By now most of us are aware that the “reality” shows that have crept into our lives though the TV are not as real as we were once led to believe. We understand that many of these shows manipulate the episodes and that much of the footage is edited for the viewer.
Added to the reality TV shows mix are a few dog training shows. These shows will follow a certain dog with their family and track progress made. The trainer will give advice to the family, and miraculously their dog related problems are solved. In fact, some of their other relationship problems seem to have also been solved by these dog gurus. The real problem with the shows is that they have to have an entertainment factor in order to have a following. Unfortunately, these days entertainment can often come in the form of over-the-top dramatics. They are promoted almost like secrets, like whispers, that are aimed at selling books and DVDs.
It would all be fine if we watched the dog training shows for entertainment, and chatted with our friends about the latest episode, but that is not what seems to be happening. What is happening in the dog community is that the general public are taking the information shown on the TV and applying it to their dogs, often with disastrous results. I have had a few conversations just lately with our clients that are watching, in admiration, as these super-power trainers get almost instant results. They seem to be selling potentially dangerous methods in a new package.
Although I am a huge Oprah fan, I think in this case she made a mistake with her endorsement of a popular television trainer. While I think he is a dog lover, and really wants the best for the dogs, his methods aren’t replicable for the public. If you have to have pop up windows on the TV screen asking the viewers not to try this at home, then your methods should be evaluated in general, and certainly as information for the dog owners at home watching. You don’t see pop up windows on Super Nanny, which would be a better show to watch for lessons on modifying behaviors in general.
We have to separate facts from marketing. The study of Animal Behavior is not a mystery and the science of it is out there for all of us to learn. You can go all the way back to Pavlov and his dogs to see that this science is not new.
Taking a look at some common TV theories, we can see that exercise is a common topic of conversation between the dog families and the TV trainer. While exercise is certainly important, and I will agree that most families simply do not provide enough of it, it has to be noted that physical exercise is not the only area of concern. Mental exercise is certainly something that has to be addressed if you are looking for a well-behaved dog. Putting a dog onto a treadmill is not an option you should consider. This type of forced exercise will not provide any mental stimulation, no sniffing and running in the park, no interaction with their people and no chance to enjoy the day.
Providing mental stimulation in the form of training…..obedience, tricks, agility and rally are all great activities to get out there with your dog and to tire out their brain along with their bodies.
Stress is a huge factor when considering any type of behavioral modification. While most dog owners can easily view signs of stress that are blatant such as growling, many dog owners are not aware that yawning, panting (with no prior physical activity), repeated licking of lips and nose, low tail carriage and even tense slow movements are signs of stress. These signs are very evident to a trained eye when watching the dogs on these training shows. Watch the dogs especially for the low ear set and the aversion of their eyes. What we should all want to see is a dog learning in an upbeat, happy manner.
Stress can raise its ugly head when trying to teach dogs, and people. Would you rather run on a beach or run away from a bear? Running away from a bear is stressful and will increase adrenaline and cortisol in the body. If you try to teach anything to a stressed dog, the behavior will get worse. If you put a dog into a situation that is difficult for them, they won’t be able to listen. Humane teaching methods should not only have the absence of pain, but also the absence of stress. The best option is to teach them self-control in a low stress environment first, but of course that would not make good TV.
Lets look at suppression Vs modification of behavior. Suppression works only in the moment. If you use tools such as prong collars, shock collars, choke chains or use forceful leash corrections you will suppress the behavior of the dog for the moment and on TV, that is all the time you have.
Suppression requires a lot of supervision by the dog owners as you must always be controlling and watching the movements of your dog. For example, you might have a dog that doesn’t like other dogs. You can teach your dog to lie down each time it sees the other dog. Initially the dog will be unable to listen to you, due to being in a stressful situation. This is when dog owners might resort to more physical correction to get the behavior (lie down) they want. Or, you can modify the behavior so your dog chooses not to lunge out at the dog. This takes more time and expertise but is very successful with the right instruction. Again…not a method that sells on TV, although I would suggest that a show be developed that shows updated and scientifically proven techniques and visits the family a few months later for an update.
