Thats's what I've been doing wrong......

Probably...they had one of that Jan Fennell woman's....

I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm bringing my pup up the CM way (I'm actually trying another approach), but I love the show and I've learned a lot from it.

OK, some of the things that I've used:

1. CM has made the point on a few programs that you should teach your dog to do the things that it's instinctively programmed to do. In the case of hounds that's tracking! Basically, if your dog is driven to do something and you don't channel it you'll have problems. Teach it to do the thing it wants to do in a structured way and the nutty behaviour stops. This was a biggie for us as we have a beagle pup!

2. All the stuff about your dog reading your emotions. I would have had no idea about that, but I can now see that he's so right. If I'm in the right frame of mind things go smoothly. If I'm distracted or upset we have problems on walks.

3. I picked up on his stuff about walking the dog. Just stand tall and believe that your dog will trot along beside you. On day one I tried what he said and my pup trotted along beside me. We had a little setback a couple of months later when she discovered her nose, but it was short lived.

4. Owning your space. Works a treat. I can tell her 'no' and 'off' until the cows come home. But if I 'own my space' she backs down and sits as good as gold.

5. I've never got anywhere with the 'tsh' thing, but my partner find that works really well.

I'm sure there's a lot more. I'm sure none of these things are unique to him. But he puts it across in a way that is much more interesting than all the 'sit', 'stay' etc of obedience classes. And as CM says, the important thing is to train the dog owners - and just like our little mutts...we won't do it if we ain't interested in our trainer

Without programs like Dog Whisperer and Dog Borstal I'd be relying on websites, books and obedience classes. So I definitely get something useful from TV programs like this. I know most of the doggy owners I meet in the park find it useful too. But we're just ordinary dog owners - not discerning professionals that can tell a good CM raised dog from a good Clicker raised dog - we just know our doggies are being better behaved and happier.

Now I really dislike her but the worst thing I ever said about her was " I think she talks out of the wrong orifice" I like an adult debate

Thats just what I mean, any technique used wrongly will produce bad results. I dont subscribe to his pinning down, but saying that I have never had a dog that I thought needed it, so have never attempted it, IMO a well balanced dog will not require this, but as we know there are plenty unbalanced and out of control dogs that I really do think benefit. I saw its usefullness with a Bulldog, it did work with the dog, and it bit him! He never blamed the dog, never stuck the dog, in fact blamed himself for not observing it closely enough and watching for reactions. I think he shows us just what dogs are all about, not what we would like them to be about.
Dawn.

Me too!!!
Can't watch her...I just think the entire time...'patronising, that's a big word isn't it?!'
At least i watch CM!!!!

Just going to pick out key elements rather than quote the whole post if thats ok :

I agree wholeheartedly with you Spettadog, you can see what`s in those dogs eyes and demeanors too, you are not alone in seeing what CM is really doing to them

Hmmmm...I don't like him, BUT I agree with everything you have written. Every dog/owner needs a different approach and at least he does see that.
Having been around a lot of dog classes of late, I also have to say that he is a lot better than a lot of 'trainers' that are out there running classes on a weekly basis and taking people's hard earned dosh.

And yet Mr Milan does`nt seem to realise this - he does`nt vary methods for each dog at all, they all get the same being hissed at, prodded, pinned and forced to confront things they are terrified of all in the same way every time.


Indeed Some respond to a toy as a reward, some to just verbal praise, heck one of mine will do anything for just a smile from me, and some dogs even respond brilliantly within minutes to the dreaded clicker

Virtually everyone who dislikes tv programs dealing with dog training advocates finding a trainer and learning that way.
Everytime dog licensing gets discussed the vast majority advocate compulsory training. Something I'm not a fan of, and if the standard of training available is pants where are they supposed to learn?.