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What's the
difference between a dog behavior expert and a dog obedience
trainer?
The best way to answer
this question comes from the book "How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend"
- A Training Manual For Dog Owner's - written by The Monks of New
Skete from the New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, NY.
The Monks of New Skete support themselves by breeding, raising, and
training dogs at their monastery in upstate New York. This book was
published in 1978 and there hasn't been a better book out yet!
EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!
This excerpt is from the
section entitled "Dog-Owner Counseling", pp 35-36.
DOG-OWNER COUNSELING
Deep-seated canine
behavior problems, however, cannot be solved simply by attending
obedience class. While your dog might become expert with the heel,
sit, stay, and lie down commands, the living-room rug might still
get chewed, the backyard excavated, or the neighbor's chickens
chased and killed. Especially in the case of aggressive behavior,
try to get individual attention and dog-owner counseling.
If a good obedience
class instructor is hard to find, a good dog-owner counselor is even
more elusive. Many owners turn to the local veterinarian. This might
be helpful if the veterinarian is skilled in canine behavior and has
the time to talk. But many simply cannot take the time to diagnose
intricate behavior problems. Some vets keep on file the names of dog
trainers who specialize in dog-owner counseling. You may have to
call several area vets before you find one who knows where to find
such a counselor.... Dog-owner counseling is a growing, evolving
field. It takes time and patience. Not every trainer is interested
in it or capable of it. Fortunately, the number of persons who are
training themselves in dog-owner counseling is growing. Many
veterinarians are becoming interested in problem behavior. Ten years
ago, it was nearly impossible to find a professional trainer or
veterinarian who would sit down with you and discuss in detail, why
your dog bites, chews, digs, whines, kills other animals,
house-soils, or chases cars. Advice on such complicated matters was
obtained on the way out the door of the veterinarian's office, or
over the coffee table from friends. Ten years from now, individual
dog-owner counseling might be the rule, and not the exception.
Remember too, that
trainers are not oracles or gods. They come up against problems that
challenge and baffle them. They meet canines they can't understand.
hopefully, they have someone they themselves can turn to for help.
"How To Be Your Dog's
Best Friend" ISBN 0-316-60491-7
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