cheryl33 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 What do you make of the likes of Victoria Stillwell, Cesar Milan, the ones off Dog Borstal, etc etc? Do you think its educational viewing? Have any of their methods helped your own dogs? discuss......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 ooohh very controversial, i will be watching this thread..............my own opinion is they are all different, in dog borstal each trainer is different, (mics language is totally unesassary IMO) and not enough actuall training techniques are shown, the main part of every episode is mic swearing & his agility course, or rob using a rattle bottle, they should show more actual training, that would be educational. ceaser millan is more aggressive than some of the dogs and too busy kissing his own butt, (plonker) and i only ever saw one of victorias series and thought she wasnt all that bad, explained things better and done practical exercises for the veiwer to follow, so on the whole my opinion is, educational..........nah not really, i would learn more visiting a trainer or behaviourist myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 It worries me when they use techniques that need very precise timing or that could go horribly wrong if misapplied. But I also think they have the potential to do a great deal to make people aware that bad behaviour can be sorted out, that problems are often down to the owner, not the dog, and that dogs need exercise and socialisation. I think many people really don't know where to start with dog training, and it probably wouldn't even occur to them to go to a trainer, let alone a behaviourist. They just assume their dog is broken somehow and that the only options are to live with it or get rid of the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Oooh, good topic Well I do watch them, but really just for entertainment value, Mic does make me laugh but then I do have a rather childish sense of humour Cesar (arsewipe) Milan, I used to go purple swearing at him but now I just think he's a complete joke and I only watch it in the hope he will get bitten, last night's one was a doozy, a chihuahua who's owner really wasn't up for his methods, he was completely flummoxed I suppose out of all of them Victoria Stillwell is probably the best of a bad lot, she was much better in her last series than in the first one so I suppose she is learning more modern methods. I wish to hell they would repeat Dogs with Dunbar, that man has forgotten more about dogs than any of the others will ever know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 (mics language is totally unesassary IMO) I agree, although he does make me laugh and anyone who likes rotties can't be all bad - but the lady who fed candyfloss to her dog and made it sound like it was all the dog's idea did deserve the Wrath of Mic I reckon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakeysmum Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I like watching them, I appreciate that you don't see all of what goes on and that you shouldn't try this at home etc, I think it does good to show that dogs can learn and also they often point out that the problem is mainly the owner not the dog. I think it is educational. I have never tried any of their techniques. I am a member of the Mic fan club though. Anyone remember Barbara woodhouse? Now SHE could train a dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Anyone remember Barbara woodhouse? Now SHE could train a dog! Personally I didn't like Barbara Woodhouse I don't think the choke chain would have become so popular without her endorsing it, and she advocated 'hanging' dogs , I had a picture of her holding up a young dog by it's choke chain so that it's front legs were right off the floor - bit harsh for me and not something to be showing the viewing public how to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissa Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I watch them too - dog whisperer....hmmm its all about him. I like dog borstal & yes am a fan of Mick too he tells the owner like it is, its their fault their dog does what it likes! Victoria - had her book for chrismas and she advocates gentler training methods, I like her & think she does seem to know what she is talking about. I think the biggest problem with dog training professional or otherwise is people will always have their own way & opinion a bit like the way we differ in bringing our kids up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 the lady who fed candyfloss to her dog and made it sound like it was all the dog's idea did deserve the Wrath of Mic I reckon i remember that episode, i almost peed myself with laughter, because she really did need a boot up the bum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I read a very old Babs Woodhouse book once, it was actually very interesting, most of her training methods were shocking but a lot of what she said about the care of dogs was pretty good, she had a Q&A chapter which was an absolute hoot, one question was asking why this ladies dog was so unwilling to play or engage much in every day life, Bab's answer was something like " if your dog is dull it's a sure indicator that you yourself are dull and boring " Did anyone see a program that was on last year in the mornings about dysfunctional teens being paired with rescue dogs and trained ? Lynn Barber the trainer was brilliant, she took no nonsense from any of the teens, I've met Lynn a few times at seminars, she's one smart cookie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ailsas mum Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Cesar Milan is a twonk, dog borstal makes me laugh but I think it could be dangerous for people who don't know better to just watch the programme and think '' I can do that''. I hated Miss Whiplash Victoria Stillwell's first series but she seems to be a lot better now and I quite like her. I had a friend who got in touch with Barbra woodhouse about her dog who was very hyper, Barbra got back to her and told her to only feed her dog cat food and that would calm it down, the poor dog was fed on the cat food for the rest of it's life. I also can't stand that awful woman ( I've forgotten her name ) who has one solution to every problem and that is to shove the dog out the door and ignore it, she also charges you hundreds of pounds for one visit. Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ah, do you mean Jan ( money for old rope) Fennell ? I found her to be extremly patronising, I saw her at a charity dog show once, she stepped over my GSD Louie, luckily for her Louie didn't mind, but she could have easily been nipped . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I love Dog Borstal but think they don't show or explain enough about the actual training. My brothers friend works for the production team and he said you wouldn't believe the amount of work that goes into the dogs training, he agrees they don't focus enough on the actual work. I'm not afraid to admit...........I think Mic is brill!! Some of his methods are abit 'old school' but his love of the dogs is apparent and respect of the dogs needs to work make him a good trainer in my opinion. Also he's a Staffy fan too which helps!! I also think Rob is a lovely trainer, he has a great way of comminicating with people. I think the programs have their place, except that stupid little man Ceaser Milan...now he's an idiot (although respect for his love of Pits!!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakeysmum Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I would like to make clear my comment about Barbara Woodhouse was a joke, not too clear above. She was rather cruel at times. But I think attitudes to dog ownership and training have really changed. A family dog 50 years ago was fed scraps, walked itself, had it's nose rubbed in it and shot if it bit. I think the dog trainers today at least use kind methods and hopefully this encourages viewers to use kind methods x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Have any of you seen the Canadian chap who is on animal planet? He seems to get results but I'm surprised a few owners haven't lamped him, he is so 'in your face' but I find him good entertainment value. I can't for the life of me remember his name or the name of the programme! I read an autobiography that Barbara Woodhouse wrote years ago, Talking to Animals, I might still have it somewhere. The part which stayed with me was when she went to Argentina to work on a polo ranch and how upset she was by the treatment, breaking and training of the ponies, she tried to teach the gauchos a thing or too about training without cruelty, they laughed at her but I seem to remember she was given a particular pony who was extremely difficult (bascially it was half scared to death) to train her way, the gauchos thought she would fail, she didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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