Board and Train Testimonial: Dozer the St. Bernard
Trainer: Duke Ferguson
Watch as the family of this wonderful dog explains how he was before AND see how he is now after training! Happy, calm (with self control and exercise), Obedient and a pleasure to be around.
Dozer came to us with some serious jealousy issues, now he’s excellent around the baby, able to heel easily on a walk beside the stroller.
ST BERNARD board and train, UPK9 PEI
Runtime
6:37
Views
317
For more information on the Board and Train option and other services with Unleashed Potential PEI contact head office at 902-367-3647 or info@upk9.ca
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Rolo is 5 years old and all things chocolate labs are supposed to be; hyper, fun, goofy, lovable, etc. But, he was also stubborn and unruly. We had tried puppy obedience classes when he was small, he pulled so badly we couldn’t get him into the classroom and inside, he was too distracted to learn anything. The classes didn’t seem to help at all and to be honest, I’m not sure we “passed” them. We had a private trainer in two different times over the years, we learned basic obedience, but Rolo was dominant and stubborn, it took him weeks to give in to the down command. I tried books, videos and searched the internet for help. We had different collars, leashes, halties and harnesses. Over the years, we’ve adapted our lives around Rolo’s issues. Moving across the street away from other people and dogs while walking, not taking him to places like the lake or the park, keeping him fenced in the yard because he’d run as soon as he’d realize he wasn’t leashed, and putting him outside or in another room when company came because he’d jump all over them. It was embarrassing to have people in, it was embarrassing to take him out. The last straw came when we had to take him to the vet and his behavior landed us in a private room away from everyone else. I was feeling desperate to have some control over my life and this dog, and found Ted from Unleashed Potential during one of my internet searches. Ted came to the house and gave a demonstration, explained his methods and left all the information I needed. At first, I was very skeptical, I had tried a lot of things so far and wasn’t convinced this was going to work. But, after talking to Ted some more, I decided to go ahead, and the results have been amazing. Rolo now plays in the front yard while I shovel snow without a fence! He’s been skating with us for the first time and never once wandered off, not even when two large dogs showed up. He has been learning to greet people without scaring them, and has advanced enough to take him off leash in Point Pleasant Park. We still have a lot to learn, but I’m confident we can master it. We even made it to the vet without being removed from the waiting room!! Ted from unleashed potential K9 is awesome, he understands what each dog needs, he’s available whenever you need him and is always encouraging. I have never felt embarrassed over my dogs behavior with Ted and am impressed on how quickly the results were seen with his direction and support. I’m really looking forward to summer, cottages, lakes and beaches, Rolo is loving his new freedom!!
E-collars. FROM OLD SCHOOL PUNISHMENT TO A MODERN DAY COMMUNICATOR.
Sadly, there is too much controversy about e-collars, remote collars, shock collars….what ever you want to call them in the dog training world.
E collar haters say they are inhumane and abusive and that they send a jolt through the whole body of the dog. Some say the dogs only work because they are scared to be shocked. There are a few blogs and websites that bash e collars and make them scary to others but the fact is most of these people have never felt one and don’t have any idea what they are really talking about. Then there are some of the videos of idiots turning collars wide open like something you would see on the movie Jackass and stimulating themselves wide open? There are too many people who view an e collar as the last resort to any training IF they were to use one.
Because of the lack of education and knowledge about e collars, I feel this ignorant way of thinking comes from way back in the days of e- collar use when the technology was poor and the use was quite harsh. Many years ago in the beginning days of e collars there was only one level possibly 2 or 3. They were meant for 1 thing. STOP the dog. ZAP!!
People need to wake up and realize that technological advances have made leaps and bounds since those days and things are different now.
When you go to physiotherapy and they put a tens machine on you or a muscle stimulator, are they brutally shocking you? NO! Are you scared and in pain? NO! In fact its just the opposite and there are medical benefits and pain relief in the application. The thing is, the therapist is using the tool properly. Can the Tens machine be unpleasant? Sure! If the person using it does not know what they are doing?
It is time to stop being so narrow minded in the thinking that a remote collar can ONLY be used as a tool of punishment or correction, this is simply not the case
The problem I see today, with an e collar is that to many people can buy one with absolutely no idea how to use or apply it. This becomes a problem created by the uneducated handler and does not mean the tool is bad or inhumane.
With today’s modern e collars there are many different levels of stimulation that gives us many options when training just like a tens only not as strong.
Do you realize now we can use a the remote collar gently as a prompt or a cue for attention? Its true!! Just like tapping someone gently on the shoulder. The physical touch of the collar tap is very effective to break through distraction and re direct attention when the dog has focused his attention somewhere else, and yes of course when the dog redirects the attention back to the handler you can give positive reinforcement with a treat. The collar tap does not have to be a high level stimulation in order to work.
The only thing I see that makes this so hard to understand amongst trainers is personal emotional feelings and narrow mindedness. This is very Sad!!
I have trained all over North America training with many different dog trainers and have gone to many professional training schools that teach the complete opposite theory and I see dog trainers disagree and argue on topics way to often. It gets very hard on the head after a while.
Take a Clicker trainer, a traditional leash trainer and a e collar trainer that are set in their ways and put them in a room together. Ive been in this position before and it is stressful to say the least. They do not agree on very much at all and what they fail to see is that they all have pros and cons to their methods if used narrow-mindedly. They are not wrong they are just limiting their ability. In today’s society, IN THE REAL WORLD, trainers need to open up their minds to understand each other and to learn to use a balance of both positive and negative motivation. We seem to fear what we don’t understand so to better ourselves open the mind and get educated.
Here are some links to a couple of videos in relation to this blog post
All comments welcome
Duke Ferguson, ABCDT, CMT. Owner of Unleashed Potential K9 Academy.
We have Dog Trainers currently serving All of PEI, Halifax ,Nova Scotia,
This is our Saint Bernard Ginger. We got her when she was 6 weeks old.When we first started taking her out for walks she would grab our pant legs and just would not do anything that was asked of her. As she became bigger and more powerful it took my husband and I both just to walk her across the street to the park and even with the two of us holding her she was still able to drag us across the street. We were really thinking we might have to give her away to someone where she could run free on a farm because her behaviour was getting worse and worse and we could not walk her. On the days we would get her out for a walk one of us would come back with a bloody bitten arm where she would grab a hold of our sleeves and go through to our arm. We both have scars from it. Our last hope was to find a dog trainer but even then we thought it wouldn’t help her behaviour problems. We met with Duke and a few weeks later we went out to our first session. I still had doubts at this point.
I was so amazed at the results. I could not believe it was my dog just sitting there while another dog came into the room. Her usual response would be to tackle the dog and make the dog play with her. After we came back from the training center that same night I felt so confident with her that I actually took her for a walk downtown by myself. When we came back I had no blood running down my arm, no bite marks and I walked her without no trouble whatsoever. That was the first time in 3 months I was able to do that. I was so excited when I came home the first thing I did was email Duke with my new found freedom of being able to walk her by myself. We have been training since April 2009 and it has been like a miracle has taken place. She is well behaved now and I can actually let her off the leash in the park and she comes back when she is called. I cannot thank Duke and Nick enough for all there help. I would recommend training with Duke and Staff at Unleashed Potential K9 to anyone and everyone. Walking is such a pleasure now. She is happier since she can get out of the house and I am happier knowing I am in control with the training I received from Duke and his assistant.
Amanda Gushue
