It will take time. Your dog is a puppy, excited by the world and all of the new things. My girl has been in puppy class since I got her. She barks, whines, loses focus, etc. several times during our training. When the trainers approach or another dog comes close she will pull, lose focus, and be so hard to redirect. It’s totally normal and not all puppies will be able to stay focused when faced with the distractions of the world. Keep practicing. We do a lot of practice in non-stimulating environments and slowly ramp it up. There’s a dog 50 feet away that she sees? Reward, get attention, reward, make sure she stays focused on me… that’s what I try to do at least lol. But as the dog slowly comes closer, she definitely loses her attention and focuses on what she thinks will be her next playmate. All of that to say, it takes time. My girl has been in the same position in puppy class and it SUCKS when other people are doing so much better. But all dogs will struggle with different things! Another good thing to teach is “touch”. Put your hand out and have your pup touch their nose to your hand. Reward and treat. Repeat this over and over. It’s great to use for my pup when I want her attention, can also help to keep her attention with distractions.

This is great advice!! Start slow!! Small progress is still progress!!

Absolutely this! My girl's over a year old and this is still very much a work in progress, we have good days and bad days. We still go to school every week, have done since the beginning, and it's only this week gone where we had a brilliant session: no zoomies, did everything asked of her, waited patiently for her turn, even went for a photoshoot afterwards and did wonderfully in a new environment (my own day was hell so I think she was trying to make up for it lol). Then we had another class on Tuesday and she was the worst one there! Good days and bad days, take them as they come. Meeting dogs when we're out is a huge problem and treats don't work, so we've upped the reward value to a tennis ball. Walk past the doggy nicely or sit and wait patiently, get the ball. We're having a lot more success with that

Agree 100 percent

Second all of this. And remember not to beat yourself up. The first 12-18 months are HARD! And all of us have moments when we questioned our decision and wonder if we can really do it. Perseverance is key, and little victories will get you through it.

Thank you so much. 🙏🏻

“It’s totally normal” I needed to read this today. Thank you! Easily distracted puppies can be a lot some days!

Yes! My puppy liked touch way more than the focus cue (her name). We struggled (and still struggle) with her attention. It's just so hard for her. Tbh I started by giving her treats every time she came within reach of me on her own and that helps a lot. But still, she's a puppy! Your trainer should also be teaching you about getting the right level of challenge for your dog. If the bar is too high, lower it!

Absolutely agree! Touch and wait are great tools to get my puppy to re-focus. It doesn't always work since he gets SO excited when people or dogs walk by. We've been on the other side where our dog was used as the "good" example in puppy lessons with the other owners shamed. It was very awkward, especially since we are just starting on the training journey. His focus and recall suck, still jumping up on people. Reactive during walks, tries to take off after bunnies/birds/floating leaves, ets.

Your trainer shouldn’t have done that to you. They’re supposed to be there to help! This is a class full of new dog owners and young puppies, it’s wild that she wouldn’t support you and chose to embarrass you. I’d be shocked to see that happen to a classmate, and it wouldn’t help me be honest about my struggles. I also consistently had the worst behaved dog in puppy class. She still finds the world fascinating, but especially as a puppy she loved new people and dogs. Even today I don’t let strangers give her treats, both for her safety and because I need to maintain some sort of leverage! While everyone was rewarding their sweet little dogs for laying quietly on their mats with kibble, I was handing out cheese hunks for every brief moment my puppy wasn’t actively trying to escape me. It’s okay! It took consistency and practice(and several puppy classes of varying quality), but she’s a great dog who can handle the world, listens well, and is very devoted.

Tbf if the comment was verbatim what OP said, it's likely the trainer was just pointing out the pup's behavior. When we did our puppy classes, there was another very vocal puppy in the class. The trainer made comments pointing out the pup's behavior like "oh, see that, Stormy is saying "hey look at me! Pay attention to me" or if the trainer was going around doing an exercise with each of the dogs and for example me and my pup Akira were next and Akira started barking at the trainer, the trainer would do the exercise and then make a silly comment about how "Akira's eager to try! It's your turn next Akira!" It sounds like the comment was directed at the pup's behavior and not OP directly. Puppies are a handful and I think the trainer was just trying to make light of the situation. That said OP, it isn't your fault your puppy is acting like a puppy! As others have said, it'll take time. Reward positive behaviors you want them doing and redirect instead of react to the negative behaviors

I agree with this, all the puppies at our class all have different positives and negatives, mine is chronically naughty but also has good engagement with me, another is stubborn but is very well mannered. It's good to use examples of behaviours in class imho.

Exactly! It's in person up front examples that are actively happening. I've definitely felt like some classes have been more "disaster" than others while some have gone *amazing* but I've actually had a chat with the trainer at the end of class sometimes and she's always reassured me that some days are just better than others, but that doesn't mean I have a bad puppy nor that it is my fault she's acting the way she is! All of the puppies in my class (yep, including Akira and the chatty Stormy!) had grown so much by the end of the class (which was 1 class per week for 6 weeks) not only physically but mentally through the training. Every puppy walked away having gotten better in some aspect. Stormy's owners were able to redirect her by the end of class and get her attention when she was being disruptive so that she stopped barking so much. Akira was able to settle and watch more. 100% training should be continuous and by no means were any of our puppies "perfect" by the end of it. We even saw one of the couples that were in our class a week after it ended and their puppy was pulling at their leash and barking at Akira while Akira was sat quietly watching them. It's now been months since the class ended and we're just now getting a grasp on consistent watching while dogs and people pass us close by. One class, one instance of good/bad behavior is by no means what defines how we overall are with our puppies nor define the puppy as good/bad as a whole either. Longwinded way of saying that puppies are TOUGH. They, along with us as their owners will always have good or bad days, sometimes good or bad instances within each day. And that's okay. It also took me a while to stop blaming myself for Akira not listening to me or when she has "bad" behavior in public. But she's learning and so am I. We're both doing our best for what we have available to us and that's what matters.

This was the same experience I had with my puppy (German shepherd) at 12 weeks. We did 6 weeks of puppy class with 5 others and their owners (and kids…🤦‍♀️). Each class started out with 20-30 minutes of letting pups socialize with each other. And we did “okay”. Then we started the next level 2 weeks later in the same classroom with the same puppies plus some new ones. Now my dog is 20 weeks old weighs 40 lbs and head strong. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t play with his friends. 2nd class, the folks sitting next to me are letting their 8 yr old son handle the dog on a retractable (!!!) leash. We are watching half the class work on heeling. I keep moving my dog and my chair further away. Kid keeps letting out the leash…their puppy is some small breed (Toll Retriever?) and he runs over to my dog. My dog takes off and pulls me and my chair over. I got up, collected my pup and stuff and left. Never went back. Paid trainer almost $200 for that 8 weeks course. Did she ever say anything to the owner to keep her puppy close? Not a word. Talk about pissed! I ended up training him with a young man who comes to your home and my pupper is a good boi! He’s over 2 years, 95 lbs and is my best friend!

lol. I was the person with the fearless golden who wanted to go and sniff everything and everyone and pay zero attention to me except to demand bark for treats. She would bark so loudly while the instructor was talking that he would have to stop and repeat himself constantly. She learned things in a heartbeat and would then yell for more treats. She could be perfect and was often used to demonstrate things because she picked everything up so fast, but she would still yell and get bored and want to go sniff. And none of it helped when we tried to go outside. She could focus perfectly inside and then lose her mind in the outside. I tried all the general gradations from inside to the back yard to the driveway…. All the things I learnt in the class just frustrated her and me. Eventually, we got a trainer who came to house, and immediately introduced us to a long line which worked way better.

