tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46743151255550037052024-02-18T23:06:12.376-08:00Dog Sense (and other rants)The ramblings of an insomniac dog geek.Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-4075082580116991382018-08-29T13:55:00.002-07:002018-08-29T13:55:31.352-07:00No. Sometimes, we need to say No.<br />
This is something I don't say lightly, and I don't like to say 'no' to my dogs at all because its negative and its also not very productive or constructive.<br />
<br />
You are a human though, so I am going to.<br />
<br />
<h4>
No, you cannot have a puppy.</h4>
<br />
D'you see that? I said no.<br />
<br />
<b>Why?</b><br />
You don't have the time do you - because you are out for 9 hours a day, and then you want to sleep for 8 hours a night, and on top of that you want to fit in an hour in the gym, and a couple of hours on the sofa with your partner, and maybe you would like to clean the house, eat, shower, catch up on Facebook...<br />
<br />
All that adds up to around 21 hours out of your 24 a day - 3 hours per day is NOT enough time for a puppy.<br />
<br />
<h4>
But other people do it....</h4>
<br />
And how is that working out for them, really?<br />
<br />
Some of these other people will rehome the puppy when its 8 months old and they are DONE with the puppy chewing up stuff, barking, shitting on the floor and weeing over everything.<br />
<br />
Some of these people will chuck the puppy in the basement most of the time, or out in the back yard.<br />
<br />
Some of these people will hire a dog sitter, send the dog to daycare, hire a walker and spend a fortune on someone ELSE spending most of their time with a dog they rarely see.<br />
<br />
At least in the latter situation the dog is not the one suffering, but how sustainable is that really?<br />
<br />
<b>But I want to...</b><br />
<br />
I know you do - why do you want a dog? To spend time with that dog training him, walking with him, snuggled on the sofa fussing with him?<br />
<br />
Not to have him crying himself to sleep, sitting around in his own mess with just four walls to stare at until you decide you are done with work and play and computers and friends and cooking and cleaning and Facebook .....<br />
<br />
If you WANT to own a dog - set your life up right!<br />
<br />
Take a job where your dog can come too, work from home, go self-employed or retire.. wait until you can do those things.<br />
<br />
Get a job where you earn enough to pay for the care you cannot provide yourself.<br />
<br />
Choose an adult dog whose needs already mesh neatly with what you CAN provide him.<br />
<br />
The harsh reality is, whilst legally you can buy any number of animals and there's nothing I can do to stop you - owning an animal whose needs you cannot meet is immoral.<br />
<br />
All those dogs sitting in rescues and pounds around the UK and across the world - MOST of those animals got there because someone thought 'hey, so I don't have much time but, aww he's so CUTE and I WANT him so I will GET him and all those mean folks saying I don't have the time or the money or the right house.... well they can just STFU cos I'm gonna do what I want anyway'....<br />
<br />
And they found a puppy farmer or a puppy importer or some irresponsible idiot who would happily sell them a puppy and not give a damn if they can actually care for that animal for the next 12+ years... and they went ahead and did it anyway.<br />
<br />
Nobody needs a puppy RIGHT NOW. Nobody. NO.<br />
<br />
You don't.<br />
Your kids don't.<br />
Your elderly gramma doesn't.<br />
Your uncle and aunt don't.<br />
Your partner doesn't.<br />
<br />
The one thing absolutely everyone CAN do is.... wait. Until they have the time, the money, the home, the patience... the ability.<br /><br />If you can do that, if everyone could do that...<br /><br />Puppy farming would die a death, because puppy farmers are the ones supplying these dogs bought on a whim by those who don't have the time - reputable breeders and rescues do not allow people without the time to have a dog.<br /><br />You would find raising a dog fun, enjoyable and easy, because you would have the time to do the job properly.<br /><br />Fewer dogs would end up in rescues.<br /><br />Aren't those all GOOD things? <br />
<br />
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<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-87758140467039570872017-05-08T11:35:00.003-07:002017-05-08T11:35:34.352-07:00Disabledz are your customers too... even if you hadn't realised - a Crufts Special!<br />
So I went to Crufts today, I go every year and I go by myself because its easier, I have a million and one people to catch up with and frankly... I like it.<br />
<br />
I am also a manual wheelchair user. <br />
<br />
Crufts isn't the easiest place to negotiate in a manual chair, there's carpet that sucks your energy and shreds your shoulders and elbows to push through.<br />
<br />
There's ramps that burn your gloves out going down and good luck getting UP them without a push (and no, no I don't want to have to be pushed, it's embarrassing, its demeaning, its upsetting, I am a 37 year old woman, not a toddler in a pram!).<br />
<br />
Today the main lifts to from the atrium to the upper 'deck' of the NEC were not working, leaving a long ramp marked 'not suitable for wheelchairs'... yeah. A ramp that isn't for wheelchairs (it's not, this massive set of ramps, there are two, are for passengers from the airport and railstation who may have trolleys and need to push them or drag wee little wheelied suitcases and trunki's and stairs make their life so awkward oh boohoo poor them...... so let's build a ramp suitable for them and *FUCK* the wheelie people again shall we but I digress, my wrath shall be pointed at the NEC at a later date)/<br />
<br />
This ones all for stall holders, stand holders and shops who apparently do not want my money!<br />
<br />
You know it spends the same as anyone elses, it is not tainted by some sort of lurgy, you cannot CATCH 'disabled' if you take my money.<br />
<br />
Today I went to all the grooming companies stands.<br />
<br />
Today I had a large sum of birthday money burning a hole in my pocket.<br />
<br />
Today I was ignored, stepped around, talked OVER and treated as if I was invisible by the staff at THREE of those companies.<br />
<br />
I am not going to name names because genuinely I don't think it will make a single jot of difference to those companies, but it might to everyone else reading.<br />
<br />
Please do not assume that because I am a wheelchair user, that I cannot or will not require your professional grooming equipment.<br />
<br />
I may not be a professional groomer, I am a canine professional, the products I buy will not only be used on my own dogs, but will be used to teach client dogs too.<br />
<br />
Even if I were simply buying pet grade products for my own dog as a non-industry related private person... <br />
<br />
Ignoring me, speaking over me, stepping round me to deal with the person BEHIND me in the queue... that's not acceptable, no matter how little they may be about to spend.<br />
<br />
Fuck you, snooty rude dog grooming companies. Fuck you indeed!<br />
<br />
Now onto the positive stuff.<br />
<br />
Three grooming companies were MARVELLOUS.<br />
<br />
Christies Direct, who are a BIG company - Glenn took the time to talk me through the available clipper options, let me hold the clippers (it's important to me how much they weigh and how balanced they are in my hand). He then helped me select two pairs of scissors which I bought.<br />
<br />
Mutneys, who are not a huge company but a UK based grooming products suppliers - Louise again, took the time to show me the products that would suit, explain the various pros and cons and from Louise I bought a pair of Andis clippers. (Sorry Glenn!)<br /><br />Diamond Edge who again, are not a huge multinational brand, not only recognised me from last year out of the thousands of people they must see at trade shows each year, but offered me a fabulous discount and honoured that discount on some cosmetically damaged stock a few months later as I wasn't able to take them up on it at the time, because they still had that item available (clipper combs in a damaged box!).<br />
<br />
All the representitives from these companys were looking out for people interested in their stands but less able to access them for whatever reason. All took the time to find out what I needed without leaping to any conclusions or judgements based on appearances.<br />
<br />
All got my money.<br />
<br />
I'd also like a special mention to the lady on the really lovely scissor stand whose name I have forgotten, who only sold scissors (so it's not included in my general 'grooming products companies' rant here)... <br />
<br />
She let me handle and play with various pairs of VERY expensive scissors which helped me determine what I wanted and needed...<br />
<br />
Turns out whilst I might WANT £174 scissors... what I actually needed was not quite that spendy so I didn't buy from her but she was lovely (even if she tried to tempt me with her scissory goodness!).<br />
<br />
So big up for Mutneys https://www.mutneys.com/, Diamond Edge http://www.diamondedgeltd.com/ and Christies Direct http://www.christiesdirect.com/<br />
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-4854804622714693252017-01-31T14:08:00.001-08:002017-01-31T14:23:38.015-08:00Product Reviews K9 Connectables and Love Takara Collars...<br />
Wooo! It's been a while since I have found products nice enough or interesting enough to ask for samples to review - I only review stuff I genuinely think is innovative, high quality and interesting!<br />
<br />
<h4>
So K9 Connectables... what are they? <a href="https://www.k9connectables.com/" target="_blank">Web Shop</a></h4>
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(Not my dog, photo pinched from K9Connectables Facebook page due to my inability to take a nice product photo!)<br />
<br />
K9 Connectables are a collection of chewable, stuffable, throw-able, float-able (that's not a word I know!) toys that can be push-fit together to make a variety of pull-apart shapes for your dog to enjoy.<br />
<br />
I tested the set I was given which included three different shapes (the stick shape 'Techno bone' , the ball shape 'Original' and the dental cone shape 'Dentist') and a total of 7 pieces, which can all be linked in a variety of ways.<br />
<br />
My testers are..<br />
<br />
Womble - Lurcher, adores chewing things, really likes to bite down hard, known toy trasher.<br />
<br />
Tatty - GBGV, loves food, solving puzzles and marmalizing things with her jaws.<br />
<br />
Errol - Tibetan Terrier, loves pulling things apart, food and carrying small thing around. <br />
<br />
<br />
Errol went first and he found the pieces just the right size for him, he could chew hard but not damage the pieces, pulling them apart took effort and kept him interested. The food was not too hard to get out but kept him exploring.<br />
<br />
A top class toy for this boy and I would certainly buy him a set and would feel happy leaving him to get on with this unsupervised.<br />
<br />
<br />
Tatty went next, she was more about the food and less about the chewing though the pulling apart element amused her a fair bit. She was less interested when all the food was gone, however as a scent hound, that isn't surprising and the pulling apart of the toys did give an extra dimension. <br />
She then brought me the pieces to throw and then to put back together for her so she could go again though without the food, less enthusiastic on this.<br />
<br />
I would happily leave her unsupervised with this toy and she would probably scatter the parts round the house and lob the bigger bits down the stairs to play fetch with herself!<br />
<br />
<br />
Womble - Womble came last in this test run because he has form for trashing toys and I feared there would be nothing for the others to test. <br />
I expected that the connecting 'male' ends of the toy would be his focus and he would chew down on them as hard as possible trying to chew a chunk off.<br />
<br />
Once the food was gone that is exactly what he did - he LOVED pulling the toy apart and working to get the food and he adored the texture of the material, very rewarding to bite down on and this boy LOVES biting.<br />
<br />
However as predicted within a few minutes he had managed to damage the toys, and though safe whilst supervised I would expect him to have chewed the connecting ends off the pieces he had very quickly had he not been stopped - therefore I would not leave this toy with him unsupervised.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My personal opinion is for smaller dogs and dogs who do not chew to destroy but chew more gently then this toy is a winner, its heavy enough to throw or break down and throw the parts, the parts float so you can chuck them in water for water retrieves.<br />
<br />
The shapes are very appealing to dogs, and the material encourages chewing and licking due to its texture and the fact it has no unpleasant taste or smell (yes, I chewed one first to find out, no nasty bitter rubbery taste here these things are fab!)<br />
<br />
For dogs that are hard core chewers, liable to swallow pieces or just want to chew to destroy an item, these are probably not the toy for you unless closely supervised. Because of the male to female connection system your dog IS likely to chew the male connector ends off which then means your pieces will no longer connect.<br />
<br />
Hopefully K9 Connectables will release a larger sized version which would reduce this risk, and ideally, a tougher material for power chewers as well.<br />
<br />
All in all however, this is a quality product at a very reasonable price and certainly has advantages over similar products on the market, particularly that apart from the Techno Bone which is sold singly, the Original and Dentist shapes come in packs of two so you always have something to connect to something else.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Love Takara Bespoke Collars & Leads <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovetakarapets/" target="_blank">Love Takara</a></h4>
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This week the postman was kind to me, I also recieved a fabulous fabric martingale collar for my Deerhound from Love Takara. My Deerhound does not 'do' modelling... she says she has retired and refuses to pose!<br />
<br />
These are made to measure items from quality ribbon and webbing, and solid fittings (no rubbishy formed wire stuff here, all solid!).<br />
<br />
The materials are excellent, the sewing and finish is extremely neat and tidy and the turnaround time was fantastic - I will be buying again!<br />
<br />
Lottie at Love Takara is more than happy to source ribbons as well as offering a nice range of tasteful and beautiful designs. She can make hound width or narrower collars and leads, and also walking belts and probably more, there is no end to this ladys talent! Form an orderly queue please!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*I have not been paid to review these items and all opinions are my own or translated from my dogs' body language!*<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-80237746095728463102016-12-11T11:48:00.000-08:002016-12-11T12:36:59.522-08:00Evaluating a New Method... do NOT try before you buy!<h3>
Ooh It's Shiny and New... must be great!</h3>
<br />
From time to time you hear of 'new' methods and techniques within dog training - for the most part these things are not really new, but repackaged and rebranded, but some are and if the concept is new to YOU, you'll need a way of evaluating it without just trying it out on your dog.<br />
<br />
So how do you do that - there isn't an easy answer and if you are a new dog owner or you are at the beginning of your journey towards becoming a trainer or behaviourist, it can be even harder.<br />
<br />
I have discussed before 'my' idea of the 'cost/benefit analysis'.. of course that isn't really MY idea, I didn't invent that process but just applied it to dog training methods, as others may well have done before me.<br />
<br />
First of all, look at whether the method IS new or is something old, rebranded, tweaked, adapted or changed.<br />
<br />
It may be that thats a good thing, or it could be a bad thing or it may actually mean nothing at all, but it might tell you something about the person promoting it, and that might be useful information.<br />
<br />
So here's some methods much promoted and marketed by Cesar Millan - the alpha roll, the slip lead high up the neck and jerked hard, the use of prong and shock collars - but these are not new methods, they were used before Millan by the likes of Most, Koehler and the Monks of New Skete! <br />
<br />
What about this, the Back-Pack or Rucksack Walk, a concept devised by Steve Mann - as far as I can see, this IS new, even if the concepts of mindfulness and calm engagement are not new, putting them together in that format is.<br />
<br />
What about the force free, 'about turn' method of teaching a dog to walk on a loose leash - where you use a harness and line and you prevent the dog from self-rewarding by performing an about turn with a single warning, and reinforce the correct behaviour by rewarding with food, and with forward movement..<br />
<br />
It's still not new, in fact its adapted from what Koehler was doing, just with the heavy harsh correction removed - the basic principle that the dog only gets what he wants when he walks beside you is the same, the basic idea that the dog needs to learn to pay attention to you and that its HIS job to do this not YOUR job to keep reminding or telling him, both those concepts were what Koehler was using... it's just that we now know you don't need to surprise a dog by yanking him off his feet by his neck to do this!<br />
<br />
<br />
So the point of all this is - don't be swayed by things that claim to be shiny and new, maybe they are, maybe they are not, it really doesn't matter, it might well just be a sales gimmick!<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
The person recommending it is my idol/is super sexy/is an asshat...</h3>
Forget the name behind the method - I don't care and much more importantly your dog does not care if you think the sun shines out of the sexy trainers pert little bottom, or if you think he or she smells of wee... Not relevant, and you can be sucked into doing things that actually are not ok because you've put the person before the method, or equally you can chuck out with the dishwater an excellent concept or idea, because you don't like the personality behind it.<br />
<br />
They ain't training your dog - you are.<br />
<br />
The ONLY time I would put any consideration into WHO is promoting a method, is when you are wanting more information about it and you are not allowed to access it, or you are told you don't understand or some other weaselly way of denying information, on a method otherwise being promoted and advised to members of the public.<br />
<br />
This is the case with the Parelli's for example - you are welcome to buy the DVD and follow their method, do as they say... but you are NOT welcome to ask questions about the science behind their methods, particularly you are not welcome to ask critical questions or offer differing opinions.<br />
<br />
If someone is promoting something, but you are not allowed to examine that method in detail, if you are not for example, allowed to ask about the inherent risks... thats when I would suggest you take a look at the persons behaviour a little further and consider that perhaps the animal welfare is NOT their priority, and raking in cash is, and people who ask the sticky questions might reveal something that damages that money making capacity.<br />
<br />
I am not for a second saying that trainers or behaviourists should give you, for free, a weekends course in resource guarding or a 3 day seminar on dog - to - human aggression... everyone has to earn a living - but if someones method or technique is safe and sensible they should have no issue with you asking questions about it - if they do then the odds are, they have something to hide.<br />
<br />
<h3>
So go on then.. analyse a method...</h3>
Ok so, the latest method I have read about is designed to deal with leash reactivity, and is called Turn and Face, and is promoted/written about and I assume concieved by Denise Mcleod.<br />
<br />
I took the time out to read her book a couple of days ago following some discussion on the method on Facebook and viewing some of the videos of it in action.<br />
<br />
The method is, in brief, that you set up the reactive dog with stooge dogs, and as the dog goes to react you firmly grab his collar putting pressure on the back of the neck and bring him around and in so that his face ends up against your legs/crotch (depending on relative height of dog and handler).<br />
<br />
The claim is that this stops the reaction, and allows the dog to calm down and over time breaks the habit of reacting in this way and allows the dog to choose to not react in this way.<br />
<br />
The other claimed benefits of this method are that it works very quickly in just a few repetitions, which reduces the stress reactive dogs suffer from<br />
<br />
The author goes to great lengths at the end of her book to outline that this method works 80 to 90% of the time, but also goes to great lengths to explain it isn't suitable for all dogs who are reactive, it shouldn't be done with dogs who will redirect aggression onto the handler, it should be done in a controlled environment with stooge dogs who will not react, it should not be done with dogs under a certain size... there is a long list of where this should not be done and dogs it should not be done with.<br />
<br />
In my opinion therefore this method is already starting out 'dodgy' - it can only be applied in very specific circumstances, in dogs who are actually reactive out of habit and frustration and not aggression.<br />
<br />
It is my experience that whilst there are a lot of frustrated reactive dogs out there, many dogs are reactive out of fear and pain and if the majority of pet dog owners were capable of deducing that, I would probably be out of a job! <br />
<br />
So lets run the cost/benefit analysis.<br />
<br />
Claimed benefits:<br />
<br />
Works quickly.<br />
Calms the dog<br />
Ends reactivity<br />
<br />
<br />
Potential costs:<br />
<br />
Involves physical force to the dogs neck - risk of injury.<br />
Could result in dog redirecting onto owner - risk of injury to owner.<br />
Could result in dog becoming more fearful rather than less fearful if dog suffers pain or fear and associates this with the trigger<br />
May not work.<br />
<br />
<br />
The method requires that:<br />
<br />
Owner has access to controlled environment.<br />
Owner has access to suitable stooge dogs.<br />
Owner is capable of assessing their own dogs behaviour and temperament as suitable for this method.<br />
Dog be comfortable with being handled but NOT pre-conditioned to sudden collar grabs as the 'startle' effect is necessary for the method to work.<br />
Dog not actually be aggressive.<br />
Dog be suitable size/weight comparable to owner.<br />
Owner be physically capable of grabbing dog and swinging it round and forcing it into their legs AND holding it there.<br />
Dog is 'set up' to fail and flooded, repeatedly, in the days immediately following use of the method.<br />
Method NOT recommended (by author) to be used in public initially due to 'how it looks' and the requirement for a controlled environment.<br />
<br />
For me to use a method, I need that method to be high on benefits and low on risk, AND that method needs to be practical and either applicable to most dogs or adaptable to all.<br />
<br />
I also need to be sure that of the available methods applicable to the dog I am working with, this is the least invasive and least aversive, so I need to look at the alternatives.<br />
<br />
What are the alternatives to 'Turn and Face'...<br />
<br />
Well the first that springs to mind is Counter Conditioning and Desensitization - whereby I pair the sight of the trigger whilst the dog is under threshold, with high value rewards, typically food, and I keep exposure to a minimum duration/maximum distance.<br />
<br />
What are the benefits to that:<br />
<br />
Dogs emotional reaction to trigger is changed<br />
Reactivity ceases<br />
Bond with owner improves<br />
Dog is kept under threshold so general stress is reduced<br />
<br />
What might the costs be:<br />
<br />
Might take a while depending on available environment to work in<br />
Might not work.<br />
<br />
<br />
What does this method require:<br />
<br />
Access to a suitable environment to work in or ability to adapt method to environment available.<br />
Understanding of dogs threshold<br />
Understanding what rewards the dog values most highly<br />
Patience<br />
<br />
<br />
You should note here that I have carried out this analysis working on the assumption that the method in each case is being done correctly. <br />
<br />
It should really go without saying that if you apply a method incorrectly, the analysis does not work - if you are attempting counter conditioning for example, and you put the dog over threshold then you aren't actually doing counter conditioning, you are flooding your dog! <br />
<br />
<br />
So going back to the comparisons of those two methods it should be very clear that using Turn and Face has a lot of potential risks to a small handful of potential benefits, and CC/DS has very few risks to a lot of potential benefits.<br />
<br />
NOW finally, lets look at which of these methods is kind/humane/fluffy/nice etc etc...<br />
<br />
CC/DS requires that the dogs stress levels be kept low by avoiding the dog going over threshold. This requires the owner to consider the dogs day to day life on a holistic level, which can only be a good thing!<br />
CC/DS works by changing the dogs emotional reaction to the trigger, and this further down the line then gives the owner the opportunity to teach/train/allow the dog to choose alternative behaviours as appropriate when they see that trigger.<br />
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Turn and Face requires that the dog be subjected to the trigger over threshold, the dog HAS to react for the method to be applied, so this increases stress.<br />
Turn and Face risks that the dog or handler could be hurt - imagine if the owner has assessed wrongly and the dog redirects into a male owners crotch... ouch! Imagine if the dog actually has a soft tissue injury or a spinal injury to the neck and the owner grabs and puts pressure on the dogs neck - ouch!<br />
Turn and Face requires that the dog be startled by being grabbed and turned - that has to increase stress.<br />
It is likely that if and when Turn and Face works, it does so by causing the dog to 'shut down' ie to experience learned helplessness, because the dog is experiencing high stress, an aversive, and then being trapped and unable to escape - pretty classic recipe for learned helplessness.<br />
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Really the short version of this is, Turn and Face MIGHT be something you would do in an emergency if you were say, trapped in a location where you couldn't get the space your dog needed and you would rather risk a bite to the crotch or leg than your dog making contact with someone else or their dog.<br />
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I might do that, but then, I also might yoik my dog out of the path of oncoming traffic by his left testicle - doesn't mean I'd base a training method around that! <br />
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It is not a method I would ever risk applying to my dogs or the dogs I work with, because the risks are too high, the benefits are insufficient and not guaranteed and the specifics about who, where and when are just too much to make it practical.<br />
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The bottom line is, there are alternatives (theres also LAT, BAT, CAT and multitudinous variations upon these) which vary in their difficulty and risk level but as far as I am aware, ALL are less risky than Turn and Face.<br />
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I would like to add - I would have liked to add videos of Turn and Face to this blog however, the author has blocked me from Facebook and refuses to answer any of the points I have raised about the method and addresses any constructive critiscism or attempts at discussion by deleting posts, blocking people and denouncing them as trolls. <br />
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-49238855746111690812016-12-08T13:01:00.000-08:002016-12-08T18:38:09.344-08:00It's Not About You.... It's About What You Do... PART TWO...<br />
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<h3>
It's Not About You... </h3>
It doesn't matter if what you are doing is absolutely fucking awesome, or absolutely dreadful - in dog training it really is not and should not be, about you.<br />
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If it's about you, there's a problem - because when it's about you theres a bloody big risk that it's no longer about the dog, or the client.<br />
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Heres what that priority list needs to look like:<br />
