Donna Harrison writes: “Hi Adam: I was attending my obedience class earlier where corrections were not allowed [for] dog aggression. My pup ( 7 months old at that time) was trying to attack other dogs who came near her, snapping and lunging at them.
The instructor told me the first day of classes NOT to use the pinch collar on my GSD while in her class and had to use a choke chain. This went against everything I believed in for my pups insensitivity, so my GSD pup escalated this behavior to prove it gave no motivation no matter what corrections I gave her. She just coughed and gagged. I was afraid I would be kicked out if I didn’t do what she said. I should have taken the risk for my better judgement because of their food attention program, and because just keeping my dog close to me in this area did not work.
It was a waste of my time in getting results. In fact, I caught my instructor who asking for help on a positive training internet discussion forum, about how to stop an aggressive dog in her class– after I left her class and I joined another advanced class in the same building. She found her methods didn’t work.
I went back to the pinch collar in this novice class and used it. This was a different instructor who allowed it. It didn’t work all the time, her having a high tolerance to pain– even to the firm corrections I gave her. The jerks with both hands and working directions that threw her on the floor didn’t work all that well, either
That was before I got your information.
I incorporated the electronic collar during the last two weeks in novice class (I used formerly for perimeter training on her and my other dogs) on it’s highest level with your instructions to use with the pinch collar….
… And within two class sessions, she stopped.
I also did the collar switching so she wouldn’t become “collar smart.” People were asking me what I had around my neck (the transmitter) and the red light blinking on her collar.
I got no negative feedback, but some surprises such as “really?” and “Ohhhh?”. I told my trainer I had to consult another well known specialist (You) in dog aggressive behavior and this is what he said to use. She seemed willing to go along with this. I believed the combination of the collars and the work you suggested had a big impact on her behavior in the two weeks I used them in class.
After those two last weeks using the collars and corrections you recommended in class, we had a special class to attend. My pup was lunged at by other dogs, was barked at more than usual and I had none of those training collars on her. She was well behaved, needed no corrections towards the dogs… the best I have seen her at these classes.
“Not a bark, not a growl, nor a lunge came from her. “
The reason she didn’t wear the collars was because we were there to test for the Canine Good Citizen. She passed ALL testing and got her CGC with excellent comments from the testers, even when around other dogs who got close to her.
I want to thank you so much for your dog training information. My pup was a tough dog in this area and the “motivation” you suggested was the key.
Sincerely,
Donna Harrison