Another note when watching, the training rarely involves any fun for the dog, or their family. Wrapping a leash around your waist and running around the park will only be fun for a day or two but having a dog should involve some laughter. Rest assured, you can have fun and still train your dog.
The word positive has been kicked around since the mid 80’s in the dog training community and has divided the trainers right down the middle. Now, the key word I hear is “balance”. To me balance is not the use of food and force, it is a balance of both. Using food is now controversial and having trained thousands of dogs over 35 years, I can honestly say that it is my method of choice. In saying that, I would suggest that the word positive be replaced by the word respect. Teaching our dogs should be done with respect and in turn we should expect that back from them. Using food to teach skills such as come and sit, paired with time outs and interruptions of naughty behavior will set you up for success in most areas of your dog’s life.
On one popular show, the trainer told the family at the beginning that his methods consisted of being respectful. He then proceeded to speak to a family member in a very negative manner and when asked to stop, he replied with a no. Respect?? And, that was what we saw on TV, imagine the bloopers.
The same show spoke of food training and had this to say. “If treats are allowed to be fed to these dogs, well, that child may become a victim because if there is any jam or peanut butter on the fingers and the dog says hey I want that and (crunch sound) who’s at fault? Not the dogs. It’s always the owner who start to treat train”.
This quote really struck a nerve. Teaching a dog some skills using treats as a reward will not alone produce a dog that will bite. If this were the case, then we would have far more aggression in our dogs. It is a very silly statement, not based on sound teaching principles but the public will buy into it. It is a statement that it simply not true.
Another note about respect. On the same show, the family member asked that trainer if her dog was scared. The dogs ears were back, eyes averted and it was very tense and uncomfortable, so it was a very valid question. She was told “Is she scared? You are looking at oh poor dog instead of sit the frick down and don’t move”. Again, not an ounce of respect in words or tone and certainly not a show to get the kids involved with watching.
Next time you are clicking through the TV and stop on a dog training shows, watch with a trained eye. Do the dogs look happy and upbeat while learning? Do they avert their eyes, and have their ears back? There are many great dog training shows out there, so lets discriminate with our viewing
So, lets all keep this in mind when watching our reality based dog-training shows. On the positive side, these shows do portray the very real possibility of being able to help dogs see things through rosier glasses. It does plant the seed that dogs can be helped with proper intervention but let’s not be fooled into following these negative methods. They are a quick fix made for TV.
- gillian ridgeway's blog
- login or register to post comments
- 1806 reads
- back to the dog blog
- more by gillian ridgeway
It's Me or the Dog
I don't know if you are permitted to comment, but if you are, I would like your opinion on English trainer Victoria Stillwell. Even though it is only a half hour show, she makes it clear that the problems being solved take time and consistant training. She also goes back after several weeks at the end of the show to check the progress of the owners and dogs.
It's so nice to see someone else saying it too
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I watched that Oprah episode in horror knowing how many people tune in everyday and take her every word in as though it were gospel. My first statement after seeing the trainer's "magic" was "bet we don't see a follow-up at 6 months". Most of my clients tune in regularly to that specific trainer's show and I find myself saying the exact things you stated to help them see the danger in the methods used. Fortunately, most people listen and see the benefit of working with their dog using much different methods such as positive reinforcement. It's a shame that so much air time is given to sensationalism and mistreatment of dogs. I know it's what sells but it does so much more damage than it could ever help. Great post. I hope it gets read by thousands of people.
Joyce Keeton, CBC
Certified Canine Behavior Counselor
Victoria's show is the best one
by a substantial margin. It's still television, which means that entertainment will often eclipse substance, but Victoria's gimmicks are often used to change human, rather than canine, behavior. Viewers get to see not only that the process takes time and effort, as ivycat said, but they also get to see some failure. It's not all quick fixes and magical happy endings.
