Duties of an Apprentice Part I

Every dog trainer will have different tasks for apprentices, but here are some of the things I do at puppy class:

• Observe! I'm there to learn, and a big part of that is just observing the class.
• Set up traffic cones in a circle. The cones give dogs and owners a fixed place to stand and perform their training exercises.
• Set up chute. The chute is used when the lessons on "come" begin. Owners crouch at one end of the shoot with food lures (i.e. treats) and the dog runs down the chute.
• Paperwork! See post on Hell Saturday
• Check to see if dogs' collars are on properly. Most owners use an adjustable collar that "slides", and it needs to be put on the dog in a certain way.
• Make some noise. When we're practicing the "sit" in our first class, we have a few different noise makers we use to help the owners train their dogs in more busy environments.
• Be a Supermodel. When certain techniques, such as how a dog should meet new people, need to be demonstrated, I'll serve as a "model".
• Answer questions from owners.
• Distribute handouts.
• Cuddle doggies!