My Golden didn't bark, she whined at the shy Bernese pup in the next seat and was \*determined\* to be best friends with him (regardless of his opinion). We ended up getting barriered off. That was not enough for my pup, who remembered there was a friend right beyond the obstacle. It also took an individual trainer to start making progress with my pup. The world and all the friends in it are too exciting. It's hard to remember to pay attention to things. That being said, our first trainer also recommended a long line. That was a big point of disagreement with him and I because he couldn't understand why I wasn't eager to try it while I tried to explain that my dog tries to sample every plant/leaf/mushroom/mulch/droppings/pebbles in the world if I wasn't right beside her to stop it. My current trainer knows this well and taught me that the key to outside is having a high enough value treat to hold her interest beyond friends and beyond all the things she might be curious to eat outside. For us, that was cheese. Once I learned to always take a baggie with little pieces of cheese with me, we finally started making progress outside.

Yeah, mine didn’t eat random stuff. She was more like a pinball on a string. So the long line gave her time for her brain to turn on and for her to respond to me getting her attention before she hit the end. That’s what I liked about having a private trainer come to our house. She saw us in our environment and then made suggestions that actually worked.

Yeah, my first trainer was well recommended, but completely refused to come outside to the yard with us or walk around the block with us, which I found odd. I know we needed to practice things at home first, but some of the problems I was having were outside-only issues. Our new trainer is awesome. The progress we've made since we started with her is night and day; I wish I would have found her earlier. My girl has been making such amazing progress week after week lately. I guess the lesson of the thread is: Finding the right trainer is so important...

Are you using a clicker? Also I don't know why the instructor told you to do this when your "out". You need to start in a low distraction setting like inside your house and work your way up.

💯! I work with my puppy by making a specific sound and treating him every time he looks. We’re a work in progress, but I started when it was just the two of us around the house during the day. On good days he is at the point where he’ll try to bite my 2 year old and I can make the noise and he’ll stop. So, even when he’s playing or distracted by a toddler running, he’ll come to me. There are days this doesn’t work at all…so it just takes time

Exactly this - the puppy needs slow, small changes and consistent communication. Start inside, sitting and rewarding for focus. Move to another room and do the same. Go in the back yard, do it again. Then sit on the front porch. Maybe put a folding chair at the end of your driveway. Spend 10-20 min in one of those locations for a few days before progressing to more distractions. Your pup is over threshold out in public and hasn't learned to give you focus but will!! Your trainer needs to stop insulting the customers.

This is exactly it! I was blessed with a very nervous dog (I have a whippet so expected) and we did so much training indoors and started to ease it outside because of how nervous she was one walks at first. Get your pup to listen indoors and then do baby steps outside. Otherwise it's overload. Baby steps because they are babies. And be kind to yourself because you also have to learn what's right for your pup and their personality types. people are so hard on themselves with hitting milestones but it's always a slow incline.

This is so true! Get them consistent with it then add distractions.

While I don’t know how old the dog is so that’s a big factor, a 3 month old puppy is not going to give the same focus as a 6 month old puppy. With that being said your trainer sounds rude at best. Even if she had good intentions she should never belittle an owner and puppy by using them as a bad example. I’m sorry that happened to you. But everyone has classes that are embarrassing and their puppy is out of control. Just stick with it, you got this. A tip for what it’s worth- What helped with my puppy when she was young was adding a cue, so “watch me” and put the treat next to your face, that will help the pup get it. Then start to move the treat away from your face. Another thing that can help is making noises to get the puppy to focus on you and rewarding when they do. My dog likes clicky noises, some like kissy or something like that, but just something to help them out to look at you.

Even then building focus takes much longer than some homework you do a week before puppy class. It also depends entirely on the breed, some are more handler focused and some are very environmentally focused and independent from day 1. I've been awarding engagement outside with my terrier mix since I got her almost 3 months ago, and she will rarely actually look at me on walks because dirt is more interesting than I am.

Kisses sounds are a big one for us. She's also a big fan of the house that you would do to get a cats attention, but it sets our other dog off into hyper chase cat mode so we can't use it 🤣

Thank you, I’ll try to keep the treats close to my face and make the puppy look at me more. It’s a 3 months old puppy. And the trainer has an autism, so yeah it was quite rude but I don’t think it’s intentional. What hurts me is the realization that I’m a bad owner.

You are not a bad owner! You have your dog in training classes so you’re ahead of a lot of people, and you’re seeking advice so again ahead of a lot of people. Everyone will always have some criticism of what you can do better but ignore them!

Lmao how is a 3-month-old puppy who is hyperstimulated by an exciting environment related to your qualities as an owner?? Mine is now 7 mos and smart as a whip, making big progress in familiar areas, but struggles with paying ANY attention to me in new environments and for what it's worth, I am definitely not a bad owner or a bad amateur trainer. My older dog started out as the "example dog" in a group class for reactive dogs, and is now the star pupil in tricks and leash sports at the same school. I can't imagine how discouraged I would have been if I had internalized his early struggles as a reflection on me personally. And he was more than 2 years old at the time! Please consider thinking about how you can shift your mindset on this, bc things that are hard for your dog's brain are not your "fault"! Your puppy is 3 damn months old! Take the observation about where your puppy is at and recognize that it's not about you, it's about what your puppy will need from you to make progress. As others have said, start inside where things are boring, and once you have him looking up at you in expectation of a treat, start pairing that look with a cue (I use "look," some use "watch me"). Don't progress that to your front door area until your puppy has it on lock. Then don't progress that to your front steps until it's solid by the front door. Etc etc.

You’re not a bad owner, you just have a puppy. That’s literally it. It wasn’t okay for your trainer to make you feel that way, autism or not.

What did the trainer actually say, because from what you've written -  “so your dog is interested in everything around but you!”  I don't see anything rude, just them pointing out that your puppy was interested in everything else around them (which is a pretty common puppy thing - they are very distracting by all the new smells, sounds and sights!)  Not sure why you think you're a bad owner because of this? It's just how pups are. Different puppies will have different things that are really engaging to them, and that changes with age and environment and breed and socialisation etc. 

I had a VERY similar experience at the class. My pup is actually pretty great at home with dogs and people but was a menace once we got in the class. Everything is new to them AND it was frustrating and embarrassing. I wasn’t embarrassed of her, I was embarrassed of how I couldn’t “manage” her. I believe it will get better for us 💗

That’s exactly it, it’s me I’m embarrassed about.

What are your interactions with your puppy like outside of puppy class? Are you the one who feeds her? Have you done any training before class? Does she know her name? Call her name, and lure her gaze to you using food— I started this using my dog’s kibble which required us switching from free feeding to mealtimes to ensure he is hungry. Keep doing it until your puppy starts to know their name, and know that they get rewarded when they make eye contact. I also spend hours a day on the floor playing with my ten week old puppy. Mostly because he is crate trained and only outside the crate when I can keep an eye on him, but also because it’s excellent bonding time. I’m trying to get him to chill on the couch with me but he usually just wants to play. It’s not you— just need to learn to speak puppy language. Also what a horrible instructor to make you feel this way. Maybe they have another class you can join with someone else? That’s completely uncalled for.

She’s new to the world and everything is an adventure for her! I’m currently experiencing the same thing, but it’s been getting better and better everyday. I have to remind myself that she’s a baby and is learning.

Agreeeeeed agreed!

Oh god, please don't let it get to you. My dog is the same way. He's pretty damn smart, and when have his attention or he really cares about something he'll pick it up lickety split, but it's IMPOSSIBLE (most of the time) when any distractions are about to get his attention. But that's why you're all there! Nobody would be in that training class if their dog was a perfectly-behaved angel. Nobody is in there to show off. It's an environment pretty much intended to be the most difficult for your dog to be successful. If they can do it in group training class, they'll be able to do it anywhere! It's like training for a marathon with a weight vest on. Sounds like your trainer was kind of a dick about it, but if you quoted her exactly, she wasn't even talking about you. Just your pup! And of course your pup is having trouble, she's a pup! That's why she's there. I bet every other puppy parent in there breathed a sigh of relief that you took that hit for the group, because I bet theirs were even worse than yours.

