Monday, October 5, 2009

Training Rant - Plan B

In my last post I mentioned that I have started working with some of the dogs in my area. I was approached by a vet who has watched what I've done with some of the foster dogs I've had go through. He asked if I would be willing to work with some of the dogs brought in for behavioural euths.


The first question I had for him is ... why would you need me? Aren't there other trainers in the area more experienced than I? His response was that the other trainers in the area aren't interested in working with these dogs or have worked with them and failed. Great. Fine. I'll do it. Don't give them the juice. I'll give it a go.


There is something seriously wrong with the dog training world when they "reject" the dogs that need training. Sound like an oxymoron? Well, I'd say someone is an oxymoron around there, but that's none of my business, is it?


Viatecio commented on my last post about trainers and posted a link for us to check out. I wanted to ensure we all read it - I went and read it through and I couldn't have put it better myself! I think you should all take some time and read the article. It's called Plan B - Kill the Dog. What a great article to read.

5 comments:

Cyndi and Stumpy said...

Could be it's not the dogs... it's the owners. that's the reason i don't train, professionally, anymore. I would rather work with dogs in rescue and shelters, rehabbing, and not deal with the idiot humans.

Margaret Elmendorf said...

That is wonderful of you to take on training the dogs that no one else can do. And I loved the article. That Dr.Dunbar wrote a wonderful book. Great stuff.

Quilt Works said...

Kudos to you! Must feel wonderful to be recognized for the fantastic job you did, and the love you showed!

GoLightly said...

What GSC said. I'd have a problem with the people.
The dogs are just what they created, all by themselves.

kudos, again, DDF.
Jeeesh.
Didn't leave a guess the breed for my old red dog, though.
Humpfh.
Like you have no spare time;)

Dr. Dunbar is a great writer.
Off to read, obediently:)

Viatecio said...

GSP, we were have that discussion today, in fact, about the whole "no bad dogs, only bad owners."

What gets dumped on everyone else might look like the dog (and in fact can be, especially if a dog has been feral or had no contact at all with humans)...but really, isn't that the fault of the person who bred them or bought them and then abdicated their responsibility towards them? Or the "trainers" or well-meaning friends whose suggestions failed, and so the dog was passed on to be a problem to someone else.

I'll probably go out of the training business the same way, but I need to get it started first.

Thank you for posting that article, DDF. I don't think I've really read such great writing about training in general, from trends to techniques, than what this guy has on his site.