Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
The hardest
part about wanting to become a dog trainer is learning just how bad this
industry currently is.
On one hand it is greatly improving as more and more science based students are graduating from quality training programs, on the other hand there is also a flood of “tools” and training franchises for the average dog owner to sift through! For every problem, there is a fix you can buy! The marketing for e-collars is extremely sophisticated! They don’t call it a “shock” they call it a “stimulus” or even cuter “stim”. The shock collar I took off a friends dog is called “Dogtra IQ , a small collar for a big problem”. I won’t go into details about the collars, as that is a subject big enough for another blog.
The marketing for popular training franchises is even cleverer and whenever I see posts on social media where dog owners are looking for recommendations when they need a trainer, there are always some people recommending them singing their praises, often these people don’t even have a dog themselves! They see the fancy marketing and buy into that concept knowing nothing about it! There is nothing wrong with those people! They just fall for the brilliant marketing! I’m a sucker for good marketing myself! Fortunately it happens when I feel like experimenting with a new beer from a micro-brewery or the latest discovery of an ancient grain, not in matters that might put my animals in harm’s way.
As some of you know, I just enrolled in “The Academy For Dog Trainers”. It will take me somewhere between 1-2 years to graduate and although I had high expectations and knew this program wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, I am a bit intimidated now that I see just how involved it is! I hope I can accomplish this task, but let’s say I flunk out in the end, it would still be worth every penny and every second of my time! I am completely blown away and although worried, I have no doubt that this was one of the best choices I have made in my life!
Now, compare this to the “Franchise” trainers who apparently get certified after a full 3 week course!!! They are charging the same amount I will after putting in 1-2 years, maybe even more!
This afternoon, I came across a video on YouTube posted by the owner of a big training business, titled The Problem with All-Positive Dog Training . I think my blood is still boiling! The entire 15 minutes I kept asking myself “Why do you put yourself through this? Why do you not shut this off???” and the answer is probably that unless I understand why dog owners get sucked into working with an abusive trainer, I won’t know how to warn them. Now, this particular business is not one of the worst! They actually do use some positive reinforcement and to the best of my knowledge are not advocating methods like “choking a dog out”, but they nevertheless use pain and intimidation as motivators. They claim that “this is the way dogs learn”, “dogs have a higher pain threshold” etc., etc.. Fortunately, there are a lot more people who are becoming educated as well! One of the commenters brought up that a higher pain threshold was used to justify the treatment of slaves in the U.S.! That’s the thing; it is human to justify our actions. That doesn’t make it right, but it is typical human behavior. Slave owners in the U.S. did it, Nazi’s in Germany did it, parents all over the world did it and do it when they punish their children and even some well-meaning dog owners do it when they hit their dogs and yell at them! That they “mean well” doesn’t make it right, but it makes us understand it better.
However, if someone is a “professional” dog trainer today, they should be expected to know better! Manufacturers and companies that sell “training tools” like shock collars and prong collars should be held responsible for how their products are used! At this time, you can purchase a prong collar or a shock collar online or in a store without any restrictions! You can take them home the same way you do a bag of treats or a comfy bed!
I believe that dog owners for the most part, do have their dog’s best interest in mind! I believe this because people keep asking me questions and are amazed that I know so much! On a scale of 1-10…. I have only scratched the surface!!! Dog owners get completely taken advantage of by unethical businesses.
The manufacturers of potentially abusive tools and the trainers who use them are not held to any professional or ethical conduct or standards. None of them warn the dog owners about the potential side effects!
This is why I have some trouble containing my anger at the industry. This is why I am writing this, because it is somewhat therapeutic for me and hopefully informational for others.
Last, but not least, let me give a shout out to all the awesome trainers who have been training the kind way all along! You are the trail blazers, the pioneers, the role models who are making it possible for dogs to live better lives! I hope you will all live to see the day when choke, shock and prong collars are illegal and all of those who use them will be put out of business!
~ Peace
The attached photos are of "Buddy" and the collar he used to wear. His very dedicated and loving owners followed the advice of an incompetent trainer and by using this "tool" caused him to lash out. They considered putting him down!
