I finally got on a training course with Mic Martin today, and he did not make me do one push up - well most of the time i was with the other trainer Pat having a one to one, but I officially start with Mic next Sunday. In fact he was really nice as we sat and had a cup of tea. He is going to be brilliant training me.

There is a fun day at his training centre on 7th May (think that is Saturday week). Its in aid of raising money for a 4 year old who needs life saving treatment in the US. Why not come and see him, I believe that he is going to put on a good show.

Sarah what are you being trained for ? :)

Is that the guy off the programe dog borstal? Where is the venue?

He is the guy off dog Borstal and his training centre is in Leavesden Studios (Watford area).

I am being trained to have more control of my dog. He is showing me where I am going wrong and how to improve it. He thinks that she is the pack leader (of me) and this needs to be nipped in the bud before she gets any stronger.

I thought by the way he trained that he was into pack leader stuff etc. It showed in the way he choked the weimaraner
Pack leader theory is based on dominance and the owner being alpha. This was based around flawed science done on captive wolf packs (ie wolf packs put together by
scientists). We now know from study on real wild wolf packs that the science was flawed and yet the idea of dogs being like wolves and us being alpha is so ingrained that trainers who have not kept up to
date are still using it. Many thank goodness have moved on :D

Dogs need boundaries, training and manners, there's no need for being "dominant" or "alpha".

Sorry but as you can imagine I'm not a big fan, or even a little fan of him :P

Lindsay
x

I agree with Lindsay - his training methods are awful, outdated and cruel.  I am very sorry for your dog that you are going on a training course with him. :(

I thought he was awful too but more for his people skills or rather lack of them!
However good luck because what works for one doesnt for another.

Amos

I am amazed that in this day and ager trainers are still using this method, have they learned nothing. You do not need to be an 'alpha', your dog simply needs boundaries and training with positive reinforcement.

It's a bit far away from me, can't say i was the  biggest fan of the programme either, i much prefered it's me or the dog. Good luck with your training.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all training method in the same way that there isn't a 'best' diet for dogs Sarah.  If you have a rapport with the trainer, then you're off to a good start!  I've only watched his program a couple of times and obviously they only show selective bits on the TV but he's certainly turned some difficult dogs around in very quick time.   Ideas about training have changed over the years, but as in all areas, these things tend to go in cycles, but this fellas obviously doing what's been successful for him.  I wish you all the best. :D

i was appalled at how he swore at the owners, ok i swear, but i thought it was inappropriate.

I don't disagree with you but as I said, we only see a small window of what goes on in these programs.  There are some people who only pay attention if they are spoken to like that.  I would be horrified if someone spoke to me like that but I'd like to think that I'd respond to reasonable language. ;)  Maybe he'd tried the polite approach??  Who knows!  The bottom line is if the dog is better behaved (and the owner has listened to the trainer) and therefore a happier and safer dog when it goes home, then to me the means is worth the end result.  :D

Good luck with the training - enjoy it. :)

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect all of yours. I have a 36 kilo dog and still growing, so I need to be able to control her more. Yes, we have been working on it, but I have some way to go.

With TV, producers show you what they want and they cram 5 days into 30 mins and you don't see the whole picture. I saw him train the other dogs while I was with Pat and not once did he chastise anyone. When I did get to speak to him, he was very nice. Its not my place to judge someone that I have not met.