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Dog.<br />
Client<br />
A bunch of other fucking stuff.<br />
You.<br />
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Right now theres a lot of cool stuff happening in the positive, reward based, open minded, caring sharing dog training world.<br />
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Oh yes - there's trick training, theres back-pack walks, there's 'do as I do' and there's snuffle mats and sprinkles and doggy zen and mooching vs walking and there's bite prevention and theres teaching kids to interact appropriately with dogs..<br />
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There is a veritable fuck-ton of good stuff going on, its awesome, its lovely, there is something there for you no matter what dog you have and what your goals or needs are.<br />
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But there's also one hell of a lot of ego flying around, there's trainers with 'celeb' status, trainers who are about to have 'celeb' status theres trainers who used to have 'celeb' status and don't any more - theres organisations who promised a lot and delivered substantially less, theres organisations that actually didn't do what it said on the tin and new ones popping up and brilliant ones doing their thing...<br />
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It's a big old melting pot right now and whilst theres some grumbly unpleasant shit under the surface I WOULD like to focus on the positives.<br />
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Theres more good than there is bad, I do believe that - and more importantly, the 'bad' that there is is just human shit, it's going to go away, it will all come out in the wash and it doesn't really matter.<br />
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But there is one thing that is starting to become worrying, and this is why all this ego and celeb status shit is a problem.<br />
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We all like and follow one another on facebook and if you are a 'name' you've probably got a FB list that is full or nearly full, you probably have a friend list that 95% of which, you do not know - I am not a 'name' and the latter applies to me!<br />
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When you like or follow someone, whether you intend it or not you are giving some kudos to what they do, you are saying 'I endorse this'.<br />
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You MIGHT just be friends with that person because you've no clue what they do, or you are keeping an eye on what they are up to - but in all honesty, the short hand is, friend on facebook, liked on facebook = endorsement from you.<br />
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When you put THIS together with the laudable and positive action of NOT talking about negative stuff..<br />
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You end up with bad shit happening and no fucker saying a word.<br />
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Whats that saying about that scenario?<br />
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<b>The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.<br /></b>We have GOT to stick our heads over the parapet - it is a fine line, it ABSOLUTELY is, and this is not and it never should be about people.. as I say, it is NOT about you...<br />
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<h3>
It's About What You Do...</h3>
If a method of teaching a dog involves physical force, involves startling the dog, is a quick fix method that carries huge risk, where a much lower risk method could be used.<br />
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I will say so. And you should too.<br /><br /> If you are the owner or founder of an organisation, this applies even more!<br /><br />
This nicey nicey lets all be positive and lovely - sure when it comes to talking to people, dealing with clients, handling dogs - yes...<br />
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But when it comes to ignoring abuse and welfare risks - no. Hell no.<br />
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Now I am of course NOT talking about attacking people and I am not talking about just being a shit-weasel, pointing out flaws with no real back-up, no alternatives, no science behind what you are saying.<br />
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Not at all, thats never useful, its as un-useful as the reverse, saying somethings shiny and wonderful and lovely without explaining WHY it is and how it works.<br />
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So when you see someone doing something you believe is wrong, what are YOU going to do? Because its every bit as much about what YOU do about it, as it is about what someone is doing in the first place!<br />
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Personally, for me, I will be speaking out.<br />
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If I believe a method is wrong, it will be because that method is risky, it is dangerous to the dog, the handler, to the public or all three.<br />
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It will be because that method does not pass my cost/benefit analysis - the potential benefits do not outweigh the potential risk.<br />
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And it will be because there are safer, more efficient, less stressful, less risky alternatives available that are practical and kind.<br />
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But I won't just say that something is wrong.<br />
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I'll be sure to make it clear WHY.. what those potential risks are.<br />
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I'll be sure to make it clear what the ALTERNATIVES are, and how to adapt those alternative methods to suit your situation and your skill level and your dog.<br />
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I'll be sure to make it clear how to manage your dog so that during the training or rehab process, your dog is not stressed or upset.<br />
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My remit when training or modifying dog behaviour is like medics, to first, do no harm.<br />
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I believe as positive trainers though our remit is broader than that, I think we should speak out when we see harm being done, and try to prevent others doing harm.<br />
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We should always attempt to educate, but if someone is not interested in learning, that should not stop us in ensuring that the safe, sensible advice is available, so that people can make an educated choice as to what to do - and that, as negative as it might appear, needs to include speaking out against harmful methods, because the average dog owner is NOT in a position to assess the risks and dangers for themselves, that is why we are the experts and they are the clients.<br />
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<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-88539195176686040122016-08-14T18:44:00.003-07:002016-08-14T18:44:42.586-07:00Getting Sneaky - when you can't stop something happening.. change what it means!<br /><br />So I am inspired to write this because yet again, I am helping someone who through no fault of their own, is stuck in a situation they cannot control.<br /><br />This happens and over the years I have lost count of the number of people who live with others who handle and train their dogs in a way the actual owner really doesn't want them too but for a variety of reasons, they cannot prevent it.<br /><br />Most commonly its because the people doing the 'bad stuff' are family members - and if it's hard to train people, its a MILLION times harder to change the behaviour of family members!<br /><br />So what follows is NOT perfect - I know this, you know this - but we don't live in an ideal world where someone can just up and leave and take their dog to a nice place, or wave a magic wand and stop their Mum or their Sister from doing whatever to the dog.<br /><br />Here are some ideas for limiting the damage if you are stuck in a situation where people insist on using punishment based methods and you want to use positive reinforcement.<br /><br /><br />The first thing to know is that dogs are quite capable of figuring out that one person acts one way, and another person or persons act another way - as long as all the persons are consistent in the way they act.<br /><br />TO put it bluntly, if you are always nice, rewarding, safe and kind, but your brother is consistently a dick - a dog will figure this out. <br /><br />That said, if a dog is being trained two different ways, that IS going to slow down progress no matter how smart your dog is - thats unavoidable but hopefully some of the ideas that follow will help.<br /><br />Situation 1 - Joe has a dog that barks at stuff, Joe knows his dog is a bit anxious and barks when startled or to try and make the scary sounds/sights go away. Joe wants to stop the barking in a kind way.<br /><br />Cynthia just doesn't like the barking and figures using a bottle of water sprayed in the dogs face will stop it - she tries it and it does .. for a limited time, and then the dog barks again and she repeats it. She thinks this is fine.<br /><br />Joe doesn't like this and nor does the dog.<br /><br /><br />If we can't change Cynthias behaviour here, and we can't magically stop Joe barking in one training session... what CAN we do?<br /><br />Well we could make the spray bottle no longer be an aversive!<br /><br />We could make the spray bottle a 'positive interrupter' - right now, it stops the dog barking for a minute or two because it startles him and he doesn't like it.<br /><br />But if he LIKED it, and he thought it meant 'hey, you might get a treat now, or maybe the chance to do something that earns a treat'... he would ALSO stop barking, because it still interrupts him, but it tells him something GOOD is coming, which starts to make him associate the thing he was barking with, with the opportunity to get something good.<br /><br />Now this is basically classical conditioning but it won't work as fast as just giving the dog a treat each time he hears a sound, because we have put an extra step in the way.<br /><br />That is still ok - its not perfect, but its the best option right now.<br /><br />So Joe takes his dog off to his room or out somewhere quiet, and he has the spray bottle with water in it, and he has a big pouch full of SUPER good treats.<br /><br />Depending on how worried his dog is about the bottle he MAY start by just showing the dog the bottle and immediately giving a high value treat.<br /><br />Then when the dog starts to show him the 'yay, treats' face on seeing the bottle, Joe sprays a bit of water into his own hand, AWAY from the dogs face, and gives a treat (or even several).<br /><br />When Joe's dog associates the sight of the spray bottle AND the sound of it being sprayed with brilliant treats, Joe can move to hte next step, which is a few drops of water touching the dog - this may need to be from Joe's fingers rather than the bottle directly but thats ok - now drops of water with the bottle in sight, = fabulous treats.<br /><br />Work through these stages slowly, at a pace the dog can handle, and ALWAYS leave him wanting more, we want him to be like 'aww shucks.. ' when you put the bottle and treats away!<br /><br /><br />The next step is to go through some of these stages around the house in different rooms - pick times when no ones home or people are busy elsewhere, its important they DONT know what you are doing here.<br /><br />This teaches the dog that the spray bottle, the water, the sound, still means treats no matter WHERE it happens.<br /><br />The NEXT step is to teach the dog that sometimes the bottle means treats.. and sometimes it means 'now I'll ask you to sit, and you get a treat' or 'now I'll ask for a paw.. and you'll get a treat'. So the bottle means 'a treat OR the opportunity to earn one is coming'.<br /><br /><br />This step is important as if you have a family who want to punish the dog for barking, you can't just give the dog a treat without having asked him to do something for it -you'll just get into a row, so lets avoid that row.<br /><br />The ultimate goal is that Cynthia sprays the dog for barking, and then Joe asks him to sit and gives him a treat for sitting - Cynthia does NOT know that now, the dog thinks the spray bottle is GOOD or that Joe has reinforced this idea by asking for a simple behaviour and rewarding it.<br /><br />The dog stops barking because hey, its fun spray bottle time.. so Cynthia is happy that it works - and whilst this is annoying that she will think it works, it does at least mean she's not going to use a harsher punishment in future!<br /><br /><br />You can apply EXACTLY the same process to all the startle type punishments or interruptors people tend to use, for example, clapping, shouting, throwing a can full of pebbles or pennies, grabbing the dog by the collar even..<br /><br />If you work with the dog to teach him that all of these things actually mean he's going to get something good maybe now, maybe in a minute, maybe after doing something else... <br /><br />Then you dramatically limit the damage that the 'punishments' people are giving can actually do.<br /><br />Here's how I would desensitize to a collar grab (something I think all dogs should learn anyway to be safe in case someone DOES grab their collar).<br /><br /><br />1 - Touch your dog on the neck or shoulder near to his collar but not actually on his collar yet (particularly if he currently thinks thats a BAD thing)... you can use a clicker if you like or just say 'yes!' in a happy clear tone, and reward him.<br /><br />Repeat this step a few times - remember to end the session BEFORE he has had enough so he always wants more.<br /><br />2 - Touch your dog on the neck or shoulder but now slide your hand toward his collar - mark with yes or a click, give the reward.<br /><br />At this point, I would start not just feeding the reward by hand, but tossing the treat so he has to get up and get it, and then come back to you to continue the session.<br /><br />The reason for this is, if your dog is reluctant to come back over to you to continue the session, thats a clear indicator he is not happy about this and that you need to go back down to an easier level - important that you don't push your dog too fast and it can sometimes be hard, so this really helps.<br /><br />3 - Presuming your dog is now happy for you to touch, slide, mark and toss his treat, he goes and gets it and comes right back for the next go, move to touching his actual collar for a second before you mark and reward.<br /><br />4 - Now we want to introduce sliding the hand under the collar for a second - same as the previous steps! <br /><br />5 - Now we want to actually put a little bit of pressure on the collar. At this stage I would work for quite a few sessions on including just one or two 'pressure on collar' events, with lots of 'just sliding hand under' attempts, so that you are not just making it harder and harder each time. Its also good to ensure you are also doing short sessions on other tricks, games or behaviours, so that he gets a break.<br /><br />6 - Now we start introducing actually tugging the collar a bit - and here I would start to make the slides and gentle pressure attempts be worth a different value of reward to the tugs - so a tug on the collar earns him a big ole lump of cheese (or whatever his $20 reward is) but a slide or touch earns him just a bit of kibble (or whatever his $5 reward is).<br /><br />This way you are setting him up to WANT his collar tugged, cos BOY thats good!<br /><br /><br /><br />All these sessions (and the ones that come after, tugging harder, tugging suddenly etc) should be no more than 5 minutes long, sometimes a lot less even, so they are EASY to fit into an ad break, or 5 minutes up in your room, which is really useful if you live in a busy household where its hard to get space away from people!<br /><br />It can be VERY demoralising and even heartbreaking to want to train your dog with kindness and positive reinforcement, when other people want to use punishment and fear.<br /><br />Do not let it get you down, do not EVER feel like your 5 minute sessions here and there are not worth doing - they ARE worth doing.<br /><br />Asides from giving your dog the ability to cope and tolerate stuff htat is otherwise unpleasant for him, you will also find that YOUR bond and YOUR working relationship with the dog improves, to the point where he is always going to come to you, listen to you, comply with you - and the more that happens the easier he is to keep safe from other people.<br /><br /><br />So if you are someone trapped in this situation - don't despair - this stuff really does work - I had to desensitize one of my dogs to a friends really loud voice and tendancy to bend down suddenly and GRAB him for a really rough cuddle - we worked on this and he now LOVES a cuddle and he can cope with the surprise element to it, and the booming voice - sure it would be nice if i could just get my friend to quit acting like that but for various reasons, I can't, so this is the next best option!<br /><br />Make yourself a list of the things that happen that you might be able to limit but you can't stop entirely, and work out ways to teach your dog that these things are in fact a predictor of something GOOD instead of something bad. <br /><br />As ever, positive training works best when we focus on what we CAN do, and not on what we can't, or what we don't want.<br /><br />And hang in there - I know its tough. :) <br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-54830866878717543782016-08-14T03:15:00.000-07:002016-08-14T03:15:39.455-07:00Crates - the ins and outs!<br /><br />Within my doggy circles there's been some discussion on the topic of crating.<br /><br />This is something that comes up every so often so instead of ranting at my poor partner Mike, I'll stick it in here.<br /><br /><br />
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So, what is a crate, what is it for, how can it be used appropriately and what might constitute inappropriate use?</h3>
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</h3>
A crate is a plastic or metal box, effectively - an indoor kennel, a travel container, a cage, - its a secure confinement system that you can have inside your home or your car or your caravan or boat or wherever, where your dog can be contained.<br /><b><br />Dogs MUST be trained </b>to use a crate - I have written about this process elsewhere but the short version is, the dog must WANT to go in the crate, there is NO distress involved, if the dog is crying or trying to get out AT ALL you are doing it wrong. The door is not shut and you do not walk away until the dog is SO happy being in that crate that he doesn't CARE if the door is open or shut, he's happy to stay in there.<br /><br />It takes time to teach a dog to be crated, and it NEVER EVER involves just shoving a dog in, locking the door and leaving him to cry it out. <br /><br />Throughout this blog I will be writing with the assumption that crate training has been done properly.<br /><br /><br /><b>So whats it for?</b><br /><br />Well I believe being able to be crated for short periods (four hours max unless travelling in a plane or on veterinary recommended crate rest) is a vital skill all dogs should learn.<br /><br />This means your dog is happy to be crated if he is in the vets (where if you leave him there, he WILL be crated in one of their built in crates or small kennels), if you need to travel him, if you have a visitor coming over who is perhaps scared of dogs or maybe not able to behave appropriately around dogs, if he hurts himself and needs to have seriously restricted movement, if you go and stay somewhere that requires your dog to be confined.<br /><br /><br />These are generally 'emergency' situations where the LAST thing you want to be doing or potentially you cannot do, is magic up time to teach your dog to be crated. <br /><br />Trust me, having an injured dog distressed and in pain, further distressed by being crated is a horrible experience for everyone. Similiarly, dealing with an emergency family visit with a small toddler who is magnetized to your dog, and your dog is scared of toddlers.. the last thing you want to be doing is trying to crate train your dog in 0 time so that everyone stays safe.<br /><br /><br />Beyond these reasons, a crate can be used to manage behaviour which can assist in training other things.<br /><br />For example, you are house training a puppy which requires near constant vigilance, but you desperately need to pee yourself - you know that if left loose your puppy will pee on the carpet but if popped in the crate will hang on for the 2 minutes it takes you to pee.<br /><br /><br />Another example - your rescue dog is a joy and a delight, however he is absolutely shit hot at swiping food off counters. You have no door to your kitchen and a baby gate won't fit, and your husband is cooking and you are not home.<br /><br />Crating your dog whilst he cooks means theres no chance for your dog to reward himself by swiping half your pizza off the counter whilst your husband looks the other way reaching for the cheese grater.<br /><br /><br />Managing your dog so that errors cannot happen will assist training - its crucial to understand that management really won't TRAIN the dog for you, you'll still need to train the behaviours you DO want. But it will help you prevent mistakes.<br /><br /><br />So sure, use the crate whilst you go pee so your puppy doesn't tinkle on the floor just as you sit on the toilet seat yourself - use that crate whilst you are gone and hubby is cooking because you know, men don't have eyes in the backs of their heads and he WILL let the new dog swipe food off the counter.<br /><br /><br />But of course, carry on working on potty training taking your pup outside frequently, rewarding for toiletting outside and being vigilant and keeping pup within eye-line when you can supervise.<br /><br /> Make sure that when you ARE home and cooking, you take time to do some multi-tasking sessions where you teach your rescue dog to lie on a mat or bed outside the kitchen whilst you cook a simple meal.<br /><br />The key is to recognise the teachable moments and CREATE teachable moments whenever you can - and use the crate as a helpful tool for those moments where you really can't.<br /><br /><b><br />So what might constitute inappropriate use?</b><br />
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So here's the big deal really, here's where the crate is getting a bad reputation.<br /><br />There does seem to be a growing trend, a culture even, of dogs being crated for long periods during the day AND night, and only allowed out to interact with owners for short periods.<br /><br />This is wildly inappropriate use of the crate, even if the dog is taught to accept being crated properly.<br /><br />A crate does NOT make up for you not having time to interact with your dog, supervise your dog, play with your dog or train your dog.<br /><br />Using the crate INSTEAD of training your dog, where this means your dog then has a reduced quality of life.<br /><br />By this I mean, instead of teaching your bouncy young pup how to behave around visitors, you always crate him when people come over, so he NEVER learns how to behave when visitors come over, so he misses out on that lesson on how to interact with people, he doesn't learn the rules and manners expected of him.<br /><br />In turn this means that he has fewer human friends, is less likely to be able to go places with you because he lacks those skills, and his life is poorer for this, he may even become frustrated or anxious about people because he hasn't gained those skills.<br /><br />When owners JUST focus on management and never progress to actually dealing with the various issues it can be a slippery slope.<br /><br />Crate Fido when guests come over instead of teaching him how to behave nicely.<br />Crate Fido when cooking instead of teaching him how to stay on his bed or stay out of the kitchen, or just not to jump up on the counters.<br />Crate Fido whilst we go out instead of teaching him how to stay home alone.<br />Crate Fido whilst we watch TV instead of teaching him how to settle.<br />Crate Fido whilst we do chores or paperwork instead of teaching him how to play with his own toys quietly.<br />Crate Fido whilst we sleep..<br /><br />Until it turns out that unless Fido is playing a game in the yard or going for a walk, he's in his crate!<br /><br />The crate should not be used to just mask problems either - if you can't leave your dog home alone because he freaks out trashing the house and risking serious damage to the property and himself - crating is NOT your answer, this may prevent costly damage to your home, but your dog will still be distressed, and will probably hurt himself.<br /><br />Finally - I don't believe crates should be used as a punishment - the most important factor of crating is that your dog ENJOYS his crate. Using it for punishment will ruin that and if it doesn't well its hardly an effective punishment so you'll need to re-assess what you are doing there anyway. (Note that using a crate as a means of asking your dog to settle down and calm down is NOT a punishment!).<br /><br /><br />So whats the bottom line here? Are crates good or bad?<br /><br />Personally, I firmly believe that used appropriately a crate CAN be a very useful tool in keeping your dog safe, helping you manage problems WHILST you train or modify behaviour, and that every dog should be taught to accept being crated even if you don't intend to use a crate as part of training your dog.<br /><br />It is by no means totally necessary to use a crate to train a dog - plenty of people have managed to train dogs very nicely without a crate, so if that's you and your dog, thats fab - but having the occasional practice session every so often will keep your dog happy about being crated should the need ever arise.<br /><br /><br />It is of course absolutely possible and sadly, it happens every day, that crates are mis-used, that dogs spend too long inside them and not enough time out and doing things, and that dogs are still shoved into crates and left to cry it out.<br /><br />This should NEVER happen - so please, consider using crates appropriately but when you DO use a crate, check yourself - think 'is this necessary management, or could I train an alternative behaviour'... keep a mental check on how long your dog is spending crated and what can you do to change that?<br /><br /><br />
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<b><br /></b><br /><br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-88188955524129709662016-08-11T20:28:00.001-07:002016-08-11T20:28:19.032-07:00When a Behavioural Assessment is ... nothing of the kind.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz3GTcWuSvj10SI7ufqD6XQAbKKA6cmjLuKXx1Dqv22jRpJyRTbEA2Y7wiozOkY3Fmpiu5Nfn5PUdmRJle-7Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />This video came to my attention today - I apologise that what you are about to view IF you choose to hit play, is not pleasant and involves an old dog suffering unecessarily.<br /><br />This video is supposed to show a Police Dog Legislation Officer, Constable Davidson, carrying out a behavioural assessment on a dog currently under police care.<br /><br />Asides from the rudimentary training in identifying 'type' dogs, this man has no valid qualification to carry out behavioural assessments, he is allegedly a student of the Cambridge Insititute of Dog Behaviour and Training, an organisation wholly out of date when it comes to a scientific basis for dog behaviour - though even they are stepping away from the content of this video! <br /><br /><br /><br />On seeing this video I wrote my initial thoughts, based on my professional experience and my prior learning (now nearly 20 years worth of constant continued professional development), but in that I don't fully explain what a behavioural assessment should be doing or looking for, and really why what happens in this video is not particularly useful and from a welfare point of view, horrific.<br /><br />You can read that initial review at the end of this blog entry - keep in mind it was written before I had read similar reviews of the footage by other behaviourists and trainers, so the opinions within are entirely my own. <br /><br /><br />Here are some salient points, these are all points the officer either was aware of, or should have been aware of, had he paid attention to the information available to him.<br /><br />
