrong training with her.
Everyone I know off-line just seems to think it's so easy, and they all, every single one of them, say the same thing, and it's always almost verbatim: "Just watch the dog whisperer and do what Cesar says. It's that easy and I don't understand why you're having problems with this."
I spent Thanksgiving listening to my step-dad talk about the dog whisperer everytime my dog misbehaved (which really just amounted to not coming when called, that was the only problem we had with her that weekend, however it was a big problem, because people frequently accidentally left the front door wide open and she ran out and we had to chase her down the block). Then I got to watch him repeatedly alpha roll my dog to show her that he was boss. By the end of the weekend he was upset at me because everytime he walked into the room, Juno jumped up and barked at him over and over. He repeatedly told me that I needed to get control of my dog, and clearly, she has issues because I am not the pack leader and that is why she is challenging his authority.
I *really* don't want a repeat of that at Christmas time and so I had hoped to get a few obedience lessons in prior.
I'm just feeling so sensitive and so down-trodden about my dog lately. I take her to the vet if she's sick, she's up-to-date on all of her vaccinations, we go to the dog park frequently, she has so many toys, she is fed good food even though it's a sacrifice to afford it. I love my dog so much, and she and I have been through a lot together. And I just feel like so many people that I know in my daily life think that all I need to do is learn to be dominant and all of "her" issues (which are mostly ME not being consistent enough, I know) will just magically disappear and she'll be like Cesar's dogs.
The isssue with my boss that makes things complicated is that she's also my older sister's best friend, so she feels like she can talk very casually to me. She is often critical of me and since she listens to my sister frequently be critical of me, she feels like she can as well. What led up to her basically calling me a bad dog owner was an incident in the lunch room.
I was sitting at a table eating with her, my sister, and another employee and I was reading the paper. I saw the Humane Society's "Pet of the Week" thing, and they had the cutest dog up there (a jindo/spitz mix with a big dopey grin, she was adorable) and I read aloud the description of her and jokingly said to my sister "Hey, lets stop on the way home and get her. One hyper dog isn't enough, right?" My sister laughed and I just said something like "oh I love dogs so much. I would just buy a huge ranch house on acres of land if I could and just bring them all home." It was clear to everyone else at the table that I was joking, but my boss says "The humane society wouldn't give you a dog anyway." I sort of blinked and said "um.. what?" and she said "Yeah. I'm serious. The humane society wouldn't give you a dog. They're very strict about who they give dogs to. You already have one dog that you cage all day while you're at work. You really want to get another one that you'll just shove in a crate? Isn't one cruel enough?" I was upset, naturally, and started defending myself, and she said something like "I don't really need to hear it, I'm just telling you that they wouldn't give you a dog. They dont' like people who treat their dogs that way." I again tried to say something to defend myself and she raised her voice and said "I'm not talking about it with you. I'm just saying that they wouldn't give you a dog and that crating a dog all day is cruel and unhealthy." She walked away and my sister got upset at me. I went into the bathroom and cried for a while and that was that.
I was so upset. A part of me knows that, seeing as how she has 4 very poorly socialized Saint Bernards who she can hardly keep fed that also spend most of their time in her backyard and no where else, she doesn't have room to talk. One of them is so poorly socialized that he won't even go near other people because he's so afraid. It really sucks to have your boss say something like that though. I no longer share cute stories about my dog at work when other people are talking about their dogs.
This was way long, sorry. I guess the point of all of it is, I'm scared I'm messing up my dog. I felt guilty enough that I crate her while I'm at work. I've been leaving her alone with free reign for small amounts of time, gradually increasing them, just when I run to the store or have other errands, and so far she's done well with it, but sometimes due to the circumstances with my job, even though I'm only supposed to work 8 hours a day, I sometimes end up being gone for 12 hours and I'm sure that she would destroy something in the house in that time, and that would lead to huge problems with my sister and her husband, as they're my roommates.
I want to get her into obedience because frankly, I think I'm the one that needs training more than she does. I just feel so lost training her. And now I feel lost in picking a trainer.
I'm not trying to diminish the help that I've gotten from everyone because I truly appreciate you warning me away from this place. I'm just scared to pick another one now.
Also, sorry this was so long...
^^^ Yes, exactly!!
BTW ... TTTF, love your forum-posting name!!
Thanks! =D It was my dad's nickname for me when I was a little girl lol.
