Dog Borstal’s Rob Alleyne interview
Rob Alleyne, author of The Trouble-Free Dog and trainer on Dog Borstal, tells us about his approach to dog training and his experience of working on the BBC 3 show.
How did you become a professional dog trainer?
I used to attend a dog training class with my own dog 20+ years ago. Then the woman who ran it decided to retire and offered it to me. I was only 19 or 20 and was terrified at the prospect, but reluctantly agreed rather than see the class close. And I have run classes ever since.
Like most good trainers, I develop by studying what I am doing, and looking to see how it can be improved. There are few truly wrong methods per se that should never be used, though there are many that are used inappropriately. I also look at things that other people do, and use them or modify them to suit my situation or client if necessary.
Learning is an ongoing process, there are things that I do now that I won’t be doing in five years, and there are things that I did five years ago that I can’t believe I did or told people to do. But that is how we learn.
Where did the idea for Dog Borstal come from?
Apparently the idea was thought up by the programme’s Executive Producer, after fostering a rescue dog that would have otherwise had major, though unnecessary, surgery.
How did you become involved in Dog Borstal?
I received a phone call asking me if I thought that it could be done, and if I thought that I could do it? The rest, as they say, is history.
Is your fellow Dog Borstal trainer, Mic Martin, as scary as he seems on tv?
Only if you cross him. Actually, he really isn’t that scary at all. He gives a lot of himself when training, and he asks a lot in return. People who aren’t prepared to do that get it in the neck, and he makes no apologies for that.
To be honest, prior to meeting Mic, I was convinced that I would absolutely hate him, But in fact we get on really well. People have accused him of all sorts, that he’s homophobic, sexist, and a bully. Watching him on television, I can completely see why people would think that. But what people forget when watching these programmes is that for every minute that you see, there are probably three hours that you didn’t see.
As an example, everyone thought that he was horrible to Billie-Jean last week for no reason at all. In fact, she turned up an hour and a half late for filming, keeping the whole crew waiting, and apparently, her only excuse was that she had stopped on the hard shoulder for that long as Fudge needed to get it on with Shag Teddy, which she thought was very funny. Needless to say, Mic was not impressed, and what you saw was the immediate aftermath.
And Dale from the first show told the other students that he only came on because he wanted to be on television, and had no real desire to train his dog. Nobody notices how encouraging Mic is when it is going well, or how much he supports the dogs though, which is a shame.
Why do you think dogs and humans live and work together so well?
Because we are so similar in so many ways, and yet so different in others. They make very good dogs, but very poor people, and my clients are usually people who have forgotten this.
What’s your main tip for people who have recently taken on a puppy or adult dog?
Treat it as the family dog from the time you bring it home. It is not a new baby, it is a new puppy, and although there may be some similarities, it is governed by some very different rules from a human child.
Educate it primarily on how to do the right thing. It will learn so much more quickly if you take the time to show it the right way to do things, rather than waiting for it to do the wrong thing and then punish it. Look at all of the things that you are letting it do as a puppy. If you would not be happy for him/her to do them as an adult, stop it now, and show it what it should be doing instead.
Do you have dogs?
I have a five year old German Shepherd named Jester. Never was a dog more appropriately named, he is such a clown.
Read our review of BBC 3’s Dog Borstal or buy Rob’s book The Trouble-Free Dog.
Chat about Dog Borstal in our forums.
March 27th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
My husband and I are avid watchers of Dog Borstal and think Mic is fantastic. We’ve just taken on a year old rescue dog who has a habit of eating her own poo and has so far given herself a couple of bacterial infections. We are now using a box muzzle whenever she’s on her own or out in the field or in a situation that we can’t monitor what she’s eating, but we hate her wearing it. Is there any other solution or is this going to be a permanent thing?
March 28th, 2006 at 11:02 pm
please help me!! ive got 2 x english springers that wont stop barking in the day time, neighbour is threatening to report us to enviomental department. these are part of my family and could’nt cope without them in my life. also Duke who’s 4 wont let anybody through the front door without attacking them or growling at them, this problem really stresses me out. if possiable could mic martin please reply. or could i please appear on the next program. thanking you in advance.
yours sincerly
carol, duke, max
March 31st, 2006 at 3:15 pm
how would i get my dog into dog borstal he is 4 years old
and has NIPPED(not to seriously but still) 5 people.
anyone who goes near his toys or family.
