What techniques will you use to desensitise your dog to the black lab Gnasher?

I've got the first book that Nicole Wilde wrote, and I have read your link and agree with what she says.

"Dominance" aka CM - alpha rolling, pinning etc. etc. is NOT how you train a wolf cross - but you do need to be boss - and by boss, you have to lead by example, NOT by being physically aggressive or violent. You need to be pack leader, but all this *ollo*cks about going through the door first, eating first etc. etc. is farcical. If you are living with 2 x 45 kilo dogs, the last thing you want is to go down the stairs first ... together they weigh considerably more than I do, and I like to have them in FRONT of me where I can see what the gits are up to!!

As for feeding them first, I see nothing wrong with this. My dogs sometimes are fed first, sometimes not, but at meal times they are allowed to join us PROVIDED they do not sit in our faces begging for food and drooling. Provided they lay down quietly, they are welcome to join us. We do not feed them at table, but after we have finished, any scraps are put down in front of them and they both have to remain sitting or lying until we say they can eat. THIS is how you demonstrate IMO to dogs AND wolves that you are alpha. You lead by example.

NEVER NEVER NEVER physically pin or roll a wolf cross. If you want to tell them off ... let's say they are growling at you because they have got hold of something manky and you don't want them to eat it. You need to claim the manky item as yours, by boldly claiming their space, keeping your arms and fingers out of the way, but using your upright posture to show that you are asserting your authority over them, and they must drop the bone. If they don't drop the manky item, you may need to distract that in order to get them to drop it so that you can pick it up. You then ask the dog to sit or lie down, and then you praise him for being a good boy. If it was something particularly tasty that he had relinquished, I would be tempted to give him a piece of raw meat or liver because wolf crosses have a huge sense of fair play - all dogs do IMO.

I could go on for ever, but one thing you should never do with ANY dog, let alone a WC, is to show aggressive dominance. You have to roll with the punches and think with your brain to get round problems. But you MUST be alpha certainly with WC's, else you will get into trouble.

But surely you don't agree with article as the point it makes is that punishing dogs because of their type / size is not necessary.

Yet you continually bang on about your dog being a wolf cross and the need for the electric collar

The C word over and above everything else ....

CALMNESS !!

Ben is so attuned into our moods and feelings that we have to be so careful when we see dogs hoving into view not to tense up, not to give away in the slightest way how worried we are that a large black labrador is coming our way!

We will do everything we can to turn every negative, if there are any, into something positive - anything to be able to praise him. We will ask our friend if and where appropriate to give their dog a titbit, and do the same with Ben. He is not into food, but loves a piece of raw meat or a piece of liver.

All will go pretty well I think until the 2 dogs come into close contact - a few feet away. My friend's BL is pretty aggressive towards other males, so it is going to be helpful for our friend to do this training, as well as us.

If and when Ben kicks off, OH will be holding him on the harness lead thingey of course. I will block Ben using my body and try to prevent him from looking at the BL, but to focus on me. I will tell him to sit, and as I say, reward every slightest thing that I can with praise.

Sorry, but I'm becoming increasingly confused by you continually contradicting yourself

You state that its necessRy to keep the collar on even though you don't use it and then you state that wearing the collar makes no difference to the level of obedience

Who are the 'experts'?

Because an e collar is not a punishment!!!

Do you not think BAT / LAT Would be far more effective than direct counter conditioning?

Yes it is, until you continually use it, it then ceases to be punishment and becomes cruelty

We gave humans therapeutic electric shocks until recently, it was argued that wasn't cruel by the people doing it too, quite obvious to anyone else it was punishment and cruel.

I hope we move on with canines soon