Addressing the Dog Whisperer and Dog aggression

CockatielCrazy87 · Member Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 193

Ok I know there was a post on one of the dog boards about someone asking for help with their aggressive dog and someone replied with hit it with a tennis racket because thats what the Dog Whisperer did and the person had advised their friend to do the same. Well i just finished watching an episode of the Dog Whisperer and he was working with a 4 year odl Rotty named Nicky who was dog aggressive. Funny thing is he never eve mentioned hitting the dog to fix the problem and never laid any threatening hand on this dog even when the dog attacked his white german sheperd all he did was pull Nicky away by the coller the loose skin on the back rolled him on his back in a submissive position so the sheperd could stand over him. Im not trying to start anything im just saying he never said anything about hitting let alone hitting with an object other then a hand.

loves-da-pits · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:29 am Post subject:

I know that I'm no dog training expert, but hitting an already aggressive dog with a tennis racket seem really odd.

I don't get National Geographic the "The Dog Whisperer," but I would really like to see it and what this man has to teach.

someday · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:32 am Post subject:

I remember this episode being dicussed on the forum earlier. I don't believe the Dog Whisperer actually hit the dog with the racket...he simply carried it with his to act as a buffer between him and the dog...

here's the post
http://www.auspet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6322

nern · Moderator Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 5042 Location: NY

Thanks for clearing that up. I remembered Dukesdad discussing the episode and did'nt think he mentioned that the dog was hit at all.

kyles101 · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:25 am Post subject:

as ive said in the other thread i personally find it very odd that a dog would stop and run away at the sight of a certain object [a tennis raquet should be unthreatening to a dog]. i also think a raquet used as a buffer is useless unless they had intentions of hitting the dog if it snapped. tv shows can edit alot of things out that we dont want to see. thats not to say someone used a raquet on the dog, but it does give you something to think about. things are not always what they seem, especially in the land of tv!

CockatielCrazy87 · Member Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 193

yeah i heard about him actually hitting a dog with a tennis racket on a different post other then dukesdad i just can't seem to find it.

DanjaVA · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:44 pm Post subject:

I watched the episode with the tennis racquet again a couple of days ago. The dog didn't stop and run away when he saw the tennis racquet. He continued barking and acting aggressively toward Cesar for a few seconds. When that didn't get the human (Cesar) to back off, the dog ran around the pool and began barking at Cesar some more. Cesar slowly approached the dog and the dog moved away. Cesar started blocking off areas around the pool until he had the dog cornered. This was all without ever touching the dog. When the dog was cornered and tired he sat down and when Cesar presented the dog with the choke chain the dog put his head in it of his own free will.

The tennis racquet was unthreatening to the dog. He barely looked at it. It was just something that Cesar picked up to protect himself in case the dog lunged or tried to attack him. He used a trash can as a buffer when he worked with some German Shepherd. He just picks up the first thing he sees when he walks into a situation with a dagerous dog in case the dog tries to attack. You wouldn't need to hit the dog with it, you would just keep it between you and the dog.

And yes, TV does edit and take things out and switch things around. But I really can't see Cesar being so successful with these dogs if he's beating them with tennis racquets or anything else. I think most of us agree that abusing an aggressive dog is likely to make them more aggressive.

CockatielCrazy87 · Member Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 193

i would never raisea hand to a dog in my experiences and what i have seen to me hitting only worsens the problem. I did not see this episode i did'nt beleive that he would hit the dog who ever had posted said that he did hit the dog with the racket and that that person told their friend that htye should hit their dog with a tennis racket. Im fully aware that tv shows are edited I never said it wasent. im jsut trying to make sure everyone knows im not the one who said i saw him hit the dog that was someone else. i know its confusing.