I started clicker training Merlin the moment I got him at 9 weeks. By 10 weeks he would sit, down, come to his name, would give a paw, and give whichever paw I asked for. I'm sure there were a few more things I've forgotten!

and TRUST! the most mportant thing imho.
training begins the moment you bring your puppy home,no matter if its the human that starts it or otherwise.lol.
toilet training is one of the first and hardest thing a pup will learn,no one thinks twice(that i know of) about starting that straight away!

Ah, that was one of the 'other things' I'd forgotten!
Clicked and treated every time he 'went' in the garden. It was so easy that way, it was soon clear to him something Good happened if he wee'd out there, but nothing happened if he wee'd indoors (except being scooped up and put outside if I caught him). Cliacker training, and the new positive reinforcement methods were a revelation to me, having learned the old 'choke chain and shove' methods with family dogs 25 years before.

Oh I agree the lazy sods should have trained the dog from puppyhood not to chase but their excuse was they were too busy with the farm. Also they seemed resigned to the fact sooner or later she was going to lose her life under the combine harvester. I can't relate to these people at all tbh but I'd say it was fairly obvious they were never going to put in the effort to retrain the dog. They probably only called him in because as it was used on the tv it no doubt cost them nothing. The e-collar may have been a quick fix but better that that losing the dog in the combine harvester.

I'm also a tad confused by the often repeated statement that he doesn't teach dogs basic commands of course he does, he just doesn't teach others to do it. He advises them to go to puppy class etc.

i am watching the dog-whisperer he has answered the question....he said ,i can tell a dog to come to me with my eyes

Only if its looking at you

Ahhhhhh. That explains it.

So am I , as with most of his cases, the dogs are way past the puppy stage, so would be rather pointless for him to advise anyone to take the dogs to puppy class etc

I fact, I dont think I have ever heard him recommend anyone take them to puppy/training classes!!


In fact the only thing I hear him continually say is "he is not a trainer and does not train dogs"

now he must be good to achieve that one

Me thinks the man is starting to believe his own hype