Monday, February 2, 2009

At the End of My Leash with "At the End of My Leash"

Up here in Canada we are very fortunate to get the show "At the End of My Leash" on the classy Slice channel. With the CRTC's Canadian Content regulations, it would be simply inconceivable to air only Cesar Millan's show; no - we need our own canine guru!

But who to pick? Hmmmm. Instead of choosing someone from the considerable list of qualified trainers registered with the APDT or other governing bodies, or someone with a university degree in animal behaviour, or even someone who's published a book on dog training... Slice decided on Brad Pattison, a man who operates his own dubious training school (for only $6000, you too can become a "Certified Educated Trainer"); who has a few interesting (read: completely outdated) theories on dog behaviour; and apparently even a lawsuit in British Columbia.

Good choice, Slice!

In this very helpful show, Brad Pattison explains the ins and outs of training dogs, with his inimitable knowledge of canine behaviour and considerable aplomb. The receding hairline is just icing on the cake!

This wonderful personage even offers in-person training classes to learn the ins and outs of his methods! Luckily, for those of us unable to attend in person, some helpful Youtuber uploaded a few videos of a "Street Safety" class in Toronto. You can witness for yourself Brad Pattison's marvelous manner with dogs! Have you ever seen such devotion? Such a bond between handler and dog? Such a deep understanding of animals? Well, prepare yourselves.

Here's a wonderful example of how to gain a dog's trust and respect! Notice the dog's happy demeanor.http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=NqcexvHEDRc&feature=related

Here's how to ensure that your dog pays attention to you! I especially like the speed at which Pattison hits the second tree; nothing teaches a dog respect like a good case of whiplash.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=NqcexvHEDRc&feature=related

And how exactly do you deal with your dog's desire to chase moving objects, other dogs, or squirrels? Why, you teach a "leave it" command, of course! Here's just how to do it!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=uYXOnoRr0Do&feature=channel

Wonderful, isn't it? Personally, I don't think people hit their dogs enough, and those martingale collars are just going to waste if you don't give 'em a good, hard yank every five seconds. If you want to see even more top training tips, check out Slice.ca! Mind you, those episodes are edited pretty heavily. More's the pity.