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<li>Buster/Butch (he appears to have been known by both names) belonged to an elderly person who had already applied to have the dog taken into a breed specific rescue, Senior Staffy Club, who specialise in old Staffies.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li> Before they could take him he was due to be vaccinated for kennel cough, but sadly, his owner died. The police I assume were called to the house as Buster was stuck in the home with no food or water and his owners body - sadly as is not uncommon, he had eaten part of his owners body.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Buster was then seized by the police and held as a dangerous dog - there is to my knowledge no evidence that Buster attacked his owner, or that any injuries were commited by him before the owner died, however the police still insist that Buster is a dangerous dog.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>There is no information to suggest that Buster has ever attacked a living person - yet Constable Davidson suggests in this video that Buster attacked his owner who subsequently died, this is not the truth.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Buster is an old dog - Davidson acknowledges this on camera.</li>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Buster has been held in police kennels for 'some time' I am lead to believe this is months.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The kennels as can be clearly seen and heard in the video, are a barren and very loud, stressful environment, and totally alien to a dog who has been a pet well into old age.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Buster has in the last few months experienced his primary care giver dying, being sufficiently short of food that he has had to eat his owners body, strangers coming into his home, being taken away by strangers to an unfamiliar and very stressful environment.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>It can be clearly seen that Buster is not in good condition as Davidson states, but is lacking muscle tone particularly around his hind quarters, and is unsteady, stiff and has a gait that strongly suggests joint pain. It would not be unreasonable for any person familiar with handling dogs to assume he has a degree of pain, most likely arthritis, and that his health conditions may well not be limited to just that.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>It is possible that Buster has some degree of hearing loss.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>It is very possible that Buster has not been trained, that even if he has, he has not been trained to a high enough standard that he understands commands given by total strangers, in an alien and uncomfortable environment.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>It is almost certain that a dog in pain and in an alien environment being handled by a stranger will struggle to comply with commands, particularly if they will exacerbate pain or he fears that compliance will hurt him, will not comply.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is not a behavioural assessment of any worth, it does not prove that Buster is dangerous, in fact I would say it proves the opposite, that Buster is highly predictable and has a huge degree of self control, only using the minimal amount of force to end the situation and no more.<br /><br />It was incredibly stressful and unpleasant for the dog, has almost certainly caused some lasting behavioural damage (he is now going to fear that kind of handling again!) and was totally unnecessary.<br /><br />Buster should never have been subjected to this assessment, what he needed was to see a vet and have his pain taken care of, and a veterinary assessment should take place before a dog is assessed behaviourally, because pain and fear of pain will modify behaviour.<br /><br /><b>So what is a behaviour assessment and what does it tell you?<br /><br /><br /></b>I assess dogs behaviour on a daily basis, as does any behaviourist or behaviour consultant - I personally don't do this for the police, for seized dogs or for the courts, maybe one day I will but right now I do this for private clients.<br /><br />It is basically the same thing however.<br /><br />I want to know what makes a dog tick, what motivates that dog, what does he love, what does he like?<br /><br />I want to know how the dog deals with situations, for example how does he cope with meeting a new person who has come to his house and is sitting there drinking tea and talking to his owners and has some cheese in her treat bag?<br /><br />I want to know how that dog responds to being given a simple puzzle to figure out - does he ace it? does he flunk it? does he get annoyed and bash it with a paw or pick it up and fling it, does he (in one case) run up his Moms legs and get in her face and demand SHE sort it out for him cos its too hard Mommy!... <br /><br />I find out what behaviours that dog already knows, and how does he respond to being taught new ones.<br /><br />I find out how he plays, how easily he relaxes and switches off, how he calms himself down (or if he can't!), what gets him worked up, what makes him feel satisified and content.<br /><br /><br />In and among all that, which as a pet dog behaviour consultant, I can also achieve by speaking to the owners and looking at any video evidence they have, I find out a TON of information about each dog I meet and work with.<br /><br />That information allows me to predict how the dog will behave in certain circumstances, which allows me to explain how the dog needs to be trained, what behavioural modification is required to help the dog cope with life and to manage the dog safely.<br /><br /><b>Provoking a dog to bite you really is a foolish</b> and incredibly short sighted thing to do - yes, it tells you at what point that dog will bite you.<br /><br />Of course now you have done this, that dog is likely to bite you or the next person who pushes him, sooner, or with less warning.<br /><br />Every dog has the ability to bite you, every dog has the buttons, somewhere, somehow, that can be pushed that will result in a bite. Every single dog in existance.<br /><br />We already know this, this is not some sort of mysterious phenomenon.<br /><br /><br />So here's my initial assessment of Davidsons 'behaviour assessment' on Buster/Butch<br /><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Assessment of Video of Dog Legislation Officer Davidson, Merseyside, handling/assessing Buster.<br />
“The following is the professional opinion of Emma Judson – Canine
Consultant, based soley on the video evidence of Constable Davidson,
having seen no other assessment by any other canine professional” <br />
Video begins with Davidson introducing himself, the kennel environment
appears barren, incredibly noisy and in my opinion a very stressful
environment, far from the ideal location to assess the true nature of a
dog.<br />
Buster is handled on a stiff cable slip lead – it is my
opinion that this piece of equipment is liable to cause discomfort or
pain due to the narrow diameter of the cable, and the choking action the
slip loop produces. <br />
Buster is taken into a secure square pen, metal walls and a concrete floor. <br />
At no point during the video do we see Constable Davidson introduce
himself to the dog, take time to form even a cursory bond with the dog,
or give the dog any reason to be particularly interested in him or keen
to work for him.<br />
Davidson tells us Buster has been in these kennels for some months, is an old dog, and is in good condition.<br />
In fact it is clear from the video that in my opinion, Buster is
showing clear signs of joint pain/discomfort, probably arthritic
degeneration of his hips and elbows and probably more as is typical for
old dogs – he also appears to be lacking the normal muscle tone of a fit
healthy dog of his breed.<br />
Buster is walked around the exercise
pen, where his gait is clearly uneven and his movement stiff, consistent
with that of a dog suffering joint problems.<br />
Davidson has Buster
held fairly tight on the slip lead by holding the handle up high,
stringing Buster up, this is in my opinion likely to cause discomfort to
the dog.<br />
Davidson states his intention to carry out a
behavioural assessment on Buster to see how he copes under pressure – he
does not make it clear at this point what he means by ‘pressure’, what
signs he is looking for, in fact the whole thing is very vague.<br />
Buster is asked to sit – Davidson is slightly behind the dog and asks in
a nice tone ‘Sit’.. Buster does nothing. He then asks in a firm and
slightly aggressive tone ‘SIT!’. He is still to the side and out of
Busters field of vision, when Buster fails to comply he pulls the slip
lead taught and forces Busters hind quarters to the ground.<br />
Firstly, its highly likely that Buster has some hearing loss due to his
age, this would be a reasonable assumption. He is also in a very
stressful and noisey environment so this could also contribute to
non-compliance.<br /> Davidson has as far as we know, taken no steps to
engage Buster in any kind of rewarding activity, there has been no use
of a toy or food rewards and thus Buster has been given no motivation to
want to work with Davidson who is a total stranger to him.<br />
Finally, no allowance is made for the fact Buster is old and most likely
has joint pain – this can cause a dog to not want to sit or lie down,
particularly on a hard, cold concrete surface.<br />
Davidson forces Buster into the sit and Buster collapses into it and looks visibly worried.<br />
Davidson immediately asks for a down by bending over Buster and
pointing at the ground between his feet with his hand below Busters
chin.<br />
Again Buster has not actually seen Davidsons face and may
not realise he is being spoken to if he has hearing problems. Buster
doesn’t look comfortable about having Davidson bend over him with his
face in close proximity to his own, but does not react badly to this,
however he does not comply with the command.<br />
Here again Davidson makes no allowance for the fact Buster is old and there may be good reasons for non-compliance.<br />
Davidson also makes no allowance for the very real possibility that Buster has never been taught to either sit or down before.<br />
The Constable also appears unaware that dogs are context specific
learners and that even if Buster has been trained to sit and down by his
owner, if he has never been handled by other people or in a variety of
locations, he may well not understand what is being asked of him now.<br />
Davidson walks Buster around the pen again, declaring ‘The dog seems to be the type that is just happy to do his own thing’.<br />
As a behavioural assessment goes, so far Davidson has done nothing to
warrant that conclusion at all – there are many many reasons as
discussed above, as to why Buster may not be complying and they have
nothing to do with him ‘doing his own thing’.<br />
Davidson goes on to
say that Buster .. ‘Doesn’t really want to be told what to do’. He
again misses the fact that Buster may not understand, may have good
reasons for not complying.<br />
Thus far apart from not responding to
Davidson, Buster has shown no real signs that he doesn’t want to do
anything – for example he has made no effort to get away from Davidson,
nor has he made any attempt to make Davidson leave his space.<br />
Now Davidson says hes going to ‘put a little bit of pressure on’..<br />
By this he actually means he is going to forcibly pull the dog over
onto his side by holding the skin on his neck and hind quarters and
pulling him down. <br />
As Davidson kneels down to do this, Buster
turns towards him, looking interested and wanting to engage with the man
– however when Davidson pinches the skin on his back and pulls him down
and puts pressure on his side, Buster stiffens, snarls and snaps.<br />
In my opinion, this was not ‘pressure’ but a highly provocative,
threatening and intimidating move, viewed as a physical threat or attack
by the dog.<br />
Given Busters age, lack of mobility and poor muscle
tone, being forced onto the concrete floor on his side almost certainly
caused him pain.<br />
Having a stranger bending over him, pinning him
to the ground would be an incredibly intense and frightening experience
for almost any dog, but particularly a dog who has had a very stressful
few months, who is already in pain.<br />
Busters reaction to this
treatment is well within the bounds of normal dog behaviour, he is
reacting in fear and in pain, and his behaviour is designed to make the
man stop hurting him, nothing more.<br />
This is clearly evident as
the second Davidson lets Buster up, he gets up and does not make any
attempt to further growl at, snarl at or snap at Davidson. In fact he
tries to ignore him, a typical reaction when the dog is aware he cannot
get away from a threat but isn’t willing to use more aggressive or
violent behaviour.<br />
Davidson tells us that Buster doesn’t like
pressure – he appears wholly unaware that for a dog, being physically
pinned to the ground is probably one of the most threatening and
frightening experiences they can have, and again fails to acknowledge
that Buster may well be in pain.<br />
The next step of the test Davidson explains is that he is going to try picking Buster up.<br />
He doesn’t explain why this is a part of a behavioural assessment, but
it is rare that a dog who hasn’t been taught to be lifted up will relax
or tolerate the experience. It is a high risk thing to do when you have
no idea of the dogs background or training history, as it puts the dog
in close proximity to the handlers face.<br />
Davidson calls Buster to
him and stops walking, Buster turns again willing to engage but sees
Davidson bending over him reaching out to him.<br />
Bearing in mind
the experience of being forced to the floor and pinned there just a few
minutes earlier, it is not remotely surprising that Buster stiffens and
lip curls and growls at Davidson.<br />
Here the dog is very clearly
telling Davidson ‘I do not want you to touch me’ – this is again a
perfectly normal behaviour for a dog in pain, a dog stressed and a dog
fearful of what is about to happen next.<br />
Davidson ignores this
and pushes on with his insistence on picking Buster up, which he does
very awkwardly with both hands under Busters body. Buster growls and
snaps at and bites Davidsons hand in an attempt to get him to stop,
which Davidson does.<br />
Davidson points out that whilst the dog has
bitten him and isn’t happy about being picked up, he is wearing a bite
sleeve under his jacket.<br />
Again in this frightening experience,
Buster has done what he perceives to be the minimum amount of aggression
to get the situation to stop and to gain space away from Davidson. <br />
It would have been very easy for Buster to turn and bite Davidsons
face, and to bite him again as he goes to pick up the lead, but once the
threat level is reduced, Buster has no need to aggress and does not.<br />
Davidson goes on to say that Buster, ‘obviously isn’t happy being put under pressure’.<br />
In my opinion, Davidson has subjected this old dog to fear, and
physical discomfort or pain. The dog has reacted in a way I would expect
a stressed and frightened animal in pain to respond to threats of
physical harm and actual pain – by lip curling, snarling, snapping and
biting sufficiently to stop the situation and gain space or respite from
the stress.<br />
Davidson repeats again that in his opinion Buster is not happy ‘being told what to do’.<br />
In my opinion it is likely Buster does not understand what he is being
told to do, or due to stress, mobility and hearing issues and pain is
unable to comply. <br />
Davidson concludes that this dog will react when put ‘under pressure’ or is ‘made to do something it doesn’t want to do’.<br />
In my opinion based on this video, Buster is an old dog potentially
suffering joint pain and hearing issues, who has possibly never been
trained.<br />
He reacts in a way consistent with a dog responding to
fear and pain, and uses the minimum amount of aggression to keep himself
safe.<br />
There are plenty of opportunities in this ‘assessment’ for
Buster to have seriously injured Constable Davidson, when he puts his
face near Busters, when he lets him up from the pin-down, when he puts
him down after picking him up.<br />
At no point does Buster do more than is necessary to stop the situation. <br />
In my professional opinion, Constable Davidson has not carried out a
thorough or useful behavioural assessment, but instead has subjected an
old dog suffering pain, to more pain and fear in a thoroughly
unscientific manner.<br />
He has missed many obvious signs such as the
dogs uneven gait and lack of muscle tone, and misread others to come to
a conclusion that is of very little use in determining the risk this
dog poses to others or the dogs future.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Emma Judson – 11.08.16 at 15.36pm</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-79885441207466287162016-04-01T11:11:00.001-07:002016-04-01T11:11:49.890-07:00Fear II - the Sequel!<br />
<br />
So you have a pup and they are out of the tiny cute sponge stage and they are doing pretty well and you socialised well, habituated well, your pup can go most places, do most things and you have nothing to worry about right...<br />
<br />
<br />
But then your pup is suddenly freaking out at your neighbour, or for some reason the car has turned into a dog eating monster-machine...<br />
<br />
What the heck is going on.<br />
<br />
The chances are your pup is somewhere between 6 and 14 months old now, if its a little breed then nearer six if its a big breed then nearer the middle of that range and if its a giant breed probably nearer the end of that range.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is the second fear imprint stage and I won't baffle you with science here, this is a normal development stage for animals (even people have them, when they are small people!).<br />
<br />
This stage is in effect, Mother Natures way of saying 'now hold on there son... back up the truck.. wait a second'..<br />
<br />
At the same time or thereabouts as this fear stage, your dog is also experiencing a ton of hormones that tell them 'woohoo, you will soon be able to reproduce' - those hormones tend to give a lot of confidence and cause your dog to push boundaries, find it 'what happens if I....' and 'maybe I can just throw my weight around here.... '...<br />
<br />
<br />
Without a dollop of fear to put the brakes on, its really easy to get an over confident pup who hurtles around doing exactly as he pleases with no worries at all... and in nature, that leads to a dead animal!<br />
<br />
So this fear is normal and it has its purpose - its really annoying and its often confusing, frustrating and upsetting for owners, but its good to know it is there for a reason.<br />
<br />
<h3>
So What Do I Do?</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
Now here's the tricky part - its easier if you are really in tune with your pup and you are willing and able to listen to them and react quickly if necessary.<br />
<br />
Its a lot harder if for whatever reason you aren't doing that or if you have someone giving you duff advice or trying to tell you what to do - and I say this for a reason because often we are listening to our dogs.. and then someone belittles us or makes us feel silly!<br />
<br />
<br />
First of all any situation you notice your dog is now uncomfortable with - stop immediately, take your dog away.<br />
<br />
Now figure out what it was about that situation that your dog couldn't handle - don't get hung up on 'well he could handle it last week' thats not important. He can't handle it NOW, thats whats important.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now you can figure out a way to avoid it happening again - great, and ideally you can also figure out a way to either dilute the situation or introduce your dog to a much less scary version of it at some point in the future when he is ready.<br />
<br />
So as a working example, lets say that Fido used to be totally fine with having a whole load of guests come over to watch the football and drink beer and eat pizza. Suddenly he is not fine, hes cowering away from people, barking at them and wont shut up and backing off from them and if they leap up and cheer at a goal scored, he craps himself and runs out of the room and hides under the table and pees.<br />
<br />
<br />
Step one, lets take Fido into another room, lets go there with him with some treats maybe a Kong filled with squeezy cheese or peanut butter, lets put some nice music on and chill out with him until the football is over (or you could go out for a walk or take him for a drive or you could kick out the footy fans and tell them to go watch it in the Pub!).<br />
<br />
<br />
The point is, you immediately spot that Fido can't cope and you remove him from the situation or otherwise end the situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
The next step is to think a little longer term - this won't be forever but equally, its not likely to be a one off.<br />
<br />
So organise that football watching happens elsewhere, or that you are out when it happens or you are in another room if Fido can handle that.<br />
<br />
<br />
The next step is to think about how we can remind Fido that the football watching thing is fine, the people are not monsters.<br />
<br />
To do that we need to break the situation down, a crowd of beered up lads cheering at the tv in a small room is NOT the place to start.<br />
<br />
Get ONE of those lads round, without any beer (give them some to take home afterwards!) and have them sit and eat some pizza on the far side of the room, whilst you and Fido do ten minutes of easy tricks or just enjoying a Kong with something in it, and then you take Fido out and your friend goes home.<br />
<br />
Repeat this ideally a few times a week and when Fido has re-established that this person is actually fine, you can have them throw a few treats to him (but NOT approach him or try to bribe him with treats) you can start the process over again with a new person.<br />
<br />
<br />
In addition to this process it might also be that Fido finds the sound of the football match on the tv upsetting, so you could play that sort of sound at a really low volume and give Fido treats, so you are counter conditioning to this experience. Football noise = goodies.<br />
<br />
Its a good idea to move on quite quickly from 'trigger = goodies' to 'trigger = lets work on a fun trick/game/job that involves rewards' as this is much more constructive and gets him thinking actively about doing something useful.<br />
<br />
Be sure not to move too fast, he needs to be eager and willing and able to comply with simple cues first - if he is still really worried then asking him to actively DO something will backfire - again, read your dog well and work at his pace!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The above is just one situation, the same thing applies to anything your dog suddenly finds upsetting.<br />
<br />
Don't force him to face his fears, this doesn't work at all well even with people who can discuss and rationalise their worries.<br />
<br />
Don't lob him in the deep end and hope he will just get over it - again, doesn't work well and its likely to make matters worse.<br />
<br />
Don't JUST avoid all the situations and hope he will grow out of it - you do need to actively work on it!<br />
<br />
DO - take a few steps back and work on much easier tasks, break things down and re-cover ground you covered when he was smaller, 'back to basics'.<br />
<br />
DO remind yourself - this is normal, this is useful, and its just a stage. <br />
<br />
DO - act confident and normal if you do get in a situation he is worried about, but get OUT of that situation as soon as you possibly can (even if that means being rude to people, leaving somewhere abruptly, telling people 'no don't do that' etc).<br />
<br />
Final word - you will hear over and over again, people tell you not to 'coddle' your dog, that if you do you will teach him that being fearful is rewarding and this will make him more fearful.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is total bollocks. You cannot make fear worse by doing something your dog actively likes, enjoys, seeks out for comfort etc etc.<br />
<br />
HOWEVER - If your dog is scared and you do something out of character, if you run around getting hysterical and upset yourself, if you pick him up and cuddle him <i>and he actually doesnt LIKE cuddles,</i> if you hold him still and tell him 'there there its alright' and he actually finds that really frightening because <i>despite your intentions he is now TRAPPED and being forced to remain in a scary situation...</i><br />
Then yes fear will get worse. Not because you did something nice, not because you coddled him, but because you inadvertently added something MORE scary, MORE aversive, to an already stressful situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
So if your dog is saying 'Hey Dad I'd like to get outta here'... do it, take him away. If your dog is saying 'Hey Mum, I'd feel better about this if I could sit on your lap' then fine, do that.<br />
<br />
To turn your dog away when they are asking you for comfort and assistance is one of the nastiest, most horrific pieces of advice I see people give out and its totally unnecessary!Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-920167285858289082016-03-22T13:09:00.001-07:002016-04-07T21:24:01.309-07:00We CAN make a difference...<br />
<br />
Far too often we feel powerless, like the little people who alone, speaking as one lone voice, cannot change things.<br />
<br />
But that's just not true - those of us involved in any way in the reaction to the Cesar911 episode involving Simon and the pig HAVE started something.. and that something will continue.<br />
<br />
L A Animal Control are keeping the case open for a YEAR - please ignore any media coverage that suggests the investigation is coming to a close, this is not true.<br />
The case remains open and now we are asking that anyone with FIRST HAND evidence, anyone who has witnessed activities, methods or practices at the Cesars DPC in L A that they now think perhaps weren't the kindest or most humane options available, to come forward.<br />
<br />
Its your turn to speak out now.<br />
<br />
Animal control have all the videos, they have expert statements from professionals but what they need now is you,<i><b> someone who has witnessed this, in person.</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>Did you go to the DPC and train there, did you work there in any capacity or volunteer, were you on the show?</b><br />
<br />
Did you see things that with the benefit of hindsight or even at the time, you thought were distressing to animals, caused animals pain or discomfort or fear?<br />
<br />
We are NOT necessarily asking you to state yourselves whether YOU think these things were either cruel, or justified, the D A and the court will decide that.<br />
<br />
I'd like to clarify again this is NOT about having a pop at Millan, this is about improving the welfare and the safety of animals, not just the animals Millan deals with but all those belonging to people who watch his show and who emulate him.<br />
<br />
Potential examples might be...<br />
<br />
Dogs being shocked with shock collars causing them to yelp or scream.<br />
<br />
Dogs being strung up and asphyxiated on slip leads.<br />
<br />
Dogs being pulled off their feet by leash corrections.<br />
<br />
Dogs being caused to urinate or defecate in fear.<br />
<br />
Other animals being used to assist in training being caused fear or distress or actual pain/injury, such as sheep, goats, alpacas, horses, chickens, pigs etc being chased or caught by dogs.<br />
<br />
Dog returning from the DPC's care injured or with signs of injury.<br />
<br />
Training methods that you feel have subsequently caused your dog's behaviour to worsen.<br />
<br />
Risks being taken with animal health or welfare that were unnecessary.<br />
<br />
These are just examples, if you have ANY first hand account of potential cruelty or the causing of unnecessary suffering, please come forward and speak to the L A County Animal Control.<br />
<br />
<b>If you just aren't sure - come forward anyway, as long as you were there, at the DPC and you saw it with your own eyes, Animal Control wants to hear from you.</b><br />
<br />
You may have signed a non-disclosure order - if that is the case you can speak to your own lawyer, or contact Lindsey Laris at the Animal Legal Defense Fund to check that out <a href="http://aldf.org/" target="_blank">ALDF</a> <br />
<br />
<br />
Once again, our objective is not to 'do down' Cesar Millan, it's to ensure that going forward, the methods used and advised are safe, humane and effective without risk to animals or people.<br />
<br />
To that end we would like the American Humane Association to be present on set during filming, which currently they are not, and for Millan to update his methods in line with current science and modern understandings of animal behaviour.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>We appreciate that this subject raises a lot of emotions - but please only contact Animal Control if you have first hand information. Animal Control HAVE all the video evidence from Cesar's TV shows that they require, and so bombarding them with passionate or angry emails won't help our case. </i><br />
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-28208402646048791032016-03-15T11:39:00.001-07:002016-03-18T14:45:57.204-07:00Canine Professionals Worldwide - Press Statement <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Canine Professionals Worldwide - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Press Statement regarding Cesar Millan Animal
Cruelty Investigation.
