Buena Vista

I know a lot of people have heard negative things about Buena Vista but I have nothing but positive comments to make about them!! In fact, I'm going back tomorrow to start up my novice obedience class with my 2 y/o dog, Cassius. They implement positive reward training with just the right amount of correction for bad behaviour. I definitely recommend them!!

I also took Charlie to Buena Vista and he is going back for the next level in the fall. It's certainly good for the big/hyper/aggressive breeds. Some people think it's too rough, but it could really save your dogs life. If you have a little lapdog and you don't want to correct it, maybe don't go here. If you want your dog to listen and respect you, definitely check it out!

I'm so glad I read this....Everyone at the park I go to kept saying to go to Saskatoon Kennel Club. I have tried to contact them several times and have had no luck.
Maybe I will look into Buena Vista. Whats the cost there? Andy is now 7months and we definately need to get her some training. She is a very good dog so I think this will just take her to another level.

Desjardo wrote:I'm so glad I read this....Everyone at the park I go to kept saying to go to Saskatoon Kennel Club. I have tried to contact them several times and have had no luck.
Maybe I will look into Buena Vista. Whats the cost there? Andy is now 7months and we definately need to get her some training. She is a very good dog so I think this will just take her to another level.

Puppy/beginner classes are $124 I think. Something like that. They just had registration last night but I'm sure that if you phoned them they would be open to you coming. Missing first class can be tough but not impossible to catch up with.

I also like that Buena Vista has classes 2 nights a week for a month instead of dragging it out over a long period. The dog remembers what he learned so much better, and if you're doing something wrong you can nip in in the bud instead of practicing something wrong for a whole week. My vet recommended them, I sent them an email and Barry replied within the hour.

I had a very negative experience with my lab at Buenavista and I wouldn't go back. I found their methods to be quite harsh, especially for a dog that came in with space issues- which they knew she had. The socialization period with the corrections for my dog at the start of class were quite inappropriate for what she needed and resulted in my dog getting bit by another dog- she ended up bleeding, to which I was told by the trainer "it's minor, she'll heal". And, she got the correction for it, even though she got bit. I won't go back. Hub City Kennel Club is where I do obedience work now and I am much happier there. However, for the right dog/owner combo, Beunavista can be a great place too. Just not right for me and my dog!

coffeejen wrote:I had a very negative experience with my lab at Buenavista and I wouldn't go back. I found their methods to be quite harsh, especially for a dog that came in with space issues- which they knew she had. The socialization period with the corrections for my dog at the start of class were quite inappropriate for what she needed and resulted in my dog getting bit by another dog- she ended up bleeding, to which I was told by the trainer "it's minor, she'll heal". And, she got the correction for it, even though she got bit. I won't go back. Hub City Kennel Club is where I do obedience work now and I am much happier there. However, for the right dog/owner combo, Beunavista can be a great place too. Just not right for me and my dog!

I'm curious as to what you mean by "space issues"?

The first dog I took to Buena Vista was my rescue Doberman and she was a complete and total wreck. She wouldn't have anything to do with anyone but me - dogs and people included. They were very careful with her, made sure to move slowly around her, spoke softly, didn't try to touch her right away, and never, ever corrected her for being afraid, etc., etc.



I will definitely warn people that Buena Vista's methods are based on dog psychology and that doesn't always make sense to people psychology. They aren't for everyone but I think that most dogs would benefit in the long run. Of course I'm not a fan of ignoring bad behaviour and that is a method that a lot of other trainers use.

Well, space issues means that she has issues with others dogs she does not know coming too close- she is reactive to them. She, I admit has not learned how to greet properly and be comfortable with it, without feeling the need to growl. And yes, I have been working on this for well, 2 years. They knew about it at the class as we had talked extensively about it. I admit she IS a problem with new dogs often as she gets snarly with them. However, she also has health issues that I now know about that have contributed to being uncomfortable around other dogs (hip dysplasia, and arthritis in her knee). Not that I am excusing bad behaviour or not working with it or not making an attempt to understand dog psychology- I have worked very long and hard with trainers, done extensive reading into it and am working with her, at my comfort level as well as hers. And I certainly do not ignore bad behaviour, but I choose to not put my dog in a situation where she is so completely uncomfortable that she urinates on herself. Or gets bit by another dog. That's the stress she was under at that class. However, I do not dispute that it CAN work for some dogs. Just not all. She is a soft dog who lacks some confidence and does not react well to the meet the other dog and jerk on the leash (attached to a prong collar nontheless) method if she displays any reaction- she does MUCH better with a redirection- look at the dog, look at me approach. So, all I am saying is people need to hear all sides of something so they can make an educated decision for themselves. I also have a friend who takes her reactive dog to them and has had huge success with the methods. So, there you go, once again I say it, it's good for some but not all dogs. Know your dog, know yourself and make a decision that is best for you!

I can definnitely see how the hip dysplasia and arthritis would have contributed. That's really tough to ask a dog to deal with a potential threat and pain at the same time and I can see how that definitely would have been a factor. Good luck with her - I know that managing pain and a reactive dog can be stressful and hard on a person.

I am really interested in this place, I have a english mastiff, he is ten months and about 125lbs and knows it. He is the perfect dog, except, when it comes to smaller dogs, he tries to pin them and shake them. Which people say is poor socialization, but I don't get how that could be because for the past 7 months he goes to the dog park each day, please keep in mind that his new behavior is fairly recent and only happens with new dogs, not one's he knows or can smell often (i.e the neighbors). Either way I tried to get ahold of the kennel club but they don't seem to understand how to return calls. Does anyone know the number to buena vista?

306-477-1919
http://www.sunshadows.com/obedience.htm

There are some dogs who don't require strong corrections, and there are some who do. Maddie is one of those that you can't "baby". She was overly affectionate, incredibly active but never aggressive loved to jump and smart as a whip but we couldn't get her to know that we were the ones in charge and she was not. The distraction/give a treat training just did not work. At all. We tried the "illusion" collar, The Perfect Dog system (she needed stronger corrections than what we knew)(we did hang on to the dvds because using the skills we learned at buena vista we should be able to make progress with some of the other things we wanther to learn) and we tried flat collars, slide collars (which she only strangled herself with) and it came down to either we go to training or she goes to a farm because we all need to learn how to behave. After hearing Barry on the radio and knowing that they worked with larger dogs, I called them up and went out to watch a few classes. Needless to say i was impressed.
We signed Maddie up and all of us (our family, kid included) went to classes. She's still not perfect, (but neither are we) but she now knows who's in charge and we know what we have to do as humans to have to step up.
I am so happy with everything that we all got from the classes. It helped us to be better dog owners and to have a happier Maddie!