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Doone and Tim Watson |
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Thursday, 15 November 2007 |
Owning a dog is a giant responsibility, far bigger than most new owners expect. If the decision to welcome a new puppy into a home is made after serious research into the time and financial requirements of owning a dog, the new owners are well on their way to a positive experience. If on top of that they seek professional help regarding the right breed, age and sex of a dog, it is very likely they will end up with the "right" dog for their family. However all the research in the world is not enough if there is not adequate socialization and training, especially in the first year of their life. Even the best dog can turn into a disaster, and as a veterinarian I am often asked to euthanize or help find a new home for a dog that has become a liability instead of a pet.
In cases like this I like to use a professional dog trainer to help my clients "fix" the problem. There are many trainers in Calgary, all with different styles and techniques. The smaller the problem with a dog, the wider a choice we have for trainers - there are many good puppy classes in town as well as obedience, agility and tracking classes for older dogs. However when we get to the real problems dogs - the ones that are facing the Humane Society or even worse euthanasia, then we need to bring out the "Big Guns". These are trainers that have lots of experience and good results with the difficult dogs. It is important to try to match the personality of the client with the trainer - a dog's life may be at stake.
Brad Pattison is one of the trainers I refer difficult dogs to. Described by some of my clients as a "dog whisperer" he has an inate way with dogs. There is no grey with Brad - my clients either seem to love him (although that love may take a while to develop) or they hate him. If I have a client that can take some criticism, is willing to try something new (and recognizes that the old way hasn't worked for the past ....) and is willing to work at it, Brad may be the perfect choice for him or her. Someone who won't face the truth, cries easily and continually makes excuses for their dog will likely not survive the first class. This is tough love, and for some dogs and owners it will be the only thing that turns them around.
I appreciate the fact that Brad treats dogs as individuals. He is quick to differentiate between a sensitive dog that requires a minimal correction versus a dog that pays absolutely no attention to its owners corrections. He also has a "holistic" approach to the dogs behavior - he looks at the exercise it gets, the food it eats, where it sleeps, and even more importantly, the family dynamics. He has a lovely blunt manner and will tell an owner their dog is grossly overweight and they are killing it. I often compare his approach with my generally ineffective statement that a dog is 9/10 on the weight scale and needs to lose weight.
Recently with the airing of his show "At the end of my leash" on Slice TV I have been able to instruct potential referrals to watch the show. If they enjoy the show they are more likely to enjoy Brad's classes. If they are horrified I suggest they go elsewhere! It is unfortunate however that many of the dog owners that need him the most can't face the tough love he requires.
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Peggy and Steve |
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Wednesday, 14 November 2007 |
When we met Brad six years ago, we had exhausted our options for training our four year old Australian Shepherd. We had a great dog, the problem was us- we just didn’t understand him and his needs or how to work with him. Brad was remarkably different from any trainer we had met. He was completely invested in helping our dog whatever that required just as long as we were committed and did the work. It was a six month boot camp but fun and rewarding as we and our dog progressed from ‘kindergarten to college’. Brad dispelled a lot of the theories about our dog and conventional wisdom about dog training we had acquired through other trainers and research. We have always had an amazing dog. We now have a dog whose behaviour is exemplary and enjoy a great relationship with him. Without Brad, our story would not have had a happy ending. Peggy and Steve
Peg
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