[Judi W]

I agree with Gret.

Oh dear! What I am going to say will sound critical. Critical of the training philosophy and yes, critical of you for just following along with it in spite of the very clear evidence that it was counter-productive. Take this criticism as reinforcement and stimulation for a decision to change what you are doing and not as a personal or emotional insult please. Yes, your instinct about this occurance is correct and the wonder is that unfortunately you came to it so late even though your previous experiences gave you the same information, just a different victim (yourself). Too bad someone other than you had to be injured in order for you to accept it. You have certainly had this dog long enough that you should know him and his limitations and responses intimately. Does "typically fitted" mean this poor dog wear this collar pretty much constantly, getting stim hit with it on what must appear to him as a very frivilous things or for simply acting like a dog? He was in an informal situation, enjoying the party and unfortunately, his date (you) nailed him for being social instead of getting up off your butt and moving him out of the way. You knew from previous experience that he is willing to object to being treated that way (and I don't blame him) and yet took him and his collar anyway, I guess with the idea that if he made a wrong move you could nail him with the push button. Not the dog I'd take to a busy and crowded party. If I were a guest at a party and there was a dog in attendance that was wearing an ecollar, my first thought would be that the dog did not belong there and believe me, I would not be sitting on the floor around this dog regardless of the owner's reassurances. The thought that you can take him anywhere because if he doesn't look smart when you speak you'll hit him with stim was certainly a mistake and unfair to the dog. I also don't understand one bit the idea of pushing a dog to the point where the dog objects with aggression, as a training philosophy. A harder dog is going to object and if the warnings go unheeded, up the objection he will have to express it with teeth. Unfair, but more - not smart! Yes, you will find many dogs that have been turned around with this method, but the trainer is not going to be telling you about those dogs and owners that were left worse off, or left the program never to return. Yes, it is entirely possible for a dog to be taught to absorb more and more "discomfort" (don't ya love that word) and work through it so higher and higher levels of pain must be used. After you run out of higher numbers on the remote, where was he going to suggest you go with the punishment?

Is the idea of using the collar constantly that you don't have to exert yourself any more than to use your finger on the button? It is going to take quite a long time to build a proper relationship now and you'd better get started on it soonest. It should be remembered that training is a partnership built on trust and respect. That respect must be mutual.

You might not be sued but the bite will be reported. I am sorry for the dog. Also, keep in mind that a dog acting like a dog is not particularly dominance nor is a lack of authority on the part of the owner/handler to mean the dog is dominant either. Just unmanaged.

So, you've seen where this training has taken you. Like many other "true believers" in a single training method or tool, this so-called instructor is simply going to tell you you weren't using it correctly rather than question that the source of his income might be faulty. Like they say in Search for the Holy Grail, "run away, run away". Get out your collar and leash and start foundation work (yes it is work for both of you and involves learning to understand your dog and rebuilding a relationship).

Good luck and get busy. It will be difficult but certainly can be done. Be reasonable in your expectations and be fair to the dog. Being fair doesn't mean letting the dog run all over you, but understanding the dog as a partner not slave. My experience with the Rottweiler is that they will and do accept earned corrections but that doesn't mean they should accept friviolous over over-done corrections in proportions to the offense. The wonder is that more handlers who employ this philosophy are not bitten. (of course they might be, we just aren't going to see them writing testimonials that are posted on the web site)