We now have a 3MONTH OLD BABYwho he is very protective over and my friends cant get near her without him GROWLING im worried about her future friends coming to play with her
I know its me, that IM DOING somthing WRONG in his training and im willing to LEARN for the sake of our family dog PLEASE HELP me
April 1st, 2006 at 5:17 pm
I would love to know how to check my 12month old german shepard in to dog borstal, i have two young children that who are brilliant with Eddie(the dog), but as soon as we take him out of the front door he wants to get at any body or anything including moving vehicals, I am truly not sure if he will bite some one or just bark at them, he has eaten through two halty collers and is on his third, I cant let anybody in the through the front door unless i put him out in the garden, and my post gets attacked before it falls on floor, I have tried traing class’s and all sorts of traing methods and videos but he just gets too excited when he goes out, please help, many thanks
April 4th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Rob,
Regarding your comnment that I was doing it to be on telly is just crazy and very insulting, the problems that my dog (Flake) had before the training were not dealt with in any way and Mic spent the time allocated with Flake talking about areas of training not needed and trying to upset me with his bullying tactics.I was fully comitted to the programme although it has been edited to make you, the owners and dogs look like fools, I did go along with the fun as they were a great bunch of dog owners and I realised after joining the ‘Borstal’ that the intention of the programme was purely entertainment.When you gave me your card at the end of filming and told me to contact you if I needed further help or advice I thought it a kind and sincere guesture, I guess I was wrong.And how could i have done it just to be on the tv when you ‘trainers’ were the ones choosing the dogs to be involved!For a final note Flake has not responded to the training that took place but has reponded well to an improved diet and the crate in which she now sleeps.
Regards Dale
April 11th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
But…but….but Dale, werent you just on TV AGAIN just last night
April 12th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Uhhhh, yes Kim I was, but just because it is TV does that not make it genuine ? I had a health issue that was keeping me from work and was contacted and told of this show, it got a brilliant, fast result so I am thrilled.
April 12th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Dear Dale, as everyone seems to be recognising you, could you please answer a question for me. Have you by any chance appeared on Sun Sea and Bargain Spotting with Angela Rippon? I’m sure i recall seeing you in that programe too. Please put my mind at rest.
April 18th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
God, lets speak about the dogs again, not some desperate-to-be-Z-list-celeb who got free training because his dog was incredibly badly behaved and is still whinging. Give it a rest.
April 18th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
VERY INTERESTING SHOW…WE HAVE 2 DOGS, ONE IS A 15 YEAR OLD COLLIE, AND A NEW 11 MONTH OLD ALSATION/COLLIE MIX [ PLUE 3 CATS]…THE ALSATION IS A VERY CLEVER DOG..AND GIVES ME A HARD TIME..BUT LISTENS TO THE WIFE…SO I ASSUME ITS MY OWN FAULT THAT THE DOG TREATS ME THE WAY IT DOES, MAYBE I AM TOO SOFT ?. THIS SHOW HAS MADE ME GIVE SOME THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD GO TO ONE OF THE LOCAL DOG TRAINING SCHOOLS, AND JUST MAYBE THE ALSATION MAY START TO LISTEN TO ME..THANKS FOR A VERY GOOD SHOW…
April 19th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
Goodness me! What a bitter remark Jo.If while I am off work and at home (usually about 8-9 weeks) and I want some dog training , a holiday or even a hernia repaired and doing it on t.v can get a fast effective result, why not ?I love my dog dearly but being on t.v is not some desire to join ‘Z grade celebrity’ status ( unlike Mic Martin), it is because I have the time , confidence and a specific issue.Good luck to all of you with problem dogs but remember the nature of ‘Dog Borstal’ and other similar shows is entertainment and the dog training is often overlooked.I keep in contact with several of the dog owners that have been featured in this show and they all feel the same.I hope all the problems you have with your animals are resolved but dont look to reality t.v as a solution, contact a respected dog trainer whose priority is the dog and owner and not the camera and the chance of panto !!
April 20th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Now who’s being bitter.
Good to see its being re-run, I’m really hoping for a second series. What really comes across well is how difficult it is to train the owners.
Watching Fudge and his owner again last night was a perfect example of that, Fudge, the owner and Rob all had a rough time of it but the result after only a week and then the follow up interview with the owner was great.
Does anyone know why Zebedy’s owners bailed out right before the test, that didnt make any sense.
