How sad that supposedly many people have applied for this. Susan Garrett, world guru of dog training is taking applications. Supposedly she has a bunch to now choose for her team of five perfect students. Certainly, she would never have chosen Spur. And the time it took me to train his RDW I wouldn't trade for $5000. It was priceless to me!!! I enjoyed every minute of it and that anyone wants to miss out on that fun training makes me sad. Why? Why would you want to take so little time? Life is too short as it is. Enjoy the ride, take the time, smell the roses, enjoy your dog!!!! Those people are going to miss out on some really fun times.
I just don't get it. The time I spent with Spur training his running dog walk is some of the best times we had. We had/have SO much fun doing it, I just don't understand why people want to miss out on that. Donate that $5000 to a shelter and go have fun training your dog. Life is too short, enjoy it, the LONG way!!!!
What Temperature Is Too Hot To Walk Dogs?
9 months ago
Great post!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMorris Animal Foundation is always appreciative of donations and I'd rather put $5k to them rather than in SG's pocket.
ReplyDelete5k for a RDW - rather NQ than ship my dog somewhere...
I respect that anybody can have their own opinions. Take this as a advice, you should go and read what susan garrett spoke about this course, it involves SO MUCH MORE THAN THE CLASSES. Plus her way of training is very different from a lot of dog trainers she REALLY takes a lot of time you would now if you investigate a little about her it isn't that hard you know. That way you would know THE TIME SHE TAKES! I'm in one of her classes and I almost laughed when I read that.
ReplyDeleteShe prepares her dogs way before I think that's why It's only three weeks long (I don't know but I really think that's the reason)
And I'm not kidding with this SHE TAKES A LOT OF TIME SHE'S ALWAYS TEACHING AND NEVER USES PUNISHMENT.
Plus she has given a lot of online webinars FOR FREE where she teaches GREAT lessons and for free, no charge!
Instead of writing about this, because it's not just you, (no hard feelings) I would want to tell this to everyone who is criticizing her right now. Do good things. like u suggest to give 5000 to a shelter, why don't we applaud good things she has done. (the knowledge she has shared is really valuable) It's really sad.
I wrote this because I see how much effort she puts EVERYDAY and I got a little bothered when I read this...
Seriously, no hard feelings..
Maria
Maria, it was Susan herself who bragged that she got this done in three weeks and I did read everything she had available. I have nothing against Susan Garrett, I personally LOVE her Crate Games and recommend it a lot and think she is an incredible dog trainer, one of the best in the world, and great business person. She promoted this method as a fast and easy way and I have no doubt she has a good plan. I know the course details are much more than three weeks, I was simply being snide because of her promotional method and the money involved. I honestly feel that she should have charged more, as she sure could have, she herself bragged about charging $10,000 for private training. Obviously, she has enough people wanting it that badly and why not, she herself admits she doesn't want to work that hard any more and that's fine. SG is brilliant, no one can take that away from her and I sure wasn't trying to. Her marketing is brilliant, too! She marketed this method well and when a person does this sort of thing they better be ready for a lot of criticism. She promoted a short cut method for a lot of money. That's the plain and simple of it.
ReplyDeleteI am also being critical of all the people who think running contacts take too long and there are too many repititions. I just don't feel that way. I feel it is fun, awesome, work that me and my dog had a blast doing and I am in far better shape because of it. All good stuff that I wish people would consider, but instead many people want a faster way and apparently are willing to pay that kind of money. That's fine, they can apply for her team, if they can afford it.
Amy, I get your point and It is awesome that you want to enjoy everything about it! I just got bothered because I have learnt so much from her so much valuable things! and I felt that you were saying she was always thinking about the money and that she doesn't take a lot of time in GENERAL! (that's why I said that she gives great lessons for free) Now with your long explanation I understand your point better (plus my main language is spanish)
ReplyDeleteand yes she is a great business person by the way I gotta admit that one!
Greetings : )
Maria
I think I would go for the creativity on the method rather than the time it takes to train! SG's RDW is supposedly done with fewer repetitions because is based on exercises that maximize the dog understanding of the criteria. The time it takes is only a side effect, of course she brags of it and I think I have to agree with you, some people are desperate to know this method because of it.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm just dying to know what kind of games she has put up to maximize understanding to that level! Dont matter the time it takes, imagine what FUN they are!
The creativity involved just amazes me!
besides, just as SG says it herself, "it's a journey, not a race!", we must enjoy the journey or it is worthless!
