We have never overtrained our dogs and they are very well behaved. Are control freaks and dogs a bad mix?

Question

We have a soft coated wheaten terrier and an irish terrier. They are both almost 8 years old. They are very calm, gentle, and friendly dogs. Intelligent too. They have behaved well since the day we got them. We give them alot of freedom. We put them both in a very brief obedience course when they were puppies but we did this so they could be properly socialized with other dogs. But I notice that some folks almost overtrain their dogs. They are extremely strict with them. Constantly scolding them. Sometimes hitting them. These types of folks often say that the dog must know who is boss. They use all types of outrageous techniques. Why even have a dog if all you are trying to do is show your superiority over an animal that is dependent on you in the first place? These folks often behave like jerks in their regular life outside of the home too. Control freaks. Gotta hate em.

Answer 1

Some people look upon dogs as accessories and think this trying to obtain the 'perfectly behaved' dog will make them look good. Good on you for your success with plain common sense. We need more people like you.

Answer 2

It sounds like you did a good job with your dogs. Your dogs may also have a more laid back personality than a lot of other dogs. I've had my pitt/catahoula mix in training since I got him over two years ago. We run agility and he loves it. I believe if I did not have the proper training to train him, then he could be a nightmare with his energy and drive.

What you call overtraining is in reality bad/inproper training. I am strict with my dog, I expect him to respond when I give him a command. It is important when you have a powerful, intimidating dog like I do that you do have total control. Hitting a dog is never acceptable, and my dog only gets verbal reprimands when he does something unacceptable. He is a happy, well balanced dog, but he does respect me. I am the boss.

The people you talk about for the most part are uneducated. They probably watch the Dog Whisperer on TV and try to emulate him, but have neither the skill, the timing, nor the problem dogs that Cesar works with. They miss the big picture, which is to make sure your dogs needs are fulfulled so he can lead a happy, balanced life. I'm sure there are people who get kicks out of exerting their superiority over animals, and I'm sure these are the same people who are bullies in every aspect of their life.

Answer 3

Wow,, where did that come from.

All I can say is that this is probablly the LAST place you would want to go next month.
"2006 National Retriever Championship
Weldon Spring, MO
November 12-18, 2006 "

Some people do more with their dogs than watch them lay on a couch.
But there will always be an abusive person around, that's why dog games have rules.

Answer 4

Well-trained dogs are a pleasure to be around; remember some people are really afraid of animals and a rambunctious dog is not a great way to endear these folks to our beloved pets. Seeing Eye Dogs, for example, go through rigorous training; however, they are never hit or abused.
I agree with you though that constant scolding and hitting is not the proper way to treat a pet. People who treat their animals that way are indeed jerks.

Answer 5

Dogs do need to know their place in a pack, but emotional and physical abuse is not the proper way to do that.

Some dogs prefer training above and beyond basic obedience, but positive training, and actually learning new activities. Aussie's Border Collie's etc , like to be stimulated and like being over trained, though I don't consider yelling at a dog all the time "over training" its un-needed stress for a dog who didn't ask for a bad owner.

Answer 6

First you make vast generalizations.

Some temperments require a more disciplined approach - try handling some of the guarding or herd guarding breeds. You are always right there saying "Don't you dare!!"

Have you ever PERSONALLY had to retrain a dog that was biting - and I don't mean nips but definietly trying to cause serious damage? A problem caused by owners who didn't want to have to be strict with their little darling and he decided that he would get his way always? I have and I can tell you that kitchy kichy coo have cookie isn't going to get it. That one outweighed me by 25 lbs. I won. What worked was when he went for me, I spun, blocked his leap and took him down, throwing my torso over his body and grabbing the side of the face with one hand. The coupe de grace (being in my teens and uninhibited) was finally getting so sick of pinning him down while he continues to snarl snap and bite was to grab his leg and bite so hard that I drew blood. He never bite anyone again and was my bestest buddy every time I saw him - racing up to me happy and leaping about.

Have you ever PERSONALLY had a dog that weighed as much as you get in a snit when intercepted in mid-air leap at a visitor (and experienced patrol dog handler who had just walked into the room) and come off the ground at your throat? I have - having gotten suckered into dog sitting the ill-mannered and un-trained monster without having been warned that he had bitten half the staff at the boarding kennel the week before? You can bet I knocked him backwards and then took his choke collar and we fought it out until one of us quit - and it wasn't me and I didn't give an inch and used everything I could think of to stop him. (The boarding kennel, as a favor to me, took him and kept him muzzled for the rest of the time he was to be with me. We made the car trip with someone else driving and me in the back keeping a strangle hold on that collar just roaring at him every time he even thought about starting again.)

If you have seen someone strike a dog - well, first what do you mean?

A swat on the nose for puppy nipping?

A serious clip under the chin for biting??

A shove with the leg when they persist in slamming into people??

A large breed (i'm talking the 85 lb and up dogs) who get so exuberant that he drags someone off their feet or knocks them down and has to be set on his butt hard and fast so no one gets hurt?

As someone who now relies upon a Service Dog you can bet your backside that I am strict with him. He gets no latitude whatsoever when he is in harness and working. He MUST do his job at all times. He MUST be perfect out in the middle of the grocery store or in the restuarant or at meet feet 20,000 feet in the ir in a plane. He has one designated place to which we go where he can act like a nut - the beach 3 blocks away - and even there, if I signal him to go to work, he has to hop too. That is his job.

What are you calling "outrageous?" There are escalating levels of techniques for convincing a dog to obey and behave.

For example, when my now Service Dog was 5 months and 50 lbs, he knew sit and down - and he knew verbal as as well as hand signal commands. One day I halted, he sat and I gave the Down command. He looked at me (and I swear he shrugged his shoulder like "yeah yeah yeah buzz off".

Step 1: Repeat command sternly and snap the collar/lead downwards. He blew it off and didn't budge

Step 2: Kneel down, take the collar in my hand and place the other hand on his shoulders and pull with one with a push with the other. At that point when I put my hand on his shoulders, I could feel that the little turkey was braced and anticipating the correction. Okay give it a try. Doesn't worked, he is braced and won't give.

Step 3: Take one hand and get both front legs in my fingers, pull the legs towards me and dump him.

Hand signal him to a sit. He pops up. Repeat down command. Get ignored - he braces again. Dump him again.

Repeat step 3 for 30 MINUTES. Finally he grudgingly moves each front leg slowly slowly forward and goes down. He gets much praise and pets and we quit.

The contest? He knew what was wanted. The argument was over whether he HAD to and whether I would make him do it. It was over who was BOSS.


Some go too far I'll grant that. They think training is all shouting and jerkings.

For the most part, training is postive AND negative. Would you always obey speed limits if you wouldn't ever get a ticket?

In a canine pack, there is going to be one dog who is the BOSS and who does control the behavior of the group. That is how a dog's social world is organized. How you establish that you make the rules of behavior depends upon the dog's personality and willingness to comply.

Someone has to set the rules. This is (unfortuantely) a human-centric world. Dogs to survive must be able to fit in and not engage in behavior which will get them osctacized by humans - or in short destroyed.