Latest:

23:52 Death casts shadow over Grammys
23:22 Greek parliament approves debt bill
23:12 Murdoch 'facing US legal action'
23:02 Conley's ice dream hits the skids
22:52 King wants Redknapp to stay
22:22 Hurt: Wife advised against speech
22:22 Jennifer hurt in ice scorpion kick
22:22 The Artist takes seven Bafta awards

Dog Whisperer methods must be challenged

Monday, 15 March 2010

I WAS disappointed to read such a one-sided account of Cesar Milan and his dog-training techniques (March 10).

As a provisional member of the APBC (the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors), I was surprised that the concern over Mr Milan's aversive training techniques was barely mentioned.

A number of pet welfare and training organisations, including the RSPCA, WSPCA and Dogs Trust, have joined together to highlight that some of Mr Milan's training techniques could result in pain and fear in our dogs.

Furthermore, they highlight that reward-based methods are used to successfully train dogs by trainers across the UK.

A number of scientific studies have found an association between the use of aversive training techniques and the occurrence of undesired behaviours in dogs.

We do not need to force our dogs into submission, we need to motivate them to want to peform the desired behaviour.

Choose carefully when selecting techniques and trainers to modify your dog's behaviour.

DR SARAH MILLSOPP

School of Psychology, QUB

Print
Text Size
- Normal
- Large
- Extra Large

I don't get it?? He is not a Dog Trainer.

Posted by Tom Relic | 17.03.10, 22:47 GMT

I couldn't agree more. This man is making a very handsome living out of questionable treatment of dogs.

Posted by Karyn | 16.03.10, 13:43 GMT

Although Cesar Milan has made a few valuable contributions to dog welfare, including emphasising the need for exercise, championing rescue organisations, and highlighting the atrocities of puppy farms, unfortunately I question his skills and knowledge as a behaviourist. I would like to say non-existant, except that he has demonstrated 'effective' use of positive punishment as far as it can be called effective. These techniques may 'work' in suppressing the behaviour that the owner finds problematic, but they do nothing to change the dogs emotion or motivation behind the behaviour, and also do great damage to that most precious of relationships; the human-dog bond.

Posted by Dr Susannah O'Hanlon | 15.03.10, 22:21 GMT

I would also suggest that it is equally important to get a dog appropriate for the person or family it will live with. For example, an Alsation (beautiful dog, by the way), may not be suitable in a small house, without sufficient play area for the dog (garden, for example) where there may be lots of children about.

Posted by Samuel | 15.03.10, 20:04 GMT

I concur with Dr Millsopp. Punishment as a way to change behaviour has been found to work only if the punishment is consistent, severe and immediate, and this is rarly possible in the real world. Even so it often leads to agressive behaviour, even in children.

Posted by Kevin | 15.03.10, 09:56 GMT