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Anyone Heard Of The Dog Whisperer?


Guest tollerblaize
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tollerblaize,

i'm so sorry it didn't work out. yes, i've read the dog whisperer book too and even found some of the ideas in that a bit harsh and sometimes pointless (but i did like the technique for training to fetch things!)

good luck with your training and i'm sure that over time you will be able to resolve it. my very limited experience is that patience, persistance and consistency eventually works.

and good on you for trying and learning from it.

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Guest tollerblaize

Hey Guys,

Thank you all for your well wishes and advice. I will of course keep you all updated on our progress.

Perhaps I am just expecting too much at this stage. I will stay positive (and calm) and see how it all goes.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi Tollerblaize ;)

My Toller at that age was a complete ratbag and I also started worring a little. He jumped constantly up at my 2 1/2 year old (who is just as much of a ratbag and egged him on) and didn't seem to listen to much that he was told to do.

He absolutely hated loud noises and I think if I used that to train him he would have ended up a nervous wreck. I persevered with the gentle training methods which I learned at puppy pre school and he eventually grew up a little and improved out of sight.

At that time I wasn't in a position to take him to puppy school but I wish I had. We started dog club when he was 2. He's far from perfect now (tugging on lead, stubborn) but he is extremely gentle and very loving to his family.

When I think back to those puppy days and compare him to now it's like having a different dog.

Hang in there and weather those puppy days. Good Luck :rolleyes:

Sharon

post-9-1120905159.jpg

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Just to clear up a point - Dog Tech and 'the Dog Whisperer' name here in Australia is the registered trademark of Australian trainer/behaviourist John Richardson and has nothing to do with the US TV series using the same name.

I have been to seminars run by John and have found nothing wildly out of the ordinary in his methods and a lot of common sense when it came to dealing with aggression issues.

As for the DogTech franchise, when you get down to it, it is only as good as the franchisee. I do not know about other areas, but here in Canberra, our local DogTech guy (how I understand is also Delta trained among other things) is highly recommended and the person at least one of the major clubs refers people to if they are after more one on one assistance. I have taken classes from him myself in the past when he taught classes for the club and always personally found him an excellent instructor. I wouldn't hesitate to refer people to him. As such I would hesitate to make wide sweeping statements about all trainers who operate under the franchise name.

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Hhhmmmm, probably a bit late, given that you've committed and perhaps the training "The Dog Whisperer" (John Richardson - or whichever other "franchisee" you consult with) will be "just what the Doctor ordered". However, a friend of mine had an experience with John Richardson himself when her dog was only very young. Not good experiences. If you're interested, feel free to PM me, tollerblaize, and I can give you some details of what my friend (a now learned dog trainer) has informed me.

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This was just my personal experience with one part of the company.

We booked Ralphy into puppy school run by a dogtech trainer, and made them quite aware that he would be 17 weeks by the time the next class started. I was wondering if he was too old.

They said no probs so along we went to our first class.

We were made to feel out of place from the moment we walked in by the Dogtech trainer, who took one look at our 22 kilo Lab and made a remark in front of the whole class along the lines of "what are you doing here with him??"

The class took place in the vets waiting room, all puppies on leashes pulling and knotting their leads, while the dogtech guy spoke to everyone and went on and on and on...meanwhile trying to promote their books and everything else.

We would go outside for i would say 10 min, with all pups again on leads, to do sit, come, stay etc. which was what we thought we had gone for so great.

Then it was back inside to be 'spoken to' for the rest of the night, and untangle our pooches who were pulling constantly to play with each other.

I went back to the 2nd class, and it proceeded the same. I was under the assumption that they would at some stage be allowed off leash to 'socialise' in a secure area. It was very cramped inside the waiting room area.

I didnt go back for the last 2 classes we had paid for. Ralphy was getting nothing out of them.

We did more to socialise and train ralphy on our own than the dogtech puppy school.

Just my experience.

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yeah i think that was his name, had a real prominant accent.

Ralphy would start barking (probaby out of boredom) and i already felt self conscious because of our intro to puppy school...and his comments didnt help us to feel comfortable at all.

Hope I havent offended anyone who knows him.