<br />
<br />
As professionals we work with dogs who are aggressive to people and other
animals; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have displayed predatory
behaviour towards other pets or wildlife; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have bitten people or other animals and who
have killed other animals.<br />
This is every day run of the mill work for us all – we are all dedicated to
improving the lives of animals, and to that end we are all educated<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>professionals who work hard to ensure we
follow best practice at all times.
<br />
Mr Millan is not following best practice:
<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The episode in question showed Millan
choosing not to take several safe options (work with a fence between the dog
and the pigs, work the dog on a long line, work the dog muzzled or all three) –
these risks were not necessary for effective training.
<br />
- Later, an assistant holds a pig, causing it to squeal, which causes the dog
to bolt and attack – the assistant remains holding the pig as Cesar releases
the dog a second time and the dog attacks again.
<br />
This course of action was not necessary for effective training or behaviour
modification, and caused the pig distress and injury. Therefore, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is our belief that Mr Millan’s decisions
are based on what will make the best TV viewing and what will gain the best
ratings, rather than what is in a particular animals best interest.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Our interest in the ongoing investigation is in seeing Mr Millan prevented from
ignoring animal welfare laws surrounding cruelty and animal baiting.<br />
<br />
The law states both in the UK and the USA, that it is not legal to permit
unnecessary suffering, injury or distress to any mammal, and it is not legal to
bait animals, i.e. to cause one animal to attack another.<br />
<br />
There are alternative, scientifically proven, ways to train and modify animal
behaviour – we are practitioners of those methods because they pose no risk to
any animals’ welfare, whilst at the same time being more effective and easier
to apply.<br />
<br />
We ask that Mr Millan be held accountable to the laws in his own country and
own state, have the AHA present during any and all filming, and cease using
methods and practices that cause stress, distress and physical harm to the
animals he works with.<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Notes for editors:<br />
<br />
‘Canine Professionals Worldwide’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are a number
of professional dog trainers and behaviour consultants, working with dogs on a
daily basis across the world. </div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>Canine Professionals Worldwide are<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"> (full list at </span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/canine-professionals-worldwide-press.html):</b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><br /><br /></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<dl class="avatar-comment-indent" id="comments-block">
<dt class="comment-author " id="c185621216350392428"><br /></dt>
<dd class="comment-body" id="Blog1_cmt-185621216350392428">
Rick McGaw / At Your Bark and Call<br />P.A.C.E. Positive Approach Canine Education <br />Professional Trainer/Handler
<br /><br /><br />
</dd><dd class="comment-body" id="Blog1_cmt-5323272942276865053">
Lindsay Porter / Owner/operator/dog handler - Driving Miss Doggy Pet Services, Lethbridge Alberta Canada.<br />
<br />
<br /><br /></dd><dd class="comment-body" id="Blog1_cmt-5659157586661850322">
Anna Bjurgård Compton / Compton's Harmony AnimalTraining<br />MSc Ethology, Certified Animal Behaviourist<br />Oslo, Norway<br /><br /></dd><dd class="comment-body" id="Blog1_cmt-2293563937560189687">
Cheri Burger CPDT-KA, owner Dog Lady Family Dog Training. Professional
Member of the Pet Professional Guild. Business Member Force Free
Trainers OS Wisconsin.
<br />
<br /></dd>
<dt class="comment-author " id="c2279461027019096346">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="c2279461027019096346"></a></dt>
<dd class="comment-body" id="Blog1_cmt-2279461027019096346">
Lynn Dowrick, CPDT-KA, CBATI<br />The Happy Dog K9 Training, LLC<br />Professional Member, Pet Professional Guild<br />Professional Member, APDT</dd></dl>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span><span></span><br />
<div>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"><span>Briony
Lazarides, independent behavioural dog trainer UK (original founder
member APDTUK).. AMACC , DipCABT(COAPE)NOCN, C&G7407 </span><a class="" dir="ltr" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.behaviouraldogtrainer.co.uk%2F&h=tAQFmwIwm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.behaviouraldogtrainer.co.uk</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"><span>Jo Maisey FdSc CBT</span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="_5yl5">Annie Phenix, CPDT-KA.<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">, </span> Phenix Dogs, LLC <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">, </span> Phenix Dogs Canine Behavior Experts<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">, <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">Author of; </span></span>The Midnight Dog Walkers: Positive Training and Practical Advice for Living with a Reactive or Aggressive Dog</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ally Murdock- Member Pet Professionals Guild owner of Onward Bound Incredible Dog Training.
</span></span></span>Karen Sinovich <br />
DipCABT ( NOCN UK ) Cert CAB <br />
Animal Behaviour Practitioner <br />
Doghub SA <br />
CAPBT SA Practitioner Member <br />
www.capbt.org.za
<br />
<br />
Peggy Scheidemann, Doglover and Owner
<br />
<br />
<dl class="avatar-comment-indent" id="comments-block">
<dt class="comment-author " id="c1426945367476869661">Dawn Gardener, CPDT-KA, ABCDT<br />Full time dog trainer and behavior consultant, freelance writer,
columnist, and host of podcast for Modern Dog Group. Member APDT, PPG,
MDG, IAABC.
</dt>
</dl>
Darlene Arden, CABC (Certified Animal Behavior Consultant - Dogs and Cats)<br />
Author/Speaker/Journalist<br />
www.darlenearden.com<br />
Author of "Small Dogs, Big Hearts," <br />
"Rover, Get Off Her Leg!" "The Complete Cat's Meow” <br />
Facebook: on.fb.me/1fnLlcP<br />
Twitter: bit.ly/1tWMEzO<br />
Blog: PerPETuallySpeaking.blogspot.com<br />
<br />
Karen Tonge<br />
Member APDT UK and PPG<br />
Doggone Safe Member<br />
Dog AID (Assistance in Disability) Trainer<br />
<br />
Britt Merethe R Ekerhovd - International dogtrainer, Britt's hundeglede, norway<br />
<br />
Anne Marit Stakkestad, Dog Behaviorist, KPA CTP, canine massage therapist and therapy dog handler, GoodDog and Raptus, Norway
<br />
<br />
Matt Rolfe, IMDT, www.spiffingdog.com
<br />
<br />
Sarah Groves, Dog Trainer,South Wales UK
<br />
<br />
Turid Dyvesveen Sunde. Dog Trainer and owner of www.Bamsekroken.com<br />
<br />
Jackie Drakeford dog behaviour trainer specialising in aggression, KC accredited, West Sussex
<br />
<br />
Tiina Jor, Dog Trainer and owner of Bra! Hundetrening, Norway
<br />
<br />
Ruud Schoorl - Doglover and advocate of positive training methods.
<br />
<br />
Inger E. Berg, dog trainer, GoodDog Norway
<br />
<br />
Beathe Pilskog, Dog Behaviorist, Lykkelige Hunder / Canis Hundeskole , Norway
<br />
<br />
Nina Haaland, Dog Behaviorist, Hund i Fokus, Norway
<br />
<br />
Nina Sommer, DipCBST, CBATI Austria
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Michelle L. Douglas, CPDT-KA, CDBC<br />Certified Professional Dog Trainer<br />Certified Dog Behavior Consultant<br />Licensed Family Paws Parent Educator<br />AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator<br />Animal Behavior College Mentor Trainer<br />Member - International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants<br />Member - Association of Animal Behavior Professionals<br />Member - Association of Professional Humane Educators <br />Past President - Association of Professional Dog Trainers<br />Contributing author: Top Tips from Top Trainers (2010 TFH) and The Dog Trainer's Resource (2006 Dogwise) <br />Owner The Refined Canine, LLC
</span></span></span><br />
<br />
Tess Erngren, Dog Behaviorist, GoodDog Norway
<br />
<br />
Lisa Lyle Waggoner, CPDT-KA, CSAT, PMCT2<br />
Certified Professional Dog Trainer, CPDT-KA<br />
PMCT 2: Pat Miller Certified Trainer, Peaceable Paws<br />
CSAT Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer<br />
Faculty, Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior<br />
Professional Member, Pet Professional Guild<br />
Professional Member, APDT<br />
CGC Evaluator, American Kennel Club<br />
Certified Dog Walker, dog*tec<br />
Instructor dog∗tec Dog Walking Academy<br />
Trained in Pet First Aid & CPR, PetTech<br />
<br />
Tiffany Lovell, CPDT-KA, CSAT, AAI<br />
Owner Cold Nose College, Space Coast, FL<br />
Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT) #2133321<br />
Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT)<br />
Associate in Applied Science-Human Services with specialty in Animal Assisted Interactions (AAI)<br />
Certified in Low-Stress Handling by Dr. Sophia Yin<br />
The Pet Professional Guild Associate Member Dog Training Professional (PPG) #9241395<br />
Association of Professional Dog Trainers Professional Member (APDT) #80109<br />
AKC CGC Evaluator <br />
Pet Tech certified in Pet CPR & First Aid
<br />
<br />
Dawn Goehring<br />
Animal Biz<br />
25 years force free training <br />
Member Pet Professional Guild, International Association of Behavior Consultants, and Association of Pet Dog Trainers<br />
<br />
Robin Sweetapple ABCDT<br />
owner operator @ Quality Dog Care <br />
Pet sitting , Dog Walking, Training<br />
March 15/2016<br />
Fort McMurray AB
<br />
<br />
Donna Hill B.Sc.(zool) B.Ed. CHI<br />
Owner Donna's Dog Training<br />
Founder Vancouver Island Assistance Dogs<br />
Co-founder and professional member of Vancouver Island Animal Training Association<br />
Founder Admin Observation Skills for Training Dogs Facebook group<br />
Behavior Interventionist for autistic teens<br />
Owner Service Dog Training Institute
<br />
<br />
Paul G. Arrighie<br />
Paul For Paws Training and Behaviour<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
Shannon B. Thier, CPDT-KA, CTDI, ABCDT<br />
☆ K-949: Training for Humans with Dogs<br />
<br />
• Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) #2133358<br />
• Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI)<br />
• Animal Behavior College/Certified Dog Trainer (ABCDT)<br />
• Animal Behavior College Mentor Trainer<br />
• Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Professional Member #79827<br />
• The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Member #7502508<br />
• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) Member<br />
• National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) Member #M005118<br />
• AKC CGC and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Evaluator #89613<br />
• 2015 & 2016 Co-Facilitator of Southern California Dog Trainer's Forum (SCDTF)<br />
• PetTech Certified in CPR, First Aid & Safety
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
Vicky Alhadeff BA, DipCABT, TTouch P1, Member of CABT, IMDT and PPG<br />
Owner: Happy Dogs and Cats: www.happydogsandcats.co.uk
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
Ellen Slater - Owner - Serenity Paws Small Animal Massage
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
Anke Maria Hofer, Student Dog Trainer at "cumcane", Germany<br />
Administrator of "Gegen Cesar Millan "the dogwhisperer""-Group<br />
<br />
Dawn Carnell -Owner Paws-Forward<br />
Member PPGBI<br />
member APDT<br />
Member Doggonesafe<br />
Pets As Therapy Assessor<br />
Trainer Veterans With Dogs
<br />
<br />
Louise Jones <br />
Owner of Pawsitive Dog Training. www.pawsitivedogtraining.ie<br />
Cert. Canine Behaviour & Training<br />
O.A. Dip. Animal Psychology <br />
Cert. Pedagogy<br />
Cert. Evolution<br />
Cert. EFR for Animals<br />
Cert. Dogs & Children<br />
Cert. Anatomy & Physiology<br />
Cert. Animal Welfare <br />
Cert. Animal Psychology <br />
Cert. Dog Grooming <br />
Cert. Animal Behaviour & Welfare<br />
Cert. Companion Animal Zoonoses<br />
Cert. Understanding What Makes Dogs Tick<br />
Cert. Setting Up A Successful Training Class <br />
<br />
Member of APDT Ireland<br />
Member of PPGBI<br />
Member of Doggone Safe
<br />
<br />
Ashley Oslund Altamirano CPDT-KA
<br />
<br />
Carol A. Byrnes, Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed
and owner of Diamonds in the Ruff-Training for Dogs & Their People.
Charter member of the Pet Professional Guild-The Association for
Force-Free Pet Professionals; Professional Member Association of
Professional Dog Trainers, IAABC associate member. Author: "What is My
Dog Saying?" Canine Communication tool for trainers.
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
Rachel Hayball- Life Skills Dog Training. Member of the PPG, student member of INTO dogs. ISCP behavioural practitioner.
<br />
<br />
Kristin Gransbråten - Dog trainer and owner of Positivt Hundeliv, Pet
Professional Guild member and force free advocate, Associate Dog Trainer
student.
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<br />
Holly Simmons <br />
BSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare <br />
Paws N Claws
<br />
<br />
Tracee Sule, CPDT-KA<br />
Owner, Certified Professional Dog Trainer<br />
Zoomeez Dog Training, LLC<br />
www.zoomeezdogtraining.com<br />
Jacksonville, FL<br />
Member, Association of Professional Dog Trainers<br />
Member, Pet Professional Guild<br />
Former Pet Partners Animal Therapy Team
<br />
<br />
James Butler - Barking with Butler dog training, PPG
<br />
<br />
Jill Breitner, Dog Body Language Expert<br />
Author, Dog Decoder Smartphone App about dog body language<br />
www.dogdecoder.com<br />
<br />
Patricia Calderone, CPDT-KA, DN-FSG1<br />
Owner, Certified Professional Dog Trainer<br />
Certified Fun Scent Games Instructor<br />
http://clickercanines.com<br />
Pet Professional Guild Member - The Association for Force-Free Pet Professionals<br />
No Pain, No Force, No Fear
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="_5yl5"> Laura Nativo, CPDT-KA "The Fairy Dogmother"</span></span><br />
Pim Schuurmans, owner Dogs&Co.<br />
Dogtrainer and dogbehaviourist.
