So I just got back from a trip to petsmart to pick up a toy for Maggie's "Secret Santa" buddy (the rescue I work with does SS for the dogs rather than the people lol) and what was going to be a nice outing left me feeling very sorry for a dog I saw while I was browsing.
I was walking into the store and noticed a yellow lab standing just inside the doors. I didn't think much of it, but did notice that she got a heavy correction on a choke chain when she leaned toward Maggie. Ah well not something I don't see every day, so I continued in.
A few mins later, while Maggie and I were in the toy aisle I hear a heavy choke chain correction to my left. I turn, and sure enough, it's the big lab, this time being harshly corrected for forging 3 inches out of heel position. The woman handling her circles into the dog, effectively shoving the lab into position and yells "no" at the dog. The dog sits, one paw raised, panting heavily.
I soon realize that Maggie and I are being used as a training distraction for this dog, so I move Mags into a down close to me to ease the dog's challenge and keep her from getting in the way. The woman approaches, jerking on the collar and yelling at the dog everytime she steps out of heel (she wanted to say hi to Maggie - def not aggressive). Maggie and I are both a little uncomfortable at this point, but then I notice something - the woman handling the dog is someone I know from my therapy dog group (!) and she's not the owner of the dog, the owners are actually standing about 20 feet away and are an older couple.
By now the "trainer" is at the end of the aisle. I release Mags and re"sit" her away from me, and loosen her lead so it's lying on the ground while I return to browsing. The woman of the couple who own the lab stops and comments on how well behaved my dog is. [
] To which I promptly answer: "Thanks! She's a therapy dog and does agility. All thanks to the power of clicker training". I would've offered her a business card and mentioned that I was concerned about her dog, but the "trainer" was only about 15 feet away and since I knew her I didn't want to create problems down the line. [&o]
The couple headed back to the "trainer" and I left the aisle shortly after. At checkout I mentioned what I had seen to the checkout person and she said that she'd have someone talk to them. Hopefully they mention something about the methods being used on the dog and my reference to clicker training is remembered.
I felt soooooooo bad for that dog - no living being should have to be put through that much stress in the name of training!! The poor dog was throwing calming signals like crazy every time I looked at her. [
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