Edited by Ralphy'sMum
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Thought I'd provide an update just incase you're friend was interested...

We originaly tried DogTech as mentioned on page one of the thread and had no improvement.

Leila has now completed 4 weekly sessions at a local dog club "Brush Farm" and is doing wonderfuly, we'll continue taking her and if she continues to enjoy it we'll carry on and maybe consider some comps.

After I spent over $300 on DogTech and got nothing, this is what result we have got for $2 each session at the dog club:

1) Leila will sit in an instant on voice and hand commands

2) She heels lovely and walks to a heel on a leash on her general walks

3) Her interaction with other dogs has improved significantly, she used to get way over excited, she can read other dogs body language better now.

4) She is doing really well with left and right turns.

5) She's doing excellent with her stays

6) Dropping is slowly coming, she's a dominant girl so we expect this to take a little bit longer

Plus all the other little bits and pieces she has learnt in a 4 week period inclusive of homework practice as well. It's been great because it's teaching us how to teach her in a positive manner rather than the emotionly harsh methods DogTech use.

Oh and as for making 'sweeping statements' about the francise, they are a francise and it is expected people get a sour taste in their mouth about one they will get a sour taste in their mouth about the whole organisation, I have no worries what-so-ever at expressing my disgust for them taking $350.00 and telling me the same they tell everyone else who I have spoken to who has used them. Hey they may be great dealing with agressive dogs but as far as basic training is concerned, I don't need to yank my dog around, scare her and tie her down whilst she's inside for a period of 2 weeks etc etc to get her to sit.

Edited by sas
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...... and tie her down whilst she's inside for a period of 2 weeks etc etc to get her to sit.

Oh ... still do that, do they? (does he?). My friend's friend, who were house mates at the time, had a poodle who exhibited one incidence of aggressive behaviour towards a man at a park. The dog was a rescue and the owner was alarmed and concerned the behaviour would escalate, so engaged the services of John Richardson himself. He used tactics such as you described (above) then. No attention to the dog was permitted for 2 weeks, save enough to feed and care. No toys in the yard to allow her to amuse herself during the day when the owner was at work. My friend also had a very young labradoodle (mini poodle x lab to anyone that name offends) - actually, still has him. At the time, he was, I think, only 1 year old ... or less, and did exhibit separation related anxiety symptoms. She was told by John Richardson she might as well apply the same treatment to her dog, even though aggression was not an issue. The treatment included taking the dogs out for a walk, tying them up somewhere and going out of sight. Also involved bringing them inside but when inside, had to be tied up to a chair. The only behaviour change throughout for both of them was (a) increased clinginess and (b) digging and destructive behaviour. When these behaviours were reported, they were informed that was to be expected. Fortunately, non-dog savvy though she was at the time, my friend saw fit to abandon the treatment. She is now well versed in the ways of dogs and both dogs are now fine.

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  • 2 years later...

I was told about Dogtech by my vet that I have been using for about 15 years, they suggested I use them to fix a barking and some dog aggression problems that my rottie was having, they claim they send all of their clients with dog problems to them and have heard nothing but positive results, but she did tell me that I had to follow what they said carefully to get the results and normally it does take two seesions with them and to forget about it if I wasn't prepared to follow through with what they said.

I booked (and yes it wasn't cheap) after the first seesion I saw some changes in his beavior, but after the second session a few weeks later i now have a different dog, all problems fixed and the council are now off my back. He was also very helpful when I rang him for follow up advise.

I have since recomended him to a few people at my work and they have also got the results tehy were after. I think though the success probably does depend on the individual you use, this guy has years of expereince and trains at dog clubs in Brisbane as well. :)

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You're not suspicious about the fact that two or three old threads (anything from 2 months old to 2.5 years old) about Dogtech, John Richardson or the Dog Whisperer have been resurrected in the last few days are you cNr? :confused:

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You're not suspicious about the fact that two or three old threads (anything from 2 months old to 2.5 years old) about Dogtech, John Richardson or the Dog Whisperer have been resurrected in the last few days are you cNr? :confused:

Strange coincidence indeed. Am I correct in that all these old thread were all raised by the same person????? :cry:

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