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Diane Garrod<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">- </span> PCT-A, PPG accreditation<br />CA1 - Tellington Touch COmpanion Animals<br />BSc - Bachelor of Science Communication/Journalism<br />Certificates/diplomas:
Animal Behavior; Writing for the Sciences: Fearful Dogs; Resource
Guarding; Cujo vs. Pavlov; Emotion and Cognition<br />Owner/Behavior Trainer/Analyst/Consultant Canine Transformations<br />Creator
of and Speaker worldwide on topics of "Solving the Aggression Puzzle"
"Nulti-dog Households Fighting (ATA Dog process) and "Canine EMotional
Detox: Stress release protocol for challenging canines<br />APDT C.L.A.S.S. Instructor<br />Founding member, Ethics Committe member Pet Professionals Guild: anassociation for force free pet professionals<br />Charter Member and Marketing Chair, National Association Treibball ENthusiasts<br />Certified Instructor and Judge American Treibball Association</span><br />
Jessica Thovson - Owner Dog Training by Jess/Tia's Pet Place LLC, Licensed Family Paws Parent Education Presenter, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Evaluator, Member Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Member Pet Professional Guild, APDT C.L.A.S.S. Trainer and Evaluator, Member Doggone Safe, Animal Behavior College Mentor Trainer, Purina Certified Weight Coach, Trained "Sandy" for live theater production of Annie, Can Do Canines Field Trainer<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Diane Purcell - Diane's Pet Sitting Services - Member Pet Professionals Guild & force-free advocate
</span><br />
Louise Thompson ABC of SA SABCAP Paws Abilities Behaviour & Learning Centre<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jelena Kallay, founder of Vagabond Positive Animal Communication, Dip.ABT, KPA CTP
<br /><br />Renea L. Dahms ~ Certified Dog Behavior Consultant<br /><br />Marta Young, Barking Up the Right Tree, PPG<br /><br />Debby McMullen, CDBC<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">,</span>Pawsitive Reactions, LLC<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">,</span>Professional member, APDT<br />Author:How Many Dogs? Using positive reinforcement training to manage a multiple dog household<br />Victoria Stilwell positively contributor<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sally Bradbury – Founder<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of Scallywags
School for Dogs , PPG<br /><br />
Stu Canavan - DWA, PPG, KCAI -Working towards accreditation<br /><br />
Denise O’Moore - ADipCBM, MISAP, MIACE, PPG, PPGBI Steering Committee, Doggone
Safe<br /><br />
Vicki Dawe – Dawes Paws Dog Training - PPG<br /><br />
Emma Judson – Canine Consultant - IMDT, PPG, KCAI – working towards accreditation<br />
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<br />
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Links: <br /><br /><br /><br />
http://www.drandyroark.com/one-pig-making-speak-bad-science/<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/press-statement.php">http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/press-statement.php</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/its-not-about-you-its-what-you-do-cesar.html">http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/its-not-about-you-its-what-you-do-cesar.html</a><br />
<br />
https://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/why-the-latest-cesar-milan-incident-isnt-just-about-a-pig/</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: yellow;">IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR NAME AND CREDENTIALS ADDING TO THIS PRESS STATEMENT PLEASE ADD THEM TO THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW - THANKYOU</span><br /><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></h3>
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</span>Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com129tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-62305092000874002962016-03-12T14:41:00.000-08:002016-03-12T14:41:11.795-08:00If You Keep Repeating A Thing Long Enough... no, it still doesn't become true!<br /><br />I am getting pretty sick of the subject but I wanted to address some of the really commonly trotted out lines about Cesar Millan, and these are lines HE has been saying about himself in the last couple of days.<br /><br />Of course he has, he's being investigated for animal cruelty and he has a brand image to protect. <br /><br /><br />But lets look at these claims in depth.<br /><br />1. He treats only severe cases that other professionals cannot fix, or cases that they will not take on. <br /><br /><br />This is just not so. As part of Cesar's shows, you are only shown the more extreme behaviour that the animal will display, you are not shown how much time they spent provoking that animal to achieve that behaviour.<br /><br />In a survey I recently carried out, polling a number of professionals who have an accumulative 200 YEARS worth of training behind them...<br /><br />Guess how many of their cases were described by OWNERS as 'red-zone' (Cesars term for extreme behaviour, not mine!) or severe cases...<br /><br />We estimated it at over 500 cases.<br /><br /><br />Guess how many of those cases really WERE serious, severe, 'red-zone' cases?<br /><br />A fifth of that. <br /><br />This should tell you that what OWNERS percieve is not what the professionals perceive. So when you see the owners on Cesar 911 or The Dog Whisperer, and they are telling you their dog is so severe and so bad and omg only Cesar can help and no other trainer would look at it...<br /><br />Sorry folks, thats bullshit. <br /><br />Sometimes thats because these people ARE genuinely very distraught and don't know what to do and are extremely distressed, sometimes its because it looks better for the cameras if they don't tell the viewer that actually they've been through several trainers before hand - like Simon's owner Sandy did... and the problem either got worse because the training was bad or because they didn't put in the work.<br /><br />Sometimes, clients will pull out of a training program that IS working, just so they can take up a spot on a TV show. Human nature huh!<br /><br />2. Cesar saves lives - we see countless owners telling us if this problem isn't fixed, the dog will be PTS.<br /><br />As trainers we hear this a lot, again back to my survey where around 230 owners thought their dog needed euthanasia, but in fact the number of professionals who thought euthanasia MIGHT be an option was less than a fifth of that number... and of those animals more than half of those HAD no owners but lived in rescue shelters and had suspected neurological disorders or terminal illnesses.<br /><br />Again demonstrating that a clients perception of the issues at hand tend to be somewhat more dramatic than the reality.<br /><br />And these are of course, clients that have NOT been primed and scripted to say tear-jerking things for the camera.<br /><br />Taking the latest case in hand, Sandy hints (she doesnt actually outright say that she WOULD have Simon put to sleep in fact she says she wouldn't) about euthanasia but lets get real folks, Simon killed those pigs way way back over 3 years ago... she doesn't have any pigs now, and so the reality is Simon is NOT at risk of being euthanised due to killing those pigs. If he was, that would have happened THREE YEARS AGO.<br /><br />So you can pretty safely take THAT claim with a big ole pinch of salt too.<br /><br />Still on the subject of Cesar saving lives - we actually have NO way of verifying that all the dogs he sees or even a reasonable proportion of them, are saved - we see them a few days or a week after the training and then thats it, we never hear from them again. Their owners have signed legal paperwork preventing them from publically discussing what happened on the show. <br /><br />I am aware of three dogs trained by Cesar on Leader of the Pack - of those dogs, one is still VERY aggressive to other dogs and other animals, one of those dogs is still VERY fearful and reactive and one is fine... but then the problem she went in to the show with, wasn't really a problem at all!<br /><br />We have never heard good things about the US dogs to my knowledge (And hell if you have the info, gimme), we only know about a couple that went badly wrong - Cotton and Shadow... <br /><br />If he really saves lives and does so much good where ARE these dogs? <br /><br />3. Cesar is special because he has dedicated his life to making dogs lives better.<br /><br />Short response, so what, so do most dog trainers, behaviourists, behaviour consultants and rescue employees I know - my survey says that 99% of people would agree that statement applies to them.<br /><br />So no, he ain't special on THAT score either.<br /><br /><br />4. Cesar tells people to treat dogs like dogs, to meet their needs for sensible boundaries and household rules, provide the things they need such as exercise and outlets for mental activity...<br /><br />Again, 100% of respondants to my survey do the same - he is NOT special, this is NOT something other trainers do not do.<br /><br /><br /><br />My survey was only a fun little thing, filled out by a small group and no I don't claim it is proof or totally representative, I just took the answers I got over a 24 hour period.<br /><br />You may be interested to know however, that over 85% of these trainers are members of a professional body that qualifies them to practice, and requires they do CPD each year and reassess regularly.<br /><br />The final question I asked was about what happens when they have a problem they cannot fix - we all know what Cesar does... he swaps the client a dog from his own pack. Or on one occasion, the client pulled out and Cesar told the camera the dog was too ill to continue filming... <br /><br />Our respondants told us they would refer to another practitioner; they would work with the client with another practitioner, or they would give the client the option to be referred on, or continue working with them knowing that they were having to research the problem.<br /><br />100% of our practitioners would NOT offer to SWAP a clients dog for one of their own animals - the reason why?<br /><br />Because this is a horribly, wildly unprofessional and horrific attitude, the idea that a dog is a disposable item, to be traded in or swapped out for a better model... and this should REALLY tell you something about how Cesar views the dogs that make up his various 'packs'.. as disposable goods.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-29890096559402775452016-03-11T15:42:00.001-08:002016-03-11T15:42:57.419-08:00Open Letter to Cesar Millan...<br /><br />Dear Cesar, <br /><br />As a dog trainer and behaviourist, I hear a lot of people saying the following things:<br /><br />"He's saved a lot of dogs that would otherwise be dead"<br /><br />"If it were not for him these dogs would have been put down".<br /><br />"He has done wonders for dogs".<br /><br /><br />We both work with dogs Cesar, but theres a difference between my clients and your clients.<br /><br />My clients are free to talk about how I work with them, what methods I use, how they feel about that, they are free to talk about what happens in a consultation with me and how the training goes afterwards.<br /><br />The same applies to every behaviour consultant and dog trainer across the country, in fact, across the world.<br /><br /><br />So Cesar, lets hear from your past clients shall we?<br /><br />Lets let them tell it like it is, remove any gagging paperwork that prevents them talking about their experiences..<br /><br />Where's Cotton, how did little Cotton's life pan out after he got more aggressive with you and then had to have his teeth filed off....<br /><br />What about Shadow the husky mix you strangled into submissive urination, and was taken back by his former foster carer.. how'd it work out for him?<br /><br />What about the wee Staffie from Leader of the Pack who last I saw was still fearful and reactive despite being 'fixed' on your show..<br /><br />Why aren't all these owners of dogs you definitely saved, singing it from the rooftops? They are conspicuous by their silence... <br /><br /><br /><br />Its really easy to make these claims, but it really is just your word for it... I've never seen you revisit old cases and they certainly don't seem to want to speak for themselves...<br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-46084576623870869352016-03-11T08:21:00.000-08:002016-03-11T08:34:55.675-08:00It's Not About You.. It's What You Do... Cesar Millan, Pig-Gate<br />
<br />
<h3>
So the piggy poo has undeniably hit the fan... man there's shit everywhere!<br /><br />Cesar being investigated by L A County Animal Control...</h3>
I'd like to clarify some points that I think might be being missed in the general shitstorm..<br />
<br />
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<ul>
<li> This is not about 'hating' on someone when they made a mistake. Cesar CHOSE to take the steps he did, in full knowledge of the dogs prior behaviour: </li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Put the dog in with pigs</li>
<li>Not use a muzzle</li>
<li>Take off the lead </li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li> It was no accident that Simon chased and caught the pig - the pig was
held by the hind leg, something that will guarantee a pig squeals
blue-murder. The only reason this was done was to cause the dog to bolt,
dramatically, and attack the pig. This was not a mistake, it was not an
'oops' moment, it was intentional and it constitutes animal baiting,
which is not legal.<br /><br />In these frames you can see very clearly that the pig is held by the leg BEFORE Simon makes contact. The pig is struggling to get away and is held as Simon gets him.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCl633uaYzAzCB6v2EyxizTG5NKhFZ8gGVEv2bAcEHMq-7YFnahpbV0uz8BsTOiEw03typo7D6GVDXzEYoupQG17NvECKY3FjqZsbQJhZUNkARKmFm0tT6Zz7eNIJ4g1KEYvR3zjTxFNY/s1600/piglegheld.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCl633uaYzAzCB6v2EyxizTG5NKhFZ8gGVEv2bAcEHMq-7YFnahpbV0uz8BsTOiEw03typo7D6GVDXzEYoupQG17NvECKY3FjqZsbQJhZUNkARKmFm0tT6Zz7eNIJ4g1KEYvR3zjTxFNY/s320/piglegheld.png" width="320" /></a><br />
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The
next sequence is every bit as bad - Cesar had the dog under control and
the pig could and SHOULD have been removed and checked for injury but
instead, Cesars assistant continues to hold the pig, and Cesar chooses
to let go of the dog again...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxCjhE4TSRFvrKwPT1En7WnBMDpNrhYY0DljAs21XdjcRL_dwaov2Wingpu6fuPRYkQISX39GcU-gja517h0phMsl1NS8B9FFVYsf_MT2yxgSmIZLHXM4MjSKtTXPIVprqNITwdsA4BA/s1600/Pigstillheld.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxCjhE4TSRFvrKwPT1En7WnBMDpNrhYY0DljAs21XdjcRL_dwaov2Wingpu6fuPRYkQISX39GcU-gja517h0phMsl1NS8B9FFVYsf_MT2yxgSmIZLHXM4MjSKtTXPIVprqNITwdsA4BA/s320/Pigstillheld.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
And the dog latches onto the pigs ear - and note this Nat Geo, this is NOT a 'nip', the dog has hold of the pigs ear until Cesar pulls him off. That is not a 'nip', that is a bite, and it resulted in real physical injury to the pig.<br />
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<ul>
<li>The pigs suffered not just a 'nip' to one pigs ear, they were chased, they were bitten repeatedly by the dog, and this was in addition to the pig who was held whilst Simon attacked, bit AND tore a chunk out of the pigs ear.<br /> </li>
<li>Simon suffered too - this is an old dog, he has a short muzzle, he was put in a slip lead that we can see on removal has become too tight for some time: The first still shows how tight the leash is, the second still shows his owner removing it, she is sliding down the stopper that prevents the leash loosening off here, showing this leash was intentionally very tight.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Simon also suffered distress, and pain, which is not necessary and not acceptable in modern training.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> This whole procedure was not necessary. Simon was controllable on the lead around pigs, he never needed to be off lead with pigs. </li>
<li>Had it been necessary to teach Simon to be calm and responsive to a handler or owner around pigs, that could have been achieved without force, aversives or risk to either dog or pig.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
<li>The steps that were taken, the risks that were taken were not done out of any necessity within dog training or behaviour modification. They were taken purely and soley for the benefit of TV ratings, to make dramatic television. <br /></li>
<li>Nat Geo would like you to believe that those of us complaining do not understand the 'context' of what occurred - I have in fact seen the whole episode and I understand it perfectly, if it is not as portrayed then Nat Geo need to look at how they edit their footage (for example, using out of sequence shots) - but I fail to see how they can possibly have edited it to LOOK as though a man is restraining a pig to bait a dog with, inciting an attack, if that is not what occurred.<br /><br />They also claim that Millan took 'necessary precautions' prior to the incident - again, what precautions? No lead, no muzzle, dog locked in a pen full of pigs, pig held to cause dog to attack, pig attacked again whilst still held...<br /><br />Where are these precautions Nat Geo? <br /><br />The footage NatGeo have subsequently released of Simon after the training does not, to any professional, paint Cesar in any better light. Simon displays severe avoidance behaviours, that in my professional opinion, are only found where a dog has been subjected to severe aversive conditioning - in otherwords, Simon now finds both Cesar and the proximity of pigs to be so deeply traumatising that he is severely shut down and non-responsive.<br /><br />Thats not humane training, it is not ethical training, and it is not training that will render Simon safe around other animals for life either, it isn't going to last and will need repeating - putting Simon through more distress and pain.<br /><br /><br />And finally - to those people who think that because the pig only suffered a minor injury so its ok...<br /><br />No. The law does not determine cruelty on just the severity of the injury inflicted - cruelty can be carried out without ANY injury being inflicted at all.<br /><br />And ask yourself, how minor would you think it if part of your own ear were torn off by someone elses dog - would you be chilled out and happy about that, brush it off as its just a scratch, its only a nip?<br /><br />What about if Simon had torn part of a dogs ear off, or a horses, or a childs... <br /><br />The degree of injury is not whats relevant here, its the fact it was not just allowed to happen but set up to happen, for the benefit of television audience ratings and money. <br /><br /><br /><br />The bottom line is, if I see ANYONE attempting to train or handle dogs or other animals the way Millan does in this episode (or many others!), I will respond in the same way.<br /><br />It is not about him, it is about what he chooses to do. Anyone choosing to use outdated methods that put animals at risk and work by causing fear, pain and distress, needs to be stopped.</li>
</ul>
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-12700281303394998582016-03-05T12:23:00.002-08:002016-03-06T13:29:46.590-08:00Open Letter to the Producer of Cesar 911 and National Geographic Channels US<br />
Dear Sirs, <br />
<br />
The television entertainment show 'Cesar 911' featuring Cesar Millan recently depicted scenes that at the very least, contravene California State Law regarding animal cruelty.<br />
<br />
<br />
The program clearly evidences Mr Millan actively choosing to put another animal (a pig) through a stressful and potentially dangerous experience in the name of animal training and entertainment.<br />
<br />
Mr Millan was fully aware that the dog he was working with, a French Bulldog x named Simon, had previously carried out vicious and deadly attacks on pigs in the past.<br />
<br />
Mr Millan then set Simon up to attack two dogs, after being told he was dog aggressive and would fight with them.<br />
<br />
After witnessing these attacks and in the full knowledge that Simon would be out of control if off leash and would inflict physical injury if unmuzzled, he chose to let Simon off leash and unmuzzled whilst locked in a pen with a number of pigs.<br />
<br />
Mr Millan allowed Simon to chase, make contact with the pigs and grab a pig by the ear inflicting a bloody wound.<br />
<br />
<br />
It is clear from slow-motion footage of the 'training' session that one of Mr Millans assistant crew incited the dog to attack by restraining a pig by a hind leg - it is reasonable to assume that this was done at Mr Millans instruction, and that this was done to ensure some 'exciting' footage for the tv program.<br />
<br />
The pig can clearly be seen, held by a back leg and squealing BEFORE the off leash and unmuzzled dog reaches him - Mr Millan makes chase and attempts to grab the dog but fails to do so before contact is made. Once he does get the dog under control instead of putting the dog on a lead and muzzling it, he chooses again to let go of the dog, who almost immediately attacks the pig (still held by the assistant crew member despite its attempts to escape) again, causing it a bloody injury to its left ear.<br />
<br />
<br />
According to California State Law <br />
<h1 class="page__title title" id="page-title">
<span class="field field-name-field-full-statute-name field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><span class="field-items"><span class="field-item even">West's
Annotated California Codes. Penal Code. Part 1. Of Crimes and
Punishments. Title 14. Malicious Mischief. § 597. Cruelty to animals <br /></span></span></span></h1>
<h4>
<span class="field field-name-field-full-statute-name field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><span class="field-items"><span class="field-item even">..."</span></span></span><span class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-inline clearfix al_content-type_body"><span class="field-items"><span class="field-item even">(a)
Except as provided in subdivision (c) of this section or Section 599c,
every person who maliciously and <span style="background-color: yellow;">intentionally maims, mutilates,
tortures, or wounds a living animal,</span> or maliciously and intentionally
kills an animal, is guilty of a crime punishable pursuant to subdivision
(d).<br />
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a) or (c), every
person who overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks,<span style="background-color: yellow;">
tortures, torments,</span> deprives of necessary sustenance, drink, or shelter,
cruelly beats, <span style="background-color: yellow;">mutilates,</span> or cruelly kills any animal, <span style="background-color: yellow;">or causes or
procures any animal to be</span> so overdriven, overloaded, driven when
overloaded, overworked, <span style="background-color: yellow;">tortured, tormented,</span> deprived of necessary
sustenance, drink, shelter, or to be cruelly beaten, mutilated, or
cruelly killed; <span style="background-color: yellow;">and whoever, having the charge or custody of any animal,
either as owner or otherwise, subjects any animal to needless
suffering, or inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon the animal, or in any
manner abuses any animal, </span>or fails to provide the animal with proper
food, drink, or shelter or protection from the weather, or who drives,
rides, or otherwise uses the animal when unfit for labor, is, for each
