Let me just start this post by saying I am frustrated, sad, and quite honestly, pissed that we will have to talk about this in 2023. Despite mounds of scientific research stating that aversive methods to train dogs (or any animal for that matter) are detrimental and dangerous, it still happens.
This is a topic I’m always a little hesitant to address. I have a rule that I do not go on other trainers’ profiles or posts to share my opposing views. But in my little corner of the internet, I’m going to say what I want and be brutally honest with you.
If you aren’t aware, there has been a LOT of debate, backlash, and attention given to a “trainer” on social media lately that calls himself Dog Daddy. Dog Daddy hosts workshops for aggressive dogs and their guardians. In those workshops, he “helps” these dogs by popping the dog’s leash, sometimes even lifting the dog up off the ground by the leash, jabbing them in the ribs, and alpha rolling them.
He loves to poke fun at positive reinforcement dog trainers (he calls us “hot dog trainers”). He claims to help dogs that hot dog trainers could not.
So in this post, I’m going to give reasons why his approach is dangerous and not effective for the long-term. I’m also going to refute his claim that positive reinforcement trainers do not work with aggressive dogs.
#1 – Dominance Is Dead.
Let me say that I am disheartened that in 2023 we still have to have the conversation about dominance and alpha. It is one thing for a dog guardian to have this mentality. It is quite another for a “professional” to be pushing this info. It has been proven over and over and over again that dogs do not dominate humans. Your dog is not trying to be the alpha over you.
If you want more info about this, Google “David Mech.” That’s the person who originally came up with the alpha theory….and then recanted it. (See references section at the end of this post).
#2 – Flawed setup from the start.
The setup Dog Daddy uses is not safe for the dogs or the humans. He offers workshops around the world where people bring their dogs. A room full of scared, reactive, aggressive dogs is not ideal. Then he will proceed to take the leash from the guardian and the dog escalates the aggressive behavior by lunging, barking, biting. And he will tighten up the slip lead, yank it, and jab the dog in the ribs. After several minutes of this, the dog stops aggressing. And Dog Daddy claims the dog is now comfortable with him.
Using a collar and leash in this manner can do physical harm to the dogs. There’s a reason we don’t wear seatbelts around our necks. Pressure around the neck can damage a dog’s windpipe, vertebrae, and nerves. If you’ve ever been around a dog with trachea collapse, it is quite upsetting.
It also is a flooding situation for the dogs. They are overwhelmed with no chance to escape. Which is why we see such a “fight” response in the dog’s in his videos. The dog figures out that they cannot get away, so they try to fight to get this scary stranger to go away.
What we see when the dog stops fights is learned helplessness. The dog realizes they have no control in that environment so they shut down. Sadly, unknowing trainers see this as the dog being cured.
#3 – Complete disregard for the dog’s emotional state.
Dogs don’t lie. In so many of his videos I see tucked tails, panting, whale eye, head turns away. It is really, really hard to watch. These dogs are not learning, they are not being trained. Dog Daddy never talks about the dog’s emotions driving the behavior. He never discusses dog body language.
One of the first things I work with my clients on is recognizing their dog’s escalation ladder. Dogs will ask for space well before it escalates to lunging, snapping, and biting.
#4 – High likelihood behavior will worsen.
The only thing the dogs “learn” in these workshops is that the next time they encounter a trigger, they must react more because what they did before did not work. Subtle requests for space like head turns, lip licks, and whale eye are often missed. But lunges, snaps, and bites are pretty effective for getting the scary stimulus to go away. Over time, the dog will resort straight to this more aggressive behavior right out of the gate.
#5 – Thinking you must touch the dog to help them.
Dog Daddy asks “How can you train a dog that is aggressive the moment you arrive without touching them?” Simple. You don’t put the dog in a situation where they feel the need to aggress. He is so archaic in his thinking. I don’t even have to meet the dogs I work with and every single client of mine in my program, The Calm Canine Program, has gotten tangible progress and results with their dogs.
#6 – Positive reinforcement trainers DO work with aggressive dogs
Dog Daddy talks a lot of sh*t about “hot dog trainers.” He says “hot dog trainers” don’t train aggressive dogs and I want to put this myth to bed right now. WE DO. The difference is we arrange the environment to reduce stress for the dog, give the guardians the skills to succeed, and then progress at the dog’s pace. We don’t trigger the dog’s fight response. It’s way more than just hot dogs.
I liken this to that old TV show the Biggest Loser. The show where folks would compete to see how they could lose the most weight in a set time period. They left their old lives and moved to a camp location where they followed a strict diet and an intense workout regime. The contestants did lose a LOT of weight. We are talking over 100, sometimes even 200 pounds in a few months.
This made for great television. But what doesn’t make for good television is watching people follow a well-rounded diet and sustainable exercise program over a long period of time. It would be boring to watch people lose 1-3 pounds a week over several months or years. But watching grueling workouts and dramatic weigh-in results? We will eat that up.
Guess what. Dog behavior modification done well is not very exciting. I tell my clients that if your sessions are boring, you are doing it right. It should be about as exciting as watching grass grow. But it will get you long-term results and it WILL enhance the bond and relationship with your dog.
#7 – Not setting the guardians up for success
Much like Cesar Millan (another problematic “trainer”), Dog Daddy talks a lot about needing to be a calm, confident leader. He even says you need to be dominant and that’s why he’s able to work with these dogs that no one else has been able to help.
Again, not only is there zero scientific data to support this, but it also does nothing to help the guardians. How does that instill confidence in the guardians? The next time their dog reacts, they are going to feel like they are enough of a dominant leader. Which, again, is bullsh*t. What these guardians need is to be taught skills to actually help their dog.
Back to the Biggest Loser, almost all the contestants gained most of their weight back. Why? Because the environment they were in was nothing like real life. They were not given the tools they needed to succeed on their own in their normal life.
And we see this with dog training. The trainers with giant followings and TV shows are great at making good television. Bad dog training makes for exciting television.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading. If you are one of Dog Daddy’s loyal followers, I ask that you do your due diligence on dog behavior, applied behavior analysis, and dog body language. (I am happy to provide position statements, articles, and links if you’d like more info).
If, like me, you strongly oppose Dog Daddy’s methods, I ask that you refrain from commenting and engaging with his content. There is no need to reward his abhorrent behavior with attention. Rather, be an example for the rest of the world. Spread the word about science-based, positive reinforcement methods. Our dogs need it.
REFERENCES
- https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/debunking-the-alpha-dog-theory/
- https://avsab.ftlbcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Dominance_Position_Statement-download.pdf
- https://avsab.ftlbcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf
- https://www.ccpdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Application-of-the-Humane-Hierarchy-Position-Statement.pdf
- https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/DominanceTheoryPositionStatement
- https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/chokeandprongcollarpositionstatement
- https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Realitydogtrainingpositionstatement https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/page-1862747
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/learned-helplessness#:~:text=Learned%20helplessness%2C%20originally%20described%20in,when%20it%20is%20delivered%20in
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