[Nancy1999]

Yorkiemother I'm sure you have training information to share that many of us would find of value, but I do feel like you are beating us with a stick on this Cesar issue, and, as you know, beating someone with a stick, doesn't produce effective learning. I understand that you are strongly opposed to his methods, but I think you are focusing too much on what you don't like, and some of his work with dogs who were thought to be hopeless. I don't think any of us think Cesar is the only trainer who can offer us something, but you seem to be suggesting that if we accept any of his suggestions, we are abusing our dogs, and this makes me very uncomfortable. The same thing with other trainers who join Yorkietalk, I see the frustration in their writing in debating with you. Not that you shouldn't be allowed to offer your suggestions, but I think you sometimes aren't offering suggestions, but just saying, your wrong, and I'm right. Remember, much of this is just different people's opinion, and we are free to choose what we believe to be the correct method. I wish you could focus on how you believe to be the correct way to do something, instead of just focusing on how Cesar abuses the dogs.

As far as saying shock collars must be set on high before they will work, my knowledge is just in theory, not applications, but I can tell you there are two views to this. Some believe that a punishment should be given at extreme force the first time, because the organism acclimates to the punishment over time, but many believe that it does not have to be given at extreme force, that it can be used just as an attention method. The extreme force causes the "fastest" learning, but excessive force can cause other much more serious problems. For example, I use pennies in a can to reduce Joey's barking. Some would find this inhumane, but I try to produce an aversive sound that's just loud enough to demand his attention, but not so severe that it causes pain.