Tried to hire a trainer/behaviorist.

[Cferg]

I saw a yard sign in my neighborhood the other day advertising for a trainer/behaviorist. I had been thinking of bringing in a professional to evaluate Stassi’s temperment. And too see how she could be handled by someone outside the family.
The trainer is associated with my vet which also boards and daycares. So I gave her a call. When I told her she’s not very accepting of strangers and gave many examples of situations we’ve encountered. I guess I shouldn’t have used the term aggression AT ALL!! She said she won’t even see her unless on muzzle not even viewing through a fence. And she wants $200 an hour. Minimum 2 hours.
And when I told her we do so much work out in public. She told me I was irresponsible and need to stop taking her out unless muzzled.
Me and my dog have trained inside stores at least 75-80 times. And she has only barked at 2 people. One was a guy at Home Depot that was staring her down. And one was at my local auto parts store. He was a druggy and everyone inside there told me once the guy left. “What took your dog so long to bark at that guy”?
I asked her how many of your clients train out in public that much? And especially before they are even 9months old?
I definitely don’t want to do business with her. But is this reaction normal? PS no bite history not even close. Even off leash on my property, even uninvited people she never gets closer than 6 feet barking. And recalls.

 

[LifeofRubie]

Sounds like she works with *insert any breed here*-doodles exclusively . Looks like you need someone with more guarding dog training experience.

 

[Ravenbird]

Definitely a flake. Laugh it off. I think I recall you commented on my post about company? Your Stassi is just fine, you keep doing what you're doing and stay a very strong leader for her. She's young and at 9 months I thought mine would never get better, but maturity starts taking over and all your good training shows up. Have you done any group classes, like basic obedience or CGC? I didn't need the training instruction as much as the exposure to people, dogs in a controlled environment. That helped my dog a LOT. New people, new dogs, sometimes we'd meet at different parks.

 

[Cferg]

I actually stopped off at the vet right now to schedule her spay. While there I brought the trainer up and the lady rolled her eyes. She told me her Shepard nipped said trainer while the trainer was working her dog. The trainer refused to work with the lady and her dog after that. I don’t except a trainer to be mauled but a few scrapes and bruises along the way should come with the territory.
The part I don’t get is the behaviorist part what are you trying to fix. Cause she even brought up absolutely no dog reactivity either at her class. I mean if your dog isn’t obedient and (insert problem) that’s a training issue not behavior.
The lady actually told me my dog would not be allowed in a group class. I could come watch but not my dog. I don’t see why anyone would even have to get close enough to me or my dog to even have an issue? I actually watched her “advanced class” they were working on down stays with a watch me command. Every handler had to lure the focus with a treat to there forehead. I wasn’t impressed.
There was a dobe in the class. I felt like calling the lady back and telling her I could get that dog to react the same way my pup did to the guy at Home Depot. I’m sure if I eye ****ed the dog and walked straight at it. He would bark at me also.
But live and let live I guess. I just thought someone that calls themselves a behaviorist would be more willing? And she also works with cane corsos. I thought that breed was the real deal and was absolutely not tolerant of strangers.

 

[Ddski5]

She's young and at 9 months I thought mine would never get better, but maturity starts taking over and all your good training shows up.

There ya go, great statement right there.

 

[Rits]

I actually stopped off at the vet right now to schedule her spay.

I would wait until she is 18 months to two years to spay so she gets all the necessary hormones for growth and her growth plates are closed.

Sounds like a trainer you don't want to use. There's always one or two... Laugh it off and find a better one that works and titles dogs. They need to be able to put their money where their mouth is. Some of these trainers seem to think so highly of themselves but yet they could probably never show or compete with a dog in a higher level of skill and training.

 

[Rits]

Cause she even brought up absolutely no dog reactivity either at her class.

This right here is hilariously sad. So she doesn't want dogs with real problems so she can look good. Pass!

 

[Cferg]

This right here is hilariously sad. So she doesn't want dogs with real problems so she can look good. Pass!

As I stated before where does her being a “behaviorist” come into play?

 

[Doberman Gang]

As I stated before where does her being a “behaviorist” come into play?

What are her credentials? Just claiming to train behavior doesn’t make you a behaviorist. I would look for a trainer that actually can read a dog, most protection and sport protection trainers should be able to do this, but not all. I would start looking in that area.

 

[Cferg]

Th

What are her credentials? Just claiming to train behavior doesn’t make you a behaviorist. I would look for a trainer that actually can read a dog, most protection and sport protection trainers should be able to do this, but not all. I would start looking in that area.

This is what I am looking for someone to read and evaluate my dogs temperment. And that can guide me which direction to go with my training that’s best suited for her. Not necessarily help me train. Is that something reasonable to ask from someone?

 

[LifeofRubie]

Th

This is what I am looking for someone to read and evaluate my dogs temperment. And that can guide me which direction to go with my training that’s best suited for her. Not necessarily help me train. Is that something reasonable to ask from someone?

