At first I told him no, I didn’t do board/training work because at the time I felt owners were not following through, expecting the trainer to have reliably trained their dogs, with no commitment on their part necessary. Given the many options for using equipment, I still prefer using flat buckle collars, martingales, Gentle Leaders (if necessary), Easy Walks, and similar equipment. The problem I have with the arbitrary use of these other tools is most owners don’t have the skill to use them correctly and effectively, and many years ago one of our Doberman puppies, we had sold, hung himself on their chain link fence. However, unskilled handlers, trainers, and owners just as easily can be ineffective using a Gentle Leader, another reason why I believe dog owners need more help than ever.
Tag: aggression
Dominant dog or dog that just needs training?
This is a great example of an adult 3 year old M Vizsla correcting adolescent behavior from an 11 month old M Husky. When the two dogs first met, Bars tried mounting Hunter from the side a couple of times. Hunter corrected his behavior using the least amount of force. Bars continued to challenge Hunter, …
Continue reading Dominant dog or dog that just needs training?
Spoiling dogs, is it really good for them?
There is a lot written about spoiling dogs and how it makes us feel and how harmful sometimes it is for dogs, but the media skirts around writing or talking about the negative consequences, it creates for both owner and dog. Why, I think the media and dog-related industry, feel they may be hurt if too much were said about real issues concerning dog welfare, and it simply wouldn’t fill in, for those happy moments needed for news airtime. I believe, if this is the case, it is a misnomer, actually more dogs would benefit if their owners understood how they influence their dog’s behavior, and it does not have anything to do with training or spoiling necessarily!
What is the difference between training and behavior problem solving
“Behavior modification exercises are NOT, repeat NOT, obedience exercises. At the very outset, clients should be disabused of the notion that this is fancy obedience.” Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD, PhD, ACVB, ABS Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Psychiatry Department, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. In August 2006, the first Journal of Veterinary Behavior was published. This first publication included an article titled “Good trainers: How to identify one and why this is important to your practice of veterinary medicine.” The article emphasized why it is important to choose the right dog trainer emphasizing characteristics, training methods, tools and how punishment should be addressed. Understanding the differences when making your choice for training and behavior problem solving creates a win-win situation for you and your pet.