Check the L.A. TIMES: there's more detail about the Canine Dental "Disarming" story.

So my friend Laura sent me the link to another story about the "canine disarming" of that dog. This time it's written by the owner of the dog. It's got more detail than the first story. You can read it by clicking on the title line of this post. You can also read what my friend Laura has to say about it in her Los Angeles Dog Blog: http://www.petdogtrainer.com/blog/
She outlines many of the inherent problems with the woman's methodology quite well.

Anyway, in it the woman gives details of the many different things she tried to resolve this problem. She went to group classes at PetSmart (not the place for solving as severe a problem as she claims to have.) She also tells of the ONE trainer that she consulted (besides CM of course) and of the MANY books and videos that she read. One has to assume that she got most of her "training" ideas from the books and videos since she only actually mentions the one trainer. From this story, it sounds like that one trainer didn't work out too well, so she just went about working on this problem on her own.

To me, this would be a little like going to ONE doctor for a serious medical condition and then upon discovering that he hadn't helped you, grabbing a "surgical procedure for dummies" book and operating on yourself. It makes no sense. Actually, the 'kitchen sink" approach that she applied to this problem could be part of the reason she was so unsuccessful!

She also mentions that she has an invisible fence...that right there raises a HUGE red flag! It's hard to believe that any qualified professional would not immediately see how that could be exacerbating the problem. I'm actually too cranky from reading the story to go into any coherent explanation as to why invisible fences can contribute to aggression issues. Go to Laura's blog: she does a good job of explaining it in her post.

What most disturbs me about this story right now is how it could influence people who are looking for a "quick fix" to an aggression problem. It paints this procedure out to be such an easy and reasonable answer, without ever examining it's harmful repercussions to the dog. The question of whether or not it will make the dog's behavior worse is never even asked. Is it humane? Is it fair? Will it actually do more harm than good to the dog, doesn't seem to matter. That it's easy, and that it requires nothing further from the owner is all that seems to be important. I'm sorry for this little dog, to be sure. But I'm worried about more pets being put through to ridiculous and unnecessary procedure after this story is circulated.

Ggrrrrrrrrrrrr.........
this story makes me angry enough to BITE!

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Dental Procedure for Dog's Behavioral Problems? It's called "canine disarming."

Big day in dog news it seems. Imagine my surprise when I learned this new term “canine dental disarming” from the LA Times today. Whaaa…? Yes, you read that right, apparently the owner of an American Eskimo dog has decided that the only way to keep her dog from biting is to “reduce and blunt the incisors, lessening the bite effect.”
OMG! REALLY?!!!
This just offends me in so many ways...

First of all, they were quick to point out that she was forced to do this despite trying many suggestions from experts to help her with her dog…she even worked with the great Cesar Millan (insert big impressed sigh of course…) ….uhhh...well...except…..the techniques that CM uses for aggression are actually more likely to INCREASE aggression, not decrease it. Yep, that’s right folks, it’s the truth…no, not just my humble opinion….read what the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has to say about him: http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/
you'll probably end up here: http://www.4pawsu.com/dogpsychology.htm

And the plain truth of it is that I could site many, many, MANY outstanding authorities in the animal behavior world with degrees and scientific data and studies and all that stuff, who would all tell you that what he does can significantly increase the likelihood of aggression (among other damaging effects.) So, it’s possible…now I just said possible mind you, that “Ceasar’s Way” has had something to do with why this problem is so out of hand.

But I don’t really want to make this all about that hack (oops! did I say...I mean write that out loud?) I really wanted to just point out that management might be a better, and dare I say more humane, and maybe even more sane way of dealing with this problem. I mean really, she’s putting her dog under the knife for a behavior issue. One that probably stems from the dog's insecurity and fear anyway and one that will most likely get worse now that she’s putting him through this trauma. Plus, now he can just practice, practice, practice that behavior because “Hey! He can’t hurt anybody right?!”
...Ummm…yeah but, have you ever heard the term, “practice makes perfect?”

I’m sure she loves her dog, and I’m sure she believes she's doing the right thing, but let me just say, “what the fu**?!!” (that’s, what the fuss, of course.) I mean if the problem was that bad, I wish she'd explored some managment options...and perhaps gotten the help of a qualified Veterinary Behaviorist?
Anything but...well, you know...

You can read more about this story in the L.A.Times.
Click on the title for this post, it will take you right to it.


Okay, hit me with your best shot...I know I've piss off some "Millanites" here. Let's hear what you have to say. Agree? Disagree? Doesn't matter really, cuz I'm open to anything (without profanity) that you have to say. After all, you know what they say about opinions...........................: everybody has one. Comments please. And please cast your vote on our survey.