When I started working with him, it was really only by accident because they had hoped that through my Rescue contacts I could help rehome him.
I laid the ground work, made great progress but also recognized that this was over my head. The trainer that was called in had the experience and confidence necessary and I am forever grateful that the owners invited me to join! I learned a ton!
Buddy is still with his family. They did an awesome job all along, doing their homework, following instructions and learned how to "manage" life with their trigger-happy terrier!
This is a perfect example why people need to choose a dog that fits their life and that you can't fix a bad choice with a remote control! Buddy is an AWESOME dog!!! If I had been in the position to take him, I would have in a heartbeat! He was a pleasure to work with and even with the bite history I never, ever felt anxious around him! I pushed the envelope with tugging and playing all sorts of games to build his impulse control. He aced it every time!
Please, don't put a shock collar on your dog! It doesn't fix the problem, it just turns it into an abscess, pushes the issue under the surface to fester and erupt into behavior much worse.
On one hand it is greatly improving as more and more science based students are graduating from quality training programs, on the other hand there is also a flood of “tools” and training franchises for the average dog owner to sift through! For every problem, there is a fix you can buy! The marketing for e-collars is extremely sophisticated! They don’t call it a “shock” they call it a “stimulus” or even cuter “stim”. The shock collar I took off a friends dog is called “Dogtra IQ , a small collar for a big problem”. I won’t go into details about the collars, as that is a subject big enough for another blog.
The marketing for popular training franchises is even cleverer and whenever I see posts on social media where dog owners are looking for recommendations when they need a trainer, there are always some people recommending them singing their praises, often these people don’t even have a dog themselves! They see the fancy marketing and buy into that concept knowing nothing about it! There is nothing wrong with those people! They just fall for the brilliant marketing! I’m a sucker for good marketing myself! Fortunately it happens when I feel like experimenting with a new beer from a micro-brewery or the latest discovery of an ancient grain, not in matters that might put my animals in harm’s way.
As some of you know, I just enrolled in “The Academy For Dog Trainers”. It will take me somewhere between 1-2 years to graduate and although I had high expectations and knew this program wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, I am a bit intimidated now that I see just how involved it is! I hope I can accomplish this task, but let’s say I flunk out in the end, it would still be worth every penny and every second of my time! I am completely blown away and although worried, I have no doubt that this was one of the best choices I have made in my life!
Now, compare this to the “Franchise” trainers who apparently get certified after a full 3 week course!!! They are charging the same amount I will after putting in 1-2 years, maybe even more!
This afternoon, I came across a video on YouTube posted by the owner of a big training business, titled The Problem with All-Positive Dog Training . I think my blood is still boiling! The entire 15 minutes I kept asking myself “Why do you put yourself through this? Why do you not shut this off???” and the answer is probably that unless I understand why dog owners get sucked into working with an abusive trainer, I won’t know how to warn them. Now, this particular business is not one of the worst! They actually do use some positive reinforcement and to the best of my knowledge are not advocating methods like “choking a dog out”, but they nevertheless use pain and intimidation as motivators. They claim that “this is the way dogs learn”, “dogs have a higher pain threshold” etc., etc.. Fortunately, there are a lot more people who are becoming educated as well! One of the commenters brought up that a higher pain threshold was used to justify the treatment of slaves in the U.S.! That’s the thing; it is human to justify our actions. That doesn’t make it right, but it is typical human behavior. Slave owners in the U.S. did it, Nazi’s in Germany did it, parents all over the world did it and do it when they punish their children and even some well-meaning dog owners do it when they hit their dogs and yell at them! That they “mean well” doesn’t make it right, but it makes us understand it better.
However, if someone is a “professional” dog trainer today, they should be expected to know better! Manufacturers and companies that sell “training tools” like shock collars and prong collars should be held responsible for how their products are used! At this time, you can purchase a prong collar or a shock collar online or in a store without any restrictions! You can take them home the same way you do a bag of treats or a comfy bed!
