What’s wrong with Cesar Millan and dominance-based dog training?

Tonight America’s most famous dog trainer, Cesar Millan, hits the stage at the Auditorium Theater in downtown Rochester. And his appearance has local dog trainers abuzz with discussions about dominance-based dog training and what many of them call his inhumane training methods.

In fact, a group of local trainers will be outside, handing out an informational sheet that explains why shock collars and other force-based training methods are inhumane, along with a list of local positive-based trainers.

In the interests of full disclosure, I have never seen “The Dog Whisperer” on TV, have not read Millan’s books (although I did pick up a copy of one at the used bookstore recently but haven’t read it yet) and I know almost nothing about Cesar Millan or his dog training methods, other than a brief profile on CBS Sunday Morning last year. (I found him to be very interesting as a person and was impressed that he had about a bazillion dogs living together when I have three dogs and a cat at war.)

But I’ve also seen some of his training clips and thought, “Uh, I wouldn’t want anyone to do that to my dog.” I saw dogs clearly in distress, exhibiting extreme anxiety, and being pulled, shoved, and even … let’s call it nudged with the heel of a boot … into obedience.

But since I’m neither an expert on Cesar Millan or on dog training, what I’m about to say is based only on my own reading about dogs, dog behavior, dog evolution, and animal communication. We’re talking several years and dozens and dozens of books. – and some personal experiences with aggressive dog training methods that in hindsight make me sick to my stomach to know that I put my dogs through what must have been terrible experiences.

What I’ve learned: boo on dominance-based training.

Book review – Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die, by Jon Katz

by Kathy H Porter

Jon Katz opens the door for many conversations about the emotional devastation that people suffer with the death of their pets in his latest book, Going Home – Finding Peace When Pets Die. 

Always the story teller, Katz blends his own personal experience – his inconsolable loss of Orson, one of one of his border collies -  with other people’s stories.  Using these stories as illustrations, Katz provides support and guidance to lead grieving pet owners out of their sadness.

By writing about his own grief, Katz rips the band-aid off of his own feelings and wrestles with how to handle his emotions:  “I had no notion of how to process my grief. I didn’t know how to say goodbye, I didn’t know how to show that pain to other human beings – an essential element of healthy grieving.”

5 things your dog would say if he could talk (and he thought you’d listen)

by Joanne Brokaw

If Scout could talk, I wonder what he'd say? Maybe he is talking and I'm just not listening.

I’ve often wondered what’s going on inside of my dogs’ minds and what they’d say if they could talk. As it turns out, dogs can communicate with us. We just aren’t listening. But if you pay attention, here are a few things your dog might be saying to you.

1) “I’m bored.” As I sit here writing, I can hear Bandit in the other room, yipping. Yip! Yarp! Yip! Yarp! Those single, high pitched barks that can pierce your eardrums mean only one thing: “Really, Mommy? Are you going to sit in front of that talking box again when we could be playing? Mommy! Mommy!!” He uses a few different techniques to get my attention – raiding the Tupperware cabinet and strewing lids around the house, hauling my shoes into the living room, and nudging me while I type. All of these are his way of saying that he needs some attention. Play time, potty time, or just some face time with Mommy. Either way, for Bandit, “Yip!” means “I’m bored!”

Enter to win in the “Beyond The Myth” giveaway

On October 19, 2011 Pitty Love Rescue is hosting the Rochester, NY screening of the film, “Beyond The Myth” and Bark Around Town wants to send you to the movies! To enter, just “like” the Bark Around Town Facebook page for your chance to win:

• 2 tickets to the screening;
• a copy of “The Lost Dogs” by Jim Gorant, the fantastic book about the dogs seized in the Michael Vick dogfighting case;
• Pitty Love Rescue t-shirt and bumper sticker.

(I apologize for the change in the entry process; the form wasn’t working. If you entered via that form (all 7 of you), you will still be included in the drawing.)

The film explores the contributing factors behind the public’s generalized fear of “pit bulls” and examines the conflict existing between advocates and opponents of breed discriminatory laws, commonly referred to as breed bans.

The drawing will be held on Monday, October 10th from all eligible entries received by midnight, Sunday, October 9th.

Here’s the rest of the giveaway info:

And the winners in the Dog Days of Summer book giveaway are …

We picked the winners this morning for the Dog Days of Summer book giveaway – here are the winners:

“Dog Inc.” by John Woestendiek – Yvonne DiVita

“A Pug’s Tail” by Alison Pace – Sandy Amedick

“Stay” by Allie Larkin – Cynthia Rochet

“Lost Dogs & Lonely Hearts” by Lucy Dillon – Angela Barbara

and the grand prize winner, who gets the books “Dog On It,” Thereby Hangs A Tail” and “To Fetch A Thief”, the first three books in the Chet and Bernie mystery series by Spencer Quinn is Sarah Northrop!

Congrats to our winners!! I’ll be contacting you privately to get your mailing addresses. We hope you enjoy these barking good reads!

Book review: “Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts”, by Lucy Dillon

I’m not much for romance novels, or chick lit for that matter. But I gladly made an exception for “Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts,” the new novel by Lucy Dillon.

Thirty-nine-year-old Rachel Fielding is having a bad year. She’s lost her job and ended a long-term relationship (with a married man), and to make matters worse has inherited her late aunt’s house - which includes a dog kennel and a grieving Border collie named Gem.