April 20th, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Kim, I am not in the least bitter it is just annoying that people dont gather the programme is designed to challenge the dog owners, they try to get anger ,confrontation, tears and frustration.From cold showers, night vision cameras (when people are really tired or pist) to supplying loads of alchohol, whatever they think will get the best reaction, is it just a coincidence Mic had all the gay people? Going into the programme we were not told anything about the conditions we would be living in, and I was not told to about Mics strict rules, but did it benefit the dog ……NO.Mic is a trainer with loads of experience but do you think when you go to him as a client and pay for an hour session he swears at you, humiliates you and forces you to do sit-ups…….. NO.But does that make good tv…yes.I have done other tv shows , most are great fun ,but one thing they are all aimed at is entertaining and not educating.Check out Mics website, it says it all.Good luck with your doggy worries though. x
April 20th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
I have no ‘doggy worries’, I have an excellent trainer
If it was so tough being there for the week then why didnt people leave? Thats what I didnt get with Zebedy’s owners, I could see it if they had left earlier or even if you had left part way through.
Personally I hate camping, I would have done that though but if I felt I was just being ridiculed I would have walked.
Do people get paid for appearing?
April 20th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Kim although being there was tough they filmed two shows together so there were six dogs and owners together ( they just split the programme into groups of three), and out of my group It was only the mother and daughter with the yorkshire terriers who enjoyed the training (with Mic) and that was because the daughter and Mics sidekick(Pat) had a blossoming romance! Nobody walked because we really bonded as a group and had a great laugh every night (and a good drink).We were all filmed all day, all night at home etc so it is difficult to see how we were going to be portrayed.Nobody was paid although all expenses are paid and that can add up.I made some great friends and dont regret a moment of it but it was not taken very seriously by anyone.The amazing ‘results’ took a lot of filming to capture!
April 23rd, 2006 at 7:21 am
Further to my problem with the 11 month old alsation/collie mix, after looking at another of your shows, I started to use the bottle with the stones in it when the dog ignored me or “did its own thing” instead of doing what I wanted it to do, and it worked !!
An example of a TV show helping with animal problems !
Looking at some of the remarks from some of the people involved in the show, I would have thought that taking part in a show on TV, of any type, would be filmed, and edited, in such a way , that the end result would be to “entertain”, and the people involved would be aware of that at the time, if not before !!
So, don’t complain if you don’t like the end result !
I have to say that I found the show very funny, and entertaining, as well as giving me some ideas to try out on my own “hairy” friends, though I do accept, as it states at the end of each show, “not to use these methods without expert advice”.
I will be taking my young dog to a training school, “were they will no doubt train me” as I am sure most of my problems are due to ME, and not to the dog. So this show has done its job, it “ENTERTAINED”, and made dog owners THINK, and, in my case, made me understand that its not the dogs fault, but mine !!
Please lets have more of these shows, with the same team, its GREAT..
Many thanks to a very good, and EXPERT Team….
June 11th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
Hiya,
Can anyone give me any information. I have heard there is an estrela on this series that is being filmed. Can anyone tell me when it will be shown.
July 5th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
My Dog has a problem,
She is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.She is 3 years old. She is terrified of dogs. If she is off the leash and is apporached by another dog she runs away howling. She runs under the car and stays there barking. Her heart races and she gets into a terrible state. I have tried the local dog training club, but she gets into such a state and we only lasted a couple of weeks. She is happy otherwise and she can sit and stay, however if another dog approaches she if off and no amount of shouting or calling will get her to come back. Can you please help?
When my dog was a puppy she was nipped on the back by a pit bull dog which was off the leash, I think this is where her fear of dogs comes from but how can we cure this?
August 6th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Hi, My husband & i have just had the most grueling 4 days training our 2 dogs on “Dog Borstal” with Mic and it has been the best 4 days for a long time, Mic is extremely committed and even though he seems harsh on the owners, its only because you have to condition the owners before they can condition their dogs, its a team thing. One most important thing we did learn was that 95% of your dogs “bad Behaviour” is down to the owners.
Like it or not, its what we do or dont do in there crucial first 6mth of life and how we treat them at home.
Every one at “Dog Borstal” was fabulous, We owe a huge thankyou to Mic and everyone, our dogs Bruno & Buddy are new dogs thanks to them.
Thanks and all the best. X Angie
August 7th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Do you do individual private help please. Border collie 3 years old
September 3rd, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Hi I have watched dog borstal and have to say I have been really impressed with the results.
Could you please tell me how I would go about entering my husbands German Shepherd into dog borstal?