I believe that dog owners for the most part, do have their dog’s best interest in mind! I believe this because people keep asking me questions and are amazed that I know so much! On a scale of 1-10…. I have only scratched the surface!!! Dog owners get completely taken advantage of by unethical businesses.
The manufacturers of potentially abusive tools and the trainers who use them are not held to any professional or ethical conduct or standards. None of them warn the dog owners about the potential side effects!
This is why I have some trouble containing my anger at the industry. This is why I am writing this, because it is somewhat therapeutic for me and hopefully informational for others.
Last, but not least, let me give a shout out to all the awesome trainers who have been training the kind way all along! You are the trail blazers, the pioneers, the role models who are making it possible for dogs to live better lives! I hope you will all live to see the day when choke, shock and prong collars are illegal and all of those who use them will be put out of business!
~ Peace
The attached photos are of "Buddy" and the collar he used to wear. His very dedicated and loving owners followed the advice of an incompetent trainer and by using this "tool" caused him to lash out. They considered putting him down!
When I started working with him, it was really only by accident because they had hoped that through my Rescue contacts I could help rehome him.
I laid the ground work, made great progress but also recognized that this was over my head. The trainer that was called in had the experience and confidence necessary and I am forever grateful that the owners invited me to join! I learned a ton!
Buddy is still with his family. They did an awesome job all along, doing their homework, following instructions and learned how to "manage" life with their trigger-happy terrier!
This is a perfect example why people need to choose a dog that fits their life and that you can't fix a bad choice with a remote control! Buddy is an AWESOME dog!!! If I had been in the position to take him, I would have in a heartbeat! He was a pleasure to work with and even with the bite history I never, ever felt anxious around him! I pushed the envelope with tugging and playing all sorts of games to build his impulse control. He aced it every time!
Please, don't put a shock collar on your dog! It doesn't fix the problem, it just turns it into an abscess, pushes the issue under the surface to fester and erupt into behavior much worse.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Maybe this is what they mean by "golden years"!
This second home didn't work out either and she ended up at the shelter.
Panda turned my life upside down! She pushed me out of my uncomfortable "comfort zone" and true to her Border Collie nature, she is still doing it.
It is because of her that I am currently enrolled in one of the best schools for dog trainers, "The Academy for dog trainers".
It is because of her that I am embarking on a journey that will, without a doubt, lead me home. I already feel like I have "found my tribe"! Turns out, I am kind of a science geek!!! Behavioral science, that is.
Up until a few years ago my knowledge about dogs was pretty limited. I was more experienced than most of the people I knew, but nothing compared to the people I was about to get to know. Dogs who growled or showed any signs that weren't clearly friendly, scared the crap out of me! I was very afraid of getting bitten, so getting more and more drawn to dogs who are exhibiting signs of aggression is NOT what I expected!
I guess in hindsight, it's not surprising. When I worked with horses I always gravitated towards the ones nobody else wanted to handle. Although I didn't have much mentor-ship in my early years with horses either, I found my way around them fairly easily. Maybe it's pretty clear that when an animal out-weighs you by 100 times your own body weight that you can't "get there" with force. Maybe when you handle a huge prey animal, you get pretty familiar with FEAR. If you've ever seen a frightened horse, you probably understand.
Once I learned that most aggressive behavior dogs exhibit is based on fear, I was in more familiar territory.
So, I dug out this blog I started at least 7 years ago, but hadn't utilized for a while. Blogging will help me digest my experiences and hopefully also serve to share what I am learning along the way.
At an age where many people settle into what is familiar, I feel like I am embarking on a journey that will lead me to places I cannot even imagine, yet.
All, because of a dog that was too inconvenient for her previous owners. Lucky me!!!!
Working with animals has made me a better human being. It has increased my tolerance, my patience, my humility, my empathy and compassion. They have brought out the best in me and I am truly grateful for that!
I often hear people question why some of us sacrifice so much for animals while there are so many humans in need. To them I would like to say that the majority of people I meet through Rescue or Missing Pet searches don't stop at kindness towards animals. They extend their hearts to people as well, often even if those people don't really deserve it.
~ Peace
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