Expert: Alan J Turner, SATS LL1 - 9/16/2006

Question
We have a 4-yr 1/2 doberman, 1/4 lab, 1/4 akita.  He weights 120#'s.  We have had him since he was 6 weeks old. I would love to walk him during the day like other people walk their dogs, but he is aggressive towards other dogs, cats, and squirrels.  My son is the only one with strength to control him.  I therefore walk him at 4:00 am.  I feel bad for the dog, because he gets out maybe once a day or every other day.  It's unfair to the dog.  I've seen the dog whisperer on tv, but watching and trying to do the same thing is not working.  I've tried two other trainers in the past, but it was not effective.  It seems that our dog doesn't remember from day to day what we tried teaching him.  It's like he has a short memory and attention span.  I feel once you take a pet, he's a pet for life, but what quality life does a large breed like our dog have when he doesn't get proper exercise?  He needs to get out, and I feel helpless because of his behavior.  The first dog trainer was not effective, and the second never came back after two visits.  What would you suggest at this point?  We have better control using the gentle leader when walking him. I noticed that the dog whisperer uses a choke.  With a choke it's next to impossible to control him.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  We live in the Cleveland, OH area, can you recommend someone who would be good with this type of dog?  Thanks for your help.  

Answer
Dear Jackie,
Thanks for the question, sorry to hear of your troubles. You are a very thoughtful and caring person. I know you will do the best for your dog! It’s tough to walk a dog that is capable of pulling you down the street.

You gave me just enough clues to be intrigued. The fact that two other trainers – trainers that worked with you and the dog - were unable to help leads me to believe that nothing anyone can type on an internet help board will actually help control your large, strong, dog. As you know, you need a trainer, not an “advice giver”!  I’m sorry I can’t offer any particular suggestions other than I do like the Gentle Leader head collar as a tool for controlling large, strong, dogs.  

I don’t personally know any Cleveland trainers. My suggestion is to search for a certified trainer or a trainer who is a member of a professional organization. Take a look at these sites and see if you can find a certified trainer in your area.
Association of Pet Dog Trainers site, http://apdt.com/po/ts/us.asp

Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors, http://animalbehaviorcounselors.org

International Association of Dog Behavior Counselors, http://iaabc.org/consultant_locator_dogs.htm


Good luck!
AT