offense, guilty of a crime punishable pursuant to subdivision (d)....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The law here seems to be pretty clear - if there were no intention to maim, mutilate, torture, or cause needless suffering or inflict unnecessary cruelty, then the pig in question would not have been held by the leg to cause it to scream and incite the dog to attack. The dog in question would have been wearing a muzzle and leash.<br /><br /><br />Mr Millan cannot possibly claim he was unaware of the dogs prior history, nor of its behaviour, having handled the animal himself prior to intentionally setting it loose on the pigs.<br /><br /><br />Furthermore, during the show Mr Millan made no obvious attempt to treat the injured pig, he does not halt the training and ask someone to attend to the injured animal, and you felt it acceptable to use background footage of the injured animal in other parts of the show. <br /><br /><br />I put it to you that the footage shows clear contravention of the law, and quite probably other laws that apply to that state and others.<br /><br /><br />Mr Millan and National Geographic US have a case to answer here as do the producers of the show and anyone else working on it. I would like to know what steps you intend to take to prevent such animal abuse in future ideally including an immediate severing of the relationship between Nat Geo and Mr Millan and legal action taken against those who made the decision to abuse animals in the name of entertainment AND those who took the decision to include and air that footage on television.</span></span></span></span></h4>
Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-36285314535012813392016-03-04T19:23:00.001-08:002016-03-04T19:23:22.033-08:00"Just pick out the bits that work for you..."... Why this makes trainers and behaviourists cry!<i><b>"Oh just pick out the bits that work for you and your dog and leave the rest..."...</b></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b> </b></i>This is a comment I hear and see written all the time, and frankly it makes me want to bounce my head off the desk.<br />
<br />
It is often said in reference to TV programs where trainers use less than humane methods, but its also applied randomly to any advice or training methodology.<br />
<br />
There are major issues with this concept though!<br />
<br />
Firstly, and I am going to try really hard not to make this sound mean or rude or patronising, because that is absolutely not my intention, to be able to 'pick out what works for you', you need to have a pretty decent knowledge of behaviour, of training, of learning theory.<br />
<br />
You need to be able to identify WHY a particular method works, how it works, what the pro's and con's are, what are the potential risks, where is the fall-out, what do you need to look out for.<br />
<br />
Then you need to know how you evaluate whether it will 'work for you' - this is something a lot of people don't actually understand, and thats because they don't know the previous stuff, the learning theory, the why's and hows and wherefores of behaviour modification and training.<br />
<br />
So thats the first biggy really, you CANNOT pick out what works for you, if you don't have a thorough understanding of what is being done and why it is achieving the results it is ( or appears to be) achieving.<br />
<br />
Is that dog quiet and calm now because his fear has been counter conditioned and he is being managed under threshold whilst the behaviour modification plan takes place, or is that dog quiet and 'calm' because he is shut down due to being flooded?<br />
<br />
Is that bouncy excitable hooligan of a dog really as confident as he looks or is he really an edgey, nervous type who is constantly over threshold and can't calm down?<br />
<br />
Has that dog stopped pulling on the lead because he's learned that walking beside his owner is rewarding, or has he stopped pulling on the lead because he's learned that it causes him severe pain from a shock collar?<br />
<br />
Frankly, if you do know enough to be picking out the bits that work for you, you almost certainly wouldn't be asking for advice or watching TV trainers for help.<br />
<br />
Secondly, and this is another area where I am aware of the need to tread carefully...<br />
<br />
If you are getting great advice, if you have hired a brilliant trainer or behaviourist, and they give you a plan to work through...<br />
<br />
Do not 'pick' and choose which bits of it you will follow. <br />
<br />
Your trainer will make it clear to you which bits are optional and where you can make choices, if they have not done so, then just do exactly what you were told to do. Do all of it. <br />
<br />
Do not leave out bits you do not fancy, do not skip the boring bits, or rush ahead. Please, please, do not miss out the bits you didn't quite understand or aren't sure why they are there.<br />
<br />
<br />
If your trainer has told you to start crate training by lobbing a treat in the crate and allowing your puppy to wander in and find it, and then lobbing in another treat so your puppy stays in to eat that one, and then waiting a second and lobbing in a third treat... DO EXACTLY THAT..<br />
<br />
Do not decide that your pup has been in the crate 10 seconds now and so its time to shut that door and leave the room for 10 minutes... do not decide that thats enough treats for today and shove the pup in without any reward...<br />
<br />
<br />
When you find a really awesome trainer or behaviourist, really no matter WHAT the problem was you called them in for, its almost certain that the advice will NOT be to do just ONE thing, or change just ONE aspect of your dogs routine or handling.<br />
<br />
They will look at your dogs ENTIRE routine, day to day life, every little detail, and every step of that training plan will be necessary. Not optional.<br />
<br />
There is almost nothing worse as a behaviour consultant, to hear someone tell a client to just 'pick out the bits that work for you', when you know they have been given a detailed step by step plan.<br />
<br />
<br />
All too often I hear people say that the positive reinforcement, force free steps they have been given 'do not work' or 'I have tried it all' or 'it doesn't work for my dog'...<br />
<br />
In pretty much all the cases where I hear this I find that the owner has not done everything they were told to do, they have picked out the bits they fancy and skipped the rest, or they have skipped the boring beginning stages of the work and jumped in at the deep end.<br />
<br />
If you have found yourself a fabulous, force free, positive reinforcement trainer, please do not pick and choose the bits of advice you will follow.<br />
<br />
Instead if you find something is hard to do, speak to your trainer - get them to explain why you need to do it, how you might adapt what you need to do to your environment or particular situation.<br />
<br />
A good trainer does NOT mind explaining to you in greater depth why something will work, how to adapt and tweak things to fit the environment you have to work in and the dog you are working with.<br />
<br />
<br />
The above does assume you HAVE a brilliant trainer who is up to date on science and is teaching you how to use positive reinforcement and force free methods.<br />
<br />
If you are not sure about your trainers methods - ask them a few simple questions.<br />
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What happens if my dog gets it right?<br />
What happens if my dog gets it wrong?<br />Are there any less invasive alternatives to what you propose?<br /><br />MY answers (in brief) to those questions are as follows.<br /><br />If your dog gets it right he gets a reward - this may be food or it may be a toy or it may be access to some environment or activity he really likes or it could be something else. The dog determines what he or she finds rewarding, it is not up to me to decide what that will be or impose MY preferences upon him. <br /><br />Occasionally it may be necessary to increase or decrease the value of a reinforcer (for example a dog who is so nuts about squeaky balls that in the presence of one, he is blind to everything else - we would try to make balls a bit less valuable by perhaps giving him more access to them, or by using less exciting balls, ones that don't squeak or are not covered in yellow fur!).<br /><br />If the dog gets it wrong - I look at what we were doing, why it went wrong and try a different approach. Perhaps we need to make the task easier, perhaps we need to make it harder, perhaps we need to do something else first.<br /> Sometimes if the dog gets it wrong, nothing happens, he simply doesn't get the reward he was expecting. Your dog will never receive a positive punishment or aversive correction from me.<br /><br />Are there any less invasive alternatives to what I am suggesting? As far as I am aware, no, however I keep researching, studying and learning and if I find a way that is less invasive, I will use it. I spend a lot of time and money every year ensuring I am keeping my skills up to date and in line with science and humane, force free 'best practice'.<br /><br /><br /><br />If you ask a trainer or behaviour consultant these three questions and you do not get replies that are very much in line with mine, or you get a confused look or you get an angry or defensive response - walk away!<br />
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-35879099216977009292016-03-04T11:35:00.005-08:002016-03-08T07:47:02.547-08:00Cesar 911 - Simon Strikes Again.. and again and again and again.. a review! Updated!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we are again, these days I try not to look at what Cesar is doing because its almost certainly horrific, but I couldn't ignore it when I saw the promotional clip from NatGeo for this episode.<br />
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In this episode we meet Simon, a French Bulldog x Boston Terrier who has a history of dog aggression going back to when he was 9 weeks old.<br />
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We are not told whether any particular incident triggered this but in the years between then and now, Simon has escalated his aggression to include other animals and has killed two pet pigs, one outright and the other needed to be euthanised by a vet as it's injuries were too severe.<br />
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From the start of the episode it is clear that Sandy, Simon's owner has been following Cesars methods and attempting them herself - she gives him badly timed leash 'corrections' and is using a thin slip leash as is Cesar's preference.<br />
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This alone is likely to create a problem, as the dog associates the presence of another dog with the leash correction and for a brachycephalic breed a slip leash tight around the neck will cause even more distress as they already struggle to breathe!<br />
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Cesar sees a small amount of Simon's unwanted behaviour in the park and thinks Simon is not that bad - they go to Sandy's house and he watches from outside on a monitor as Sandy allows Simon to fence fight with a foster dog she has called Stella. After this Cesar declares that Simon is indeed a 'red zone' dog - the term 'red zone' is Cesars terminology for a dog that is over threshold and beyond the point of being capable of listening or calming down or thinking straight, but Cesar never mentions that and possibly isn't aware of it. He is aware and does state that a dog in this state is hard to get through to but then goes off into some waffle about energy. <br />
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The reality is that once a dog is over threshold you can't train, you can still apply harsh corrections but only the harshest will be noticed and these will just add to the dogs stress unless you are SO harsh that now you become the thing to avoid, rather than the original trigger.<br />
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This of course is Cesars stock in trade, physically and psychologically intimidate the animal until it shuts down.<br />
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This causes huge arousal in both dogs and Simon is very stressed as Cesar then enters and asks Sandy to let him take over, with Simon off the lead and Stella inside a wire pen.<br />
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Simon has another pop at Stella through the wire and Cesar delivers his TSST and finger clicking corrections which Simon tries to avoid - its worth keeping in mind that its highly likely Cesar has done some work with Simon before this meeting that we haven't seen.<br />
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Then Cesar goes into Stellas pen and brings her out - remember she's very over threshold already - on a slip lead, and immediately walks her to Simon, giving her leash corrections, TTSSTS and a backwards kick as well.<br />
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He starts to talk to camera whilst Simon is still trying to avoid him, off lead, and Simon sees his chance and flies at Stella and grabs her by the face which Cesar has to split up.<br />
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More tsst and punishment follows.<br />
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He takes Simon for a walk with Sandy and they find a property with some dogs Sandy says Simon hates - Cesar forces Simon to approach and punishes him when he reacts - he lets Sandy have a go and then describes Simon's avoidance behaviour as being calm submissive.<br />
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Lets be really clear here, at NO point in this training is Simon calm or submissive. Simon is starting to shut down and he is learning that when he is on a lead he cannot avoid the corrections so he is suppressing his behaviour.<br />
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At some point Cesar acknowledges that Simon IS insecure and this is what causes his aggressive behaviour - that is absolutely correct - but then goes on to discuss 'correcting insecure behaviour' - this is a massive heap of horseshit. Insecurity, fear, anxiety, these are emotional states they are not something the dog is in control of and they are not something that can be corrected by the use of punishment. All Cesar is doing is suppressing the behaviours that are a result of the insecurity, he is NOT making the dog feel any more confident, relaxed or happy when he does this, he is just stopping the dog communicating.<br />
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The next scene, Cesar spots a neighbour with his old black labrador off leash on his driveway. He asks if they can approach and corrects Simon as they do so at several points. He gets within five feet and again starts talking about insecurity and correcting Simon before he gets too alert or 'red zone'.<br />
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He has a second go and this time when he gets nearer the man allows his dog to approach Simon - Cesar has at NO POINT warned the man that this is a dog aggressive dog that can and already has, lunge really fast and will grab his dog. He has set this dog up to get bitten and predictably, Simon lunges and grabs the dogs face and has to be pulled off. Cesar apologises and punishes Simon again.<br />
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At this point, Simon has now been set up to fail on several occasions resulting in other dogs being attacked. Simon has been punished multiple times for being near other dogs BEFORE any move to use aggression was shown, and he has been punished after the fact which he can't possibly connect with his actions as the punishment is not timed well enough to be of use.<br />
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Cesar now suggests that Sandy bring Simon to the DPC to meet pigs, and this is where the real abuse of animals for the sake of entertainment occurs...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/B0Soxw58eiQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B0Soxw58eiQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
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(Video edited by Vicki Dawe - thankyou Vicki :) )<br />
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Watch this video a few times...<br />
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Cesar is well aware that Simon will avoid him, and will lunge and attack when he sees an opportunity. Cesar has witnessed this behaviour already on two occasions.<br />
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Cesar is aware that Simon has torn the ear off a pig and killed two pigs, and he has seen Simon grab at other dogs faces, so he knows very well in what manner Simon attacks.<br />
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Even if this were the appropriate way to introduce Simon to pigs, which it is NOT, a muzzle would be the sensible course of action, but Cesar does not choose that option in fact he actively decides NOT to use a muzzle, stating that a long line is the equivalent to a muzzle. It is not, and in fact Cesar lets Simon off the leash anyway.<br />
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It is also clear from this video that one of the crew members causes the pig to squeal by grabbing it by a hind leg - this is for anyone who knows pigs, a sure fire way to get a high pitched scream out of a pig and the video shows very clearly that THIS is what triggers Simon to attack.<br />
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In other words, in order to entertain the viewers, Cesar Millan and his crew intentionally set a pig up to cause Simon to attack it. It is not an accident, it is intentional.<br />
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Simon is in fact permitted (and I say that because there were other options that Cesar chose not to take, such as the use of a muzzle, a long line, working the other side of the fence) to attack pigs on multiple occasions, chasing them and making contact with them, as well as the incident where Simon gets the pig by the ear and tears its ear open.<br />
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Cesar discusses how he wants to give Simon a new positive memory of pigs - it would appear from the full episode that he has done quite the opposite. In fact at at least one point, Cesar punishes Simon with such bad timing that he actually punishes him for making the RIGHT choice!<br />
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In later scenes in the full episode Simon is shown at the DPC without his owner, he is showing avoidance behaviour that is very severe, avoiding both Cesar and the pigs, standing very very still looking away from everyone.<br />
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Cesar has almost certainly achieved this behaviour through use of strong aversives, most likely a shock collar, as using a prong collar on an old brachycelphalic breed would be a pretty high risk.<br />
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It would appear that someone has noticed that Simon wearing a slip leash is a danger, as Simon is shown on a long line with a wide martingale collar on - still not safe but marginally less likely to kill Simon in the training process.<br />
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When Cesar takes Simon back to Sandy, Simon still looks pretty stressed to be greeting new dogs in her back yard.<br />
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At one point Cesar says she still has homework to do and has to watch Simon and correct him before he gets aroused - so he ISN'T actually cured... Cesar is here acknowledging that he will need to keep being punished and she will have to keep suppressing his behaviour.<br />
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There is a shot of Simon greeting the new dog in the yard where Cesar says he is relaxed and this is good, in fact Simon is VERY stiff and tense and looks like he is about to lunge at the other dog - we don't see if this in fact happens as the scene is cut rather quickly.... I suspect it did!<br />
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In summary:</h4>
Cesar has set out to create positive memories with other animals. In fact he has not achieved this but has suppressed Simons communicative behaviours via punishment.<br />
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In order to suppress Simons behaviour, Cesar has allowed at least two dogs and two pigs to be chased, grabbed and injured by Simon. One of those incidents was set up on purpose to cause Simon to attack.<br />
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Simon has been subjected to repeated, highly stressful experiences, and huge amounts of punishment.<br />
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Another dog (Stella) has also been subjected to high stress and punishments.<br />
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And at the end of it, Simon is in fact not 'fixed' but still requires close management and on going punishments.<br />
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Even if Simon WERE fixed completely and was genuinely relaxed and happy about the presence of other animals, the price this has come at is too high, far too high and not in any way acceptable.<br />
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This behavioural problem COULD have been handled using positive reinforcement and force free methods - there would still be a good deal of management of course, but dramatically less stress and of course, no aversives. It would have been far more effective than Cesar's way, but of course far less dramatic and 'entertaining' to watch.<br />
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Cesar MISSED multiple opportunities to reward Simon for making the right choices - I can only assume that his owner has done so as well as she is a fairly die-hard Cesar fan and has been using his methods on Simon all his life (so, if they are so great, why wasn't it working for her?).<br />
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This man is abusing animals for entertainment and he is teaching others to do so as well, this is unacceptable when we know there are better, safer, kinder ways that are FAR more effective.<br />
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In fact even if there WEREN'T a better way to do it, it is still unacceptable. Simon has suffered all this abuse, as have other dogs and the pigs, JUST so that his owner can continue bringing in foster dogs and presumably, keep pigs again.<br />
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The world would in fact not stop turning, and Simon could lead a perfectly happy life if his owner just stopped having foster dogs in (something that everyone acknowledged was causing Simon huge insecurity and stress) or pet pigs!<br />
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UPDATE:<br /><br />I add here a quote from someone who previously worked in the tv and film industry, who commented on the video shared on Facebook. For anyone who thinks I am jumping to conclusions because I am biased against Millan, or that he wouldn't compromise animal welfare for TV ratings and money.. please read the following!<br /><br /><br /><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">"Before
I became a dog trainer, I worked for many years as a sound editor in
the entertainment industry. So I share this not to add any commentary
about the "dog training" (there isn't any training going on), but to say something about TV.<br />Television
is driven by one thing and one thing only: money. If enough viewers
would watch a blank screen to bring in advertising revenue, networks
would broadcast blank screens. But we won't. What we will watch is
drama, stuff that appeals to our emotional brains, sucks us in to
rooting for or against the characters. Most Reality TV seems to float
between us caring for odd characters or being appalled by them--not that
anyone making the shows cares which it is. As long as we watch, the
dollars roll in.<br />Reality TV is less expensive to produce
than original dramas--but it's still expensive. And you simply can't do
an episode about a little dog that kills pigs and have your little dog
walk around ignoring pigs. You need the "money shot": the shot where the
dog attacks and the hero saves the day. The cameras are rolling, the
clock is ticking, an entire crew is waiting and money is pouring down
the drain and if you don't get the "money shot," you don't have a show.
