Roz
Posted : 4/4/2007 8:10:29 PM
ORIGINAL: Awsomedog
Perhaps you can tell me what Cesar does...wrong?
The following links can explain it far better than I:
[link
http://www.4pawsu.com/cesar.htm]http://www.4pawsu.com/cesar.htm[/link]
[link
http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=nr_news_releases_dog_whisperer]http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=nr_news_releases_dog_whisperer[/link]
[link
http://www.animalbehavior.net/PUBLIC/CesarMillan_Luescher.htm]http://www.animalbehavior.net/PUBLIC/CesarMillan_Luescher.htm[/link]
[link
http://www.stevedalepetworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203&Itemid=71]http://www.stevedalepetworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203&Itemid=71[/link]
CM often makes use of a technique frequently called the "alpha roll" or "alpha roll-over." This technique came about after short-term studies on wolf packs were done in the 1940s. We have since disproved many of the findings from those studies, including the "alpha roll." The technique is frowned upon by many modern professionals and experts. It can be dangerous when an uneducated owner attempts it at home, even after being shown how to do it properly. More reading on dominance and pack behavior can be found here: [link
http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/dominance.htm]http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/dominance.htm[/link]
"At Wolf Park in Indiana, the researchers have been carefully observing wolves for years. Although the wolves are socialized to humans, they still live in packs and are even given the opportunity to hunt bison. Contrary to relying on such gross signals as alpha rolls and muzzle biting, the researchers have learned to observe how wolves flex the tiny muscles that flare the vibrissae (the whiskers at the sides of the muzzle) to warn another to back off." - an excerpt from page 41 of
The Rosetta Bone by Cheryl S. Smith
Even if you don't subscribe to the notion that some of his techniques are outdated and/or inhumane, you're missing out on some significant benefits of more positive methods by following his punishment-only ways.
The following is an excerpt from Chapter 3 ("Emotions and the Brain") of
For the Love of a Dog : Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.
[blockquote]
Food is a great motivator to both people and dogs and is a great way to teach dogs both basic obedience, like "Sit" and "Stay," and advanced tricks, like rolling themselves up in a blanket when you say "Go to bed." This isn't just because food tastes good; in fact, dogs don't have taste buds as sophisticated as ours. It's also because food has strong odors associated with it, and the sense of smell is directly linked with the areas associated with pleasure (or disgust) in the limbic system. Indeed, the smell of food is so closely linked with primitive emotional centers that neurologists believe the limbic system first evolved as a way of evaluating whether food was good for you--or would make you sick. Good smells equaled good food, which made you feel good. Bad smells equaled bad food, which made you feel bad. Simple as that.
Now, of course, things aren't so simple, but both you and your dog are still strongly affected by what you smell. If your dog learns to associate the good smells of food with sitting when you ask, then you're teaching his brain to feel good when he listens to you. This is one of the reasons you can use food to get a behavior started, and then drop it out once the behavior has become a habit. You don't need to carry dog treats around in your pocket for the rest of your dog's life, because you've wired his brain to associate listening to you with feeling good. If, on the other hand, you train primarily using force (perhaps you use a leash correction to make your dog sit), you're missing out on a remarkable opportunity to condition a primal, positive association between obedience to you and his reaction to good food. Additionally, if you use force you're probably stimulating the fear centers in his limbic system, so that he learns to associate you with the potential of danger. It's a shame how common it is for people to use force and coercion on their dogs, when there's no question that positive techniques, besides being more humane, are simply more effective.[/blockquote]
CM does a lot of good. Thanks to his television show more owners are becoming active with their dogs. Both human and dog are getting out, getting exercise, and stimulating their brains. They're even attempting to train their dogs with varying degrees of success. Not only that, but he's giving hope to owners who feel hopeless about their dog's behavior. He may even be saving canine lives. But some of his techniques
are outdated, difficult for the regular dog owner to duplicate, and some are even inhumane. And if someone (be it adult or [link
http://iaabc.org/articles/dog_whisperer.htm]child[/link]) attempts one of these controversial techniques and fails it may cost them their safety, their life, or a dog its life. I think that's a shame, particularly since it's preventable.