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Originally Posted by Catrina Hmm I don't know about him...
Oh believe me, its not like im letting my dog take control.. like when she makes "accidents".. she gets put into her cage and yelled at and she totally shows that she is not the "leader" but getting on her back doing that "i give up" position. But for some reason, me yelling at her and putting her in a cage does not work when a person she does not know comes.. |
Hmm.. this sounds more like fear and confusion than the typical "agression" people think about. Personally I would not recommend Cesar. I think his methods would make the problem worse.
The trainer sounds like a good idea, but make sure she has a background and/or degree in animal behavior. And make sure that she does all positive reinforcement (rewards) and negative punishment (ignoring behavior) Make sure there is NO positive punishment (which means leash corrections, neck jabs, all that CM stuff.) PP will make the problem worse. Definately ask these questions ahead of time before she comes over.
I think you should ask more questions. I haven't done an in-home consult but I've asked about them (always looking to improve Loki's behavior!) and my trainer (who I trust, and has a degree in Animal Behavior/Psych) would suggest something similar. She comes over for an initial consult to observe the behavior, then suggests a plan to improve the behavior. If you do your homework correctly, you will begin to see an improvement. It takes a LONG time. I'm sure that's why she said no refunds - because it's up to you to do the homework and because you will not fix the problem immediately. I'm sure that if you encounter a new problem or need advice on how to proceed - that the trainer will help you with that as well. So, unless she comes in and tells you to use physical force on your dog, I think it sounds OK.
PS I think your instincts are right on about Cesar. Many experts in the field disagree with his methods. Have you read "The Other End of the Leash"? I know you said you've read some books, but I have a whole bookcase at home of training books so if you need a recommendation please let me know!