So you'll do what it takes to get it--provoke it, stage it or
manufacture it somehow. No matter if it may be harmful to everyone
involved. That's the Reality of Reality TV. It's about money, and
viewers, and entertainment.<br />Unless you're the pigs or
the little dog. Hmmm. *** I would advise everyone not to take behavior
advice from anyone whose primary duty is to provide dramatic footage to
TV producers. Please think deeply and critically--or better still,
consult a qualified professional whose first duty is to do no harm to
your dog." Emily Gaydos</span></span></h4>
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<a href="https://www.change.org/p/ban-cesar-millan-shame-on-you-national-geographic?recruiter=179761&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-no_msg&fb_ref=Default" target="_blank">Petition - Please sign</a><br /><br />
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<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-68097769264422490852016-02-14T14:02:00.001-08:002016-02-14T14:02:42.007-08:00I don't need to go to class... I am a trainer myself!<br />
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The idea of a dog trainer taking their dog to someone elses class can seem a bit funny - why would you do that, surely you can save some time and money and do it yourself. Surely you must know what you are doing, if you go to someone elses class isn't that admitting you don't?<br />
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Well, no! My latest pup, Tatty, a Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, has been attending another trainers puppy classes. We've been going to <a href="http://www.happydoghappyowner.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Happy Dog Training Co. </a>, who run puppy classes under the Puppy School scheme, and we will be progressing to some of their other classes.<br />
I will admit, one reason is that I prefer behaviour consultations, working on a one to one basis with clients, and dislike the admin involved in running classes.. but thats definitely not the only reason!<br />
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Here are some fabulous reasons why trainers SHOULD take their dogs to other trainers classes:<br />
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Nobody is perfect!</h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Going to someone elses class helps to show up the areas where you might have skipped something, made a mistake or forgotten something.</span></h4>
This is very easily done, particularly with puppies and particularly when you spend most of your time thinking about and training other peoples dogs!<br />
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<b>Another set of eyes!</b><br />
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Attending another trainers class gives you access to another set of eyes - someone who is able to give you vital input, and see the things that you may miss.<br />
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Whilst we shouldn't really be making direct comparisons between our pup and the others in class, because every pup is different, its also really useful to see those differences, and remind ourselves that our puppies do NOT know we are trainers. Pups will progress at their own rate, as long as we are putting the work in (which we are of course!!!) but sometimes as a trainer you can feel as if your pup SHOULD be better because you are a trainer... attending someone elses class will give you a much more honest picture of how you are doing than attending your own class, or not going to classes at all!<br />
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<b>It's not all about you!</b><br />
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Attending classes is about what is best for your dog, it's really not about you.<br />
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You may know the puppy class routine inside out and back to front but, your puppy doesn't, and she doesn't give a rats how many classes you have run either. <br />
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Attending someone elses classes mean whilst you cover the same things, you are hearing that information in a slightly different way, which can often make a HUGE difference to how you work with your dog (ever been to a seminar and had a lightbulb moment over something you thought you knew? Same thing!)..<br />
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Not only that, but attending someone elses class, you have ALL your attention on your puppy - even if you run a class and have an assistant handle your pup, its still super hard to teach AND watch your pup at the same time.<br />
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<b>What about your partner...</b><br />
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If you have a significant other, attending someone elses class can mean its MUCH easier for them to learn. Many of us do have partners who are not trainers or dog professionals, and it really is quite difficult for them to learn from us, because to them, we are not a trainer, we are their partner! <br />
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For us its really hard to be objective and teach our partners as we would a client, so the ideal way round this is.. attend someone elses class, and your partner does most of the handling!<br />
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This is where for us, attending Happy Dog Training Co. classes has been fabulous - whenever Mike has assisted at my own classes, he has been too busy handing out Kongs filled with cheese or cleaning up accidents to really pay attention, but now he was free to do all the handling... WITHOUT being bossed about by the Missus! <br />
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<b>Keeping tabs on progress...</b><br />
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We are often busy people, lots of clients, lots of dogs - sometimes it can mean time flies by and suddenly you realise its a while since you put any work into your own dogs.<br />
At the last seminar I attended, filled with ONLY trainers and behaviour consultants, when asked if anyone had a perfect well trained dog, not one single person put their hand up.<br />
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Now in part that is because we are far more likely to take on difficult and challenging dogs, but in part its often because we are so busy, and like the cobblers children go without shoes and the tailors kids are threadbare, the dog trainers dogs get a bit left out at times.<br />
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Attending someone elses class can give you that wee bit of motivation to carry on, to put in that work you know needs doing and to keep you on track.<br />
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<b>Keeping you grounded...</b>Finally, I think attending someone elses classes from time to time, keeps you in touch with what it is like to be a normal dog owner - something some of us get VERY far removed from at times. <br />
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We were all where those other clients are once, and it definitely pays to remember that! <br />
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So, I'd like to say a HUGE thankyou to Rachel, Jacki and Sue and ALL the team at Happy Dog - because of course the flip side of this coin is that other trainers need to welcome fellow trainers to their classes. Something that sadly, doesn't always happen and I think is a huge shame.<br />
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Tatty has come on in leaps and bounds and Mike has become MUCH more confident in handling her and much more motivated as a result of being involved and it not just being 'her indoors's thing'.<br />
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Tonight Tatty graduated puppy class at the very young age of 14 weeks, a social, confident and happy pup, looking forwards to attending Puppy University!<br />
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<b>If you need training classes, from puppy to Kennel Club Good Citizen
Gold and anywhere in between and you are in the Tewkesbury area, go to <a href="http://www.happydoghappyowner.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Happy Dog Training Co.</a> your dog will thank you for it! </b><br />
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<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-4279444778650341292016-01-29T03:44:00.000-08:002016-01-29T03:47:15.586-08:00 Bad Dog... really?<br />
I am doing a lot of pondering lately as we have a new puppy in the house - in fact she's currently sat on my desk lying across my arms. This makes typing... interesting.<br />
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Anyway... Bad Dogs... why do we seem to want to tell our dogs they are bad?<br />
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I think theres more to this than just wanting a dog to not do something or stop doing something... after all if that were all we wanted to achieve then 'come here' or ' lie down' would (if you have taken the time to train those things) achieve that goal.<br />
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We seem to want our dogs to understand that an action is inherently wrong, and thats a big problem because dogs don't have the same social and moral standards we do, and they never will.<br />
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I think it goes further than that though, I think most people deep down, understand that a dog is never going to be able to understand that chewing up the iPhone is wrong because an iPhone is very expensive, contains important information and is a pain in the rear to replace, or that Daddy worked very hard to pay for the iPhone and feels bad now he realises the insurance doesn't cover acts of dog and he is out of pocket...<br />
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Most folk realise these are concepts well beyond doggy comprehension.<br />
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I think, what it is, when we say 'bad dog', what we want is the dog to feel ashamed, to feel bad... its not training then is it? Its revenge. Its us lashing out 'you made me feel bad/lose something important/look stupid in front of my friends', I want you to feel bad, to feel worried that I am angry, to feel ashamed for your actions'...<br />
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We do this to children to but at least then, in most cases anyway, theres a 'why' involved.<br />
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'You did a bad thing because your actions made someone else feel/lose out on/etc'.. 'your actions hurt someone else'... 'you would dislike it if someone else did that to you'..<br />
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Thats why we do this with children (please note, I am not saying that is what we SHOULD do with children either, but at least with children theres the option for discussion and the understanding of empathy.)<br />
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There can be no discussion with a dog - I cannot tell Tatty-pup who is currently trying to bite my ear that she is a bad dog for doing this as it hurts me and she would not like it if someone hurt her ear... she's never going to be capable of that level of empathy!<br />
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She IS capable of understanding that if she bites me and I yelp in pain, then I'm going to put her down and stop playing with her or cuddling her, so that is what I'll do... but telling her she's bad, this would achieve nothing.<br />
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Except... if she really hurt me, and if I weren't a dog-geek, if she were misbehaving in public and people were looking on and judging me, probably, telling her 'BAD DOG, HORRID DOG' would make ME feel better... <br />
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So there's that - I think deep down or even, not that deep down at all - people tell dogs they are bad not because they think it will actually change the dogs behaviour or because they really believe a dog can understand such complex concepts... but because it makes THEM feel better.<br />
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Why is that important - well firstly if its you doing it - stop. Next time those words are about to come out of your mouth, ask yourself 'is this training my dog, or is it just revenge designed to make me feel better?'...<br />
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If you are a trainer and a client is doing this - they need to feel better, how can you help them do that, in a more appropriate manner? (Alternative behaviours are not just for dogs!).<br />
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As they say where I am from... think on!<br /><br /><br />As post script to this - it dawns on me (slow aren't I!)... for those who have dogs who will show appeasement behaviours or in otherwords 'the guilty look' (it isn't, we know that now).. those people have been rewarded haven't they!<br /><br />They wanted their dog to feel bad, to feel ashamed, they told the dog off and hey presto, dog looks guilty and ashamed!<br /><br />Dogs! Stop offering appeasement gestures to humans!<br />
<br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-54273513503468234122016-01-28T09:50:00.001-08:002016-01-28T09:50:09.167-08:00Correcting your corrections... <h3>
You say correction... I say punishment.. you say no! That's not... but I... how...</h3>
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Theres a lot of confusion over this term.. I've been pondering it over in my head for a few days and it's time to ponder it out in writing.<br /><br />When you, the pet owner, talk about 'correction', for example..<br /><br />"My dog pulls on the lead and so I need to correct him for that"<br /><br />What you mean, is you want to stop that behaviour and impart to your dog that this behaviour is wrong.<br /><br /><br />But 'correction' doesn't mean telling someone they are wrong - it means putting someone right.. <br /><br />It could involve pointing out the error, but to be a correction, you need to offer them the opportunity and guidance to get it right.<br /><br />So you tell me where giving your dog a quick jerk on his collar or shouting 'no' at him, or giving him a zap from an e-collar is achieving that goal?<br /><br />It isn't is it - in fact if it was, you wouldn't have to keep doing it - and you do, right? <br /><br />Theres a lot of misconception about positive, force free dog training, particularly around the concept of 'correction'.<br /><br />Here's the thing though - we DO correct our dogs - yes we do.<br /><br />We do not use positive punishment (the jerk on the collar, the choke chain, the e-collar) to do it, but we do correct our dogs.<br /><br />Here's how.<br /><br />1/ Evaluate the situation the dog is in, so that you know what mistakes are likely to occur.<br />2/ Ensure you have the ability to control the dog, and also to motivate the dog.<br />3/Understand why those mistakes may occur.<br />4/ Have a pro-active, positive alternative behaviour in mind.<br /><br />So here's a potential scenario - I've taken Spot to Grandma's house where there is a family BBQ happening.<br /><br />Evaluate the situation - so theres going to be food, theres going to be people, there may be children. I know that Spot likes food a LOT, and he likes people, and he adores children.<br /><br />The risks therefore are that Spot might steal food, potentially he might steal dangerous food like Corn cobs or things on skewers, and he might take food from children. He could knock a child over as he is very enthusiastic about both food and kids.<br /><br />Ensure you have the ability to control and motivate the dog.<br /><br />So I make sure my pockets are filled with high value foods for Spot. I also put him in a harness and attach a medium length line to it, and I take Spots bed with me.<br /><br />I now have the ability to control Spot with the long line, I have his bed I can ask him to lie on it and stay on it (and I can explain to children not to touch Spot when he is on his bed), and I have both the motivation and the reward in the form of treats Spot likes.<br /><br />Understand why mistakes may occur...<br /><br />I know that children often don't do as they are told, so a child could wave food under his nose. I know that whilst Spot's stay on a mat is strong, but when not on his mat he may bounce or follow people for food. I know that even adults will do things they've been asked not to do, such as give him food.<br /><br />Theres a lot of temptation in this scenario!<br /><br />Have a pro-active positive alternative behaviour in mind..<br /><br />Yep, this is holding the long line - and asking Spot to stay on his mat. I can reward him for doing this, I will never be so far away from Spot that I cannot distract him and redirect him to going on his mat, having a treat, doing a little bit of work for me for a treat... generally keeping his focus on me.<br /><br /><br />So now we are at the BBQ and Spots been great but here comes a toddler and whoops, he's fallen over and he has a big juicey burger in his hand.<br /><br />I call Spot to me, he is on the long line anyway so I shorten that up, he DID want to take that burger, but because I called him to me and used the long line, I prevented that - and now I ask him to lie on his mat and reward him really strongly for that instead.<br /><br /><br />I have corrected Spots behaviour - I have seen what was about to happen, I have asked Spot to do something else instead and he has.<br /><br />THAT is how to correct behaviour.<br /><br /><br />If you are allowing the behaviour to happen - so lets say I see Spot going to the fallen toddler to take the burger and I let him take that burger - and THEN you punish the dog - NO, BAD DOG...<br /><br />You haven't corrected anything - you have punished the dog, but all thats going to achieve is to make him wary of you, after all he successfully stole the burger which was super rewarding, so it isn't going to stop him doing that in future.<br /><br />Lets say you had a shock collar on the dog and as you saw him approach the child you zapped him - what does that teach him? It might teach him that approaching burgers is unpleasant, but he has a child right in his face, are you 100% positive it isn't teaching him that CHILDREN are scary?<br /><br />So here you still haven't corrected anything - even if Spot doesn't grab the burger, you haven't taught him to do something else and potentially you have taught him a lesson you didn't want to - that children are scary. <br /><br />You may now be asking 'but how do you teach him that this behaviour is wrong'..<br /><br />The answer is, you don't.<br /><br />Attempting to teach a dog that behaviours are socially and morally wrong is pointless, and futile. Dogs do not have the same social and moral standards that we do and they are not capable of understanding such concepts -in fact as I have said many times before, even WE don't have a cast iron, unchanging set of social and moral standards, which is why things like the age of consent and the laws surrounding theft and ownership of property change from culture to culture.<br /><br />Forget teaching your dog that a particular action or behaviour is wrong - instead, focus on teaching him the behaviours you DO want, and understand him and be ready to pre-empt and redirect him from performing behaviours you don't like.<br /><br />Eventually you will have a dog whose second nature is to turn to you, to wait for you to give the ok, because his habit is to see which behaviours YOU reward. He will be used to exercising self control and he will understand that acting on impulse tends not to benefit him.<br /><br />Just for a while, humour me and run through a few situations in which you think you would need to 'correct' your dog.<br /><br />Counter surfing - <br />Pulling on the lead -<br />Jumping up at people -<br /><br /><br />Now for each of those situations, instead of thinking 'how will I stop my dog and let him know that behaviour is bad', which is really what you mean by correction, think 'how will I prevent that from happening and teach my dog a preferable behaviour'.<br /><br />Identify why it happens - counter surfing happens because dogs are opportunistic scavengers, theres food up there and its unattended, or there MIGHT be food up there...<br /><br /> - pulling on the lead happens because dogs naturally walk faster than we do, because its rewarding to pull, they get to move quicker, because they don't actually know how to walk any other way<br />
- jumping up at people happens because dogs like to get close to peoples faces to greet them, because there may be a history of reward for doing so, because they don't know any other way to solicit attention from a person, because they are excited and lack self control.<br /><br /><br />How can you prevent it? - counter surfing - prevent access to the food preparation area, never leave food out when you cannot supervise the dog 100%.<br />
- pulling on lead - use a front clip harness, a headcollar, or both, teach your dog to enjoy wearing these before hand,<br />
- jumping up at people - keep a lead on your dog and don't allow him to get close enough to people to jump up, ask people not to encourage him to jump up.<br /><br /><br />What would be a preferable behaviour - counter surfing - lying on a dog bed whilst people prep food, lying outside of the kitchen whilst people prep food.<br /> - pulling on lead - walking beside the owners leg on a loose lead<br />
- jumping up - sitting down to greet people, keeping four on the floor to greet people.<br /><br /><br />Just think, if your dog is taught to walk on the lead nicely because he learns that going ahead doesn't work, and staying beside you is highly rewarding - he never needs to learn that pulling is BAD.<br />If he learns that theres no point jumping on the counter, theres never food up there, but lying on his dog bed means he gets rewarded every so often for doing nothing at all - he never needs to learn that counter surfing means he is a BAD DOG..<br />He learns that greeting people only happens when he has four on the floor and this is really rewarding - attempting to jump means the person backs up or he is taken away - he does not need to know that jumping up is BAD does he?<br /><br />So, next time you think about correcting your dog - make sure you ARE actually correcting your dog, ie, preventing the behaviour you don't like and teaching him a behaviour you do like instead.<br /><br />Just shouting at your dog or causing him momentary pain is not correcting, it isn't even effective punishment if you have to keep doing it - it just makes you a sucky person to be around.<br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-8803346911528106842015-08-27T18:47:00.000-07:002015-08-27T18:47:43.755-07:00Dominance.. again. What it is, what it ain't.<br /><br />Before I start this, its worth keeping in mind the phrase 'A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing'... <br /><br />Never does that apply more when it comes to discussing dominance and dogs, and dog training and dog behaviour!<br /><br /><br />So first of all let me be clear about some of the following terms:<br /><br /><br />Context - a set of circumstances or facts surrounding a specific event or situation.<br /><br /><br />In discussing dominance, we need to know about the environmental context, and the social context.<br /><br />In other words, WHERE it happened/happens, and WHO was involved.<br /><br /><br />Resource - something valuable to the involved parties. <br /><br />So here we mean toys, food, water, attention from a person, access to a choice sleeping position.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So what is dominance - well that depends on who you are, whether you are discussing in a purely scientific context, or a more general context. Here are some definitions of 'dominance' or 'dominating' or 'domineering', some of them are in fact incorrect but are in common use.<br /><br />Dominant - the winner of a competition, the strongest, the fastest, the top of the heap, the boss, someone who controls others actions<br /><br />Domineering - behaviour displayed by someone that controls the actions of others<br /><br />Dominating - the act of controlling others or taking over a situation, conversation or other social interaction<br /><br />Dominance - power or influence over others, suppressing others<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />SO now lets look at dogs. For a long time a large section of the dog owning public has believed a number of things that aren't quite true.. or are even entirely false.<br /><br />Here's one.<br /><br />Dogs want to become dominant over their owners.<br /><br />Here's another.<br /><br />Dogs fight for dominance over each other/over humans.<br /><br /><br /><br />Thats just not true, looking at the dog - human social context first, dogs have no concept of DESIRE to dominate human beings for the sake of then being the dominant party.<br /><br />Looking at the social context of dog to dog interactions again, dogs do not want to dominate other dogs so that they are then 'top dog'.<br /><br /><br />This is why people will tell you, 'it doesn't exist'.. what they mean is, the DESIRE to become dominant, does not exist.<br /><br />And that is true.<br /><br />BUT... dominance does exist.<br /><br />Every person or dog, who has their actions controlled by a dog - so the person who's dog growls when they try to sit on the sofa, so they sit on the floor instead, the person who's dog yells at them till they take it for a walk... the person who has a dog who won't let the other dog play with a particular toy...<br /><br />In all these situations a dog is dominating another dog, or a person.... <br /><br />But here's the crucial point... this dominance is the OUTCOME of a social interaction and usually, is specific to a particular environment as well.<br /><br /><br />It is not something the dog set out to achieve for its own sake. The dog did not think 'ah ha, I shall control my owners actions, by refusing to allow him to sit on the sofa I shall achieve dominance over him and thus I shall raise my social status'.<br /><br /><br />Nope. What happened was the dog liked lying on the sofa, the dog learned that growling at the person meant he could stay on the sofa, maybe he learned that the person approaching the sofa was scary so growl, oh they go away, that works, repeat it.. hey I get to stay on the sofa, excellent.<br /><br /><br />This outcome however, does end up domineering the humans life, but it IS NOT because the dog desired to control the humans life, its because he wanted to stay on the sofa. <br /><br /><br />The same applies to the dog who won't let the other dog he lives with, get the ball. He has not a single care about being dominant, having any kind of social status, what he cares about, is the ball. He likes the ball, he values it highly, and he has via trial and error, figured out that he can prevent the other dog from having the ball by displaying certain behaviours.<br /><br />So, why is this important and why do so many trainers and behaviourists tell you dominance doesnt exist.<br /><br /><br />Well, several reasons - and back to my 'a little bit of knowledge is dangerous'...<br /><br />Because there is this misconception that dogs WANT to become dominant, and because unfortunately so many shysters and TV shmucks like to blame every behaviour they see on 'dominance', the word has become poisoned. We don't want to use this word because its real meaning is lost, because sadly a huge number of people use it wrongly, we don't want to be mixed up with that.<br /><br />I don't need to tell you that your dogs inappropriate behaviour is dominating your life .. you know that! I don't want you to hear me talk about dominance, then hear some bumhole on the TV talking about it and think we are discussing the same thing, because we sure as shit ain't!<br /><br /><br />The major point is, dominance is really nothing to worry about, its not relevant, I don't need to discuss it with you when I come to your house to assess your dog, you don't need to know about it.<br /><br />In the same way that you can appreciate the blue skies on a sunny day without knowing that the molecules in the air scatter blue light more than they do red light and so the sky appears blue... or you can watch TV without needing to understand how electricity works or how digital signals are transmitted or how an LCD actually turns that digital signal into a picture... <br /><br /><br />You can deal with behavioural problems, you can live happily with your dogs, without knowing how dominance actually occurs.<br /><br />All you really need to know, is this:<br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><i><b>Dominance does not CAUSE behaviour, dominance is the possible OUTCOME of behaviour.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">So when you hear that a dog pulls on the lead because he is dominant - no. When you are told that your dog barks at you when you tell him off, because he is dominant - nope. When you see on TV some pillock explaining that a dog is shitting on the carpet, weeing up the walls, raiding the garbage can, humping his toys, growling at the kids, running away from home, killing squirrels in the yard, guarding his food bowl from you, stealing items and guarding those from you.... because he is dominant.<br /><br />The answer is no, none of those things are caused by dominance. To say something is 'caused by dominance' is like saying 'smell the colour 9'... it actually doesn't make sense.<br /><br />So when we tell you to forget dominance, you really can do so, just do it - because even though all those behaviours above and many many more MAY WELL dominate your lives... <br /><br /><br />We can fix them without once thinking about our dogs as being dominant, or domineering, because they don't WANT to be. They just want to chase the ball, lie on the sofa, eat their own meal in peace.<br /><br /><br />So, now I hear you saying ok, but what about with other dogs, how about when my dog is stealing other dogs balls in the park.<br /><br />Your dog may well be dominant over another dog in a particular context, over a particular resource.<br /><br />Fluffy may not allow Fido to have that ball, Rover may not want Spot to sit next to him on the sofa.<br /><br />As long as the dogs themselves understand these rules and can get along, thats fine, its not a problem, frankly, its none of your business don't interfere, keep your clumsy human nose out of things. <br /><br />If Fluffy is the dominant dog when it comes to Fido and the ball, as long as Fido doesn't give two shits, thats fine. If Rover is the dominant dog when it comes to Spot and the sofa, and Spot couldn't give a flying fuck, thats also fine.<br /><br />It's totally irrelevant to you. Its also totally irrelevant to any other context and any other social grouping. The fact that Fluffy is dominant over Fido when it comes to the ball, in your house, has NO bearing whatsoever on whether Fluffy is dominant over Rover in the field. <br /><br />The fact that Rover is dominant over Spot when it comes to the sofa has NO bearing whatsoever on whether he is dominant over Charlie at Nana's house.<br /><br />These situations are determined by behaviour, they are driven by the desire to win the resource, and of course, the desire not to be involved in conflict, because its not just about 'who is strong enough to take what they want' its ALSO about 'who is diplomatic enough to quit rather than start a fight'.