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for having the courage to speak out against Susan G. This topic has obviously created much controversy in our agility world!! I very much understand what you are saying above, because I too am tired of her arrogance, and narcissism. Unfortunately, the attention, good or bad, will only help her marketing package, and will sadly only fuel her, and her cultist followers to prove her value and worth all the more. I wish the folks who so devotedly worshiped her would put even a fraction of the money and loyalty given to her, to a rescue or other charitable organization. Imagine the goals that could be accomplished and lives saved if they did. You keep enjoying your awesome little dog and your running contacts you worked so hard to understand. Your accomplishments will shine in the ring and in real life with your dogs. You don't have to deprive and bully your dog to build a working relationship with it. I happen to know you are a Silvia student, and even though I myself have never worked with Silvia, I have spoken with her on a social level enough to know that, unlike Susan G., whom I have also socialized enough with and observed more than I care to at large competitions. Silvia is the real deal, what you see is what you get. She doesn't hide behind a clever marketing scheme and blog full of, well, for lack of a better word, crap. Silvia's relationship with her dogs is as happy, fun, honest and real as it seems. She may now charge a minimal fee to share her knowledge and skills with the world, but, once upon a time, and she even still will, go out of her way to be kind to folks she doesn't even know. She actually watches videos and helps for free, if, you're bold enough to ask. I also know that you are now paying her kindness she had shown to you forward. You are sharing things she's helped you with and stuff you've learned with friends and frustrated running contact trainers in New England. You also generously donate time and money to dog rescues in the area as well as having rescued the dog you put running contacts on. You didn't "shop" for the perfect dog, you built a relationship with the dog you had, and worked hard to get the running contacts you have with the dog you have. Kudos!! Keep up the good work. I wish you much success in competition and life. May good fortune and Karma always come your way :)
Also, my sincerest apologies if this starts a Susan Garret, cult war on your blog. I'm sure her followers will be jumping to her rescue. It was not my intention to start a war on your blog. Simply to thank you for standing up for those of us who feel the same way, but were not as courageous as you to publicly say so ;)
Oh, yes, Anna Carol E., I am definitely interested, too. I won't be paying $5000 or making trips to Canada, though. My whole point was to be critical of her marketing promotion with the video of Swagger getting it in three weeks. That's what I was critisizing. I am totally curious how and what games she uses, but her mentioning that it only took her three weeks is what got me. Not really sure WHY she had to put that in there as I think she might have gotten as many applications without saying that? I don't know, but saying that made me sad as I DID think of her as enjoying "the journey". That's the part of it that I was being snide about.
ReplyDeleteIt is a fascinating training project that I enjoyed tremendously and I can't WAIT to train my next dog running contacts, as long as it takes. Wanting it in three weeks, however, isn't something that appeals to me. I love the long process. And paying big money to learn her method I am not desperate to do, as obsessed as I am about training running contacts and as curious I am, I guess I won't ever know her method unless someone else shares the info. I am not THAT obessed! LOL!!
Ha! Susan's creativity in method?!?!??? Anyone, who has had any experience in training running contacts can see the errors in them and decisions she chose to get them. Front foot target trained. Oh yeah, that's soooooooo creative and new.
ReplyDeleteWell, gee, thanks anonymous!!! Yes, I sure do worship at the Silvia Trkman church, lol!!! She is amazing and has offered me a LOT of free advice and training. I am FOREVER grateful. I think she knows how many students I have sent her way and she has been wonderful to me. So many of my friends are in her classes now and my Spur has been a poster child for her running dog walk training. He has a HUGE fan club and following and while he isn't the fastest and most amazing speed demon, he sure knows his job and has come a very long way. With her help I no longer even worry about a missed contact. He is as likely to miss a contact as he is to knock a bar and that's pretty unlikely. It happens, but it is very rare. It is amazing work! Silvia is amazing! The greatest dog trainer in the world.
ReplyDeleteI am sure not worried about a SG cult war. I will strongly support her followers, as I do think everyone has something to offer and she has offered a lot to many and everyone has their place in this world. It's just a different deal than I am interested in as I would not consider paying that kind of money for training, but I will not lessen her work. She is a brilliant person, marketer and dog trainer, there is no doubt about that and I DO envy those five team members as I am sure they will learn something special. It's just a shame it has to be so secretive and selective and that she is promoting it by saying it only took her three weeks. THAT is what makes me sad because that promotion most likely bought many into applying. But that's SG. And more power to her, she can be all that if she wants.