August 5th, 2010
I encourage you, as your dogs owner, to raise your standards when it comes to training your dog. These days dog training has become a popular career choice for dog lovers. Many of whom watch a T.V. show or attend a dog show and say, “Hey, I could do that!”
Problem is, we do not have any regulations in our industry. Unlike the Law or Medical industry there really are not any set standards for trainers to operate by. This is one reason why you will run into just about every type of trainer out there. From the overly compulsive “old school” trainer to the off the charts, “purely positive” trainer.
You will not find much consistency when you talk to trainers. This is one reason I encourage you to raise your standards.
Instead of going by how cute their business name is, you should go by their certifications. While we still do not have a set standard for training there are third party organizations out there giving certifications to qualified and experienced trainers.
What I mean by third party is, these people do not have a vested interest in your success or failure. Let’s imagine you attend a dog training school to acquire a certification. You spend $20,000 and 4 months of your life at the school. While you no doubt will learn something it is in the school’s best interest to graduate you. You become a walking advertisement for them.
On the other side of the coin is a third party organization. If you pass, great you will be a walking advertisement for them too, however, if you fail, you won’t be. The difference is, the third party won’t cut a corner to pass you.
I have completed two certification programs. One was from a school and one was from a third party. I will tell you that the school certification is pretty weak. Why? Because the way the school operated it was easy for someone to pass, all you had to do was continue going and turn in homework. If you didn’t pass you were either lazy or you just didn’t want to be a dog trainer.
One the other hand, the third party certification took 3 years to obtain. I had to have hundreds of hours of hands on training with clients, references from my peers, clients, and vets, and it took me 3 and 1/2 hours to earn the certification on test day.
Which one would hold more weight with you if you were going to hire me?
While they both say I am serious about my profession one really states it loud and clear. Add to that my seminar schedules (I try to attend at least 10 seminars about dog training a year) and all the expenses for gear and learning materials and continued education requirements for my certifications and well, it says, “Jason is a professional who really cares about his career!”
Where as Mrs. “I watched the Dog Whisperer, so I started a training school” is not going to give you the same professionalism and experience.
Raise your standards. Here are a few certifications that actually mean something:
1. CPDT-KA – Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed
2. CCBA – Certified Clinical Behavior Consultant
3. CDBC – Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
4. ACAAB – Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists
4. DACVB – Dilplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Not all certifications are created equal and not all trainers are created equal. You should demand the best and expect to pay for the best. This, “I want to save money so I’ll spend $109 on a PetSmart Class” attitude stinks.
You are buying training from a franchise with their own “standards” for training. Which are pretty low if you ask me. Not saying all PetSmart trainers stink but you get what you pay for.
In the end training is a long term investment. You are paying for results. You are investing in you and your dogs future together. It is far better to pay more for real training and receive real results than to continuously pay less and receive very little to no results.
Jason Mann
The Most Complete Pit Bull Site Online
Categories: Pit Bull Blog |
Tags: certifications, hiring a trainer, pit bull training | 3 Comments
July 14th, 2010
Recently I was asked a question, “Jason, how do I get my Pit Bull to stop chasing my cat?” The question is one I receive quite often and I even wrote a recent post about it.
Anyway, after I wrote the post I was surfing the web looking at how many people have asked the question, “How do I get my Pit Bull to stop chasing my cat?” And I found a lot of different answers. Funny thing was, not a single one was from a behavior consultant or trainer.
How could this be? I thought. Millions of dog trainers and behavior consultants and not a single one has given a real answer to this question.
The Internet is a vast and deep place where anyone with an opinion can offer uneducated and ridiculous advice.
I found a thread on Cesar Millan’s discussion board that offered some of the most ridiculous advice I have ever heard.
Note that I was not looking for advice from his site or his discussion board, it just happens to be a perfect example of unqualified people offering advice that have no business offering any advice about dogs.
I think my favorite from that thread is:
“ok put your dog on it’s leash when it is calm, and bring him to the cat which is secure in the box, if there is unwanted reaction correct, when he goes into a sitting position or lying that you can recognise as calm-submissive (he is allowed to watch, but if his ears go forward correct him)”
All I have to say is, Wow.
Another great example of unqualified and potentially deadly advice from another site:
“Your cat will adapt. While dogs make more noise and are faster, cats have sharp claws and can turn quickly. Your cat will soon realize that he is capable of terrorizing the dog & will come to rule your home. ”
You can read the rest here.
Another comment based on fallacy:
“One way of doing this is to always feed your cat before your dog, this will be a clear signal to your dog that he is bottom of the food chain.”
Be careful who you listen to.
Until Next time!
Jason Mann
The Most Complete Pit Bull Website Online
Categories: Pit Bull Blog |
Tags: bad advice, bad training, pit bull training | No Comments
July 4th, 2010
I’ve been training dogs for 12 years now. I have yet to see a dominant dog. I often wonder why that is. Is it because I don’t know what a dominant dog is? Is it because I simply have not come across a dominant dog? Or is it because dominant dogs are a myth made up by trainers and people who simply cannot figure out how to train a specific dog.
I came to the conclusion that while I’m sure there may be a dominant dog out there, dominant dogs are labeled that way because people cannot figure out how to work with them.
Recently a friend of mine told me about a protection dog he was working. He said, “Jason, this dog is super dominant. I gave him a leash correction and he bit me twice.” My friend mistook a dog that is intolerant to pain and correction for dominance.