<br /><br />In all these situations where you could identify a dominant dog, keep in mind that the OTHER dog chose to back down. <br /><br /><br /><br />Problems can of course occur, when two dogs want the same resource, both are well matched and value it highly and are willing to fight over it.<br /><br />But even here, DOMINANCE is not the problem, the desire for a limited resource, and the inability to resolve who wins it IS the problem.<br /><br />This situation is generally not that common UNLESS the dogs in question have particularly poor skills at communicating with one another! Generally speaking, dogs who communicate well, will back down, will find a way of diffusing the situation.<br /><br /><br />More commonly I see dogs who are in fact highly anxious, that are described as 'dominant' who are not at ALL dominant.. but ARE constantly fighting to guard, or keep control of resources that they fear they will lose.<br /><br />These dogs are not attempting to take over the world to gain social status, they are not attempting to control others so that they achieve some grand high poohbah prize of a Chufty Badge and a We Am De Best hat...<br /><br />These dogs are highly anxious and stressed and just want to feel secure and safe! <br /><br />So lets put this one to bed for good shall we? Dominance is not your concern, unless its with a fully consenting adult of the same species as you, a can of squirty cream and some handcuffs! <br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: red;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span></b>Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-33413332067495619832015-08-26T18:35:00.001-07:002015-08-26T18:35:34.186-07:00STOP focusing on the behaviour... think about the DOG...<br />I feel compelled to write this down as I have today seen several examples of what I am about to discuss, via the life-invading ever present Facebook of course.<br /><br /><br />So yeah, STOP focusing on behaviour - dog owners, pet parents, dog minders.. whoever you are.<br /><br />Look away from that unwanted behaviour for a second, we aren't going to forget it entirely, no, but the first, most important, crucial element here is NOT that turd on the floor, its NOT that irritating barking, it is NOT that chasing of livestock or escaping the fence or humping Nanna's leg...<br /><br />Its also not the expensive of the carpet cleaner, its not the irritation of your neighbours and its even not the scratches down Nanna's leg.<br /><br /><br />The FIRST thing you should consider here, is the dog.<br /><br />Thats right, that goofy furry guy down there, him, or her of course - THATS your first consideration, THATS your priority (yes it is, I don't care if you have kids, elderly rellies, if the second coming of Christ is your godson.. the DOG is the priority right now)...<br /><br /><br />Look at the dog.<br /><br />The dog is performing these behaviours, these behaviours did not manifest themselves alone, without the presence of a dog (if you have turds on your carpet and you have NO DOG then you HAVE got some serious issues that I am not qualified to deal with, move along please!)<br /><br /><br />Are you looking at the dog yet?<br /><br />That furry dude has needs - he has inherited behavioural traits and desires, he has instincts. He also has some cognitive ability and he has emotions that are not dissimilar to your own.<br /><br />He feels stressed, he feels relief, he feels hunger, thirst, pain and discomfort. He feels fear and anxiety as well as joy, he feels rage and he feels desire. Your dog can panic, and he can lust...<br /><br />So whilst he won't have all the same reasonings for those emotions as we would, because he can't understand the concept of an over due mortgage payment causing panic, and he can't equate a bonus in a paypacket with joy, the basic, simple emotions are the same.<br /><br /><br />Ask yourself then, WHY did this emotional furry dude DO the behaviour you don't like?<br /><br /><br />He's not complex enough for the reason to be 'because he hates you' or 'because he wants to pay you back for leaving him home alone' or 'because he wants to take over the world' so you can rule those ideas RIGHT out, straight away.<br /><br /><br />If you focus on the DOG, and you ask why something happened, and how can we CHANGE things so that something doesnt happen any more... we can address most problems really pretty easily.<br /><br />Why did the dog shit on the floor?<br /><br />Because he needed to shit urgently? Because he didn't know where he should shit? Because he's scared to shit in the place you want him to shit? Because he got a sudden fright and effectively, shit himself? Because he couldn't GET to where he would have preferred to shit? Because you have inadvertently taught him to shit on the floor?<br /><br /><br />Loads of potential reasons there, you know not one of them is because 'he is a dirty bastard and wants to make you suffer'... <br /><br /><br />So how might we address this whilst thinking about the DOG rather than the behaviour as the priority.<br /><br /><br />Well when the DOG is the priority, that has to rule out all the methods that might be harmful to the dog - so lets take a guess that rubbing his face in this shit won't be an option, and probably shouting at him when you find the shit isn't an option. Those methods don't put the dogs needs as a priority, they put YOUR needs to feel like you are righting a wrong, in first place.<br /><br /><br />Here's a big newsflash - a dog has ABSOLUTELY, ZERO NEED to know he did something that you consider 'wrong'.<br /><br />He does not need this, he will never need this and, you will never teach him this, in a million years. He is not capable of learning 'wrong' from you.<br /><br />For sure he can learn ' this person is sometimes angry and scary' and he can learn 'never do THAT thing in the sight of THIS person'... but he has not learned that this action is 'wrong'.<br /><br />Learning that certain actions are inherently wrong is a HUMAN thing, its a social construct and it changes from country to country and culture to culture. I can't really be bothered to list them but its safe to say there are things you can do in the UK that would be RUDE in Latvia, things you might find are considered polite in the USA but are shockingly, unspeakably wrong in China.<br /><br />So stop wasting your time and confusing your dog, hes never going to learn it and attempting to teach it will frustrate you, and damage your relationship with your dog.<br /><br /><br />So, theres absolutely no need to try and impart the idea or knowledge to your dog, that he has done something humans consider to be wrong or bad. <br /><br />What do you do then - well back to putting the DOG first, before the behaviour.<br /><br />Your dog shit on the floor, did you teach him to shit outside? <br /><br />Its a lot easier to teach a dog, and build a habit, that 'we always shit outside on this grass' and you do that by preventing any other option, and pairing the correct action with a high value reward.<br /><br />We do this with children, its not hard - star charts and sweeties for sitting on the potty and making doodoo, nappies off and dust sheets down and a potty in every room to avoid the unwanted behaviour of 'shitting in our pants'. <br /><br />We do not potty train children by just taking off the nappy and letting them run around and GUESS where the toilet is, and then when they make a mistake, rub their noses in it or drag them to it, point and shout BAD BOY...<br /><br />If you did potty train a child like that, I am calling Child Protection/Social Services...<br /><br /><br />What if you taught your dog the wrong place to toilet, lets say you accidentally taught him to go on soft padded surfaces, ie, puppy pads.. and NOW you realise those pads are SO similar to carpet. oops your dog thinks thats the right place to go.<br /><br />Same deal, prevent the error, provide the correct place to go, reward the correct action. Not hard, just requires some management and vigilance on your part.<br /><br /><br />We are now thinking about the DOG here - what does the dog know, what does he understand, what mistake has occurred and wrong thing learned, what will motivate him to repeat the action we DO want.<br /><br /><br />So way back near the start of this rant I said the dog takes priority over everything when you are solving a behaviour problem, the DOG is more important than Nanna's scratched legs or the ruined carpet.<br /><br />I stand by that - you will not fix a behaviour problem by freaking out about Nanna's legs - yes that shouldn't occur, but no it does not justify an aversive methodology.<br /><br /><br />If we prioritise the dog, if we focus on MANAGING the dog so it can't happen, and in understanding WHY it happened, what motivated the dog, what produced that behaviour, we can address the behaviour in the right way and stop it happening again... which in the end is GREAT for Nanna, surely!<br /><br /><br />Trainers - this is why owners do things that are aversive and are, with the benefit of greater knowledge, horrible.<br /><br />It is almost always NOT because the owner WANTS to be horrid to their dog, it is because in focusing on the awfulness or scaryness or expense of the unwanted behaviour, they FORGET the dog in the equation.<br /><br />And that is very easy to do, when you have Nanna bleeding in the hallway and you have shit on the expensive new rug or you have neighbours threatening to call the authorities becuse your dog barks.. its SO easy to forget the dog and focus only on the behaviour.<br /><br />Be sympathetic, YOU may know why the methods chosen are abhorrent to you but the owner is JUST trying to solve the problem and has prioritised the wrong thing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-78370538021425796302015-05-25T11:58:00.000-07:002015-05-25T12:21:47.073-07:00Dogs and Kids - it's just a cute pic/video, right?<br />
I am prompted to write this as a response to all the parents who also own dogs, particularly those posting pictures and videos on Facebook and on Youtube, of their dogs and their kids being 'cute' together.<br />
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Here's a statistic for you - 77% of children bitten by dogs, will be bitten by a dog who is a family dog, or a dog belonging to close friends/relatives - in other words, your child is MORE likely to be bitten by a dog you and they are familiar with.<br />
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Why is that?<br />
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Well when we live with a dog or we are really familiar with a dog, we forget they are a dog, we relax, we want to see the cute stuff, and we let slip from our minds that our dog, even the smallest of them, is a thinking, feeling individual who has a language our children don't understand and most of us are just guessing at.<br />
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Check out these two previous blogs on the subject:<br />
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<a href="http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/i-dont-care-how-damn-cute-it-is-kids.html" target="_blank">http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/i-dont-care-how-damn-cute-it-is-kids.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/your-dog-is-speaking-to-you.html" target="_blank">http://ems-dogsense.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/your-dog-is-speaking-to-you.html</a><br />
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In the first blog, the little boy Blake was raised to think it was acceptable to 'pop on the nose' a dog that approached him, he was raised to feel completely confident about approaching dogs with food, approaching dogs who were eating, and to hit dogs...<br />
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He was ALLOWED to sit on dogs, hit them, ride them like ponies - are we SURPRISED he ended up being bitten?<br />
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In the second blog really watch that video clip - if you do nothing else, watch the clip and see if YOU can pinpoint WHEN that lovely labrador says 'I don't want to play with this baby'... its actually a long long time before he takes any further action and in my opinion he looks to his owner for help several times before he gets any and she NEVER really realises how uncomfortable he actually is about the babies behaviour.<br />
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Dogs and kids can have an awesome time, but those two blogs show you how things go wrong and how subtle dog body language is at first, when our dogs are talking to us, before they start shouting!<br />
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So, whats safe and whats not safe?<br />
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Don't - allow your child to sit on, hit, pull, kick, stand on, your dog.<br />
Don't - allow your child to get in the dogs bed when he is in it.<br />
Don't - allow your child to approach a dog who is eating a chew toy, bone or his meal.<br />
Don't - allow your child to get in a dogs face, put their arms around his neck, or put their face in his face.<br />
Don't - allow your child to tell off or discipline or correct your dog.<br />
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Do - encourage your child to respect your dog and understand he has feeling and emotions too.<br />
Do - encourage your child to think about your dogs needs and desires - teach them to play with the dog in ta way the dog likes, such as throwing a ball.<br />
Do - encourage your child to invite the dog to them for fuss and attention, and to respect if the dog does not wish to come over.<br />
Do - involve your child (age appropriately) with care such as grooming and training and in measuring out or preparing food.<br />
Do - encourage your child to come to you and tell you about the dog if the dog has something, even if that item belongs to the child.<br />
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For parents - never leave your child unsupervised with a dog, never expect your dog to tolerate unpleasant or unfair handling by a child, NEVER EVER punish your dog for walking away, or for warning that a childs behaviour is making them feel uncomfortable.<br />
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IF your dog is warning by freezing, lip curling, growling or air snapping at your child or at you, call in a professional, prevent the situation getting worse by safely managing the dog and child, DO NOT PUNISH THE BEHAVIOUR, AVOID IT HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE, until the professional can get there.Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-59278990781733053782015-04-23T20:15:00.000-07:002015-04-23T20:15:22.281-07:00Labels - does it really do what it say's on the tin?<br /><br />Under the surface of the dog training industry, across the world really, there is a bubbling, seething discord going on.<br /><br />The labels we use to define our selves, or that others use to define us... are causing some problems!<br /><br /><br />Why do we need labels - well.. some would say we don't need them, and I think that would be a lovely place to live indeed.<br /><br />If the simple term 'dog trainer' (ooh... is that a label)... in fact meant, automatically and without any further explanation:<br /><br />"Person who teaches you to train your dog in the most effective and least harmful way possible"...<br /><br /><br />Well if it meant that I wouldn't be writing this blog!<br /><br />To date there are the following labels I have come across - some I identify with, some I don't..<br /><br />Behaviourist, behaviour consultant, force free trainer, positive reinforcement trainer, purely positive trainer, dog trainer, balanced trainer, progressive reinforcement trainer, positive correction trainer......<br /><br /><br />The list probably goes on and on and on.<br /><br />Why do all these terms exist? Well, all these people are trying to make it clear what they do, or in some cases, don't do, in terms of training or behaviour work, with dogs.<br /><br />They are not trying to convey this to other trainers though, they are trying to convey this to the general, non-dog-geek public, who may hire them.<br /><br />So it seems pretty sensible to me, to try and find a term that sums up what you do, quickly and in a way thats easily accessible and understood by the public.<br /><br /><br />But thats not really what is happening.<br /><br />Starting with the ones I actually identify with...<br /><br />Positive reinforcement trainer - this is a person who uses positive reinforcement, though you may not know what that is, it sounds ok. It doesn't tell you what else they use or what they don't use.<br /><br />Force free trainer - this is a person who does not use force to train your dog. It doesn't tell you what they do do though and what do you classify as 'force' exactly, are you aware of how force is commonly used in training as if you are not, this may not be particularly appealing or relevant to you.<br /><br />Purely positive - as far as I am aware this is someone who claims only to use positive reinforcement, HOWEVER I have in fact never come across one of these people who actually exists as a working trainer. I have come across idealistic people who think this is what they do with their own dogs, and far more commonly I have come across these as theoretical people who appear to exist only in the minds of those who want to justify something or things THEY do that are perhaps not so nice...<br /><br />This is a really misleading term as a ;purely positive' trainer in terms of learning theory quadrants, would therefore potentially use positive punishment too... and thats not what those who claim they exist, claim they do... so I am going to discount this one as I don't think they are actually real!<br /><br />Progressive reinforcement trainer - these do exist, but do you know what that actually means? I like and admire the person who came up with this term and she is a really excellent trainer but honestly, I struggle to quantify what that means too so I don't expect anyone else to get it.<br /><br />Balanced trainer - now that sounds nice? We all need a bit of balance in our lives, but a balanced trainer is in fact someone who uses positive punishments AND positive rewards... so they might use a choke or a prong collar on your dog and hurt him or cause fear, but they will also give him some treats if he does something good too... sounds ok but its not actually how the science works. But I digress!<br /><br />Behaviour consultant/behaviourist - now this SHOULD mean someone who is focusing on your dogs behaviour and how to alter it, which may or may not involve some training, they should know HOW your dog thinks and solves problems and reacts emotionally, and how to change that, and how to manage things safely... but in the UK at least, anyone can call themselves this (and in fact any of the above terms) and you have little way of knowing if their knowledge of dog behaviour came out of a cracker, or was verified by an accredited and up to date professional body.<br /><br /><br /><br />So... thats where we are, there are all these people and they will all tell you they can train your dog, or teach you to train your dog.... <br /><br />But how do YOU know they are going to do it in a way thats kind, effective, SAFE... despite all these labels, you still don't really know!<br /><br /><br />I happen to like 'force free' - as a generic cover for what I do.. yeah, most people get that 'force' isnt very nice, so doing something without force is probably better.<br /><br />It is not perfect though and I will be the first to admit that.<br /><br /><br />So to begin with, 'Force Free' tells you that I do not use force when I am training or modifying behaviour.<br /><br />Note this <i>when I am training or as part of a behaviour modification plan'....</i> because there are times when I am working with my dogs, your dogs, whoevers dogs, when I may have to do something that is NOT a part of the training plan, that is not a training or behaviour modification technique, its a safety technique, its a 'don't be bitten, run over or dead' technique.<br /><br />So whilst I am a force free trainer... hell YES I will pull a dog out of the road by whatever appendage I can grab applying whatever force is necessary to stop that dog being a flat-dog.<br /><br /><br />Of COURSE I will grab a dog in a dog fight by his tail and his scruff and hoik him out of it using plenty of force.<br /><br />But pulling a dog out of a road or out of a fight are not training, they are not part of behaviour modification plans, I will not tell you to fix your dogs behaviour or train him a new behaviour, by doing those things (or many others)... those are not training situations, those are emergencies.<br /><br />You may think it is silly to have to spell that out, but there are some folk, and categorically, these are without exception, people who are proponents of training methods and behaviour modification methods that DO use force, who like to stir the pot, and throw in ridiculous scenarios and suggest that we cannot be force free trainers, and that the ideology of force free training is impossible and we are all kidding ourselves OR of course, that we WOULD stand by and watch a dog get itself killed because we can't use force.<br /><br />Stop being dickheads people, seriously!<br /><br />Force free training is about far more though than just 'not using force' - its about opening your bloody mind and seeing a way round a problem using your brain, rather than your brawn.<br /><br />I am, as a force free trainer, highly unlikely to have to do either of the things I set out above, because part of force free training means I wouldn't BE working that car chasing dog so close to traffic before he was ready, so the chances of an accident are much reduced.<br /><br />I would not BE working that dog aggressive dog so close to other dogs that the opportunity to have a fight would not occur, so I would not have to use force to split up a fight that won't happen!<br /><br /><br />I have thought outside the box, I have used the massive brain I have evolved, and figured out a way to fix the problems without just hitting things with sticks until they do my bidding or bite my arm off!<br /><br /><br />A trainer who really, should be top of his game, and very clearly has a serious chip on his shoulder, recently posted that we have to make dogs do things that they won't like from time to time and by that reasoning, he posits that we MUST therefore, force them.<br /><br />And if you follow his logic, we must all use force and there are no force free trainers...<br /><br /><br />He suggests that we force a dog to wear a collar and lead - actually I pair the sight, feel, sounds and sensation of being restrained with high value food rewards, working gradually always remaining below the dogs threshold so the dog WANTS to wear the collar, wear the lead, follow me around, so he feels a tug on his lead adn thinks YAY that means goodies!<br /><br />No force there, a shit load of clever human brain manipulating the less clever canine brain, YES of course... but no force.<br /><br />He suggests that we force a dog to follow us - he might, I don't - I teach my dog that following me is really fun to do, from such a young age that not following me has really not occurred to him. With older dogs I manage their environments so its not an issue, until they learn to want to be with me - so we drive to secure places where they don't need to be on a lead, and we teach, again, below threshold and build a bond so they do want to be with me and it becomes a non-issue. No force there then either.<br /><br /><br />He says that because we have to take our dogs to the vets or have them ride in the car, we must therefore use force to achieve this but again as the examples above... no, we don't - we can take the time to set our dogs up to want to do what we need to do in almost every situation.<br /><br /><br />The one time we cant is the emergencies life throws at us, and for sure, we will sometimes need to do something a dog won't like then.<br /><br />But what Mr Force-Is-Necessary fails to realise, is when we GIVE dogs choice where possible, when we set them up so that they make the right choices and they enjoy doing so...<br /><br />We also build in a HUGE degree of tolerance for the times we have to take total control and say 'nope, sorry this has to happen' - we don't damage the relationship.<br /><br /><br />And of course, we are still a force free trainer even if we have had to carry a screaming dog with a broken leg into a car and take him to the vets and hold him down on the table, because when did you last pick up a dog in an emergency and think AH, THIS IS A TRAINING SITUATION RIGHT HERE...<br /><br /><br />So maybe our labels are not good enough, maybe we need better ones, maybe it would be fucking peachy as anything to live in a world where we don't need any labels at all... I would like that.<br /><br /><br />But as long as there are people who think that because in rare, non training situation emergencies, we HAVE to use force, it is okay to use force whenever, wherever, as part of a training protocol, then I will feel the very REAL need to find a label for myself that distances me from them.<br /><br />I do not want people to think 'dog trainer = forces dogs to do things they don't want to do'. <br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674315125555003705.post-88209720282984158872014-11-17T18:36:00.002-08:002014-11-17T18:36:45.668-08:00A Blog for the Anonymous Commenter/s (hi there, I see you there)<br /><br />So someone recently left some comments on a fairly old entry, I don't know if they read much of this blog or just that entry but hey ho, I'd like to address some of their criticisms, cos thats what I do.<br /><br />First of all, any entry by me that is entitled a 'a review of' and then a TV show or book - that will be my opinion of the TV show or book. It will therefore be biased to some extent, because my opinion may well not be the same as your opinion.<br /><br />For reviews of Cesar Milan shows, yes I am tearing it down,yes I am biased, yes that is clearly evident if you read the rest of this blog (I have helpfully tagged Cesar Milan in entries about him so they are easier for you to find).<br /><br />In posts that are not reviews I do discuss not just what is wrong with what he does, but why it is wrong, and what the correct approach would be. I don't think there is the room for that within reviews, particularly as those reviews tend to be aimed at like minded trainers/behaviourists who didn't really want to watch the show itself.<br /><br />But anyway - so back to the comments.<br /><i><br />"keep sayin shit about "good behaviorists" but never cite any studies"<br />"<br />why don't you give us some empirical evidence for your bullfuckery instead of forcing us to take your word for it"<br /><br />Frankly... you do not seem to be any professionnal either. Just a random amateur like me"</i><br /><br />How about reading/watching the following:<br /><br />Raymond & Lorna Coppinger - Mexico City Dump Dogs, also Raymond Coppingers observations of the dogs of Pemba.<br /><br />These guys reveal that dogs are not pack animals!<br /><br />Dr P. McConnell has a wealth of information in her books and online. http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/dominance-theories<br /><br />Here particularly she discusses the 'dominance myth' - dogs do not seek to dominate us, and if we seek to dominate them, we just cause problems.<br /><br />Also on that topic I'd recommend John Bradshaw's 'In Defence of Dogs' and the somewhat briefer work 'Dominance, Fact or Fiction' by Barry Eaton.<br /><br />If you want some long term, tried and tested, been doing it for decades kinda stuff, check out http://www.sfgate.com/magazine/article/The-Anti-Cesar-Millan-Ian-Dunbar-s-been-2550043.php<br /><br />Dr Ian Dunbar has been teaching and training with positive reinforcement for over 35 years, he is also a vet and a behaviourist (with the PhD's to prove it).<br /><br />If you are still in doubt that punishment based training is damaging to dogs and their relationship with humans, what about this article by Stanley Coren<br /> http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201205/is-punishment-effective-way-change-the-behavior-dogs<br /><br />If you haven't the desire to read through that, the relevant study is by Meghan Herron, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. I recommend you do though, this isn't an article by just anyone, Stanley Coren is a well respected scientist and pscyhologist who has written a lot of books on dogs, the way they think and how we relate to them etc.<br /><br />Anyway, this study backs up the findings in human and child psychology, that the use of punishment particularly (but not limited to) physical punishment, increases the likelyhood of aggressive behaviour.<br /><br /><br />And before you say 'ah but that doesn't say that positive reinforcement is better'.. well here, have an other from Psychology Today..<br /><br />http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-affair/200809/rewards-are-better-punishment-here-s-why<br /><br />Ok so, this article references a study done on children, but children and dogs are a very good comparison, particularly young children. Also, there are not nearly so many studies done on dogs, purely because up until relatively recently, no one saw much value in financing such studies.<br /><br /><br />That is now changing and thats great news - which leads me on to tell you about SPARCS - Society for the Promotion of Applied Research in Canine Science - http://caninescience.info/<br /><br />SPARCS have, at the time of writing this, now run two conferences, both spanning three days, with seminars/lectures by the likes of Coppinger, Udell, Wynne, Gadbois, McConnell, Hecht, and many, many more.<br /><br />These guys are pushing for more and more research to be done, to fill in the gaps that we have, but its worth pointing out, the gaps we have are generally NOT the areas most 'average joe's are discussing - the old 'is Cesar abusive and do his methods cause problems' type questions are old news, theres no doubt there, its not a mystery Yes they are, yes they do, end of.<br /><br />These guys are researching how canids are using their olfactory senses, how wolves use agonistic and affiliative behaviours, why dogs relate to us so well when other canids do not...<br /><br />Its interesting stuff and their yearly SPARCS conference can be viewed live and free via online streaming, so its very accessible!<br /><br /><br />There is quite a lot of useful and interesting information out there, but you do have to go and look for it, its really not going to jump up and bite you in the ass, and most of it is sadly nowhere near as exciting as watching someone on tv appear to work magic.<br /><br />As for me, am I a professional - I guess that depends on your definition of professional!<br /><br />I'd say I am, based on the fact that this is how I earn my living, that I blog on the subject of dogs and training in a number of other places, by invitation ( sporadically, for I am a lazy creature), that I spend a not inconsiderable amount of money each year on attending training courses, conferences/seminars and lectures, and I think quite crucially, that people seek me out for my assistance and advice.<br /><br />Personally my definition of a professional, is someone who not only knows a lot about their subject matter, but is always learning, and knows when (and to whom) to refer a client on when they don't have the answer - because no one has all the answers.<br /><br />Yours may be entirely different!<br /><br /><br /><br />Emshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303006968999831053noreply@blogger.com0