Rescue Dogs Owner Thinking Of Calling In Dogtech.

[Kaz]

Hi Guys.

The owner of one of my ex fosters has recently been having some real issues with her adopted baby, a very strong and lively rottweilerx girl. She is becoming unmanageable and something needs to be done.

The dog is very strong and athletic and also very high drive and excitable. She is also highly intelligent.

She is uncontrollable on walks. Excitable and will lunge at other dogs though she is not at all aggressive and just wants to play.

I think I have this part of the situation under control and am working with them using a prong collar.

However there are other issues involved. Mainly that the dog is highly escitable in most situations. This results in frantic barking at the window whenever people or dogs pass by. She has destroyed the fly screens.

The property also has chain fences and she is barking at the neighbours on all sides. The neighbours are terrified of her particularly as they have kids and they are basically fearful of rottweilers.

She is kept indoors when her owner is out due to her frantic barking at things though she still barks inside.

Eventually she is going to have some serious complaints made and already she is at her wits end although she loves her dog to bits and doesn't want to return her. She is even going to move to a more suitable rental property with solid fences for the sake of her dog's wellbeing.

She is going to call in Dogtech to try to get some solutions. I wondered if anyone knows anything about them. Are they any good?

Unfortunately she doesn't have a car and not a lot of money so she really won't be able to afford for K9 Force to come out to her.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions I will pass them on.

This is a wonderful home for this particular dog and the owner is devoted to her and prepared to put the work in so I really want to try and help in any way I can to keep these two together.

[Erny]

Hi Kaz

Use the DOL search engine to search this forum for comments regarding Dogtech.

I've included some links below to help start you off, but there are heaps more for you to read if you want to be kept occupied for a while.

Anyone heard of the Dog Whisperer?

Yawning, stressed dog during training.

Update on Missey's training with Dogtech

Aggression and Socialisation

Edited March 10, 2007 by Erny

[Kaz]

Oh god. I'm going to be busy today. Thanks for that Ernie

[tarope]

Kaz,

The Rottweiler Club of NSW runs Obedience / Socialisation classes every second tuesday night at the Bill Spilstead Complex , Luddenham rd. Erskine Park, from 7.00-8.30 pm. you don't have to be a member or own a Rottie, but you need a car to get there. Ron and Evelyn who run training are very good with problem dogs.

Sounds like this person has big problems with this Rottie cross, but I'm sure Evelyn ( 02-9838 1460 ) can handle this one.

I have just started going there with our Rescue Rottie, who has some problems but nothing like this poor person has.

training dates-- march 13th- 27th, april 10th-24th, may 8th-22nd, june 5th-19th.

I hope this has been of help, good luck.

[Kaz]

Thank you. I will call Evelyn and maybe she can recommend someone. The foster dog lives in the blue mountains so way too far for her to travel.

The foster dog is absolutely brilliant. A totally loyal and devoted sort. Also highly trainable. She sit and drops before the words are even out of your mouth.

She was also one of my favourite fosters so I really want to give her all the help I can.

Reading the posts regarding dogtech, all my suspicions have been confirmed.

I'm sure there are some good trainers in the organisation but there is no way of telling what you will get unless you know someone in the area who has already used them.

I will hopefully be able to get up to the blue mountains next saturday to assess the situation myself so if anyone has any tips, please let me know. The dog wasn't acting this way when she was at my place though she was obviously a high energy high drive dog.

But then I also have high colourbond fences and she had several other dogs to play with as well as someone at home most of the time.

Also if anyone knows of anyone in the blue mountains area who is good and will go to a persons place for training I would recommend them to the owner. She is happy to be guided by a recommendation but she doesn't know of anyone except dogtech.

Edited March 10, 2007 by Kaz

[Lablover]

Couldn't the owner exercise the dog as much as possible, and purchase (or find a loan crate ie from the local vet), until your assessment?.

Dogs sleep alot, when tired. Also training, mentally stimulates and tires a dog.

Good luck. How old is the dog?

[Kaz]

Couldn't the owner exercise the dog as much as possible, and purchase (or find a loan crate ie from the local vet), until your assessment?.

Dogs sleep alot, when tired. Also training, mentally stimulates and tires a dog.

Good luck. How old is the dog?

The owner is exercising the dog every day. But I really think it would take more than this to wear the dog out.

The dog was estimated by a vet and the pound as being between two and four years old (I'm no good at estimating ages myself. However the new owners vet believes her to be between a year and two years old.

Will talk to her about the crate idea. And reading back - the word 'assessment' makes me sound like some sort of behavioural expert myself which I assure you I am not. I have dealt with aggressive and fear aggressive dogs but I just learn to deal with whatever problems I come across with a particular dog and I haven't come across these before.

All I can help her with is the lunging whilst walking. I just want to get a better picture of the two of them together to see if there are any dominance issues and see what the owner's body language is like in these situations. Beyond that I don't really have much of a clue what to do.

[Lablover]

I have to admit, owing labradors, I am no expert in aggression either.

All the same, I have only ever met, one dog, I feared.

Leadership, control, training and exercise. The cook book response!!!! Pity we are not making a cake.

[Kaz]

I have to admit, owing labradors, I am no expert in aggression either.

All the same, I have only ever met, one dog, I feared.

Leadership, control, training and exercise. The cook book response!!!! Pity we are not making a cake.

Just have to clarufy - the dog isn't aggressive. She is lunging at and will respond to another dog barking at her through a fence. But most of the time she is lunging and barking because she wants to play with the other dog. However this will look pretty scary to anyone who doesn't know the dog.

[tarope]

Kaz

Sorry to bore you again but I have found that to train a Rottie, you need someone who knows Rottweilers.