I have mixed feelings about the TV training shows in general. They're both a setback and an opportunity for those of us trying to bring valid behavioral information to the public. It's true that some of them put seriously dangerous misinformation out there, but they also make the public aware of the existence of dog training professionals. I know that a lot of my clients never would have gone looking for help if not for the TV shows, and I'm hopeful that more responsible trainers can move into the space for talking about dogs that TV shows have opened in the media landscape. There wouldn't be an "It's Me or the Dog" if "The Dog Whisperer" hadn't been so successful. Hopefully other quality offerrings will follow. DSD can play a role in elevating that conversation.
REALITY SHOWS
As a dog trainer, I may not agree with everything I see on these television reality shows and of course I realize that there is heavy editing going on, but I also believe that there is professional jealousy at work here......"why do they have these HUGELY successful tv shows and are so revered and I don't?" The answer is... it's because they're good at what they do and it translates well on television. Every trainer with an ounce of brains knows it takes longer than an hour to work out problems with some dogs and some owners.
One other big important issue......if faced with some of the dogs that CM works with on television, more than a few trainers would not even attempt to help them and would advise putting them down. These are not the ordinary family dogs that most trainers see.
People need to get over their jealousies and recognize that NO, they are NOT going to get their own tv show, because no one would watch them. There is always one things or another that can be taken away from all of these shows. No one expects an owner to be able to use everything as every owner and every dog are different.
I also disagree about NOT using the treadmill. I will say upfront that I do not use the treadmill for my dogs, but if you are stuck inside most of the winter, the treadmill is an alternative along with the tricks, games, etc..
and one other thing......SOME DOGS LOVE IT.
Cheap Shot
I find the cry of jealousy to be a weak yet extremely common retort to the debate or argument about technique or methodology in dog training as it applies to CM. It is a straw man judgment that attempts to discredit the person one disagrees with without actually dissecting the argument point-by-point (or even effectively tackling any one point of an argument) with well thought out counterpoints, knowledge, and opinion. None of the author's points have actually been refuted in the comment above, and quite a lot of liberty has been taken in knowing the motivation and feelings of the author. It is more of an emotional attack than a response to the author's observations.
Healthy debate, providing alternate views, questioning popular common practices brings about growth therefore progress. It is unproductive to gloss over things one disagrees with as jealousy.
People who put themselves out there in print or on television are obviously the ones most likely to be dissected and discussed because they are the ones we all have in common, we've all seen. The fact that dog training of any kind is on TV is a good thing and provides a launching pad for a pubic discussion and anything that puts dog training in the limelight has the potential to do good in that sense. It is okay to disagree with one another but let's try to keep the debate on-topic and above the belt please.
Kelly Gorman Dunbar
Editor, Dog Star Daily
Offering relief
Again and again I have the pleasure of seeing dog owners overcome with relief when I explain to them that they don't have to do the things they've seen on CM's show in order to train their pet dogs. Once we deconstruct dominance theory and get pack mentality out of the way, dog owners are able to effectively, easily and gently communicate their desires to their beloved family pet while keeping the human/animal bond intact. That, dear woofsus, is worth more than any amount of celebrity or popular notoriety!
woofsus said: "One other big important issue......if faced with some of the dogs that CM works with on television, more than a few trainers would not even attempt to help them and would advise putting them down. These are not the ordinary family dogs that most trainers see."
Really? I have watched many hours of CM's show, and I haven't seen any cases that I wouldn't have taken. The vast majority of them are average dog owners dealing with common pet dog problems. Aggression, separation anxiety, various fears, handling issues, normal adolescent behavior, multi-dog household issues...all the regular stuff that any dog trainer deals with on a regular basis.
I have yet to see a dog on one of his shows that would be deemed a candidate for euthanasia by me or any of my colleagues. I'm not sure where this argument comes from, even though I hear it often.
Go to your local shelter and you'll see both professional and volunteer trainers working with much more difficult dogs than the ones seen on The Dog Whisperer. In many cases, these shelter dogs are turned around without the use of force or dominance.
In the same vein, take a look at those who work with larger, more dangerous animals like bears, lions, tigers and killer whales. I dare CM or anyone else to try that "tsst" think with a bear. Go ahead, make his day...show him whose boss. If large, undomesticated animals like this can be trained without force, why in the world would it not be possible with dogs?
