Scott, that's funny you mentioned that. I actually thought about giving my dog the bark and hold command. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. My dog was calm mainly focused on me. I would of probably asked my dog to do it if I actually feared for our saftey.

Derek, I will probably follow your advice and say exactly what Chris said. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I am one with ALOT of first-hand complaints about Petsmart...I used to be a Petsmart trainer! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> How embarrassing!
It was way back in the day, of course, and I soon realized that "the petsmart way" is just a money-making scheme with all those ridiculous rules to prevent getting sued by PETA. No corrections of any kind, all the focus is on selling their products and why the customers NEED to buy them, and they even go as far as telling you that are no such thing as "drives" and that "dominating a dog is unnecessary because dogs see humans as their natural leader"!
They are told (brainwashed) that the raw diet is wrong, incomplete and that dogs stomachs have developed through domestication to eat the same thing everyday and that corn is an excellent source of protein. They also brainwash the trainers to compare a prong collar to a "medieval torture device"-painful and abusive. Same with e-collars and choke chains. If a dog is misbehaved, it goes straight to a head collar. On and on and on... Worthless training. The dogs don't learn anything and are dependant upon treats. All their dog behavior crap they teach are lies.
I couldn't bear to deceive people anymore and had to quit that horrible job, flush everything I had been brainwashed to believe down the toilet and start real training. Luckily, I found some real trainers that do ringsport and they "rehablilitated" my dog training skills. he, he. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I am glad to have found the light! I won't even shop there anymore- I can't bear to let them profit even a cent off me.

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I at this point started to get agitated. But I kept my cool and kindly said to them " You know, you're all right. Look how unhappy he looks (my dog obviously wagging his tail) How could I be so cruel to such a happy animal? I wish he'd stop putting his tail between his legs always cowering away from me (my dog actually doing a perfect downstay wagging his tail)"

I then started to ask that if they were so against this method of training, why does Petsmart sell prong collars in the first place? Both look dumbfounded at this point. The looks on their faces was priceless. I then tell my dog to let's go, him so willingly with tail wagging the whole time.

Another question to ask these kinds of people: "If this is such a terrible, painful thing for a dog to wear, HOW DO YOU THINK I MANAGE TO GET IT ON HIM? "

Or, "If I were to hit my dog with a stick, the next time he saw me with a stick, he would react like he expected to be hit again. If this collar bothered him, he would resist every time I try to put it on, but he doesn't. So how do you explain that?"

I know that when I say the magic words, "Who wants a walk?", my two Tibetan mastiffs (~90 & ~ 105 pounds) fall all over each other to be the first to the front door in order to sit in front of me to be fitted with their personal medieval torture devices. It's not like I have to wrestle with them to put on a prong collar; they come up and sit nicely and patiently, because they are looking forward to the fun of going out on patrol. (They guard the entire neighborhood from my elevated deck, but we need to do reconnaisance on the ground, as well.)

In my younger, less educated days, I used a Halti on a Labrador retriever, and she put up a heck of a fight every time I put it on her. (And a Lab is a lot more inclined to be compliant than a hard-headed breed like a TM is.) My personal conclusion is that a Halti must be much more unpleasant than a prong collar.

Are my dogs masochists? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Or maybe, just maybe, these collars really aren't painful at all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Bryan Veis

I put one on, didn't see what the big deal was. I even corrected myself, didn't see what the big deal was. I wish I could of come up with a cool response when idiots speak to me. I never can. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

You would not be the first one dumb struck at someone elses amazing stupidity.

Adam-Make them pay bro-so many scammer customers make up stuff just to get Petsmart to payup-you really deserve it. Anything short of $200 in value isn't gonna work in your case. Plus you deserve to find out what is going to happen to the offending employees.