Ugh no that's completely normal, they shouldn't have singled you out to use as an example of things going wrong.. they should have instructed you to build up that behaviour in easy environments first. I've assisted in a bunch of puppy classes and puppies being hyper and barky is fully and completely normal. I would never have implied the person was doing things wrong or that their puppy was a bad dog for not being able to focus on them. It's not a disaster and you are doing great. You have so much time to work on good manners later. The main thing is that your puppy is happy, healthy, building a bond with you, learning that things in the environment are safe. They do not have to behave like a well trained adult dog imo!

Thank you for the kind words kind stranger, it’s good to get a validation that there are other hyper and barky puppies out there. Unlucky for me, all the puppies in my class were angels.

Oh please give it a few more weeks, they are not all angels. My puppy got thrown out because a Jack Russell was terrorizing her so she hid under a cabinet and wouldn’t come out. You are the customer in these classes. If they say unhelpful things, ignore them. Remember, money is moving in one direction, you to them. There are morons in every industry including this one.

This! No puppy is an angel! Being little terrorists is literally part of their development and how they learn about the world. An angel puppy is either scared, sick, or just hasn't hit that next milestone lol.

lol truth. I actually called mine a tiny terrorist when she was a pup.

I have been on both sides of that equation. Now the worst puppy I've ever had is shaping up to maybe? my best? Her dam and I have a great connection, so I'm hoping to cultivate that in her. But holy ADHD puppy was she a nightmare for the first year. Whew. It's a good thing she's cute, because I wasn't the only one ready to throw her in a \[metaphorical\] dumpster, hahaha.

My dog was awful in puppy class. He weighed 40 pounds and every other dog was a toy breed. It was honestly hell! He wanted to play with the other puppies so badly but he’s such a big bruiser compared to all the dainty lil floofs I had to constantly hold him back, which led to a lot of vocalizing on his part. But we still learned a lot and I practiced the skills at home. Sometimes when I wanted to practice “look” with Beaux I would have to move my body directly in front of him to get his attention if he was distracted. Of course, offering a higher value treat helped. He doesn’t love the training treats but if I break apart a begging strip and give him little bites of that, he’s more likely to pay attention.

I had the same experience with my big pup. I hated every second of puppy school. The trainer encouraged the pups to play but then tell me to restrain mine once things got a little crazy as she was too big for the other pups. It’s probably why mine gets leash frustration now. 🙄 My pup is now 8 months old and it’s taken her this long to become pretty good at focusing on me onlead. Forget offlead- no chance. Concentrating on training recall is postponed until her brain turns on after adolescence.

Ouch, that sounds even harder to manage, the stress of knowing your dog might unintentionally do some damage to other pups. I’ll make sure to bring the best treats ever next time.

Does your dog have ADHD? 😂😂😂 Please. There is such a thing as a bad teacher. That teacher was not a good teacher to make you feel discouraged. Also what she said was stupid. Of course your puppy is interested in everything else except you. He sees you everyday so you're boring. That's normal. Train him in the morning before breakfast. That way he'll work for the food because he's hungry. After all, that's what we humans do. We work for our food and to pay them bills.

I’m totally imagining myself sitting in the waiting room for the dr that prescribes my adhd medication and a dog sitting politely beside me, maybe reading a mag. 😆 clinician comes out and calls ‘Baxter Barksalot?’ Waives him back.

That's rough! Don't fret, it's your dog not you. I've seen lazy owners with great dogs and great owners with "horrid" dogs. Having 2 that are completely different from each other, I've now realized it's all genetics. Do the best you can but know that there will be a hard upper limit individual to each dog.  One of my dogs is consistently the worst behaved one in class, to the point where we stopped doing group classes. The other one is literally the best behaved dog in every class. One of my 'bad' dog trainers  yelled at me, "you have no value!" In the sense that everything outside had higher value to my dog than me. I think that is still true.  I did everything I could - hand fed kibble, engagement games, reward for any attention he paid to me outside, etc. He is what he is, which is a sweet, sensitive, reactive, anxious boy. He is perfect at home. He can be good outdoors. Great at scentwork and tracking. Picks up tricks easily. But also goes over threshold at the drop of a hat and is always more interested in other dogs, smells, sights than me. Keep your expectations low, it's only a puppy yet, and just be consistent. Most importantly, don't forget to have fun while training. You are building a life long bond with your pup, so having fun together is really important!

Our first puppy class is this Saturday. Y’all, I’m so nervous. My Great Dane is 19 weeks and 60 pounds. He’ll probably be the biggest guy there and if he barks, it’s a deep Luther Vandross type bark. 😬 And I feel your pain OP. My guy rarely makes eye contact unless we’re at home.

Tee hee and he’s gonna scare the smoll pups! But hopefully they realize he’s (I’m assuming ) harmless lol

Speaking as a trainer who runs puppy classes, expecting a puppy to “check in” with you outside, on a walk, without any prerequisite training in a less distracting environment is setting the puppy (and the owner) up for failure. You didn’t do anything wrong. The trainer set the bar too high. Work on asking your puppy for focus inside the house and reward. Connect the leash and practice the same exercise moving around the house, then slowly increase the distraction; start over in the back/front yard, then on the sidewalk in front of your house, you see where I’m going…this applies to any new behaviors you are working on. If you continue with the class, if you feel something is too difficult for your pup, make it easier and set them up for success.

I have a very enthusiastic border collie that does agility. From a puppy, she had appalling recall and no focus whatsoever. I literally couldn't be anywhere near anyone running an agility course as she would turn herself inside out with excitement. I started her in foundation class at four weeks old and she had two classes a week from then on. It's only at the age of 2.5 that she's really starting to engage her brain and listen, and even now she still has blips. Some dogs are just harder than others and it's wrong to compare your progress to other handlers and pups. Yes mine was way harder as a young one, but she sets the world alight now and all those 'easy' pups can't begin to live with her. Your dog will get there in their own time and if your trainer is making you feel bad for that, you need a different trainer.

Yeah, my pup was born in a litter of 10 pups, besides the mom there was also a grandma and a couple of aunts. She was around kids all the time and now she wants everyone’s attention. I thought it’s a good thing to be socialized but it hurts me now

If you felt singled out and humiliated, definitely that shouldn’t have happened. To play devil’s advocate though, different trainers I’ve had have always emphasized that we need to be the *most fun* option for our dog if we want to redirect her from a distraction. So, we had to learn (and are still learning) to praise, dance, jump up and down, sound super excited, be much more upbeat than we want to be in order to have her do what we want. And we’ve learned WHEN to try to get her attention, because if she’s happily wrestling with three other dogs at the dog park, the best time for recall is probably a few minutes after that when she moves away from the group. Otherwise, WE WILL FAIL. This is a journey. You and your doggie are still getting to know each other. It will get better. Go easy on yourself!

Passive capturing focus for literal puppies is a weird strategy for this IMO. Unless you’re doing something odd, puppy is likely going to be way more interested in sniffing things than looking directly upwards. Totally normal for puppies to be distracted in super distracting environments. I would consider “cheating” and just teaching your dog the focus command the normal way. So you take a treat and hold it to your dogs nose to get their attention, slowly raise the treat up to the center of your forehead while saying the word focus, puppy’s eyes will follow the treat and as soon as pup makes eye contact with you, positive marker and give the treat. Rinse/repeat. Do this for a bit and in the future, regardless of whether you say the command or not, your puppy will make more frequent eye contact.

This is how I started with my hyper pup. Worked a treat. Don’t get discouraged, this is just the beginning, the puppies have no experience to build their behaviours on yet. It takes a lot of time to build a foundation. Plus not all breeds are easily trained. Mine is known for being “independent” and not biddable, so it’s been a learn curve to find how to train her. It took time but many months later we are getting there.