The only people I would trust is the Rottie Club, these people know and love these beautiful dogs.

Last year I took our Rescue Rottie to All Breeds Training, but she did not cope I did not know why.

As I have been doing Obedience training with my German Shepherds with the GSDL and all Breeds for 4 yrs.

When Evelyn told me you can't train a Rottie like a Shepherd, you must go slowly as they don't like to be pushed,

The penny droped, how right she is. We are not having any serious problems with our Rottie, she's very gentle and loving

but she needs socialization and training, as do all dogs. being an x-cruelty case It makes the job harder.

People like you Kaz deserve a medal for the wonderful work you do. All the best. :rolleyes:

[Kaz]

Thanks Tarope. The owner rang today and hasn't organised anything through Dogtech yet. I have given her what seems to be the general opinion of this forum and have given her Evelyn's number. I have also suggested she contacts Steve at K9 force to get a quote or at least get a referral.

Fingers crossed something will turn up.

[kamuzz]

Thank you. I will call Evelyn and maybe she can recommend someone. The foster dog lives in the blue mountains so way too far for her to travel.

Has anyone asked Steve from k9 if he will help, seeing as they are out his way.....

Maybe you could bribe him with home-made chocolate cake or something :rolleyes:

[Muttly]

Wow! Just had a quick flick through those threads Erny. I have had brilliant results and a number of carers with ARF with Dogtech. I think we must be very lucky to have particularly skilled behaviourists with that company in the ACT area, wouldn't swap them for gold. One of them is a Rotti owner :D

[Erny]

Wow! Just had a quick flick through those threads Erny. I have had brilliant results and a number of carers with ARF with Dogtech. I think we must be very lucky to have particularly skilled behaviourists with that company in the ACT area ...

Yes - I guess that's the problem with franchises. One might give brilliant results, but others might not. But it can be misleading to those that need them when they all come under the one name.

Just because K9 Force is great, doesn't mean another trainer is. And we all understand this - it makes common sense.

And yet we can be lead to think that because someone has had a good/bad result from a franchise, that all the franchises of that name are the same. Of course, this would work for 'good' as well as for 'bad' - so there are advantages AND disadvantages in this for the franchisees.

The other problem with the franchises is that you have no idea of the individual's experience. I know of one franchise for sale - advertising "no experience required" because they put you through a course. What course? What duration?

If K9 Force decided to run under the name of a franchise, then HIS franchise would be excellent.

So it really is a matter, regardless of the franchise, of finding out WHO is the actual trainer/behaviourist behind it and investigating as to their reputation, qualifications etc.

[sas]

Hi Guys.

The owner of one of my ex fosters has recently been having some real issues with her adopted baby, a very strong and lively rottweilerx girl. She is becoming unmanageable and something needs to be done.

The dog is very strong and athletic and also very high drive and excitable. She is also highly intelligent.

She is uncontrollable on walks. Excitable and will lunge at other dogs though she is not at all aggressive and just wants to play.

I think I have this part of the situation under control and am working with them using a prong collar.

However there are other issues involved. Mainly that the dog is highly escitable in most situations. This results in frantic barking at the window whenever people or dogs pass by. She has destroyed the fly screens.

The property also has chain fences and she is barking at the neighbours on all sides. The neighbours are terrified of her particularly as they have kids and they are basically fearful of rottweilers.

She is kept indoors when her owner is out due to her frantic barking at things though she still barks inside.

Eventually she is going to have some serious complaints made and already she is at her wits end although she loves her dog to bits and doesn't want to return her. She is even going to move to a more suitable rental property with solid fences for the sake of her dog's wellbeing.

She is going to call in Dogtech to try to get some solutions. I wondered if anyone knows anything about them. Are they any good?

Unfortunately she doesn't have a car and not a lot of money so she really won't be able to afford for K9 Force to come out to her.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions I will pass them on.

This is a wonderful home for this particular dog and the owner is devoted to her and prepared to put the work in so I really want to try and help in any way I can to keep these two together.

Dog Tech will cost her more than K9 Force as one session is never enough.

I would highly reccomend that she has a lesson on using the prong with Steve or another trainer as more damage can be done rather than good.

I would suggest she head out to the book store and pick up Jan Fennells book called Dog Listener, if I were in the situation I would stop taking the dogs for walks until I had things back under control and would mentally stimulate the dog instead.

I've used DogTech personaly.....a very uneducated thing to do about 3 years ago.....I have absolutely nothing good to say about them.

I really reccomend she get someone to take her out to Steve or get Steve to come to her. If that's not possible, I'm sure there is a NDTF qualified trainer in her area.

I know a brilliant trainer in the Blue Mountains, she's a Great Dane lady though, message me if you'd like her details.

Edited March 12, 2007 by sas

[Steve K9Pro]

Has anyone asked Steve from k9 if he will help, seeing as they are out his way.....

Maybe you could bribe him with home-made chocolate cake or something

K9: I am not subject to bribes, but I will be taking a look at this dog on Sunday...

[poodlefan]

I have witnessed with my own eyes K9 eating Krispy Kremes.. .I hear his dogs like them too.

[Kaz]

The owner is pretty isolated where she is and I'm not in a position to have the time to help her getting to Steve as Ilive at Seven Hills. I am hoping that meeting Steve will give her the incentive to con someone into taking her to him in the future.

She has already booked Dogtech to come out to her on Tuesday but who knows, maybe Steve will talk her out of it.

I will be going out there Saturday to give her some moral support and the benefit of my limited experience but for K9 Force this is really above and beyond the call of duty.

Thanks again Steve!