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Is hiring a dog listener the best advice for dog training?

You may feel the need for training advice when you get a new dog, be it a puppy or a rescue shelter dog. There are many schools of thought on the best methods for training dogs, and some would advocate hiring a dog listener.

My rescue dog has some behavioral problems with other dogs (either due to a bad puppy experience or perhaps a lack of socialization) and I think it is important to seek help for her and me. At the end of the day, pets want to please us and we want to enjoy their company without having to worry about their behavior or fear that they might harm someone.

Meeting a local dog listener through a local networking group, I decided to do some research and find out if this would be the best option for me and my dog. The first point of call was search engines and pet forums.

When asking for advice on the forums, the response was quick and forceful, not positive. First-hand experience was what I was looking for, but the feedback was certainly food for thought. The feeling is that dog listeners are nothing more than unskilled trainers moving for a fad and making money using antiquated and antiquated methods of dog training. Some feel that dog listening is based on the dominance model, where all behavior problems are attributed to the fact that the relationship between the dog and the human being is out of balance and the human needs to take care of the dog.

Among the best-known listeners, who by the nature of what they do are controversial, includes the Dog Whisperer, César Millán. The basic premise of bad behavior can be summed up in this statement from his popular website: Dogs can become aggressive out of frustration and dominance. Frustration comes from a lack of exercise and mastery comes from a lack of calm and assertive leadership..

The interesting thing about listening to the dog is that the training focuses on the human being and not only on the pet. The theory is that the dog is responding to your signals and body language, and unless you change his behavior will not change.

However, there is a feeling that a dog’s whisper is not the kindest training method and uses outdated thinking. One challenge listeners face is addressing the fact that anyone can give themselves this title without being properly qualified or recognized by one of the many accrediting dog training bodies.

What about the dogs themselves who listen? To quote well-known dog listener, Jan Fennell, “As a dog listener, I use the canine communication method which is dog training through understanding and respect, where the dog chooses to cooperate voluntarily without any use of dominance or force”.

This certainly doesn’t sound inhuman or old-fashioned on the surface. Also, dog listeners claim to work with you and your dog. By using silent sign language that all dogs understand and not physical force or harsh commands, the dog cooperates of its own free will.

Some claim that it is best to consult a qualified canine behavior expert recommended by your veterinarian and recognized by a national body such as APBC (The Association of Pet Behavior Counselors), CABT-COAPE (Association of Pet Behaviorists and Trainers) or the UKRCB (Registry Canine Behaviorists UK).

However, the wide range of recognized bodies in the world of dog training is overwhelming and controversial and there is no clear leader in the field. As with any professional’s choice, talk to different professional bodies and canine behavior experts and see who you feel most comfortable with.

Getting a recommendation from your vet is also a good idea and you would always talk to them about your dog’s behavior and your recommended local behavior specialist before making a decision.

Dog listeners like Jan Fennell claim to understand dog psychology so bad behavior can be corrected and dog fears and anxieties can be alleviated.

Using a method known as Amichien® Bonding, dog listeners claim to improve the human bond with dogs through better understanding, meaning that as responsible owners we can better see the world from the perspective of dogs. dogs.

By seeing the world through your dog’s eyes, human dog communication can be improved, eliminating confusion, frustration, and anxiety for both you and your dog.

From this perspective, it would appear that dog listeners can help dogs and their owners to read body language, reduce frustration, improve good manners, canine communication, and the general nature of the dog.

The goal of a more mutually satisfying human-dog interaction is certainly admirable, but further research is needed on the methods employed to determine if this is the best way to deal with your dog’s behavior.