Class keeps students
on short leash
By Jesse Phelps

Ojai might quickly go to the dogs if it wasn't for Jolene Hoffman. Wednesday night at the Humane Society shelter on Bryant Street, shelter director Hoffman led the first of six training sessions for man's best friend.

About 14 humans showed up with their pals in tow to find out the secrets behind obedience. Day one lessons for the pets included sitting, not play-biting or leash-chewing and not jumping up on people.
Day one lessons for the humans were just as abundant. Discussion about the proper methods of training ranged from the value of positive reinforcement and never hitting your dog - "The only thing you use as tool is your leash or a choke chain and a short lead," Hoffman said - to the importance of consistency with your commands.

And, Hoffman said, no matter how much you may feel your dog is a darned intelligent companion, don't have conversations with him. "Simple things, they understand," she said, "but not sentences."
Hoffman also pointed out that hand signals are appropriate for all dogs to learn because "when your old dog becomes ancient," he may not hear so well.

It seemed, however, that some of the humans had a harder time hearing than the dogs on this day. Old habits are hard to break and more than once the term "people training" came up. Most of the canines, however, started to get it after only two or three commands from Hoffman.

Heidi DiCapua brought her dog, Vicki, an 8-month-old Jack Russell terrier, in for the second time. "We're repeating," she said, "we've been here before. I think it's me that's repeating."

Hank Maynard came with Biscuit, an 8-month-old pointer mix he rescued from the pound. "He was terrible for two weeks," said Maynard. "Then he's just kind of settled down the last couple of days. At first he didn't want to do anything, was kind of on the vicious side."
The vicious side of Biscuit was nowhere to be seen on this day. In fact, after one quick lesson with Hoffman, he quickly became unwilling to jump on anyone.

Bob Hicklin got Todd at the Humane Society in April. "At first there were problems jumping up but he's getting better with it," said Hicklin. Still, he said, the training should help a lot. "If he gets just really excited, he will not calm down, he'll run around the house like a maniac. And he used to have chewing problems. He's a good dog, but."

Even the excitable Todd proved no match for the Hoffman touch on day one.

Hoffman, without question, is a confident trainer who knows the ins and outs of getting dogs of all breeds and temperaments to conform.
She'll hold five more sessions in the current training. Next week's will focus on eliminating that problem of the over-eager dog who rushes through doors. She's still taking sign-ups during the second session and encourages local dog owners to attend and learn how to be a better friend.

She said she can take up to 22 people, which leaves eight or nine spaces. "I like the bigger crowd, I have more fun with more people," said Hoffman. "A lot of energy, a lot of fun with more people.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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