tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post2394804772991242422..comments2024-03-26T22:16:26.572-04:00Comments on Terrierman's Daily Dose: Show Me Your SouffléPBurnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-69061734250333157962017-05-04T10:44:18.831-04:002017-05-04T10:44:18.831-04:00The fact that so many titles are popping up for pe...The fact that so many titles are popping up for pet dogs (and have been for quite a while now) show how quickly the bar is lowered in terms of standards.<br /><br />First there was obedience.<br /><br />Now we have trick training, obedience Lite (see "Rally" and/or "Beginner/Graduate" classes), parkour, agility, herding, flyball, barn hunt, and lure coursing, among others. All of which have their own set of titles for which the dog can earn after achieving a particular "level" of "performance."<br /><br /><i>I am NOT slagging that people are actually going out and doing these activities with their dogs. ANYTHING that gets people and their dogs out, keeps them active/fit, keeps the dogs occupied and gives them a mental/physical outlet in this day and age is awesome. Amazing. Kudos to those people and their dogs for leaving the confines of the house, yard and neighborhood walkies on a MORE than regular basis!</i><br /><br />What I'm complaining about is that people earn these titles or train for them and say they have a "trained" dog and what's worse, "trainers" out there exist to ONLY teach these particular disciplines. Obedience is so boring, strict and regimented compared to the excitement and speed of agility, the "instinct" of herding or barn hunt, the FUN of "tricks." Look at all the things they can do without having to MAKE the dog do anything or STRESS it out by making it hold a sit for 5 minutes or walk calmly at heel while maintaining focus around DISTRACTIONS. It's all based on rewarding and feeling good so here, let's degrade true obedience by doing same with it! Even better, when the dog makes a mistake, you just laugh it off, withhold your treat reward, and try again.<br /><br />When your average dog in suburbia blows a recall when the gate is left open or ignores a call-off from an exciting chase in prey drive, there is a high potential of injury or death in the maze of busy streets. Owners go through the stress of posting flyers, calling shelters and vet offices to BOLO and oh by the way he isn't microchipped because he NEVER leaves the yard or has ALWAYS came back in the past. Laugh that one off, why don't you.<br /><br />When a dog violently pulls someone around on-leash, laugh off the chronic neck/back injuries to him and the shoulder/back strain to the human. After all, one is "working with a trainer" or bought the latest pain-free-but-not-pain-free "no-pull" device and the issue is still a "work in progress" six years later, but look at all these agility and trick titles we have! Maybe even a CGC from some unnamed evaluator with standards lower than a snake's belly! And he's a therapy dog too!<br /><br />As with you, when someone claims they are a trainer, SHOW ME THE DOG!Viateciohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08523551407472141202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-90626852444814646452017-05-04T08:18:06.294-04:002017-05-04T08:18:06.294-04:00I think I'm gonna start doing Facebook LIVE vi...I think I'm gonna start doing Facebook LIVE videos. <br /><br />And it's nice to see you, Mr. McCaig!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07480076551290941594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-70626962726790820932015-10-25T10:21:41.488-04:002015-10-25T10:21:41.488-04:00Dear Patrick,
There are any number of people sett...Dear Patrick,<br /><br />There are any number of people setting up shop as "herding" trainers. When a novice asks me how to evaluate a trainer I've never met I say, "Has he ever won an open sheepdog trial? If the answer is 'no' grab your wallet and run."<br /><br />Donald McCaigDonald McCaighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11890894628274998487noreply@blogger.com