Obedience — discovering the joy of a good dog

Dog trainer makes life easier for pets and their owners

Susan Schell

of the Gateway

A group of people and dogs gather in the Gig Harbor Grange for a casual chat before they get down to business. Professional dog trainer Jeanne Hampl teaches dog obedience classes at the grange to help dog owners and their pets better understand each other and to form a symbiotic bond. Hampl leads the dog owners through simple commands such as “sit” and “stay” with authority and kindness. She knows dogs — she doesn’t just give orders, she explains the reasons behind a dog’s behavior with every step to help owners understand why animals react the way they do.

The group classes serve two distinct purposes, Hampl said. The dogs get a chance to socialize with other dogs — and other people.

“With puppies, the most important thing is socialization,” she said. “If a dog can’t get along with other dogs and other people, you’re going to have a problem. You won’t be able to take it anywhere.”

Student Connie Hall can attest to the benefits of obedience training. She’s leading her second dog through Hampl’s courses and is delighted with the progress.

“The first dog was a regular puppy, but Gabby is a rescue dog,” Hall said of her American Eskimo/Border Collie mix. “She was rescued from abusive situations. She was afraid of everything and everybody.”

The small, white dog demonstrates a bit of timidness, but Hall said she has grown in leaps and bounds since she took the class.

“The changes in Gabby have been like night and day,” Hall said. “At first, she wouldn’t even come in the door. She’s a totally different dog now.

“She’s more socialized now, which is the most important thing,” she added. “If a dog can get along with other dogs, you’ve got it made. If they can’t get along in a crowd, you’ve got a dangerous dog.”

Hall said Gabby has about two more weeks of training.

“We had a large crew for Thanksgiving, and she was great,” Hall said. “Even the neighbors have noticed a change. She acts like she finally has a home.”

Hampl, originally from New York City, describes herself as a nurse by profession and a dog trainer by avocation. Her interest in dog training came somewhat as a surprise.

“When we moved out here, I promised myself I would get a dog,” she said. “My first dog was a golden retriever. When I took him to obedience class, I got hooked.

“He was an amazing dog,” she said. “The instructor got me involved in doing competitive obedience, and I really enjoyed it.”

Hampl began to compete in obedience, tracking, field trials and hunt tests. At first, she learned the ins and outs of dog training by participating in the classes with her dogs and observing other instructors.

“I was really good at it — I didn’t know I would be good at it,” she said. “My hobby expanded into dog obedience classes. My husband thought it would never last. He said ‘How many dogs can there be to train?’ ”

But it did last. And now Hampl has been professionally training for more than 25 years.

Hampl is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is endorsed by the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors. She teaches two courses, from puppies through adult dogs, and she was the director of the Washington Corrections Center for Women Prison Pet Partnership Program for four years.

Hampl also teaches other students and mentors them.

“I started training my own dogs when (my) children were in school,” she said. “Now I am training some of my old students’ children’s dogs.

“Most of my students will go through two sessions for the average person. I need to give them the information so they can go continue on training their own dogs. If you don’t do that, you’re doing them a disservice.”

Hampl does not constantly handle the dogs herself unless she is demonstrating a point. She teaches owners how to give their dog instruction so they can continue what they’ve learned in her class.

“The purpose of a dog training class is to teach,” she said. “The handler has to learn so they can take that knowledge with them. I’m not going to go home with the dog, so it doesn’t matter if they’ll do it for me. The handlers have to be hands-on with their own dogs.”

The instructor continues to study her craft and has a list of suggested literature for her students that can help them understand their pets.

“I’m a voracious reader,” Hampl said. “I try to keep my hand in what’s coming up and what’s new. We’ve learned so much about how dogs learn, and by having that information, you can be a kinder, gentler trainer. The more you know, the better you’re going to be at what you do. If you don’t keep up with continuing education, you get stuck in a rut and you don’t expand yourself.”

Hampl doesn’t believe in electric shocks, hitting or yelling at a dog during training.

“It serves no purpose to abuse a dog,” she said. “Dogs that are scared or stressed don’t learn. There’s so many ways a dog can tell you he’s stressed — they can refuse treats, they can make their bodies small — all of those things tell you they are stressed.

“You have to give a dog information,” she said. “They need to understand what you expect of them and be given a chance to perform in an environment where they’re not so stressed they can’t think.”

Humans need to make dogs understand what is expected of them, and that is obtained by rewarding them for good behavior, Hampl said. Dog training classes should be a fun experience for both the dog and the owner.

“If a dog doesn’t understand what you want, how can you possibly be correcting them?” she asked. “What if I slapped you for not responding correctly without being given a chance to respond? It would be like me walking into a room full of students and not tell them to sit down, and then yell at them for not sitting down.”

Hampl donates some of her classes for Summit Assistance Dogs, service dogs that are partnered with a handicapped person and trained to perform basic tasks, like turning on a light or opening a door.

Donna Vaquer is enrolled in Hampl’s class with Crocker, a Labrador puppy, and she said Hampl’s experience with the Prison Pet Partnership Program is valuable in training these special dogs.

“She has had extensive experience in training service dogs,” Vaquer said. “Even though this is basic obedience she focuses on, this is a much more demanding type of obedience, and she constantly gives us the tools we need to handle it.”

Reach Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell at 253-853-9240 or by e-mail at susan.schell@gateline.com.