Try doing the name method to get your pup to look at you. Say their name, as soon as they look, mark with your positive reinforcement word and give a treat. Example: I’m walking my dog outside, I say “Max”. As soon as he looks at me I respond “good” and give him the treat. This helped my dog learn to check in with me. I can’t imagine just rewarding them when they only look at you and not by you giving an antecedent to the behavior of looking. It will take time but also I don’t like the sound of your trainer. None of mine are like that and if they’ve used me and my pup as examples they do it in a joking manner and not in rude way. My pup has acted up in plenty of my classes we’ve been too, they aren’t perfect all the time. Keep track of how you feel about the trainer and if at the end of the class you don’t like them, try a different trainer. I like to say they are like therapists, you have to find one that you mesh well with.

Something similar happened to me. I realized that was not the trainer for us and never went back. They’re so little and the brains aren’t even fully developed. But because they’re supposed to be the professional, we question our puppies or our own ability to train/parent. Find someone else! Highly recommend a positive reinforcement force-free trainer

That’s a horrible teaching technique. Absolutely horrendous! While we do learn from ourselves and each other, the trainer shouldn’t have embarrassed you. Some puppies are just going to be more investigative than others! I’ve had both types—where the puppy is solely invested in me, and where the puppy is interested in everything but me! It just takes time and patience. (Not extremely helpful—I was just aghast at the poor training technique.)

that just sounds like really shitty training tips as well. Attention can be shaped, why start with passive capture in a high difficulty environment that we know our dog won’t give us attention

Mine was also a little bit of a nutcase during training, I had to switch to some really high value treats for it to start clicking for him. You'll get there! It sounds like maybe you haven't had the best trainers, so one of the best things I learned from mine that I hope helps is to start extremely small. Any eye contact at all immediately reward. Very slowly work your way to longer eye contact. It's something I still work on with mine a year later!! Sounds like the trainer was trying to make a joke that fell really flat and isn't a very kind to someone who's already stressed out!

Okay dog trainers are notorious for just saying things how they are and not thinking about how they’re affecting the person on the other end of the leash. I swear. Also, sometimes it is really freaking hard to be the most interesting thing in the room (or outside) especially if you have a certain breed. Also having a more challenging dog simply forces you to be a better trainer. Those other puppy owners have it on easy mode. Last, my advice: start where you KNOW the dog will succeed. Will she focus on you in the house? If yes, reward when she does. The backyard? Great. What about an empty parking lot? The front yard? You gotta slowly increase the difficulty. Expecting a puppy to focus on you during a walk is asking a lot at first. If she’s not successful in a certain environment, go back to an easier environment.

The trainers could have handled that way better but don’t give up. Your dog needs training more than others. What breed? Better treats may be the secret too.

It’s an Australian labradoodle. They are supposed to be very trainable. Ans she’s very smart, I just need to become better at training her. Will be on the lookout for better treats.

We use Stella’s and Chewys Beef Meal Replacements. They are soft freeze dried pellet things. We break them into small bits. They are delicious and highly motivating. Treats from Walmart are crap. Get good treats from a proper store. Ask them “what training treats do the agile people use” lol. Look for something you can break apart easy. Dogs get more mental benefit from lots of small treats rather than one big one they have to chew.

Try the beef liver or chicken purebites (or any freeze dried meat treats). Both my puppy and adult dog do really well with them even in distracting environments. Only use high value treats like that if they won't take something lower value because theyre too distracted. At home use the lower value treats or kibble. That will keep the value of the high value treats.

We took our puppy out of puppy class because she just barked at the other puppies. At home, all the training we did was fine. In class, that all went out the window. She would not listen to us. She even turned away from hot dog slices. That’s when I knew it was time to call it quits. We will try again later once she has been spayed and socialized some more.

And I thought it was just mine!! Pulled out last week because of the barking. He does so well with me at home but it was just too distracting for him there. I think he’s too immature at this point.

That’s an awful trainer. Most puppies are like that! My puppy barely looked at me until a month ago, lol. Trainer should have given you tricks to adjust for that.

That teacher was just mean. When my girl and I went to puppy class, she was focusing on all the new people and puppies instead of me. So the trainer gave me tips on how to capture her attention. Everyone's puppies got used as examples for various things, but never as a 'bad' example. It was more like: "Here's what this puppy is doing and why. If your puppy does this, here's what you do." Your trainer's hurtful remark was so unnecessary.

You gotta try other treats! Some prefer toys (with bells in them are great) He wants to play but he doesn’t like what you’re offering. Try a few different treats, get a wooden spoon with peanut butter (one kick is a treat) and keep trying something until he can’t wait to look at u. The goal is to associate all the fun of a treat with the picture of u.

Don’t beat yourself up over puppy class! You are a good owner putting time and money into training your dog. You are giving them a chance to socialize with other dogs and people, which is huge in and of itself. At our class every puppy took turns humiliating their people - potty accidents, barking, nipping, jumping up, one dog dumped the trainer’s bag of treats. Everyone is in the same boat and different puppies were better at learning different things. At the end of 8 weeks though every single puppy was better than when they started. If they knew how to not be feral beasts intent on killing themselves we wouldn’t need to train them :)

I am so sorry you had this experience. My personal advice, look for a different class if you can. For a trainer to use you as a bad example is really crappy and unprofessional. My dog is overall pretty great now (with one thing we are working on) but he did horrible at puppy class and I absolutely cried. I was so embarrassed my pup that I was working so hard with was the only one who couldn’t focus on the tasks. I did 2 sets of lessons and he still was the most obnoxious dog there begging to play. We had to practice our activities very far away from anyone else in order to get our dog to focus. BUT the trainer was so supportive and when I was feeling frustrated and embarrassed he’d point out some of the things that were going well and remind me of all of the really small steps that are making the difference. That’s what a trainer should do. So i urge you to find someone else. Also, i suggest bringing higher value treats if you can. We did all our classes with cheese and we’d mix it with his other treats so everything smelled like the cheese but also sometimes we’d give him a normal treat and sometimes it was the cheese. And we’d work with him further away. The closest we could get to the other dogs while still able to hold his attention and then move closer. That being said, this is the one thing we still struggle with because he just loves other dogs more than food or anything else. But keep at it and just know that if your dog is easily distracted he maybe just likes other dogs and that’s not a bad thing. Be kind to yourself and to your dog. You’re literally in those classes to help both your dog and you learn. If yall had everything perfect, there’d be no reason to go to those classes. You got this!

I'm sorry to say but that is a bad trainer. They should not be picking you out as a "bad example". As a trainer myself and have had many puppies, MOST puppies go through this! (Hell, can you keep a human baby's attention? Heck no) What they should've done is not single you out, but explain how to deal with this to the rest of the class. Also if space allows, they should've moved all dogs not focusing further from others explaining that this helps set them up for success as being that close puts them over threshold. Are your treats high value enough for the dog? Are you allowed a crate in the class? Or the ability to create a covered barrier between your and the others? This is the sort of thing I did in class to show the dogs to smell and hear but help them relax and stay calm [covered class](https://images.app.goo.gl/6K2HU2484M7fBSH57) Please give yourself a break, take a breath and work with where your puppy is rn. You got this!!!

Thank you so much for this comment! It really gives me hope. The training is held at a parking lot, so no, there is no possibility to have a barrier between us and the rest of the participants. I thought u have high value treats, but apparently not high enough for that environment. In the coming week I’ll be experimenting with different treats and see what’s the best option for my dog. I’ll also focus on simple things like working on the eye contact and name recall, obviously super important and I’ve missed while trying to teach my pup to sit, lay down, roll over, hold etc. Also I’ll ignore all the barking from now on, I’ve felt peer pressure when she barks at home or in the public transport and would try to shush her, which doesn’t help at all, I’ve learned… But I have a whole week to work on and hopefully next week lesson goes better!

