![]() Which is why this was surprising to see from him. “No” can certainly be used as a cue for a specific behaviour, but not multiple behaviours. He used “no” to tell the dog to not move, he used “no” to tell the dog not to react and he used “no” to tell the dog to leave it. He used the word “no” many times throughout the sessions and it meant many different things. Leverette also had surprising training techniques. I’m not saying this was abuse, just that it clearly irritated the dog’s skin. The dog at one point had a very red neck. Leverette uses very thin rope as collars and gives many corrections on this. It just takes a committed dog guardian, which this guardian clearly was.ĭuring the time at the board and train, we got to see some of how Mr. Most dog guardians have the capacity to work with reactive dogs themselves, without requiring a board and train. Good dog trainers everywhere teach their clients how to manage dog’s similar to the one in this episode and how to achieve meaningful behavioural change without ever even interacting with the dog themselves in some cases. ![]() ![]() Regardless, the show implies that the guardian of the dog cannot rehabilitate this dog himself. I am not a fan and perhaps I will do a post on it one day. Board and train is a popular service with balanced dog trainers. Leverette ended up telling his client that the only choice was to do a 3-week board and train at his facility. That was a moment which damaged the relationship between that guardian and their dog and it did not have to happen. In that session, he pushed the dog so hard that the dog had re-directed aggression to its guardian. Good behavioural modification work is done under threshold (over threshold is when dogs react) so that it can address the underlying causes of the reaction – the dog’s emotional state. This is unnecessary and puts the dog in a stressed state. In his visit with his client, his approach is to push the dog until it reacts. This is outdated terminology and misrepresents the social structure of dogs and how they integrate into our households. Leverette talks about being a pack leader. I found this refreshing compared to many balanced trainers that I’ve seen tell clients that their dog is “cured”. Leverette also reminded the client in the first episode about how his reactive dog was a work in progress and that management and moving at the dog’s pace is important. He also seems to genuinely care about the dogs he works with and has a great “dog voice”, which is the voice that he uses when working with the dogs. In addition, he uses food, praise and toys as a part of his training, showing that he’s not on the compulsion-only side of the balanced training spectrum. He also talks about the importance of engagement from the dog and having to be interesting to our dogs when we’re training with them – all true and all good things. Leverette talks in the show about dogs and the emotions they feel which was nice to see given that many people still believe that dog’s do not feel much in terms of emotions. So what is the show like? I watched the first episode of the series and here are my thoughts. It should be noted that many of the posts that showed the lead trainer utilizing tools to show off skills, have since been removed. It wasn’t hard to forecast what might be in the show. Although no one knew the content that would be included, Cali K9 regularly posted on social media demonstrating harsh training methods and aversive tools as a part of their regular training. When this show was announced earlier in the year, a petition was created to try and convince Netflix to drop the show. A show hosted by the lead trainer, and owner of Cali K9, Jas Leverette. In February, Netflix launched Canine Intervention. If you want to find out more about the harm of the Dog Whisperer show, a quick google search can provide you with dozens upon dozens of articles and position statements from large reputable animal welfare and behaviour organizations. The Dog Whisperer is by far the most popular dog training show that’s ever been aired and was based entirely on disproven “pack” theory and old-school (read: not ethical, not humane and not science-based) dog training techniques. When it comes to good dog training (by this, I mean ethical, humane and science-based dog training) on television, history has not been kind to our furry companions. ![]() It’s about showing one extreme to another. Full home builds and renovations in 55 minutes. Magnificent makeovers done in 20 minutes. Television shows are about instant gratification. Good dog training generally doesn’t make for good television. ![]()
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