From: saavik@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Marla Belzowski (K-9's))
Subject: Re: behavior modification or dog training
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 04:08:07 GMT

In article <24223@alice.att.com> rhh@alice.att.com (r hardin) writes:
>
>
>Marla Belzowski writes:
>>Why, because she has a different learning style and different
>>temperment.  Some dogs thrive on a very dominant and commanding
>>trainer and some dogs deteriorate given the same atmosphere.
>
>[just to mark the article -]
>
>I've been trying to say, Koehler doesn't dominate, and make that point
>as strongly as I can.
>

I totally disagree.  I feel Koehler is one of the most dominating
methods there is.

>I think every dog deteriorates if you dominate him, which is one
>of the points I keep making.
>
>The learning style is going to depend a lot on what you're teaching.
>If you teach what Koehler does, the way he does, it always works.
>

I initially taught Mauii exactly as Koehler had written in the books.
It failed and it failed miserably with her.  I have found that there is no 
such thing as always in dog training.  The only thing I know of that is
constant in dog training is the variability of each dog.  

>What he teaches is character, which is almost unintelligible in this
>age of the Victim.

You can not teach character to a dog.  A dog has it's own character
and personality.  You also can not teach speed or heart to a dog.
In my opinion Keohler teaches your dog nothing but stimulas/response
behaviors in a military drill style.  The dogs I know that have been
trained this way are practically robots.  The react without much
thought to the command.  

You can preach Koehler all you like, you won't change my mind.  
I've read over 75 books on dogs, dogtraining, and other dog related
subjects.  I've trained and competed with two of my dogs using 
various methods.  I've taught dog obedience classes for the last three
years.  Koelher can be a tool, but it is not the cure all, end all
of obedience training.  There are many valid and very good techniques
you can use to train dogs.  I fell that Koelher has it's place, but
on my list it is not very high.  I prefer many other methods for
specific excersizes.  I like Bernie Brown's Method of "No-Force" Dog
Training for the recall and the heeling exercises (this is also
similar to Diane Baumans methods).  I like Diane Baumans methods
for proofing.  I like Hap Boso (a Private trainer) method of
teaching a dog to respect a command. (I've never seen a more effective
way to get a dog's immediate attention!  Hap helped my
parents train our first dog, an airedale, to listen by throwing
a temper tantrum in front of the dog!  After Hap was done kicking the
desk, slamming books around and throwing the chair across the room,
he could have told that Airedale to fly and Bo would have given it a
100% effort).  I like the Monk's of New Skete's version of
puppy training.  I Have my own methods for teaching retrieve that
do not require the ear pinch (which by the way only makes Wolfie
totally resent retreiving and practically turns him into a whining
idiot).  

It is unfortunate that you will not look beyond the Koehler method
for ideas about training your dog.  If you train dogs long enough,
you will find that it just does not work for every dog you come across.
I've trained everything from fear-biting dogs to overly dominant
dogs, Aussies to Whippets, and each dog reacts differently to each command.
All I can do is urge you to try other methods before you recommend
them or condem them.

----
Marla Belzowski   saavik@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
Mauii Nikki Belzowski CD CGC TDI CERF
Brittish Legend of Beowulf CD CGC TDI CERF  tri-color collies
Legend's Year of Jubilee 6 mo Sable & White collie

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