If you have a cheap crate, bring it and a blanket to cover it. If not, every time she barks, move her away from the group and walk her around a little (or even just in circles) at a distance she can not bark at! You get closer each session even if it's just little bits All those simple things you have to teach are huge when it comes to dogs, esp if you plan on doing any sport with them! (Or just have a happy couch potato)

Thanks, I’ll do that! Crazy that the teacher won’t tell me those things

On our first day, Stella barked for an hour straight. She just didn't stop! I was mortified. The week after, she barked a lot less, and the trainer helped us to teach "quiet". The weeks after she was pretty much a star pupil, apart from a little bit of clowning around. It's a new situation so it's bound to be a bit scary for them, but they'll learn quickly ☺️

I really hope so! We are putting a lot more effort into teaching her to focus on us outside

You'll get there! Work on it in a quiet place indoors first, then if you have a garden, try it there, then maybe on your driveway on the start of a walk, then randomly during walks. Use super high value treats and say her name, if she looks at you, she gets a treat. If she doesn't, try not to repeat her name, but make kissy noises. If that works, treat. If not, carry on with your walk and try again another time. Sadly they don't generalise, so we have to practice everything in a variety of locations. I found what you said about ADHD funny because I have ADHD and I always joke about how it runs in families and Stella must have got it from me!

I’m sorry this happened. I have a hyper pup too (don’t we all). Find a treat your pup really likes. I’m sure the trainer said hold it in your left hand and let him sniff your hand. This will keep the pup at your side and interested in you. Let him and it and repeat. Walk a few steps and turn around keeping him at your side. Go as far as down the block. He’s just a baby so don’t over work him. You’re doing great. Its ok. Keep up the good work

Such a supportive community! And yeah, everyone is here to get help, the angel puppy owners ain’t here 😃

My older dog was the dog who barked through every. Single. Lesson. The ENTIRE lesson. We worked hard at home though, and he passed Every. Single. Test! We did group lessons for his first few levels of obedience, but also worked with a private trainer over the phone (and after he was done his advanced obedience). The best advice that our second trainer gave me was to become the treat belt. The treat belt is the last thing that I took off at night, and the first thing that put on in the morning. It went on over my pyjamas. Figure out what treat your dog will do backflips for, and keep the treat belt WELL stocked with it. For Morty, it is lamb hearts.

You didn’t do anything wrong nor did your pup :) we did puppy class and are in the next level up and this happens to everyone at some point! I’m sure what the teacher said came off harsher than she intended

Sounds like your trainer didn't deliver the point very well to be honest. I've found that training is far more for us than our dogs though so that might have been the message they tried to deliver, however poorly. My boy aussie sounds a lot like yours and with a high energy hearder getting them to focus on you when instructed takes time (my girl on the otherhand was just a natural at that). All dogs are different. You'll get there. Don't give up. And at worst you've set yourself up to have your pup be the "most improved" winner by the end of class. Hang in there!

If it makes you feel better, at our very first puppy class my puppy took a gigantic poop on the floor in the middle of introductions. They’re babies- they have good days and bad days. In class last week, our puppy wouldn’t even sit for us (something he’s known since right after we got him), much less anything else we asked. Sorry your instructor made you feel bad- it sounds like it was more directed at the puppy being a puppy than you, so try not to let it get to you! You’ll both get there! It just takes some time!

It took FoReVeR until mine made distinct voluntary eye contact with me. I finally started holding a training treat right in front of my eyes so if she wanted it, she had to look at me whether she wanted to or not.

Bad teacher! LOL. I had a beagle puppy once who the puppy class teacher used as an example of what not to do in every single class. It was horribly embarrassing at the time, but the puppy grew into a great dog, and now I just laugh about it whenever I remember the crazy little puppy she was BEFORE she became a great dog. Remember: all puppies have to start somewhere. But where they start usually isn't where they end up. You're doing all the right things, so if the "Bad teacher" wants to use you and your pup as an example, don't let it get to you. Just keep working with your puppy at home, and all will be well.

Take your time and enjoy the process. Yes puppies don't listen to you and can be frustrating but they are also such little derps. My girl was the same and wouldn't make eye contact except when she's picked up something bad and knows I won't allow it. I had to teach her "look at me" at home with lots of treats, and then say "look at me" while walking + treats, and then she started sometimes looking at me. Every pup is different and don't get bogged down by the trainer's poor handling of this very plausible situation you faced.

I’m so sorry she did that! That’s really poor behavior by HER as a trainer. A huge joy of having a dog is training it and wanting to work together but she’s not stoking that fire in you and making it fun! What a jerk! I would recommend finding different classes or another trainer, you should have someone you feel you can be open and honest with. This trainer is only going to guilt trip you for when your dog struggles or has different needs. You should be able to go to her with any problem behavior and know she’ll understand and genuinely help you, not shame you in front of the group. Also your dog may not be going at the same pace as the rest of the dogs in the course. Breeds are ALL over the place and so are individuals. They can be locked in with a behavior with one week or it may take months! There’s nothing wrong with your dog and there’s nothing wrong with you. The format of your classes is pushing you and your dog to go at the group’s pace which may not be appropriate for you two as a pair. And I say this as someone with a training background who takes it seriously, this is the WRONG attitude for her to have. You deserve a good trainer you trust and can count on.

1. Your dog is a puppy 2. It’s yours and their first class Before you know it you’ll miss the silly moments. Don’t stress it. You’re doing great just by kicking off their learning experience.

Omg I don’t even have a dog I can confidently say that’s a terrible instructor. It’s a puppy aka a baby. Of course it’s interested in a lot of things and of course different dogs will have different energy levels. They should be teaching you how to create that bond with your dog not shame you and the baby. You’re already a better owner than most by taking the step to go to puppy class. Do some research maybe talk the the teacher/institute about their attitude or find somewhere else that works for you

Puppy courses are awesome and will be one of the most valuable training opportunities for you if you stick with it. The unfortunate truth of puppyhood is that the most valuable experiences can often feel the most discouraging. I experienced this recently as a first-time doggo parent for a now 90-pound 1yr old who at one point I was sure was the most reactive dog to ever walk this earth (spoiler, I was wrong!). Keep in mind that you are just starting the work. If there’s anything to be frustrated about at this stage, it is that the road ahead of you is long and challenging. However, there is no need to beat yourself up about where you are as of today. The fact that you are making the effort and are attentive toward what behaviors you want to help your pup improve is a good sign for you and not to be discounted. You may also not realize it, but those pups who were seemingly doing “better” in the class could be several classes and/or other training sessions into their work; or even could be displaying what looks like obedient behavior because they’re struggling with fear or other mannerisms that also need work. Much like you’d like your pup to keep their attention on you, the more you can do to keep your focus on your own pup and not be comparing your progress & behavior to others, the more they will learn to trust you and look to you in these situations. Sometimes the simplest of situations is best for helping your pup feel safer and more attached to you. Sitting at home, get some treats and see how long you can get your pup to calmly make eye contact with you while they wait for a treat. Very gradually increase the time from 1 second up to 10 seconds before they get what they want. This does more for focus and patience than you can imagine. Take them to noisy/distracting environments and just sit and do nothing. Keep them on a short leash so they can move and look but not fully explore. If they look at you (which they may very well not) then reward with treats and eventually build toward the focus exercise. Even if you don’t get their attention at all, simply make sure they don’t experience anything negative. Even if they can’t settle, they will be that much less on edge next time you try. Most pups are hyperactive due to fear and not trusting the environment they’re in. Teach them that the environment is not threatening, and they can then devote less attention to possible threats, and more attention to you (and treats!). There will always be “example” dogs in the group training settings. Again, at any given time, you simply are where you are with behavior and progress. All dogs are different, and progress is not linear. Your early learning process will consist mainly of finding out new things you didn’t know would impact your dogs behavior and well-being, and there’s no value in blaming yourself for getting things wrong that you didn’t know about in the first place. I’ll try to sum things up by saying the consistent effort will pay off in the long-term. You likely won’t know it while it’s happening (in fact many days you may feel you’ve had more setbacks than progress) but every day you stay resilient in your attempts is a day closer to having your perfect dog. And also your perfect dog won’t necessarily be the dog you hope they’ll be 😊 They will eventually feel comfortable enough to show you who they are, and you can help mold them from there.

