I do not have children. However, I really enjoy the show Super Nanny. I think because it shows how certain skills can make a real difference in relationships between children and their parents. Also some of those skills are or should be used in dog training.
What are these qualities that I see that remind me of dog training AND/OR good dog care?
Consistency, consistency, consistency. In both cases, beings without the knowledge of how to navigate through human society as yet. This builds both a communication between parties, and a knowledge of correct societal behavior.
Praise
Discipline
Activity and Exercise.
Parental participation
These all happen to be a good part of any dog training plan as well. Bringing up a child is harder, as they have the ability to verbally talk back and argue LOL. Plus time outs in crates would most likely be frowned upon.
Most dog training shows, no matter the method, make me crazy and cause me to watch all at the same time. This is true be it Cesar or Stillwell.
Both shows have one thing in common, they do not use a leash to train at times where common sense would dictate this to most. It especially concerns me where a segment begins with a dog ripping the leash out of the owner's hand to then bite a passer by (a Stillwell episode) or an off lead dog runs across the room to bite his/her owner (a Cesar episode). Is it really necessary to afford a dog another or first bite in a training program? The number one goal in a behavioral modification case is to PREVENT this from happening, not cause it to happen. I wonder if the producers do this on purpose to either sensationalize the show, or they feel the need to prove these things do happen?! I can think of better ways to demonstrate this than on hapless humans that wander by during taping episodes.
On the other hand, I do like that the episodes do not cut away from the problems encountered. I only wish that the trainers would also recognize why the problems were encountered, and take steps to correct it in the future. Also, they should explain in that episode what went wrong and how to do it correctly.
The other thing that the shows have in common, is there is never a discussion of appropriate (leash) equipment to use or how to hold a leash. If they go in and flexis or chain leashes (the absolute worst) are used, they never discuss the benefits of a nice leather leash, and how to grip it through the handle AT ALL TIMES. Nor does the advice "what you can't do on leash, you can't do off leash" EVER come up. Just having something that stays in your hand in a good grip, can be a huge help to someone. While a chain leash IS strong, it's better to not have to hold on with all your might by training your dog AND using the appropriate equipment when training your dog. A chain leash is very hard and pinches the human hand. The links are slick if you attempt to hold onto them, and it's only purpose is to attempt to hold back a dog that is clearly out of control.
Every trainer is different of course, and the one thing two out of three dog trainers will agree with is that the third one is wrong LOL. Television, as well, is about more than distributing good information, of course. They have advertisers that want a good viewer base, and there are other shows to compete with. I just wish we could fix a few safety things with these shows, and still make them sensational to the viewing public.
Need to train your dog SAFELY? Call Maine's Dog Trainer, Robin Rubin, at Mannerly Mutts Dog Training 207-361-4395. Or e-mail for your Maine Dog Training needs at mannerly_mutt@yahoo.com.
Do you remember the Greatest American Dog TV show? There was one trainer on there that continually attacked others for their methods not being as "positive" as hers. Meanwhile, let's be clear, she wasn't competing against all trainers. In fact, she lost to a dog owner!! However, she has apparently had 25 years of experience, and based on a reply to me on her blog on Dogstardaily.com, she is quite arrogant and self righteous.
Dogstardaily.com has allowed their bloggers to go on quite a tear against traditional training methods and tools lately. Since their newest blogger professed to have many years of experience with this, I inquired as to her previous experience with metal training collars. In other words, the actual specifics of how she went to it "back in the day". I was contacted by Kelly Dunbar, and in her e-mail she said that this was off topic to discuss the use of a metal training collar. Meanwhile, as always happens with these folks, it's completely on topic and correct to bash anyone that tries to use them. This particular blog was about the failure of the trainer to listen to the owners of the dog or address their needs beyond telling them "okay let's try as usual" after they let her know their dog was working better for them with the metal training collar.
The usually diplomatic Kelly Dunbar also sent me another e-mail saying that I don't belong at Dogstardaily.com, a publicly promoted website to the public and trainers coming across as the authority of dog training. She claims to only want to promote progressive new ideas, and the other ideas are just old fodder, and there is plenty of places to discuss them. She thinks I have a problem with that. I don't, I have a problem with a site where she admitted to not being the authority of training or behavioral problems, that instead spends a lot of their time bashing other methods. Perhaps that's because they have no real accomplishments to crow about? Perhaps that is because they are unable to speak on the correct way to train with a tool that they are quick to harp on and on and on about how bad it is?
In any case, the nice thing to know is that I do have their attention. And no, I won't just go away, they will have to deal with me at least. As a member of the IACP, Ian Dunbar has not directly violated any code of conduct, but I personally think that he does not deserve a membership in an organization that he clearly does not respect. If that membership is honorary only, it should be pulled IMO, unless or until there is an unfettered voice on that site and the bloggers include people from all walks of dog training, not just the one sided face they are trying to promote.
Do you need your dog trained? Call Mannerly Mutts at 207-361-4395 for your Maine Dog Training needs. Or you can e-mail Maine Dog Trainer, Robin Rubin, at mannerly_mutt@yahoo.com.
