Topic : 03/30 Is This Normal?

By all means,  we train humans to train their dogs. It is through their (humans) participation in a dogs' training  that will influence the degree of  success that particular dog will have. Training is an ongoing process and the whole family needs to be involved and on the same *page*.

  I have worked as a dog trainer for many years now.  I got into this field accidentally due to adopting a shepard mix with various issues.  A couple years ago, I was aproached by a co-worker who's sister in law had the side of her face taken off by her beloved mastiff while sharing a bowl of chips with the dog in bed.  While it was my impression that my co-worker wanted me to back her up and say the dog should be put down, I said "yea it was her fault" she'd placed herself in a submissive position.  From all the info that I have researched and observed, I've come to realize that "dogs will be dogs" and as far as dogs are concerned "people will be dogs too".  Dogs will only learn a pecking order(either you take the lead or they will), they are opportunistic, they do what is instinctive and pays off.  Any behavior they are rewarded for (good or bad) they will continue.  The deaf dog is in a completely different situation.  As the owner of a now deaf and blind dog due to old age, I can tell you that these dogs are almost hyper-reactive.  They act first and ask questions later, they have to, due to their survival instinct.  Being touched during sleep must be a frightening experience when you cannot hear.  This was probally an accident waiting to happen, we stomp on the floor to wake our deaf dog, but what toddler would have the knowlege to do that?   

  The first thing that our dog training class recieves is the "dominance quiz" which is a little questionairre that highlights everyday things we do that may give our dogs the notion that they may be in charge.  It is a feature of many "bully breed" websites, it serves all breeds(and owners) well.  While you help families thru many difficult issues, I would love to see you address the integration of the family dog as they are common to many households across the nation.  You said yourself that dog bites represent the 2nd leading cause of childhood injuries and I would assume that you would prevent them if possible.  Your show would be an excellent platform to address family dog behaviors, training, child safety, and integrating your dog into a positive reliable situation. I've realized that Dr. Phil is an avid dog lover.   While understanding that your show deals with different types of family issues,it seems that it would be appropriate subject and benefit a great number of people while preventing countless childhood injuries and keep more dogs in permanant homes. 

   

They don't just adapt. They aren't stupid and they don't forget! And I agree with you that the wife wasn't keeping a good enough eye on her child. No baby should climb on any dog, deaf or not. They don't bit for no reason. There is always a reason. I hear so many people say things like 'the dog just went crazy!'. They DON'T just go crazy!! Your just too ignorant to see what the reason was, or your lying. I think that the wife on the show knew quite well why the dog bit her baby. She just didn't want to look stupid on the show and admit that she wasn't watching her baby.  

  

Be that as it may, I think that the husband should keep his dog. Or dogs, as I saw that he has two and his wife banished BOTH from their home. A good run and lots of love (which I think this fellow is going to give) will keep him and his dogs happy until he can teach his little girl how to behave around animals.  

  

KEEP THE DOG!!! 

for himself & other family members to come to the U.S. in steerage class.  As the voyage neared, he kept having nightmares about the ship sinking, which intensified as they approached the voyage date.  He was so alarmed  by these nightmares that he sold his tickets back to where he bought them.  

  

Sorry, but you don't know every person that has ever lived.  Any blanket statement that ESP doesn't  exist is completely unprovable. 

I was so glad to see a senior with a plan.  Even if he doesn't get anywhere with his music, he at least has an interest in something other than waiting for the end.  I'm not as old as he is, but am considered a senior.  I would like to see more seniors on the show.  It would give us some ideas as what other seniors are doing with their lives.  Go Gray Panthers!

I have had the Dogs Deserve Better website bookmarked since last year and refer to it often in my training classes. I train thousands of police officers and veterinarians a year. FANTASTIC SITE!  

  

I support the "train the owner and the dog" idea. As well as the in house limitations you mentioned.  

  

As far as the husband that wants the dog that bit his daughter to be back in the house, I suggest watching a show called "The Dog Whisperer"!! It is on the National Geographic channel.   It is very obvious that he allows his dog to be HIS pack leader instead of the other way around.  He allows his dog to be the dominant one over everyone.  When no one in the house is exercising dominance, the dog instinctively picks up the slack and becomes dominant over everyone.  The site to go to for the Dog Whisperer to obtain and maintain complete control over a dog no matter what the breed is www.cesarmillaninc.com .  Maybe Dr. Phil can have him as a guest one day. 

  

  

Who is breeding all these deft dogs???

I can't believe the comparison of a mentally challenged 10-year-old to a dog.  And you better hope that your dog never bites my child, because I would make sure you are held criminally responsible for your dog's actions.  You are right, dogs are not on the same mental level as humans, which is exactly why we humans must ensure they are not a danger to other people.  That is why you are seeing more people prosecuted for keeping aggressive dogs that end up maiming or killing other people.  How many people does a dog have to bite before you admit they are a danger?  Do they have to kill someone first?  You are the one that is choosing to live with that risk, not everyone that walks into your home or near your dog. 

  

As to the mother setting up her child for a lifetime of fear - what about the next time the dog bites her child?  That should help her heal, right?  Dogs do attack for no reason, and she is doing the responsible thing by not allowing that to happen to her child again.  If she decides she wants to have a dog-free household, that is her choice to make. 

I guess my question is sort of stupid, and really I don't want to ask it so I have no idea why I'm doing this. The thing is, that I cut myself. Wow, it's for some reason pretty hard to say on a huge open board like this instead of one of the others. I have three friends who also do this, not that we influenced each other since no one knew until recently. Of us, three have been hospitalized (myself included) in psychiatric wards, although for other reasons. I guess I 'know' that this isn't normal back there in my brain in the box where I keep my rationality and a whole bunch of other stuff I really have no use for in daily life, like Cheerios. But I don't really 'know' it in some ways.

Sometimes I tell myself it really bothers me, and I tell other people that, but really it doesn't, or not very much. It used to really freak me out, when I didn't do it too often, to the point where I ran to the clinic after some rather superficial scratches with razor blades. I used to hate myself for it. I'm Roman Catholic: you don't carve up your body (for various theological reasons). But now, after four years of starting what seems to be a cycle ranging from once a week to more than once a day, it doesn't really bother me at all anymore. I mean, wow, there have times recently I should have gotten stitches but I was afraid to go to the hospital. The only time I've ever really stopped is when I quit eating for a few months which, fankly, is much worse and harder to hide.

Anyway, amid all this rambling, etc., I guess what I'm really wondering is whether it's normal to care so much less when objectively there's so much more damage, to care not at all the more it gets worse? It seems that's just how it is, but then again, isn't that a little backwards?