Are You Spoiling Spot?

Douglas V. Gibbs host of Political Pistachio Radio and I discuss training our furry friends, and how that is an indication of our society. Listen to the whole interview now. Or, scan and share the highlights below.

Are you spoiling Spot?

The self-esteem movement that has become the norm for child-rearing today has spilled over into another area once ruled by self-control and earned self-respect: training the family dog. And the consequences can be as devastating for canines as it is for kids.

“Just as parents and teachers avoid correcting children for fear of damaging their egos, today’s ‘New! Improved! passive pet parents’ refuse to correct the dogs under their tutelage,” said Amy Ammen, author of Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs (Wiley, 2007). “Instead, the ‘positive’ approach has become the rule in the world of 21st Century dog training.

The result?

“We’re raising an army of indulged, ill-mannered, unschooled canine delinquents,” Amy says.

In some cases, she adds, this means we’re creating an unnecessary public health problem. “Dog-bite statistics are inexplicably hard to find. But the state of Minnesota, which has done a better job than most of quantifying the problem, found a 40% increase in hospital-treated dog bites between 1998 and 2005.”

But even when attacks are not at issue, bratty dogs can cause their owners a great deal of trouble and embarrassment, and even drive friends and family members away.

“Some ‘professional’ trainers seem to care more about feeding the public a warm, fuzzy message than they do solving problems quickly and cementing a permanent bond,” she says.

Amy’s solution to the problem is presented in Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs, her sixth book: solid training combined with energy-burning activities.

“It’s the hyper dog that can so often be obnoxious or even dangerous,” she says, noting that canine couch potatoes are generally not the problem. “But hyper dogs are often both extraordinarily intelligent and extraordinarily willing to respond to training. In fact, to withhold such training is not only blatant neglect; it’s cruel.”

But not just any training will do, she insists. “The wise owner develops one-command control over his dog, even in the face of tremendous distractions. That’s not something that can be achieved by relying exclusively on food or so-called positive techniques.”

“Our dogs aren’t to blame for their behavior,” Amy says, “except that they can be so darn cute and loving and irresistible. Who’d predict that this leads to not only annoying but dangerous behavior? Being spoiled is devastating to character, emotional health and social welfare.”