February 24, 2015
I started dog training and mentoring with someone. I would like your input on an incident with an ecollar that happened recently.
Full Question:
Hello Ed,I have started dog training and I am currently mentoring with someone with over 20 years in the business.
Today I shadowed him whilst he did a 2nd home visit to a couple with a pitbull mix (PB mix) and a boxer mix, (Bmix) both females. The couple had recently moved in together. The man owns the pitbull mix who was seemed very friendly and wanted to play and the lady owns the bulldog mix who had started to attack the PB mix.
The trainer had the lady play with the PB mix (not her dog) in the garden. Throwing a frizbee which the dog retrieved and loved the play. The boyfriend held the BD mix (not his dog) on a leash and watched. The objective is the dogs could be together without the BD mix attacking the other dog.
Because of a previous attack, which the trainer witnessed on his first visit, the trainer had placed an ecollar on the BD. The BD did lunge at the PB when she was playing and the remote was used immediately. The BD let out a very small yelp. After the trainer thought she had calmed a little, he let her loose (on leash) next to the PB as she was playing. The BD bit the PB on the neck and the trainer immediately used the remote and it was now on a higher setting. The BD really felt it.
The question is: The BD did not want anything to do with the PB after this to the point of not even looking at her and went away to a 'safe place' on an outside chair. She didn't want any more to do with the dog and kept turning away.
How will the dog get confidence to mix/socialize and learn to come close to the other dog after this? Will she not associate the other dog with pain? How do we get her to overcome this?
I didn't witness the next step as we went inside. The trainer said her confidence will return and she will come back to the other dog eventually.
This may be difficult for you to comment on... my limited info or not the right info, but I would welcome your input.
Many thanks.
Ed's Answer:
Your mentor may have worked with dogs for 20 years, but he or she sure lacks experience.
If you know the material in the online course and the DVDs you have purchased from us, my guess is you probably know more about dog training than this person does.
What this person did is not the way to get these dogs to be around one another. What he did was stupid. All I will say is he is very lucky the remote collar didn't escalate the fight – because that is what would happen in most cases where the dogs were engaged.
Go to my web site and read the article I wrote on HOW TO INTRODUCE A NEW DOG INTO A HOME WITH OTHER DOGS. That's how to do it. Then take the time it takes for these dogs to get along. Use your managing skills. The dogs should be in crates (we prefer an ex-pen) in the living room. One in and one out of the pen. The one that is out is "on a leash."
The dogs should be walked on-leash together. They should have dominant dog collars on and if one acts inappropriately they need a strong correction with that collar.
With luck and a lot of time (months) they may come to the point where they can be loose together. The owners should learn marker training and they should focus on engagement. In fact you should take our engagement course. It is not a lot of money and has 75 videos in it.
If you want some advice, I would not mentor with this person.
Regards,
Ed Frawley
If you know the material in the online course and the DVDs you have purchased from us, my guess is you probably know more about dog training than this person does.
What this person did is not the way to get these dogs to be around one another. What he did was stupid. All I will say is he is very lucky the remote collar didn't escalate the fight – because that is what would happen in most cases where the dogs were engaged.
Go to my web site and read the article I wrote on HOW TO INTRODUCE A NEW DOG INTO A HOME WITH OTHER DOGS. That's how to do it. Then take the time it takes for these dogs to get along. Use your managing skills. The dogs should be in crates (we prefer an ex-pen) in the living room. One in and one out of the pen. The one that is out is "on a leash."
The dogs should be walked on-leash together. They should have dominant dog collars on and if one acts inappropriately they need a strong correction with that collar.
With luck and a lot of time (months) they may come to the point where they can be loose together. The owners should learn marker training and they should focus on engagement. In fact you should take our engagement course. It is not a lot of money and has 75 videos in it.
If you want some advice, I would not mentor with this person.
Regards,
Ed Frawley
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