A few months back, I had a friend ask me how to go about becoming a dog trainer. So I launched into a detailed explanation of my research into the subject; academic requirements, practical experience, handling skills and so on. I told them that there is no easy route into dog training, and that they must be prepared to spend a very long time gaining relevant knowledge and experience before they could even consider taking on paying clients. Out of curiosity, I asked what experience they do have. Quick as a flash, they replied "I watch The Dog Whisperer all the time, and have trained my dog with his techniques!"....Oh dear.
I have been a dog person all of my life, but the interest in training has only surfaced in me since acquiring the loving lunatic that inspired this blog. Although I had spent a lot of time around large dogs, especially GSD's, my previous experience was limited to growing up with a Cavalier King Charles, and adopting a highly strung Lhasa Apso (who is still with us, aged 12/13, and still bossing around the large ones - small dog syndrome at its finest!!)
So when I decided to bring another rescue dog in, I was met with a lot of resistance, especially from the large, over-funded company who's name I will not utter.
Initially a little disheartened, I spent hours upon hours researching everything I could about owning a large breed.
Eventually, after a lengthy talk with the National Animal Welfare Trust, I became the owner of Lunik. Upon their advice, I enrolled her into puppy classes with a local trainer. From then on, my passion for dogs was reborn, and I decided to pursue a career with them.
In the beginning, I, like many people, was enthralled by that charismatic character that "Rehabilitates dogs, trains people," and thought that he had a way with dogs that few people do.
However, the more I watched, read and researched, the more the cracks began to show.
I continued to watch the show, (and on occasion, still do) if only to see exactly what he was going to do next. My opinion of the trainer dropped with each show, and the icing on the cake was one aired a few weeks ago, which saw said trainer using an electronic shock collar on a dog that was suffering from severe separation anxiety. One of the first things I learnt when I started studying canine behaviour was that an anxious dog should NEVER be subjected to anything that causes pain, fear, or unnecessary suffering. Not only will this worsen the anxiety, it could cause irreversible damage to the dogs physical and emotional health. Another example of his misguided "treatments" is one that is on as I speak: A St. Bernard puppy, refusing to go up the stairs, is being made to run around the block, then dragged (and I mean that in the most literal sense) up the the stairs with the use of a choke collar.
Many people have joined in the debate about the Dog Whisperer, and like most, I have my own opinions of him. I'm not going to argue that he does seem to have a very high success rate, especially with highly aggressive dogs. But that could be the magic of TV at work. Most of us will never really know just how many failures he suffers.
Currently, CM is being pitted against another TV trainer, "It's me or the dog"'s Victoria Stilwell. Having just spent nearly an hour reading through various dog forums and sites, I have come across the mention of an episode of her show in which she bluntly tells the owners of a Cocker Spaniel that the dog should be put to sleep, after it had bitten a child under the age of 5.
I haven't seen the episode, but I feel I must add something.
Some of the posts were about this episode, and question her ability as a dog trainer, and wonder how someone could suggest putting a dog to sleep.
Unfortunately, this is something that all behaviourists have to be prepared for, even if they never have to actually say the words.
The dog in question, a Cocker Spaniel, is often thought to be an ideal family dog.
Most of the comments I read against VS were written by Americans and / or dog lovers. Those calling her something along the lines of "Stuck up cow" were referring to her no nonsense approach to owners.
She uses positive reinforcement to train the dogs, something which I wholeheartedly agree with. It has worked for two unruly GSD's in my household! However, when it comes to the owners, VS will put it in the simplest terms for them, even if it sounds very harsh. She is often portrayed on the programme as a kind of "headmistress" character, using calm, positive techniques with the naughty dogs, and telling off the owners, who should know better. In one episode, she ends up arguing with one idiot (an American) who refuses to look after one particular dog in the household because it is a foster dog, and he did not agree for it to be there. This meant his partner was left to do all the work, as she did not think it fair to treat one dog different from the next. The argument got rather heated, and so VS walked out, telling him that she cannot train the dogs without his full co-operation.
While I understand that some people may view this as a "temper tantrum", she does, in fact, have a fair and valid point. Working with dogs, especially with those whose behaviour needs modifying, it is important that everyone in the household, and likewise, visitors, must be consistent, otherwise it just won't work. What is the point of one person teaching the dog to stay off the sofa if another person in the house allows the dog to climb all over the furniture?
Unfortunately, too many people treat their dogs as they would treat a child. But they aren't children. The aren't human. They are animals. They need consistency, affection, food, training and exercise. If they don't, they are likely to develop behavioural problems which could easily have been avoided.
Training a dog should be fun and rewarding for animal and human alike. No amount of shouting or physical punishment is going to have any effect other than to create a fearful, possibly aggressive, dog. If it takes telling the owners some home truths, then so be it.
And so the debate rages on. More and more people are turning to the positive, rewarding approach to training, whilst those set in their ways are still using primitive methods such as the "alpha roll." Is their ever going to be an agreement between the two types of trainers? Unfortunately, probably not.
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