[HairOfTheDog]

I love Golden Retrievers, and as far as clickers go... it's not really the device... it's the type.., and you know who they are. :~D

They're fine for prepping people with pretty good dogs to go show in obedience. But that's about where their experience ends. When I was trying to solve a rather embarrassing fault in my Labrador (he'd get up and mount the dog next to him in the sits and downs at dog shows), I trained under every single dog trainer in town for practice in different groups, and all of them were just aghast at both my uncouth strong-willed dog, and all the rather severe methods I tried to fix him :~D

Finally I ended up with a Schutzhund trainer who is a Dog-God. And I was able to end up with both a dog I could get titled, and a dog I could actually take places and do fun things with! :~D

[brytlea]

Oh, I had a sit/down problem with my second obedience dog (golden). I finally ended it with lemon juice. Probably not a solution AR folk would like, but it worked. She went on to get 2 CDX legs before I had to stop showing her for an unrelated reason.
susie

[AnAmericanMother]

LOL (I shouldn't laugh, but I can just see Logan doing that, and your turning exasperated eyes to Heaven.)

Good thing you found a Dog-God. Fortunately, I don't really need one, as my girl is a little hard-headed but actually very anxious to please. She just thinks she knows better how to find that bird than some silly human 100 yards away, and please don't disturb her with whistles and hand signals while she's hunting, thank you very much!

[dervish]

You are so right. I showed my Am Staff and titled her in Utility and got scolded all the way by Golden/Sheltie owners who told me I just did not understand how to train because I was too harsh and did not use food.

Even worse were the people in Manhattan parks who were horrified by leash corrections, did not hesitate to berate me, but whose dogs would not even sit on command or respond to a "come."

OTOH I went to a Schutzhund class (for UKC Open)and they encouraged me to be tougher.

I also worked with a trainer who handles many problem dogs. She was trained by a well known trainer/author. Neither have certification. But they get clients by reputation and success. Luckily my dog was not a problem but I know where to go if I need to, degree not withstanding.