Comments on: Feisty Fido, Prompts and Lures in Dog Training, Advanced Canine Behavior DVD

By: Allison

Allison — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:11:18 +0000

I can’t wait for the new one! Hey…is that why the original is now on sale on Dogwise?

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:06:58 +0000

I lapsed into the same “alternative” as Bettina Alfaro. And I will let my reactive dog sniff the ground or do some other quiet behavior if I suspect she needs a moment to get it together. (Plus, there’s a 90% chance she’s staring at my face if she’s awake and I am not so far away as to be below the horizon.)

I’ll get the new version as a refresher training for me.

By: JJ

JJ — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:26:13 +0000

I’m a big fan of yours. I’ve purchased, read and watched most of your books and DVDs. I recently purchased the Advanced video. I appreciate you putting it on sale because that was the only way I could afford it.

So far, I’ve watched all but the last disk in the Advanced DVD. I notice a lot of overlap in the various DVDs, but I still like to watch them because there is often some sort of expansion on a topic in one DVD that was only touched on in a different one, and I hadn’t understood the point without the expansion. I also like to watch them all because you are very entertaining (thank you) and hearing the same information repeatedly is good because it helps me to remember.

Question: In the Advanced… DVD, you mention that Cautious Canine is the booklet that you are most proud of. I was just curious if that was still true. And since you were re-writing Feisty Feido (which I have even though Duke doesn’t fit–I got it for knowledge), I was wondering if you had plans to re-write Cautious Canine and if so, what kind of information you might change/change emphasis.

Thanks for all your hard work and good information. – JJ

By: Liz F.

Liz F. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Denis Dutton, author of The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution, describes how people by and far select a landscape containing water as the most beautiful.
The theory is that the idyllic landscape triggers relaxation & appeases us because these places have been essential to our survival as a species. (favorite landscape also includes rolling hills, some open areas, and trees with low branches to quickly scurry up)
Really interesting book, links creativity to survival. Bowerbirds are also discussed for those interested (only non-human animal thought to make ‘art’)

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:51:31 +0000

I would also love to hear as soon as the revised Feisty Fido is available! My Border Collie mix is not dog-aggressive off leash and only occasionally on leash, but I’m noticing it more now. Specifically whenever we go to his agility class. He’s fine with 90% of the other dogs but there is always one that will set him off. I have him on a gentle leader head collar which helps control him if he goes on a barking/snarling/lunging rampage but I’d really like to avoid these outbursts to begin with. I’ll pick this up as soon as you post your new edition! Thanks!

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:26:10 +0000

I love those changes to Feisty Fido! The watch-until-released concept is great in principle, but you’re right that it’s difficult in practice! I love Leslie McDevitt’s Look at That game, and our Growly Dog program has seen terrific success with that method, although we incorporate a lot of the other Feisty Fido exercises into our program. I’m really looking forward to reading the revised version!

By: Ignacio

Ignacio — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:26:26 +0000

I still remember one English teacher in college that said that the best writers are actually the best re-writers. It takes so many rounds!

Please let us know once the revised version is ready, I’ll be first in line to get a copy, because I really need it!!

By: Linda2

Linda2 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:29:47 +0000

I’ve read the book and love the easily digestable format, and exercises, watch and turn, though like some others I do not use the release. mainly I do not need, essentially, total control over my dog , I do need him though to control himself. primarily because, some of stuff he does is not so good. I found the easy walk harness is a good way for an average strength female to control an agressive puller, a determined 26 pounder, the snoot loop though , I feel has some mechanics/ dynamics problems, mainly because of it’s design, (like a horse harness) considering forces, distances and the speed a dog can turn it’s head, in addition to the length of the lead, might possibly be okay for the largest of dogs where these factors would work in the handlers favor, like on a horse. I found mainly through a myriad of trainers, etc. that if you are using an excess of force with any technique or device, it’s more than likely you are doing something wrong, just ask anybody that’s been poked or prodded enough, they likely remember who did the poking and prodding, and not in a good way

as far as the book goes, I think the information dogs get from looking at us is tremendous and a short look like checking in will do, the turn works well too, always something you need to avoid, I would add that it may be good to have a “when all else fails” keep going or just “speed up” like what Liz said, I find my dog does this naturally in some instances, and it works for me too. Anytime I can work with his actions and not against them with good results is good for me, then shape & fine tune.

By: Liz F.

Liz F. — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:11:56 +0000

Good to know that the release for “watch” isn’t always as important as the initial command/response. When on walks, my reactive guy stays calmer if we remain in motion. If I stop walking to ask for a “watch” and release, autowatches become fewer and watch itself becomes more difficult. Seems like when we’re stopped he feels more vulnerable and distractions have more power- oooh maybe I can scent mark here quick or sniff the lamp post or focus on the incoming dog and owner.

If we continue walking, however, I usually get a great autowatch and my dog remains pleased as punch. But, the release has proved tricky when moving because I often look away from my dog to see where I’m going, so I just dropped it out entirely.
Always felt like I was kind of cheating when not releasing him formally, but for us it has been effective arousal management even without a verbal release. Maybe he construed my looking away as the release? Or maybe the reward became the release?

Any way, Thank you for a great solution to a really frustrating problem… both myself and my dog now say “Oh boy” instead of “Oh no!”

By: Ellen Pepin

Ellen Pepin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:08:28 +0000

I live in a suburban/urban area near Annapolis, MD, and we have just adopted a 3 year old collie from a rescue group. Our biggest problem is that she lunges and barks at cars. I have started teaching the Watch command. At the suggestion of the behaviorist we brought her to, we are also using the Snoot Loop head collar. She is pretty good with the command if things are calm. However, all it takes is a truck to really set her off. Then it is almost impossible to get her to stop barking and look at me.