Quote:
Originally Posted by Zumie05  Last week I had the spray bottle because I needed a way for Gary to understand that I am unhappy when he is focusing on other things. And lets face it, in class you cannot get up and walk away from things. It WORKED. That is why I am so hesitant of quitting the bottle. Based off of everything I'm reading here I want to not have to rely on the bottle. I don't like the idea of needing one all the time. But, for now, it is working on getting him to stop what he is doing and gives me that time cushion to get his attention back on me so I can praise him for doing the right thing. |
Oh, don't panic. I only used the bottle for a couple of weeks. She got the point.
Like I said before, the trainer who recommended the bottle to me has been a trainer for 35 years, has his CPDT, member in good standing of the APDT, and has a *doctorate* in behavior theory.
My advice is to always check the qualifications of your trainer. Look for not only a solid understanding dog behavior, but a commitment to CONTINUALLY strive to keep himself updated on new theories and research. Then, ask him or her what they think about different aversive methods.
Bottom line is a lot of people here know about the rottweiler breed. But from what I've seen so far, a good majority of the people here have found something that works with their own dogs, and now refuse to consider any other methods. Not only that, but they fail to consider that much like people, each dog is different. As far as I'm concerned, this is a crucial thing to remember when it comes to working with dogs. So take what information you can glean from here, but don't let this place be where you STOP learning.
I had a teacher who always told me, "Never write a paper after only considering one source."
I think that rule should still apply as we teach and, more importantly, learn from our dogs.