I stumbled on a dog training TV show that I actually like. I can hardly believe it myself. When the Ceser Millan’s “Dog Whisperer” show was all the rage I recorded several of the episodes so I could see for myself what the everyone was talking about. I sat down and watched 5 minutes, I turned it off and deleted all the recorded episodes. I just could not watch it. OK, 5 minutes probably was not a fair assessment. But what I saw in that 5 minutes I thought was horrible dog training. He was making hissing (?) noises at this crazy little dog. What was that????
I found dog trainer Victoria Stillwell’s “It’s Me or the Dog” UK-based television show while flipping through the channels. Victoria is a tall-attractive woman that dresses in spike heels, trench coats, and leggings. Very reminiscent of Emma Peel from the 1960’s TV show The Avengers. To add to the image her monologue’s are filmed while driving a sporty little Jaguar. The Avengers was one of my favorite TV shows so maybe that was part of the attraction? Regardless, the show is whimsical and entertaining. Best of all she employs good solid dog training methods. I really like her use of body-language to communicate to the dogs and she is good at demonstrating this to her human trainees. Other techniques used are teaching basic obedience skills, establishing human-dog boundaries (get the dogs out of your bed!), mental and physical exercise, and setting-up schedules for the humans.
Now they are doing episodes in the USA and they changed her clothing to a lower heel and blue jeans and her new car is a Corvette convertible.
When my dog training students come to my classes and they tell me they do everything Ceser Millan says to do, I cringe. If they start coming in saying they follow Victoria Stillwell’s methods I would be much happier!
Cesar makes me cringe as well. Especially when he is hanging a dog with their leash and kicking its but making that goofy sound. My Father-in-law loves him and now when he sees Charlie barking in the car he likes to come over and poke him in the face. Yeah, thanks for that Cesar. 🙁
Disgusting! Nothing like setting dog training back 40 years. There always seems to be a certain group of people that relish getting “permission” to beat and abuse their dogs. Very primitive is you ask me.
I like VS a lot. The only thing I don’t like about her (and it’s not so much that I don’t like her, we just agree to disagree) is her aversion to crating/containment. I DO agree that the crate should NOT be a crutch (just like any tool or enclosure), but personally I think that crate training is a great tool for housebreaking, teaching self control, and just a general necessity for any dog that might ever have to be safely transported, wait at a dog show, be sick or injured and need to remain still, be out of the way if the owner is doing something dangerous for a dog, etc. My personal goal is always to have my adult dogs be trusted free in the house, but I have no problem crating my puppy while I am not there. I’d rather have to do a lot more exercise with him while I’m around than come home and find that he’s chewed and choked on something.
But, other than that, I think she is superior to CM in every way. All I see on CM’s show is opposite of what I would do. Dogs are scared an upset. Instead of slowly desensitizing them and building a positive relationship with what they are afraid of, he uses physical force and uses flooding. Well I have tried flooding on myself because I nearly have a panic attack when I see a spider (not bugs, only spiders) and it does NOT work! Dogs need to walk on a leash. Easy enough, train them to walk! But no, he manhandles them until they shut down.
I have noticed an aversion to crate, other then I have not noticed her use them. A number of episodes she had dogs with separation issues and those cases crates are not a good first step; rather the use of an open exercise pen is most desirable. The latter I have seen her use a number of times and there use is absolutely correct in that situation.
I agree 100%. Not only are Victoria Stillwell’s methods based on modern, science-based training – she has the gift of making things easy to understand for both human and dog. I like her common-sense, no-nonsense approach.
There is a woman at my office who is a big Cesar Milan fan. I have reached the point where I just keep my mouth shut when she talks about him.
Well said Jamie, you are so correct. I admire how she lays down the law and does so in a manner that does not create further conflict.
I also get a kick out of the facial expressions she makes when watching the dogs and humans.
Another thing I can’t stand about CM is the mis-labeling of dogs. I watched three seasons back to back and I think I saw one, maybe two dogs total that were actually “aggressive” or “red zone” dogs.
He makes a lot of money spouting about very vague topics that any dog savvy person with half a brain can come up with on their own (yes, dogs need exercise and boundaries, DUH!).
Is that the lady who always wears her hair up in like this severe high bun or pony tail? I do like watching her show. I actually just watched it for the first time a few weeks ago.
Yep that’s her!
I have heard quite a few stories about CM being bitten behind the scenes. And I think a lot of what he preaches – i.e. alpha rolls – are likely to get the average dog owner bitten.
Jennifer sums up Cesar quite nicely. Someone should consider stringing up Cesar while kicking his butt. Whisper THAT, Cesar!
I was just looking through some old dog stuff yesterday when I found a copy of The NO FORCE Method of Dog Training. It is from the 80’s. First thing I opened to was The Forced Retrieve, broken into three sections: the choke, the twist, and the good old ear pinch. Didn’t I say that this was the NO FORCE method? This time the manual made it to the trash. Never did believe in that type of training.
LOL
Julie her aversion to crating is much more apparent on the original UK version of the show, but I figure that’s also more of a cultural thing as well. I’ve seen her methods change a bit with the new American version.