Before closing on this subject, I should also mention that I am not in agreement that no dogs should ever be euthanized. I am not a fan of saving dogs who require a huge amount of management and force in order to live safely in society. If a dog's life is going to consist of a muzzle, constant confinement and a lifetime of constant punishment, I'm not sure that we're "saving" him. Again, I have yet to see CM dealing with those kinds of dogs on his show.
woofsus said: "No one expects an owner to be able to use everything as every owner and every dog are different."
So true! And this is another reason why I caution my clients against paying too much attention to CM. When I was a kid, my mom used to make a joke about the TV show Quincy. Every week she'd say, "Oh good, Quincy is on tonight. I think someone dies in this episode." The Dog Whisperer seems to also have a repeating theme or formula. No matter what the dog's problem, the answer is the same most of the time. It would be interesting, I think, to collect clips of CM's advice during each show without seeing the problem being presented. I'd bet it would get awfully boring hearing him say the same thing over and over again.
I question any trainer, famous or not, who brings every dog issue back to dominance. I question any trainer who claims to know what a dog is thinking. I can't help but question a man who has no credentials as a psychologist, ethologist, veterinarian, behaviorist or anything else, is adamant that he is not a trainer, yet calls himself a dog psychologist and publicly gives his opinion on dog behavior, stated as fact.
In comparison, watch a show like Barking Mad or It's Me or the Dog and you'll see that the advice to each dog owner is specific to the individual dog and family, focusing on changing the behavior instead of merely supressing it in the moment. The majority of the advice on these shows is supported by the science of learning theory. More importantly, if the suggestions on these shows don't work or backfire in some way, there is little chance that it will result in increased aggression. The same cannot be said of what is seen on The Dog Whisperer.
Here's how I see it:
Dog Whisperer...dog pees on floor = showing dominance
dog chews furniture = showing dominance
dog jumps on people = showing dominance
dog pulls on leash = showing dominance
dog barks, poops, mounts, blinks = showing dominance
Any trainer worth their salt...dog pees on floor = dog needs to be house trained
dog chews furniture = dog needs to be taught what is okay to chew
dog jumps on people = dog needs to be taught how to greet politely
dog pulls on leash = dog needs to be taught how to walk politely
dog barks, poops, mounts, blinks = dog is a normal dog
As Seen On TV
Im just back from holidays, and it is great to see all the discussion. That is what makes this site so exciting! Im sorry to say that we dont get Victoria Stillwell here in Canada (that I know of), but it would be great to have a few more shows that really help the public.
To clarify a tiny bit, I dont feel jealous of the trainers on TV, and in fact do a fair amount of media (including my own show a few years back), but I am really involved in getting good information out to the public. That is my mission, either by TV, radio or print. As a writer for Dogs In Canada, I do have a voice that goes national and I take that quite seriously.
My aim is to just inform the public that it is indeed a TV show, similar to a reality show, and they just need to be aware of what they are watching. We have a show in Canada called "At the End of my Leash" and it is very popular. The trainer is quite negative towards the dogs and very disrespectful to the owners. While I find it offensive, the public takes it as the "truth" because it is on TV. The dogs are often showing signs of stress and worry and this trainer continues to pull hard on the collar and to dismiss all use of reward theories. This show continues due to the nature of the trainer...he makes good TV but I believe he hurts a lot of dogs physically and emotionally in his quest.
Thank you Cindy, I have also seen our clients very relieved to know that they dont have to resort to the tactics they see on the TV. I feel that we are moving backwards, back towards the more "do it or else" training that we all stived to erase back in the 1980's.
Jeff, I agree...these shows do allow the public to realize their dogs can be helped, and they do go out to seek help because of that. That is what I put at the end of my post as the positive side of dog TV.
And to Kelly...yes, healthy debate is what it is all about. Putting ourselves in print or on TV does set us up for some challenges, but after many years in the dog biz, it is worth the battle :)
Last but not least, the treadmill. Im all for good, wholesome excercise, but not getting your dog out to smell the flowers and romp in the grasses is a crime! Putting the dogs onto a treadmill, in my opinion, is lazy and not in the best interest of the dog. I used to think a tired dog was a good dog, but have since realized that a tired dog is a tired dog that is good because he is tired, not because he is good. Lets put some time and effort into helping our dogs be all that they can be, so they are well behaved, tired or not...and then lets get them out for a nice walk in the fresh air, and enjoy their company. Thats what its all about :)
Thanks to everyone for your comments, it has been a great debate.