If you punch me, I will hit you back. Simple really. Some dogs will “punch you back” if you punch them with harsh training methods. This is not dominance, this is self-defense. If the dog knows they cannot escape or avoid the pain they will retaliate.
Another alarming trend I see in dog training is the use of the term “alpha” or “Alpha leader” by trainers to explain to dog owners how they need to “lead” their dogs. Sadly, dog trainers get this wrong and incorrectly advise dog owners to “dominate” their dogs by “showing them who’s boss.”
News flash – dogs don’t care.
In many cases showing your dog who’s boss will get you bitten, your dog impounded and put to sleep, and you will feel like an ass because you caused it all.
Dogs do not fight for status. Even the most ridiculous “behaviorist” on earth, Cesar Milan says, “Dogs are born followers.” So I ask Mr. Milan why you have to pin a dog to the ground or force them to freak out until they shut down in order to “be the leader of the pack” if they are born followers?
Pointless. Apparently it makes for great television though because the show is quite popular.
Walking out the door first, eating first, spitting in a dogs food, pinning them to the ground, forcing them to smell another dogs butt, or to walk across a hardwood floor, or to make them like fireworks is all a bunch of nonsense.
Dog owners need to understand that your dog is not a robot. They are not a toy. They are not play things you pull out of a crate and command. They have personalities, they have limits, they have their dislikes and likes, they have lives. Lives that you are in control of and you can either be a prick or a fair, leader that offers them compassion, love, respect and training in a way that enriches your lives.
Dog trainers who tell you that you need to be the boss are fools. I don’t care how famous they are or how many dogs they have “rehabed” or how many certifications they have. They are fools.
Dog training is simple. Figure out what you want the dog to do, use reward based training methods to communicate with your dog, train your dog. It really is that simple.
Happy Training,
Jason Mann
PitBullLovers.com – The Most Complete Pit Bull Site Online
Categories: Pit Bull Blog |
Tags: alpha leader, dominance, pit bull training, Pit Bulls | No Comments
January 30th, 2010
I was at a local Petsmart the other day looking around for some crates. There was a training class going on and I know the trainer. This isn’t the first time I’ve been at that PetSmart. Anyway, here I am looking around the store and I figured I would need a shopping cart. After all a couple of crates are not that easy to carry.
I head back to the front of the store only to have to weave through 5 dogs doing long downs right in front of the door.
This bothered me greatly because (A) I was there to shop and (B) why right in front the door? What does that teach a dog? To lay there under great stress and fear a correction for moving when a mother and her 2 year old and their dog walks right past them, almost stepping on them?
I didn’t make that last part up. That was not a hypothetical. That was what happened. The dog got up after almost getting run down by a shopping cart holding a 2 year old with a dog on leash beside the cart. The owner runs over, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT” In the most annoying voice you can imagine and pushes the dog back into the down.
I rolled my eyes, walked on, did my shopping, said see ya to the trainer and left. As I was driving home I couldn’t help but think about that dog. Why was it corrected? Why would a pet dog owner need a 45 minute down stay at the main doors of Petsmart? More importantly why would I leave my dog there and go out of site? I was stumped.
I returned to the store a few days later (more shopping for my mongrel horde) and once again, there they were, long downing in the middle of the store in the midst of all the dogs, kids, parents, and shopping carts. I once again was stumped. I asked the trainer, “Why do you teach a long down in the middle of the store?”
The answer? Because I think it is important.
Really, that was the answer. Not an ounce of explanation. It is one of those “just because” reasons.
The long down is a pointless exercise in pet obedience. Why would you ever need to down your dog for 5-10-15-45 minutes with your back turned or you out of sight? There is not one valid reason you would need your dog to do this.
For those reading this that do competitive sports this does not apply to you. Your sport may call for a down-stay with handler out of sight. That is a valid reason to teach it, the sport you compete in calls for it. However a pet dog does not need a 2 hour down stay in the middle of the local pet store while you are shopping or talking to your long lost Uncle.
Every time I go to that PetSmart I see a dog, laying there, people walking around it, petting the dog, small kids running up to the dog, and when the dog breaks, the owners run up, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT” and correct the dog for moving.
The long down, in pet obedience, really doesn’t serve any purpose. If you are trying to proof your Pit Bull against distractions it is far easier to do this in a moving exercise like loose leash walking or some controlled heeling. Maybe even a recall or two while distractions are around. The point here is, when the dog is just laying there what are you rewarding? Laying there?
When you are working in a moving exercise it is much easier to clearly tell the dog, “Yes! You turned away from that food on the ground and kept a good pace with me! Gooood dog!”
If I put my dog in a 20 minute down stay, walk off, return, what happens if the dog gets up the moment I return? You either have to start over or “play” like it was your idea and release the dog. Either way the dog really didn’t learn much.
There are alternatives for Pit Bull owners who are teaching pet obedience. Like the place cue. Or the “chill out” cue that my assistant dog trainer teaches his dogs. This means, go over to that place and relax a while. I’ll be right here with you, but you have to chill out.
Some clicker trainers call this the “settle” cue. Whatever you call it, it means, go lay down, relax, we’re going to be here for a while. It does not mean, you better lay here under heavy distraction and not so much as twitch a nose hair buddy boy!
That is unfair, completely pointless, and useless dog training.
Best Regards,
Jason Mann
Owner: http://www.PitBullLovers.com.com
Categories: Pit Bull Blog |
Tags: dog training, pit bull training, Pit Bulls, pitbulls | No Comments