A Dogstardaily.com blog posting let me onto a demonstration of sorts of different management (they are too short term to be called training) techniques for dealing with behavioral issues in various dogs and highlighting different trainers:)
I am not so much into "sound bite" training for solutions to the general public, but it's interesting to see the different ways the trainers deal with this. Note a single trainer might deal with all these cases differently as well, as it would depend on the dog's personality and the owner's ability to follow through. Videos from the Bad Dog Challenge can be found on this link provided.
The Dogstardaily.com blog that I found it on can be accessed using this link. The trainer on this blog uses appropriate techniques IMO for THIS DOG and THIS ENVIRONMENT. You will notice that most of the "Bad Dog Challenges" involve small dogs, and the Sheltie in this trainer's section is probably the most stable of all the dogs. Shelties are not terribly large dogs either.
Due to the comments on this blog, I was expecting to see some pretty strong corrections, as the blogger seemed to be appalled with the other trainers. One dog was managed with a water bottle, which is not a terribly aversive measure. I was very confused as to why a leash wouldn't be used on a dog that was a bite risk (I live by the if you can't do it on leash, you can't do it off leash. The leash is an excellent way to both keep people safe, and monitor when a dog is ready to go off leash) Another was a Yorkie that was growling and making contact with his/her owner's arm. This dog's head was simply pushed to the side if he was going to go in towards the arm. (Although I am geussing a Terrier is probably going to figure out how to bite the hand, if they are a serious dog) The dogs couldn't have been too married to doing damage if they were easily subdued. However, since no real training was done in any of these videos, I would wonder how long such a management technique alone would instill any kind of real behavioral change, regardless of the method used.
The blogger who managed the Sheltie has also concurred with long term training, homework, and continued involvement of the client in order to be successful for long term change. I will have to see at a later date, if the other trainers also blogged about their experience and approach. I believe it is the intent of the producers to follow up with their subjects later on, and that should be interesting.
One dog trained by Barkbusters was a friendly, exhuberant, 95 pound Boxer (I believe); and this one dog (and one of only two bigger dogs) was trained using a prong collar. They used very mild corrections on the dog. I will say, the times where a correction that would need to be used would be too harsh, is if one were to rush the training (or management system). To train a dog on a prong collar would mean that at some point the dog could work without equipment on at all. In the same way, a trained dog using treats should be able to be weaned off the treats. This is why an AKC obedience is one way to test skills of a dog in training for Companion to Working dog. You can not use the equipment in the ring, and once you get beyond the Novice competition, that includes the leash!!
Many people just don't understand that time, space, calm, consistency, and leadership on a long term basis are needed to bring a dog along to an educated and trained state. Training should include in distracting areas, and not just sitting before food for instance. A lot of people don't understand that a sit trained correctly not only by definition prevents a dog from doing something like jumping on someone (remember I said done correctly so the dog learns the rules in all environments and around all things), but will also change the behavior so that the dog finds it more rewarding to greet people appropriately.
This almost never has a long term affect after one afternoon of management of symptoms however.
Need your dog trained? Call Mannerly Mutts at 207-361-4395 and ask for Robin Rubin, Maine Dog Trainer. You can also e-mail mannerly_mutts@yahoo.com for your Maine Dog Training needs.
From: "ROBIN RUBIN" View contact details To: cpanlilio@varunatv.com
Dear Cheryl,
I have read that Pat Miller has contacted you regarding Doggie Bootcamp. I am hoping that you don't seriously listen to someone who has publically stated that dogs not trained by her philosophy (as she does not believe any other method works) should be dead instead of trained by "abusive methods". The members of Truly Dog Friendly include shaking penny cans and saying the word no as "abusive" or "aversive" techniques. This is her "Truly Dog Friendly" mantra, and she was very embarrassed when the following quote was made public.
"Not all pain-causing methods are prosecutable abuse, but the risk of a dog with aggressive behaviors being abused by someone who uses pain causing methods is high, so yes, given the choice, if it were my dog who had an aggression problem and my only choices were to euthanize or send it to someone who used pain-causing methods, I would choose euthanasia for the dog's well-being. I think a gently death is preferable to abuse." - Pat Miller
She is talking about at least two of my dogs that I have owned. Dogs that she thinks should be dead (in theory by her statement), because they were not particularly treat or toy motivated, and who made incredible pets and one dog that is working with me as my partner in business.
I personally witnessed her posting on the dog training certification board on message number 421 and 430. In message number 7015 on Truly Dog Friendly's message board, she once again confirms this quote AND belief. As an owner of a couple of tough dogs, I train as gently as I can, but saving the dog and teaching them the proper behavior and obedience are so important to me. If you could also do this in a responsible way on your program, this would be so enlightening for people to see, and to know that their dogs do not need to be trained by treats only. That training is not just the human having a "good time", and how the food only philosophy can damage a dog beyond repair, especially in certain personality types.