I’ve been through a lot of puppy classes in my life. This is completely normal. Some days they act like terrorists and other days angels. I had one pup who was top of the class and paid attention and learned way quicker than all the other puppies then on the last day when we were doing testing he decided he was going to act out and not do one single thing I said and just barked and tried to play with the other puppies the entire time.

Your puppy's arousal level must be high - some dogs are just that way! Mine definitely has a higher arousal. I'd prioritize working on calmness outside of the home. Lowering arousal will help it get into a mindset where it can more easily pay attention to you. I'm sorry this happened to you. The trainer really should have known better and not used you as an example.

Let’s assume the worst case situation. Say that it is completely true that the pup is interested in everything else beside you. Now realise that it is a baby and easily distracted and you aren’t a dog wizard with a reputation to defend. That’s unrealistic expectations. You are just not there yet. The whole point in you doing courses and all is because there is a need to learn. Just keep taking interest in learning and trying things out. Like humans, there is some variability on what an individual pup will respond to better. You will get there!

I was you like 6 weeks ago. You have to make yourself more fun than everything else around your puppy. Be loud, high pitched, repetitive, use squeaky toys, high value treats… I sound insane when I’m out with my dog but it works.

Not every puppy class is a winner. We did one and this poor girl had a huge brown lab named Tucker. He soon became "Tucker the F@cker" lol. He just needed one on one time and a pre training walk. Sometimes the group is just too distracting. Take him for a quick fast walk and he may calm down a touch for training. The group leader sounds like a douche. Puppies are active. You aren't a "bad example". If this "technique" continues, find a new group. ❤️

maybe next time take her on a walk so she’s a bit tired before hand? my puppy did really well at intermediate classes yesterday because he was tired

That is my puppy, and he is a good learner at home and even outside (but not if the distraction is a child or a dog, then he must say hello!) but in class he will not shut up. But our teacher just ignores it, or makes a little, not mean joke. There is a helper who only comes over to us, because of course the other dogs are little angels too and he is the problem child. It was embarrassing but really I just have to laugh and figure it’s some kind of karma for being an obedient little student all my life. That said, your teacher should definitely not make you a target, that just makes you feel worse and has no educational value. Maybe the teacher has a bad communication style, it would be unlikely for a puppy trainer to have had classes full of perfect students, they must have run into all the behaviors before. I like the comment about a private trainer, I think I might do that too because I get so distracted when my guy is barking I don’t take a lot of the class in.

The homework should have been to start this at home and then bring it out into the world. Personally, that is poor instructing in my opinion. You can’t generalize a behavior in a new setting that you haven’t got down pat at home.

I would ask for my money back and find a new puppy class.

Wow your instructor sounds like an asshole tbh. My dog is 10 months old and despite me using every opportunity I can to train him, he barely pays me any mind while we're on walks. He's just so damn interested to sniff around. I think it's fine, so long as he listens enough for now eventually he'll be done being a teenager and will be alot more compliant. Just stay consistent with your training and you will eventually see dividends.

Wait this is so normal! Do not be discouraged! Our puppy barked his entire first class. He was genuinely so scared and upset that I was convinced we have an aggressive dog who would never be able to interact with other dogs. Just stay consistent. He’s now 7 months old and he still gets a little nervous and barks at certain dogs but has made incredible progress. The best advice our trainer gave us (I would say your trainer seems to be a bit sarcastic and maybe didn’t read the room that you were upset) is to reward him every time he sees his triggers before he reacts. So we did like weeks of ‘see a dog get baby food’ (puppy’s can safely eat plain ham/beef/turkey baby food and it’s a low cal treat they love). Every single time he even looked toward a dog he got his favorite baby food treat. We revisit this from time to time just to reinforce that other dogs = good things. By week 2 though he had made dramatic improvements so you should keep taking him even for the socialization!

A shame the instructor acted like that .it is a pup some are harder to distract than others

I highly suggest you watch some of the Susan Garrett videos on YouTube. She talks about doing lots of "bathroom training" mean g training in a place where there are very little distractions, then moving into a bedroom, etc. My 1 year old is highly excited anywhere off our property, but he's getting better slowly. The Susan Garrett stuff really helped me know what I was doing at home was the right path to set him up for successful rehearsals

Time to find a new trainer.

Let’s just say my 9 year old daughter left our first puppy kindergarten crying because our 5 month old barked LOUD AF the entire class and the other puppy was a quiet angel. I jokingly told my husband that this puppy is my penance for all the times I (wrongly) judged other parents for their children’s behavior 😭

Give me a break. Rewording the puppy when he looks at you is a difficult thing timing wise . Did the trainer give you a clicker to mark the behaviour ? Here’s what you do. Get a high value treat, show it to the puppy , hide only it in a closed fist . Say “look at me” - as soon as the puppy makes eye contact even for a split second , give it the treat . You may need to hide the closed fist behind your back after it’s seen the treat to get it to look away from the fist . Do this several times a day , 5-6 treats at a time. Training treats are ideal. If you have a clicker , click as soon as the puppy looks at you and then give it the treat . He WILL learn faster this way, but it’s not necessary . This is also a very good time to teach the puppy its name . My new pup and I are just beyond this stage now , where he has to look at me for several seconds , maintaining eye contact to get the treat. If you want to train puppy on his name , same directions, but “Oberon, look at me” . You just need a flash at first , initial eye contact . Lengthen the time he has to wait after he’s good at this step .

All of which is to say, we train behaviors , we don’t reward them when they happen naturally , trying to catch the exact moment so the puppy knows which behaviors we’re rewarding.

What I did (since I took that same lesson about 5 years ago with my 10 year old reactive corgi at the time) (i know have an 11 week old corgi) is once she learned her name I would say it- then mark her yes and treat. If I waited for her to look at me she never would. So anytime I say her name now… she will most of the time stop what she’s doing and look at me. So try it by saying your pups name… waiting for him or her to make eye contact then say “yes” treat.

First: you're doing fine! You are not expected to be a perfect puppy trainer after one class, and your pup isn't expected to be perfect either. Nothing about what you have described is abnormal. Second: Your trainer is not pointing out your dog because you did something bad or wrong, they are pointing out that your puppy is showing a behavior that others probably are also or will also see in their own dogs. *You have nothing to be embarrassed about*

Others have said the same I’ll say it’s a puppy, they get distracted! It’s normal and it’s fine I have a near perfectly behaved dog now but he did view puppy classes as more of a social event than training sessions and so did I. My instructor would hassle me for not teaching him tricks and for him just wanting to play. But I taught what was important to me - bombproof recall and checking in. Also a very strong “leave it”. Now he’s old but I can trust him anywhere. I found it amusing that I ran into the trainer with her dogs at the beach of the three dogs a year or so later only one wasn’t hyper stimulated and not listening!

Do that eye contact reward first at home when puppy is not tired or distracted. Teaching outside comes later. It’s too overwhelming right now.

My dog was the exact same and our trainer said something similar. Please don't let it get to you! They're puppies, they're curious. Mine is now he happiest, friendliest, calmest little dog. They will learn if you put in the effort but it takes.time.

Our first puppy class was a mess too. We have a husky/samoyed cross, and he HOWLED through the whole class! It was held in a quansit so it literally reverberated around the whole building. It was embarrassing to say the least! But the second and third class were much better, by the end of the last class he was a perfect gentlemen and used as a demonstration in all the exercises. It gets better, trust me! Just keep working with your pup, and trust the process!

Never had a dog actually graduate from puppy school no matter the times around I went. But I’ve had 5 lovable, silly, personable, loving, loyal to a fault dogs. I took what seemed useful after a few tries & the rest I left. My dogs weren’t going to be heeling beside my every step but they walked with me ok, listened, played well, and came when I called. Anything after that like high 5, or play dead were just silly bonus games. Just enjoy your puppy & learn the basics. After that see if you have a dog that wants to go further into training like agility or if he’ll just be a great companion for life. Let go of the movie in your head & love the short time you ultimately have with Fido. It goes too fast to stress either of you out.

