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I Need A Moment To Rant About Violence
by elsa larsen
19 months ago | 2132 views | 3 3 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
I need a moment to rant. Recently I worked with a client who ran into someone at a pet store who told her that to cure her pup’s nipping all she needed to do was to stick her thumb in the dogs mouth and her forefinger under the dogs chin and pinch her hard every time she tried to bite. Another client told me that a trainer recommended squirting their dog in the face 50 TIMES every time that dog aggressed at another dog. Another client told me that the bribing method that I was using wouldn’t work for her and her husband and that her husband wanted to use a choke chain.

It's no longer okay to spank our kids but it’s still okay to abuse our dogs. Just sayin’.

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mannerlymutts
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June 21, 2010
I should also comment that every successful trainer uses motivational and positive methods. The over the top use of the words "violence", "abuse", "pain" in order to describe things taht don't even remotely come under those definitions, is a part of a political dog training movement that very briefly became popular. I have a client that Elsa tried CAT with. After six months nothing happened differently with this dog. Three years later, here she/he is in my home enjoying the company of many canine friends, which she/he makes everytime they board here. Now if

Elsa had actually been able to get "results" with this dog, I might think she knew something valuable.
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mannerlymutts
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June 21, 2010
Exactly what ways did using a metal training collar alarm you? Do you prefer the choking on a flat collar of a dog that has not learned to pull. I personally prefer that a dog learn not to pull and can be transitioned to a flat collar with the use of training equipment used properly. This sort of bashing of methods, training, and equipment is not acceptable to me. I am frankly appalled it has been allowed on this forum, as I thought the rules were much more strict here. I am personally very disappointed in this posting.
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doggedwriter
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June 21, 2010
Your point is so appreciated! I think that as dog lovers firmly planted in the positive-training camp, it's easy to forget that not everyone has the same understanding of exactly how traumatic (and ineffective!) positive punishment can be on a dog's psyche. Hopefully, with the help of trainers like you and many others with the "right" mentality and insight into canine behavior, we can continue to make strides and, eventually, put an end to the many forms of cruelty that still exist in dog training today. Kudos to you for bringing the issue to people's attention and for the good work that you do!
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