Gillian
TV and "real" training
I agree with Jeff that the training shows have both good and bad points. I don't agree with those who think CM hung the moon, nor those who think he is evil, or think that because he is not a "licensed" or degreed trainer, he should be dismissed as a quack. There are quite a few remarkable trainers who do not have degrees, and many who do not study the science behind dog training religiously, but do a very nice job creating happy owners and happy dogs. I do not consider CM a remarkable trainer, but he is a savvy guy, and he certainly understands that a lot of people "love" their dogs by spoiling them.
Television is television, and not one single person I have spoken to about these shows has implied that they think problems are solvable in under an hour (or 30 minutes). I do not go looking to talk about any of the shows, but the overall comments I hear are about how people are the problem, and need to change before the dog can. Honestly, this seems to be the message that the majority of watchers come away with. In no way do I dismiss what some other trainers have seen or heard in regards to what CM watchers say or do, but it just has not been my experience.
Does CM do some things I cringe at? Yes. I disagree with him on many issues, but I do not vilify him, because he is bringing attention to dogs and training, and this means more business for me (and you)! I do not want people or dogs to get hurt doing what they see on his show, but this is where we need to step in and educate them (not harangue them about their choice of TV show). It is unprofessional for trainers to slam each other, IMO. Trainers who "hate" CM are not doing anything to elevate the profession. Disagree with his methods of his machismo or whatever you want, but when you trash him, you may lose clients at exactly the moment you need to be roping them in and wowing them with your methods.
Let's face it: results talk much louder than discussions of the scientific concepts of the operant conditioning model. I believe we trainers have the most clout when we rise above the negativity and show our clients how to get results that work for them, and make sure they understand that TV is, well, TV.
As far as the comment about stress and training, I do believe good trainers always seek to minimize harmful stress in training, but I do not believe all stress is harmful. I also disagree that the proper use of training collars causes only suppression. It is possible to use these tools with some dogs and have happy, upbeat dogs who are confident and willing. And it is possible to teach our clients to use them properly, when they are needed.
If all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. This maxim holds true for both ends of the spectrum. No tool works for every dog (including food). We need to engage our clients, excite their dogs to learn, and turn them into students using what works for them.
TV SHOWS AND TRAINING
You have to ask yourself one question about TV programs and that is "Is it entertainment or reality?" In real life you can't go back and edit a scene but in TV you can. Plus TV shows are based on ratings. If the shows give high ratings they will stay on TV and if not they are gone. So it has nothing to do with being a good trainer it's just if enough people are watching and are entertained.
I agree with the fact that TV shows give the public an awareness of dog training but I never want my clients to think that serious behavior issues can be fixed in 30 minutes because that is not realistic.
The real issue I have with TV shows is that as professionals we seen one thing and the public sees another. The public mimics what they see and then get hurt and I don't like that. I have had a few clients that have watched some of the TV Trainer's techniques and have been bitten.
The shows I enjoy are Barking Mad, It's Me or the Dog and Dog Town but even these shows many times don't give the detail that our clients would need to train their dogs. So no matter what the program you watch or they watch there is no replacement for a good trainer that is there to help you and answer all your questions.
Thanks,
Carol
Thank You!!
I just recently found DogstarDaily and first I love it. I admit to watching Cesar's show and found some things useful. Then I found Brad Pattison and thought wow, even went to his seminar and 'training' last winter. Fortunately I didn't really stick to any of his 'advice' and didn't turn my dog into a neurotic, tail between the legs pup. now we're working on positive clicker and marker training. She has some things that we're working on leash aggression, which has improved greatly since I got her an Easy Walk harness and am reading Feisty Fido.
Unfortunately in Canada we only get Cesar and Brad on TV, none of the positive trainers..that needs to change!!