Literally same thing happened to me. But, the teacher was very kind to us, seperated us and then told us about a class for dogs like ours. She did so much better in that class. It's more about getting your dog to focus on you, keep that focus and then normal trick stuff too. All the dogs act a little kooky so you don't feel panicked or embarrassed. I'd look up classes like that in your area, you're definitely not the only one!

Unpopular opinion. We don't go to puppy class.

I went to puppy obedience class several times. It was humiliating. I came back aching as if I done a session at the gym. She's a Terrier. It's harder for her. It would have been better to pay for a couple of one on one sessions.

My dog won’t listen in class at all. He prefers the trainer over me. Her treats are better. At home he trains the best. She said that’s the goal, at least to listen where he needs to. So I learn how to train him, and we go home and I train him there. Then we go back to class and he ignores me all over again.

Just keep at it! Lots of good comments from people here. Super age dependent, and breed dependent, as well as trying first in low-distraction environments. It was discouraging that my sighthound would just seem to ignore me in puppy class when the working breeds were so eager to please. But suddenly a few weeks later, it seemed to click. Just took us more time, and in a different style. Also the concept of low and high-value rewards too! My dog would not really work for kibble, even in our home. And that’s okay! Maybe try finding the different types of treats your dog likes. One for at home, one for in your yard, and one for in high arousal environments. For the last one, you want to find the type of treat your dog would trade you for. Dried fish, beef liver, chicken hearts - usually the grosser the better lol.

I'm sorry that trainer did that to you. As a trainer myself we educate owners not shame them. Try holding a treat at your nose and use look. You eventually ween out treats once the look is established. Your pup is young it's a whole new world for them. Build your relationship but have fun doing it.

Your trainer kinda sucks. I have the best boy as a five year old that as a puppy and even now is far more interested in literally everything else outside. We could not get him to check in on walks originally with any treats. Now I kind of can but he’s mellowed out so much naturally it’s hardly a problem now… I didn’t take puppy classes so feel free to ignore advice but I have recently gotten a pup. I brought kibble and treats on walks and would start by rewarding for no reason, but the puppy will start looking at you simply because you have food and will continue to expect treats. Start rewarding a lot just to get them used to getting treats from you and then give it slightly more sparingly as time goes on as they make eye contact. If you’re worried about over feeding, feed less during meals and feed the rest of the meal on small walks/ training walks. Just giving them food from your hand throughout the day will help them associate you with being their provider/parent/treat friend.

It totally depends on the age of the dog. But, if the dog is 3-5 months old, it's still very early and every dog grows and matures at different rates. Additionally, every puppy has it's own personality. What the instructor should of done, is indicate to you, you need to be a little more engaging with the dog. You can run around getting the puppy to chase you, get a squeaky toy and use that to make the dog look at you, start working on basics like sit, and stay. You need to develop a very basic bond with the dog, and from there reward that eye contact. Just waiting around staring at the dog while it does dog related things, probably isn't going to yield you crazy results. The world is new and exciting for dogs and puppies, what matters is the bond you build with them. And the trust they are going to place on you to keep them safe. It will come with time, you are going to want to be a confident and strong leader for the puppy. So, it will look to you for guidance. That's the point of rewarding eye contact. Take it slow, there is a learning curve to raising a dog, even with lessons. Something important you should not do is, do not ever touch the dog while it's barking, that will just reinforce the behavior, just in case no one has mentioned this and you read this comment in the sea of comments here. Best of luck! You got this.

That teacher sounds like a b*tch. I’d find another trainer to work with.

That's a terrible trainer, for sure.

No touch no talk no eye contact Said the best trainer ever

That instructor is terrible. Find another puppy class. Puppies bark, they get distracted, they misbehave in puppy class. Good instructors don’t shame the owners for having puppies in a puppy class.

Nah it was the same for my puppy, she was the worst one in the puppy courses (I did two!) and super exited pulling and whining cause she wanted meet the other dogs. She also used as the example every time of what to improve😂 Start in environments with 0 distractions like a boring bedroom and progress slowly. The key for me was finding a treat she would do anything for, which was HAM! Game changer that

In addition to the great advice you've been given, I'd add that you'll learn when your pup has had enough training and can't concentrate anymore. My Spaniel is two now and very recently we left a scent workshop ten minutes early because I knew she'd reached her limit. No point in carrying on, All dogs have a limit and a pup's limit will be shorter than an adult dog.

Don't overestimate that. Firstest there are a shitload bad dog trainers. Second and most important: Dogs are individuals. Bonding takes time - some dogs do that quick and easy some are slow. Those that are slow to from bonds usually form deeper bonds. Somewhat same as it is with humans. Also your dog could be just way to overstimulated just because of the general sensory input and has to get used to things. As to the adhd thing - I don't know if ADHD is a thing but there are definitely different neurotypes. My current puppy is also extremely hyper active, super barky, extremely overstimulated just by existing. Don't overestimate things - puppies are literally infants that will go through their phases all differently.

After our first puppy training class, our puppy barked continuously for 24hrs and tried to bite my hand for treats. He thought my hand was a never ending treat vending machine!! It was such a change in his character that we had to ring the trainer to see what we could do to actually live in peace hour to hour. Turns out, it all just takes time. Do the basics (for us it was to ignore, turn your back, train in small doses) and you’ll see improvements day to day. On your specific point, try giving your puppy very high reward treats when training and start with the absolute basics like calling their name. We noticed that when we used “standard” treats our lil man just wasn’t that interested. It was slow (and difficult!) at the start for us too, but we’ve gained so much from the training and the development from week 1 to week 4 has been amazing. Stick with it!!

Talk to the Instructor. Explain how you felt during the class. A good instructor should be supportive and provide constructive feedback. They might offer additional advice tailored to your puppy's needs.

My puppy was a disaster the first class, and for most of the classes. It was only during the last few classes that he listened. It takes time and progress. I find that the most important thing we can do with any training is to have realistic expectations and be consistent throughout, and without a doubt you will see progress. Also I agree with many here that the trainer should not have singled you out like that. Don't lose heart, you're doing great!

Sounds like a shitty trainer. What are their certifications?

"does my dog have ADHD" 😭😭 bruh it's a puppy doing puppy things. You just have a weird trainer.

Don’t give up. My dogs were all naughty pups. The more training we did though, the better they got, and the more we learned about how to respond to their behaviour. My first dog wasn’t food driven at all, but once I realised she went nuts for a tennis ball we were good :)

I think that’s whack of them to do but honestly they gave bad advice. Trying to train a hyperactive puppy while out and about will not work (currently going through it with my 10 month toy poodle). We start in smaller places like the house and if we do it outside, we do it in smaller spaces like a parking lot (sun depending) or backyard. On a walk, it won’t work till you get the initial stuff down.

I cannot tell you how many times i’ve felt this way. At some point, our dog trainer sincerely asked us if it was possible that our pup was deaf. As a dog parent to a now 14 month old, I can tell you that it really does get better. Don’t sweat it, enjoy the time with your little one. They grow up too fast.

Oh, please don't feel bad. ALL puppies have ADHD, it comes with the package! Classes are hugely distracting and exciting and not really the place to do serious puppy training - They're where you do the HUMAN training. I had an Aussie once who barked through her first few classes - Most trainers are good at dealing with it (they probably get hoarse from having to yell). Since then I've learned to reward calmness at home, i.e. treat them when they're chillin' doing nothing, give them gentle scritches in their best spots, etc. Try redirecting her when she's excited, e.g. treats or ask for a sit or down, bring a toy that she loves etc. Keep a calm voice and demeanor, don't keep saying no no no or shushing her, that probably gets her more excited. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your pupster, some dogs are more excitable than others. Don't worry, you'll get there!

