The Alpha Dog Theory. Are you sure you got it right?
By inu1711
@inu1711 (5285)
Romania
February 12, 2011 4:35am CST
Most of you, dog lovers, know about the alpha dog theory. Some of us apply it, some others don't. Some are big fans of it, some are outraged by people who still use it in practice. I don't have anything against people who use it the right way. I mean, as long as the dog doesn't suffer from their owners' stupidity, I don't feel the need to intervene. But this?
This is a video I found months ago but I forgot about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSIZ8RfRtwE
This morning I run into it by mistake and I wondered (for the thousandth time!) what did that guy think? 
He calls himself a professional trainer and there are people who actually trust dog trainers like him. Does he call this "dog training"? That dog is supposed to be one man's best friend. Is the result of his training a proof of friendship?
I hope I'll meet this guy one day and I'll ask him all these questions face to face.
What would you tell that guy if you met him face to face?
Would you let your dog be trained by such a person?
This is a video I found months ago but I forgot about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSIZ8RfRtwE
This morning I run into it by mistake and I wondered (for the thousandth time!) what did that guy think?
He calls himself a professional trainer and there are people who actually trust dog trainers like him. Does he call this "dog training"? That dog is supposed to be one man's best friend. Is the result of his training a proof of friendship?
I hope I'll meet this guy one day and I'll ask him all these questions face to face.
What would you tell that guy if you met him face to face?
Would you let your dog be trained by such a person?2 people like this
4 responses
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
12 Feb 11
I think you're going to have to explain! That looks like one hell of a well trained dog, even though it looks bored to tears and depressed. Wouldn't you be though, if you were being asked to walk around and around the same course? I'm presuming that the clip just shows a demonstration of their skills and isn't a reflection of their everyday life.
This is written from the perspective of someone who's dogs completely ignore her you understand! I know very little about dog training.
2 people like this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
12 Feb 11
To be able to train a dog properly, you must first understand your dog and what he tells you. Besides barking and growling, dogs use their body language to communicate with each other and to communicate with us, humans.
This dog's body language says the dog is terribly afraid. He walks with his head low, his ears back, he walks like he seems to go sneaking, he hesitates to come close to his master - all this because he's afraid. This tells much about that man's abilities as a dog trainer.
Take a look at this video to see how a German Shepherd should walk near his master: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDHCUR-Rbm0&feature=related
This dog shows joy and walks with pride, there's no doubt he likes what he does and he does every exercise with pleasure.
This is one hell of a well trained dog 
. The one from the first video could also be one, if he had the luck to have another trainer.
Take a look at this video to see how a German Shepherd should walk near his master: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDHCUR-Rbm0&feature=related
This dog shows joy and walks with pride, there's no doubt he likes what he does and he does every exercise with pleasure.
This is one hell of a well trained dog . The one from the first video could also be one, if he had the luck to have another trainer.1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
12 Feb 11
Uh oh, I have a feeling this is not good..I am responding while waiting the video to load and I have this feeling I will have some words to say, because I know you, if it angers you, it will anger me...
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
12 Feb 11
Inu, I have to agree with others here, because I was expecting some kicking or hitting the dog to get it to obey. Though there is no reason to train my dogs like this, but aren't some working dogs trained like this for certain work? For example a police dog where they have to obey immediately on commend to save their lives? If you explain what angers you in this video, I will watch it again.
1 person likes this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
12 Feb 11
He does nothing like this in the video because they are in the middle of an obedience exam and hitting the dog during the exam is not permitted.
But if you look at the dog's attitude, you'll see how terrified he is. There is no doubt the so called "trainer" hit the poor dog during the training. The dog shows no
joy to work near his master, he is rather afraid to step forward because he doesn't know when he is going to be kicked again. Look at his head. Look how low he keeps his head and try to read the language of his ears. His whole body tells everybody he's afraid.
To make a comparision, look at this dog how glad he works near his master:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6PsN8xBl_E
Now you see the difference?
2 people like this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
12 Feb 11
Here's a better example for a comparision, as somebody might say the dogs were from different breeds and therefor the obvious difference.
But this video is about a German Shepherd, too. Skip the first 30 seconds and then see how a dog should work along with his master. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDHCUR-Rbm0&feature=related
2 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
12 Feb 11
Hi inu,
With regards to the "Trainer" and no offense to anyone here is what I think was happening in the clip -
The obese man wants to shed his fat and so has been advised to jog or something like that... He is too lazy and needs company... so he gets this poor "dog" with him. Now the dog too has become accustomed of this and knows that he is being taken for granted and is being used. So though the dog starts out with his enthu each time, he soon realizes nothing much is going to happen and this makes him lazy too...He (the dog) thinks for the man(the Trainer") Poor fella
, he is been doing this for so many days... I wish I could get a break"
Now, seriously, do you really mean that this guy is a Trainer?
, he is been doing this for so many days... I wish I could get a break"
Now, seriously, do you really mean that this guy is a Trainer?1 person likes this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
12 Feb 11
This is a funny view 
over the sad reality.
"I wish I could get a break" - that's how the poor dog must think. Not because he's tired or lazy, but because he's terrified of his master. He must have been seriously abused to show so much fear! Look at his attitude to see how terrified he is! Did you ever see Floppy walking with so much fear like this?
Yes, that guy calls himself a professional dog trainer and he fools people by taking their money and destroying their dogs 
like he destroyed his own dog (the one from the video).
over the sad reality.
"I wish I could get a break" - that's how the poor dog must think. Not because he's tired or lazy, but because he's terrified of his master. He must have been seriously abused to show so much fear! Look at his attitude to see how terrified he is! Did you ever see Floppy walking with so much fear like this?
Yes, that guy calls himself a professional dog trainer and he fools people by taking their money and destroying their dogs like he destroyed his own dog (the one from the video).1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
12 Feb 11
Oh dear, This is a shock to me... really. I wonder how can this guy get any business and claim himself to be a Trainer? I am now worried about the people who trust their pets with him...
For my late and only pet Floppy, No, we never sent him to any trainer and we all were happy that he never needed any external guy for his training. Everyday, he used to wake me up and we did have sometime together in the lawn doing the running and playing... And he also was trained to get me my newspaper, my shoes everything that I needed just by observing us do the things regularly... I miss him so much even after 10 long years... my best yes, really, my best friend that I could get in this life
1 person likes this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
12 Feb 11
People send their dogs to trainers because the purebreed German Shepherd dogs need to pass such an exam to be allowed to breed. They don't want their dogs to bring the slippers or the newspaper, they just want to make money from the offspring of their expensive dogs.
But if they had asked the dogs, they would have found the dogs prefer the newspaper and the shoes instead of that fetch toy.
But if they had asked the dogs, they would have found the dogs prefer the newspaper and the shoes instead of that fetch toy.1 person likes this
@Octav1 (1419)
• Romania
16 Feb 11
Are you sure this guy is a "professional trainer"? Because that poor dog is so terrified, he must have been beaten hard to look so scared. He's even afraid to look at this conductor! I read the comments and they say the guy's name is Burcescu. I'll try to find some more information about the guy but he's a disaster! I wouldn't let my dog be trained by such a person unless I wanted to destroy my dog.
1 person likes this
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
16 Feb 11
He claims he is a professional trainer, but I don't trust his dog trainer abilities. If all the dogs trained by him are like this one, he is, indeed, "a disaster"!
I also noticed the name written in the comments, but I couldn't find too much informations about this guy. If you can find anything, please come to tell us about what you found.
