Dog Whisperer Season 3

Can I start with last night's episode, even though it isn't officially the new season?  One thing I noticed that I did not care for was during the Bulldog segment.  I had a problem with him using the neighborhood kids to skateboard past the dog.  In my opinion, you don't use minors as guinea pigs for your training regimen unless you keep them safely out of the dog's reach.  He should have had his own assistants doing the skateboarding.  

The episode with the skateboard obsessed bulldog never involved any danger to the kids. I never saw the dog even redirect his obsession in the form of aggression, bite the leash, or focus on the kids.

Yay! The new season is finally here!

So grab yer dog, grab some popcorn, or grab your torch and pitchfork and enjoy!

I love watching him work. So much more going on between Cesar and the dogs he works with, than first meets the eye.

Go Cesar!

We don't get it over here, so I'm not going to be able to contribute much. [sm=sad.gif]

Anne--I'm not trying to be rude or give the impression that I even agree with every move he makes. 

But, I've heard on several episodes where he stated he would never put kids or his wife in danger.  And, there was an episode where he had the mail lady walk with him and he even stated to her that he had complete control of the dog.

In a re-run I saw yesterday he stated he didn't think the child was safe walking the dog because he was such a puller.  I also saw him get rather PO'd at a lady who was babying her dog so much and allowing him to bite her son. 

I watched tonight's show, and was totally amazed with what he did for the dog that was rescued from a lab environment, the dog(Banjo) had no trust in humans , and would run away and hide every chance he could get.
 
The dog got a second chance at a decent life, I am happy about that situation, and the owners did say they tried trainers, and nothing worked, they gave up on him(trainers).
 
He might not be perfect, but tonight he was good[]

I had a problem with him using the neighborhood kids to skateboard...

 
Actually, he normally uses his OWN two boys to help with him.  He has stated over and over again that he would never put his wife or boys in danger.  He has his limits as to where he will use his family members to help out a dog.
 
I also thought his handling of Banjo and his fear of people was great.  He put himself on the dog's level and turned his back on him.  He proved his point that love alone doesn't cure fear, timidness, or low self esteem in dogs.  For 4 years the owners have loved this dog, but nothing changed in the dog's trust for them.  Their hearts were in the right place, but that's not what the dog needed from them.  They were nurturing the wrong behaviors, and reinforcing them.
 
And, before someone mentions the "quick fix" angle, CM stated multiple times that these dogs need to be worked with 24/7/365 for the rest of their lives.  He has never once said it's a quick fix and a done deal forever.  The HUMANS need to change their ways and the dog will follow.  That's what I saw happening.  Baby steps for sure, but in the right direction.

ORIGINAL: snownose

I watched tonight's show, and was totally amazed with what he did for the dog that was rescued from a lab environment, the dog(Banjo) had no trust in humans , and would run away and hide every chance he could get.

The dog got a second chance at a decent life, I am happy about that situation, and the owners did say they tried trainers, and nothing worked, they gave up on him(trainers).

He might not be perfect, but tonight he was good[]

 
I agree, that dog has been the dog with more chances of "shuting down" (like some people say) ever, i think if CM was lanning to use his "bullying" and "terror" techniques then the dog would be like a rock from the beginning, that dog was scared and i mean SCARED of everything, but i didnt see him be afraid of CM which is so weird since Cesar is a "bully" right ? []

I thought Cesar did a great job with all three dogs featured on the first show of the season.  He gave advice to the owners that made sense and was easy to understand.  Of course they'll have to keep at it day in and day out but it looks very promising for them. 

The case of the former lab experiment dog "Banjo" was particulary touching.  This is one of the best episodes I've seen.

The one thing that did bother me though was the prong collar the owners used with Banjo.  I've got nothing against prong collars if used correctly, but they had it on him way too loose!    I thought Cesar could have pointed this out to them, but I guess it really didn't matter with what he was trying to acheive. He usually just uses whatever the owners have already been using anyway. 

And, before someone mentions the "quick fix" angle, CM stated multiple times that these dogs need to be worked with 24/7/365 for the rest of their lives. He has never once said it's a quick fix and a done deal forever. The HUMANS need to change their ways and the dog will follow. That's what I saw happening. Baby steps for sure, but in the right direction.

 
I've heard him say that, too. And I heard a family he was helping say the same thing. They had realized that, while he may have shown them techniques in an hour or so, it was going to be an on-going process for the whole family, a "new" way to get used to, and they can still love the dog. They just have to exercise him and expect obedience. I know that humans are not dogs but we have to communicate in a way that they understand. Even though I use treat training first, I learned from his show what signs to watch for in a dog and how to divert before escalation. It helps seeing it in real time.

I know CM likes to use what the owners use, and I have nothing against prongs, but is it odd for the owners to choose a prong for a dog like that?  I imagine they are most useful for dogs that will get distracted or pull endlessly or things like that.  It seemed an odd choice for a fearful dog.
 
Oh and back on topic, I did enjoy his progress with Banjo and hope the family has continued success.

ORIGINAL: KCSO

I know CM likes to use what the owners use, and I have nothing against prongs, but is it odd for the owners to choose a prong for a dog like that?  I imagine they are most useful for dogs that will get distracted or pull endlessly or things like that.  It seemed an odd choice for a fearful dog.

Oh and back on topic, I did enjoy his progress with Banjo and hope the family has continued success.

I was thinking it was an odd choice too.

I know CM likes to use what the owners use, and I have nothing against prongs, but is it odd for the owners to choose a prong for a dog like that? I imagine they are most useful for dogs that will get distracted or pull endlessly or things like that. It seemed an odd choice for a fearful dog.

Well, the weird thing is that the owners said they worked with many trainers, and none of them, professionals as they are, told them to not use a prong collar...obviously...hmmmmm....

Cesar ruled in the rehab of this type of abused dog..............wow..............hope Banjo will recover all the way!

Here's my two cents as to the reason a prong might work for a fearful dog. A properly adjusted prong with the right training and use should not be painful. It does administer control to the dog. Helps the dog understand the boundaries. Once the dog understands what is expected of it and that someone else will handle decisions and take care of things, this dog doesn't have to lead and take care of every confrontation or decision, which may have been part of it's fear. That is, by taking over the lead and providing expectations of behavior using a tool that can be very benign when used right, the dog has less to fear.
 
Dogs do not think like humans and have not studied the Spanish Inquisition or the history of the Marquis De Sade, so they don't view the prong as draconian torture or a bear trap on a leash. That is something humans do. And it is sometimes difficult to not anthropromorphize our pets.

The overriding principle upon which the prong collar is based is still the avoidance of pain, however minor.  And, it is the association with any pain that one wants to avoid with the aggressive dog, lest the dog connect that pain with the appearance of a trigger stimulus.  Connecting pain with the trigger can be interpreted by the dog as having caused the pain.  The dog does not perceive the device as having caused the discomfort when paired with the appearance of the trigger.
BTW, I, and most members of this board have never inferred that the prong is "draconian" and all that other inflammatory babble.  In fact, on some dogs, it works quite well.  You just need to know which dogs are good candidates, and which ones might be better suited to another option.
BTW, it was an odd choice of collars for a fearful dog, and it still is. [8|]