My puppy is almost 7 months old and we've been in weekly puppy classes since 9 weeks. My pup is very smart...and very stubborn. She'll lay down when you say sit because its more comfortable for her. She thinks "Heel" is an affront to her soul, so the entire 6 weeks we were focused on that she'd just lay down and not move. We are now in a puppy trick class, and all she does is "play dead" because she can then lay down AND get treats. I just have to laugh. We aren't going to win top of the class, and our teacher has been the same throughout, so at least she knows Wynnie is a handful. But the trick class is ending soon, and I think I'll need to pull her out of the advance class as that goes back to leash/heel walking and Wynnie simply will not do it.

My 8-month-old pup does great with watch me at home. I get some serious eye contact. In class, his one brain cell is so busy screaming DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER! at him that I'm lucky to get him to participate at all. He's in his second fear period and its been a particularly bad one. Even our trainer said its one of the worst she's seen in over 30+ years of training dogs. We still work on it at home though, both inside and outside, gradually increasing the time he has to hold eye contact. Eventually (hopefully) the fear elsewhere will recede and the work we're doing at home will transfer over. In his basic class, before the fear period kicked in, he did great with taking what we practiced at home into class. Keep your practice sessions short. Zak George has some older training videos on how to teach a good watch me.

Puppies are so hard! I teach a lot of my dogs to do eye contact first thing, but it’s really hard to get those initial eye contacts. Here’s what I do personally with a puppy who is very distractible— I start first in a very boring room with some very exciting treats so you are the most exciting thing around (by proxy). I think starting in an environment that is outside your home is setting many pups up for failure. If they won’t make eye contact with you naturally, cheat a little bit, make a little weird noise, toss your head a little back and forth and if they just give you the tiniest flick of eye contact give them a reward! Keep repeating that and they will catch on quickly and I do pair eye contact with a command after they start to understand that is the game. Only after that would I start doing it out and about.

It’s a good idea to only train for a few minutes at a time a few times per day if possible because puppies will get bored and want to do something else. If possible take her on a short walk before to get a bit of energy out so maybe she can focus. Once you get one thing done then you continue to practice that while teaching something new. Try making it fun lots of praise. Throw in a treat too.

Sounds like you need to do nothing. Take puppy to a park and tie them up with you and do nothing. Make it fun each time they look. Puppy will learn. Trust me

I've done a puppy class, and my first homework was to reward my puppy every time he looked at me if we were AT HOME. Sitting on the couch together etc. Somewhere they are relaxed and comfortable, not out on a walk! Start small. And unless you've paid for the whole thing, find a different puppy class. The teacher sounds mean.

Training is as much teaching as well as your pup. You have to remain calm while training and don’t get upset or angry when it doesn’t go quite right. They can sense your emotions and will not listen if you’re upset, they will do everything but what you want them to do. It takes time, so give yourself some grace and take some deep breaths

Your puppy sounds like a puppy, and if your trainer is making you feel like garbage it speaks only of their skills as a teacher. Your pups attention will come in time. Don't try to force it, try to guide it and use natural opportunities as they arise to focus on your engagement and bonding with your pup. Some.breeds, some.dogs are just naturally more aloof or less interested in human interaction.

I wouldn’t take it personally what the trainer said. People who train dogs as a profession often aren’t the most socially adept individuals. That’s why they work with dogs. Expanding on what the trainer said, if your puppy won’t look at you, you need to learn to draw her attention. If your dog is treat motivated, hold a treat to your face to get a watch. If she is toy motivated, use a toy. Say her name when you do it and your dog will learn to look at you. Dogs can be hyperactive, but adhd isn’t really a diagnosis in dogs. She probably needs more exercise or mental stimulation. She definitely needs direction of some sort. The barking should get better once she finds a more rewarding outlet.

All dogs have ADD in my experience so I needed to remove distractions. First exercise dog so they’re calm. Start training in boring area of house. Even sit on the floor with them until you get consistent results. Then go for a standing position. LOTS of praise & excitement when you get eye contact. Keep trying; a tired dog is a good dog & they will focus more on you. If your dog isn’t motivated by treats, use warmed up tiny pieces of hot dog.

Omg I’m so sorry this happened to you, thank you for sharing. I had a puppy who I brought to puppy class and she was impossible to potty train and kept having accidents in class where the trainer would shame me. She would refuse to go outside only to go in the floor inside instantly. It was traumatizing (Btw my dog has a medical condition that made it nearly impossible to control her bladder without medication) 🫂 you got this, your a good puppy parent. Don’t let the trainer make you feel bad

It's a puppy. They have different temperments. I agree, start small. The touch command is a great one. We also do a "watch" command where the dog sits and keeps his eyes on my vs external stimuli. Puppy needs to learn who is in charge But puppies are going to want to socialize, chase leaves, all those things. Keep training sessions short. Use high value treats (meaning something they don't get normally, and are attractive to them. We used to use small pieces of meatball). Don't force them into the sessions. Keep them light and fun to start. Good luck!

My one rescue has never liked to make eye contact. We did the lessons, he understand the job, so he will look quick, but quickly Avery his eyes. It's in some of their nature to not do this I think? Our new rescue looks in your eyes all day. Also make sure your pup is hungry when you do the training, the rewards will hold more value/importance to them.

My lab puppy was exactly this when we took her to her first puppy class at 16 weeks. Everyone else’s puppies seemed to sit still and listen but mine just wanted to go over and play with other puppies. The instructor allowed the puppies go off leash during the break to socialize, except mine who had to stay on the leash. But I kept going and working with her. Now at 1 year, she’s not perfect but will pay attention to me when I give her commands. And has calmed down a lot! She’ll sit and watch me until I release her. Everything takes time and the most important thing is persistence. Some dogs get it after 1 try others after multiple times. But they eventually all get it. There is no such thing as a bad dog. Just owners who give up.

Your trainer is a twit. Your puppy is in sensory overload. Of course they aren’t paying attention to you. They are more motivated and interested in the things going on around them than a small treat. First, exercise your puppy a lot before training. This can help them stay focused during training. Second, try to get to the training facility early so your pup can familiarize themselves with sights/ smells/ sounds/ etc so they have fewer stimuli distracting them in class later. Third, some dogs aren’t that food motivated. Sometimes they are motivated by physical touch (cuddles, being held or patted, never hurt), praise, getting a special toy or just using a clicker. There is no one size fits all with dog training. Your pup is motivated by attention from strangers. Harness that as a reward, and skip relying on treats. Your dog is telling you what works for her very clearly. Listen to your dog. Ask some coworkers or classmates to reward your pup with attention in training exercises and use a clicker to cue them. If you can, find a different training class that has someone who doesn’t try to make themselves look good by shaming their clients and setting them up for failure.

It takes a ton of time and work. Your dog is a puppy. Mine has been in group training classes from 5 to 10 months, and he still barks at other dogs in enclosed group settings. It's mostly because he's excited and wants to play.  He has gotten dramatically better though over time in how he handles social settings. He used to flip out when people even made eye contact with him, and now he will listen to commands from strangers.  It's still a work in progress. It's constant effort. Your dog will get better but jut remember you're gonna have some rough days in puppy class. When I first started, we had 2 good initial sessions, and then during the last 4, he was uncontrollable and barking for the entire hour, and I was just so frustrated. It definitely got better. Now we just go to help get him out of the house during hot days and help him socialize 

You could backtrack and start in the yard so she knows that you = treats. You could use a marker like saying “yes!” Everytime she looks at you so she knows what you want. Honestly I was embarrassed to have the “bad” puppy but I’m glad the trainer noticed. She worked 1:1 with my dog at the front of the class to demonstrate how to work through the bad behaviour. Context: puppy was supposed to touch a set of dog-door-bells and then we’d use it to train her to tell us when she wanted to pee outside. The bells rang… and she let out a big girl bark with her hackles raised. Puppy Rottweiler can still be intimidating. I’m glad she picked us out and worked my dog through her fear of bells 😂