Dog Talk with Uncle Matty: Defective Dog Trainers
By Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis A year ago, a woman in New York City who shall remain nameless adopted two Chihuahuas knowing both dogs had a proclivity toward aggression. The dogs did not disappoint: They bark when she is and isn't home, they snap at fellow residents in the elevator, and they've bitten random strangers on the street.
In the last year, this woman has hired four different dog trainers, each drawing their own professional conclusions:
-- Love the dogs, tell them they are good boys, and keep them in their crates.
-- Ignore the bad behavior, and the dogs will eventually knock it off.
-- The dogs are mad at you, and that is why they bite.
-- Some dogs are just defective.
Apparently, so are some dog trainers. Which is why it's important to do the homework and know what you want before you sign on with a trainer for you and your dog.
Yes: a trainer for you and your dog.
A highly specialized trainer trains a Seeing Eye dog and teaches the owner how to effectively communicate with the dog in terms of the dog's education. Another specialized trainer trains a K-9 cop and educates the officer to ensure dog and dog owner speak the same language. That is essentially what you want from your dog trainer: someone who can teach you and your dog to speak the same language.
And that language is not the language of love.
I recently spoke with a woman whose dog urinates in the house. She told me how much she loves her dog and that she was sure they could work it out. But the problem persisted despite her immense love, and she eventually called a dog trainer. This "trainer" concluded that her dog was angry with her because she had a roommate. The woman asked, "What do I do?" The trainer advised, "Get rid of the roommate."
My advice? Get rid of that dog trainer, and lose the notion that lots of love is the equivalent of lots of training.
Dog training is an unregulated industry. Anyone can hang their shingle and call themselves a dog trainer. It's up to you, the diligent dog owner, to ask the questions that will elicit the trainer's true competency. Here are some good ones:
-- Are you a licensed or certified dog trainer? Certification, required or not, indicates a dedication to the endeavor and a degree of practical education.
-- What behavioral problem do you specialize in? Aggression? Housebreaking? Basic obedience? Tip: Ask what their specialty is before you give any clues as to what you need help with.
-- What training method do you use? Punishment-based training -- shock collars and knees to the chest? Reward-based training -- treats for tricks? Praise-based training -- personality-appropriate correction in conjunction with affection and love? The latter, in my opinion, is the only approach that is both effective and humane.
-- What kind of results do you get? Ask for references.
-- Do you offer any guarantees? If the answer is yes, get them in writing.
And don't rule yourself out. If you can put in the time to assess your pup's personality and stick with a single personality-appropriate praise-based training method, you just might be the best candidate for the job. There are books, websites and DVDs available to help you if this is the path you choose. Visit unclematty.com for suggestions.
However we do it, diligence is key. Learning to speak the same language through training will curb, if not cure, most behavioral problems. Contrary to the thinking of a handful of goofball dog trainers, loving him, ignoring him, psychoanalyzing him and blaming him will not.
Woof!
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Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.
Copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate Inc.
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