Keep in mind that most trainers are training you on how to communicate with your dog to get the results you want. So yes, I think that's a reasonable ask but might need refined a bit. A dog trainer should be versatile in order to adjust their training to the dog and owners needs, goals, and opportunities. What are your goals, ultimately? Basic obedience in high distraction situations? An ideal house pet? Competition of some sort down the road? Something like a CGC class and test can be a good and basic place to start. It's a good way to assess your dogs strengths and opportunities.

Something like being able to leave your dog with someone else holding the leash while you're out of sight sounds lame (it's a test in CGC) but it can be a pretty good foundational and real-life applicable skill. Thinking about Covid times, each of my dogs has needed to be able to go with a vet tech into a vet clinic without me. In terms of competition, when I do FCAT trials alone, my dogs need to be able to be held and released by a stranger while I am 100 yards away to catch.

Any sort of training will create a more trusting and respectful bond between you and your dog. Some dogs (typically Dobermans and other working type dogs) need firming training and boundary reinforcement where-as some breeds (my Lab) quickly learn desirable vs undesirable behavior and will not push the boundaries. Both of my dogs benefit from different reinforcements, different praises/rewards, and different levels of support and encouragement.

 

[Cferg]

I’m just looking to have an obedient dog in high distraction environments. Which for her age her engagement with me is very good at this point. I don’t come across many dogs of any age like her.
She wouldn’t pass the cgc at this point because of the strange people. Unless she does a 180 personality wise I can’t see her ever passing it. At this point she wouldn’t let any stranger come near her in a 1on 1 situation. Out in a group like a store she is way more relaxed.

 

[Cferg]

Oh by the way she was fine with the vet when she was 4 months old. But I have my doubts she will be now. I’ve actually been stopping there a couple of times a week and training in the parking lot. And we are going to move into the waiting room next week. Just trying to give her some positive exposure.
And to be honest the 4 month mark is about when she stopped accepting strangers. If she knew you before that you are okay. But anytime after that it is stranger danger.

 

[Firestar Dobe]

I am an Obedience Instructor and have been for about 19 - 20yrs, I am also an AKC CGC Evaluator. I always evaluate a new dog myself before training classes start so that I know what to prioritize with each new dog. What an owner calls aggression and what I call aggression are not always the same (unless the dog has attacked and/or bitten). I think this trainer you called just wants the easy dogs to train. Dobes are very smart and can also be very stubborn! Obedience training is about training the owner, not the dog. With proper training, patience and hard work you and your Dobe will be able to pass a CGC test. You need to train, train, train which will build a strong bond between the 2 of you and set you up as the boss! You may want try to find a dog club that offers Obedience classes. Hang in there, you can do this!

 

[Rits]

I think an obedience class is what you need, specifically a CGC class would be very good for her. She's at the age most try to go for the test. They will work on those areas that need worked on during the class. Accepting strangers would be part of what they would work on with you.

Being in an ongoing obedience class would be also a great start for her. It's a bit distracting but that's the place to train with distractions. She will get better every class learning to focus on you while others are also working on their dogs.

 

[Cferg]

I think an obedience class is what you need, specifically a CGC class would be very good for her. She's at the age most try to go for the test. They will work on those areas that need worked on during the class. Accepting strangers would be part of what they would work on with you.

Being in an ongoing obedience class would be also a great start for her. It's a bit distracting but that's the place to train with distractions. She will get better every class learning to focus on you while others are also working on their dogs.

In the cgc classes what are they doing to help them accept strangers?
To give a recent example I hired a new employee. I slowly brought her out of her crate a few times over 3-4 hrs the first day to expose her to him. I was giving her the leave it command and I would take her to her threshold and stop. I didn’t want her blowing up on the guy. So when I let her off leash I gave her the leave it command. And when about my day. She mostly follows me around. But that first day. She was showing her displeasure. She’s taken a treat from him a couple times that’s it.
So after 45hrs of being around the guy she is still not having any of him. And barks at him still. It’s less and less but still that’s a lot of exposure time. How many hours are these cgc classes?

 

[Tropicalbri's]

How old is your Dobe?
When they are young they go through fear periods and are not comfortable with strangers.
This lady sounds like a fraud as far as being a trainer and especially claiming to be a behaviorist.
You cannot evaluate a dog over the phone or by looking from a distance.
Hands on and reading body language is the only way to evaluate a dog.

What you think is aggression is most likely just fear.
Lots of environmental training will help develop confidence. Try and find an obedience group class to work with.

 

[Cferg]

I agree with you about the trainer. Stassi just turned 9 months old. I just used the term aggression some people use reactivity. Either way we are still using human descriptions for dogs.
She isn’t truly afraid because she has broken the door off a crate to get out and confront someone. It might be somewhere in that spectrum though. I’m not sure how she reacts if me or the rest of the family isn’t involved in the equation. Or she isn’t on her perceived territory. She is definitely more edgy at home, work, or around my truck.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

She is definitely more edgy at home, work, or around my truck.

That’s normal behavior for this breed. Mine are fine if I let someone in the gate, (my 9mo old doesn’t gravitate to strangers) but if someone were to come in the gate without me there, they would not get in, even if my dobes know them.

 

[Cferg]

I figure she will settle down with age. And once I tell her to leave it that will be the end of it. She does stop when I tell her but it will build up over a period of time.