I've never actually watched his shows. I have no personal experience of him, except for the "take home" message that my clients get, and it isn't something appropriate to use in puppy training. I've heard many clients come up with similar things that are utterly useless for their situations, but are totally convinced it's the way to train them because that's how "the dog whisperer" does it... very frustrating. And I've heard several behaviorists (at veterinary conferences) specifically ranting against him.
Not to say I've never out-aggressed a dog. I have. But it takes damn fine timing, and a very particular set of circumstances to be appropriate. I think people who do not work with animals full time watch his show and think that this one thing he does is the one and only way to address all training, and given how many people I've run across in my little practice that got that message, I can't imagine he's making any kind of explanation of appropriate situations.
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Not to say I've never out-aggressed a dog. I have. But it takes damn fine timing, and a very particular set of circumstances to be appropriate. I think people who do not work with animals full time watch his show and think that this one thing he does is the one and only way to address all training, and given how many people I've run across in my little practice that got that message, I can't imagine he's making any kind of explanation of appropriate situations.