Pat Miller recommended that you use Jean Donaldson as a trainer. First of all, she is not a trainer but a behaviorist. One that rewards her dogs by allowing them to gratify themselves on her leg. A Youtube video on her own channel shows this, and she feels completely justified in showing this disturbing video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D5jaA4k4SdTg
Please don't take these people seriously, they have somehow infiltrated the dog training world (it's been a marketing ploy by benignly redefining certain dog language postive, dog-friendly, et), but they are a bunch of fanatics. Note that the balance of them are behaviorists or veterinarians. There is a push by these people to take over market share. This is what this is all over, not their "caring" for the dogs, and certainly not dogs that aren't glorified stuffed toys. As long as the project is going to be managed and beneficial to dogs,I see no reason why it should be shelved or cancelled. I could point you towards some fine trainers that should be on such a show.
Jean Donaldson is a known supporter of the animal rights movement (different than animal welfare) whose mission is to end the domestic ownership of all animals. Period. The less dogs that can be handled by humans by misdirecting them to techniques not effective for all personalities, the less dogs that can be owned and trained responsibly by people.
Robin Katherine Rubin Mannerly Mutts http://www.mannerlymutts.com http://mannerlymutts.blogspot.com (blog address) York Beach, Maine USA 207-361-4395
IACP Professional Member #1942 E-Touch Seminar Attendance Certification Bedrock Training Method Three Day Course Attendance Certificate Companion Dog Title completed for Jack, CD. Two legs completed for the future Companion Dog Title of Bri.
I do not support the following organizations: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Truly Dog Friendly (TDF), No Shock Collar Coalition (NSCC) and IPDTA (International Positive Dog Trainers Association).
I can't copy Pat Miller's actual letter, which has recently been shared to me, that was sent off to a Cheryl at Varuna TV, cpanlilio@varunatv.com, for the new show called "Doggie Bootcamp". (the following is a parody of the letter that was shared with me)
Hey Cheryl,
I have concerns over the program in the works called Doggie Bootcamp show being considered for Animal Planet.
The more modern and scientific approach to dog training, which recognizes the very well researched fact that dogs like to eat, and the facial expressions of dogs, and guarantees that the owner feels good about themselves, of course and unless the training in this philosphy does not work and the dog needs to die due to not adhering to this philosophy. We do not need another "Dog Whisperer" even though the public is literally crying out for solutions that make sense, and may train their short term problem dogs into lovely companions. This is something the dog training world simply does not need.
Since people are too stupid to learn to use anything but treats and love, why not offer a program that goes over the same old thing. After all, their is always plan B, euthanansia, which is completely dog friendly when treats don't work.
You may remember my now infamous quote, ""Not all pain-causing methods are prosecutable abuse, but the risk of a dog with aggressive behaviors being abused by someone who uses pain causing methods is high, so yes, given the choice, if it were my dog who had an aggression problem and my only choices were to euthanize or send it to someone who used pain-causing methods, I would choose euthanasia for the dog's well-being. I think a gently death is preferable to abuse." - Pat Miller You can find this posted on the Canine Professional Certification Board by my own hand in Yahoo groups in messages 421 and 430. I also reiterated what I said yet again on the Truly Dog Friendly board on message 7015 (that is unless someone finally deleted them). If the dogs on your program can not respond to treats and love only, then death is the most friendly choice for the dogs. Even a firm no can be unfriendly in my book. Best not to put a dog through any real kind of training program.
And forget these pesky trainers for goodness sake! You should recomend my philosophy for the owners to try at home, and if they get hurt because that personality does not respond to people who can not effectively and efficiently teach the dog commands, then death would be the next and most logical (and dog-friendly) step. Dog trainers do not understand the infinate complexity at throwing food at a situation. Or pretending to be a tree for months, perhaps years on end, so that they can take a walk with the dog. Trainers think freedom and exercise is fun for a dog, and helps even better than food with behavioral problems. Dogs such as this, that require work or exercise are better off dead. That way, people without a responsible and caring work ethic towards their dogs can be happy! It's not about the dog, it's about the people being able to have fur kids, that is as long as the fur kids conform to their ideals of what a stuffed dog that does no wrong should be. Course these poor people can't have real kids, as that would require discipline and teaching, as well as spending a heck of a lot of time with them, so they wouldn't become a mess. Society frowns, after all, on crating and leashing up your children.
I strongly suggest that you contact people such as Jean Donaldson who are high profile but not necessarily accomplished in dog training, and consider themselves behaviorists though they would like a piece of the training pie (by creating mass hysteria in an easily manipulated public sector), who allows her dogs the reward of sexual gratification on her leg. This is the example that I would enjoy your show showing to the general public. Any true dog lover would willingly provide this outlet for their dog. By redefining what reward can really be, you will be doing the public a true service.
Did anyone see the last episode? And if so, can someone explain to me how leaning forward at your dog is more threatening and dangerous than placing them in the path of an elephant?
Man. Between that and the SAR (search and rescue) exercises they are making non conditioned dogs perform, with little instruction!! Good golly miss molly.
Did anyone see the last episode? And if so, can someone explain to me how leaning forward at your dog is more threatening and dangerous than placing them in the path of an elephant?