Scott-who does your GF Dad's fly for? Is it the CEO or Chairman? Maybe you could work a complaint on your end. Also Scott you should mention to your local Petsmart if you want that some Petsmart salons(well OK my wife) opens up her equipment and shampoo etc etc to all local Law Enforcement K9 handlers and their duty dogs no charge. My wife lets the guys from the local PD and Sheriff's office come in and wash their dogs whenever they want free of charge. She even helps them out with any skin/coat issues and dental or nail trims free of charge. I wish all Petsmart salons would support local Law Enforcement K9's in this way. I wish every K9 handler on this board who has to wash their own dog approach their local Petsmart about this. And my wife never gets anything in return-she doesn'ta sk them to come in for a public meet and greet or anything (all though I think they all appreciate it enough that they would)these guys didn't buy their dogs from me and I don't train with them unless we bump into each other somewhere. Its just a good service in my opinion.

Another crazy thing about Petsmart-anything that gets returned is disposed of. Crates, leashes, collars you name it. And to prevent employee dumpster diving Petsmart spray everything with a can of spray paint and tosses it in the dumpster out back. They manufacturer refunds Petsmart in their "Good Word" and never asks for the product back and Petsmart doesn't resell returns. Crazy-DErek

I've been very fortunate, the local Petsmart ppl in my area have alway been polite and professional and ask me how I trained Max. I always plug Leerburg and the Sch club I go to.

I used to work for Petsmart and Petco. I have never had any trouble with any employee coming up to me and saying such things. I even had one of the store managers help one time agitate a dog for so the lady could she that it would work. Now I have had some come up to me in the parking lot after I was getting onto my dog for not listening to me. She yelled at me I was abusing my dog. To get the picture my dog even when she is getting corrected she also is wagging her tail. So I asked the lady dog this dog look like its upset or hurt? I pointed at the tail. And she turned and walked away. This was also when I worked there too and I never had any of my co-works come up to me about it. They are always impressed by my dog’s behavior. I do know of some people out there that work in these places that don't have a clue of what they are doing.

Like everyone else said I would talk to the store or even District Manager and let them know how unhappy you are about your day there and how it has affected you. Petsmart to me made a bad move about 4 years ago when they said they would take back anything even if was purchased from another store. (If you had your receipt from that store) They will also take back anything you bought there even if you’re dog chewed it up, if its old or you don't like it with out a receipt. (You’ll get store credit)

I have recently realized that whenever I enter a Petsmart store I leave angry (and I am nothing close to a rage machine). One visit I decided to turn down donating money to Petsmarts’ "save a pet" foundation and the cashier gave me some serious grief about it (she concluded i was nothing less of a selfish animal hating....person because i didn't blindly open my pockets to the fund of her liking). I am a certified veterinary technician and a previous zookeeper and too often i over hear or on work on patients that have been told faulty or partly true information on the husbandry and care of their pets at Petsmart. Many of the products they sell can be detrimental to the health of animals, and by allowing pets into their stores (thou it is fun to take your dog with you) they are inviting infectious diseases, parvo for example, and animal fights. As you can tell, I have a few minor opinions this topic. Not all Petsmarts are bad, and if you like Petsmart, great!. Just be careful. Employees do not always know the correct information, and like the crazy trainers that Adam encountered, do not always do the research. Adam, good for you for putting them in there place.

Ah the stories I could tell you! Now, I have a female GSD - she is sable, out of Czech/West German working lines. She is very slim and her sable coloring does not help, but rather makes her ribs stand out. I have had people comment to me that she is sooo skinny, etc. etc. Then there are the ones who just cannot believe she is a purebred shepherd. Why? Well, I guess because her back end does not drag the ground and she doesn't weigh 110 lbs! I used to spend my time explaining my feeding systems and the fact that because she is a highly active dog as we do obedience & agility, among many other things & the differences between American lines & their 'superiors'...but I have given up ever since I got into it with a Petsmart employee and felt like biting him by the end of our conversation.

I also loved the trainer who was trying to convince me to train my dog their...She didn't know any more than I do (which is very little at this point!) I was asking her a very simple question about how to get my dog to come closer to me when giving her the 'front' command and she had NO idea what I was talking about!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

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