September 4th, 2006 at 9:03 am
Having got back last night from a solid week of training my 1 year old pug with Mic, i turned the tv on to see dale mincing around with his jack. the comments dale has left on this website are unbelievable seeing as the effort he put into the training of his dog was minimal. the program is called DOG borstal, not owners of bad dog get on tv for a laugh! if you had put in the same amount of effort as the crew, the other owners, your own dog and of course Mic then you might have got the same results as many others. Dog borsta has changed my family and my dogs life. effort = results, Dale you have neither.
Thank you Mic, see you in school!
Lexi and Saffy
September 4th, 2006 at 9:54 am
I have an 8 month old border collie, whom I love very much and with lots of careful training and commitment she is turning out to be a great dog, she comes back when called ( 99% of the time) she will sit, stay, down etc without too much persueding and always if there is a treat in store. but we do have a couple of problems that I havnt been able to resolve, firstly she is agressive if given a bone and there are toys on the floor, or if you try to take it away from her and her behaviour is similar if she manages to steel a sock or something else that we dont want her to have. also she is constantly over excited, she always has to be doing something, she never ever settles and wont just go to sleep unless she is in her cage with the room door shut and no one in the room with her, I cant leave her with anyone, even for an hour, the only solution is to put her in her cage, if she would just settle down she would have a much happier life, I feel sure, can anyone help me, is there such a thing as a dog borstal or something that an owner and her dog can go to to get the necessary training, not necessarily to be on TV just to get some help. I do take her to training classes every week and I have been consulting with a dog behaviourist, but all the work is done on mutual territory and the problem is not always recreated.
September 4th, 2006 at 10:41 am
Hi,
Can anyone please tell me how you apply to be on Dog Borstal?
September 10th, 2006 at 7:32 am
Zebedee’s owners bailed out of dag borstal - the night before the test because mic really pi@@ed them off
September 11th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
to elaine, i would have a look at your dogs diet. there maybe something in it not agreeing with her. i changed from Ped Chum to James Wellbeloved-a creal, wheat, gluten free food and the change in my dog has been amazing!
September 12th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Hi could someone tell me how to get my dog onto dog borstal? i have a 4 year old staffy who is really friendly inside the house great with people but once hes outside he wants to go for cars, birds, and mainly DOGS. cant get him to obey me and its really frustraiting because he is a good dog
September 15th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
I am so very desperatly looking for some help. I have a two year old german shepherd and since having my baby he has turned! he goes for other dogs when out walking and in some cases even people. He has become very protective of my baby but because of this i am living in fear of what might happen next. We are not stupid and even though we are sure he would never turn on us as a family he is never left on his own with the baby . We just want our family pet back. He needs to realise that he is not the man of the house! would absolutely love for him to go on dog borstal……………… any one know how to apply????
September 19th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Hi
How do i get my 10 month old Doberman trained. I have taken him to training school where he would sit or lay down for the whole lesson and would not take part!! When at home he will bark and nip at me. I have tried to use treats as a training tool and a bottle with stones in it, if he can get hold of the bottle he will run around with it and shake it at himself!!! How do I get him to Dog Borstal, please help!
Jess
September 20th, 2006 at 9:39 am
Hi
I have a question for Mic please. ( personally I think you are GREAT Mic). I have two Australian Terriers, both dogs Jake is 6years and castrated and Axel aged 18 months and is entire. He has not been castrated as he is a show dog and has just qualified for Cruft 2007. My problem is Mic that although they are both fantstic dogs I do have a problem with Axel scent marking and Jake ( he has epilepsy) will just pee and poo on the floor at times rather than go outside, he is worse when it is raining. All summer the patio door has been open and they also have access to a dog door to the garden. Axel is fast becoming the dominant one of the two ,so i have been treating him as such. I do get the odd tussle between them but this is becoming rare. On the occasions when Axel does go for him I do have to separate them and put Axel in his place. Please help me Mic as otherwise my dogs are so good.
Kind Regards
Val Leighfield
October 4th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
i have a two year old great dane who was rescued but cant walk him he wants o kill everything i would love to put him in the dog borstal how is it possiblei
October 5th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Robert was an excellent trainer and a lovely man. Fudge is a lovable, less spolt and better behaved dog because of my time on Dog Borstal. However, the comment Robert made about me being late for filming is completely untrue and I’m not as irresponsible as to pull over on a hard shoulder or allow my dog to do sexual activities whilst I’m driving. Truth be told, I’m manic about timekeeping and Fudge spent the whole time on the front seat with his nose out of the window. I was the first to arrive for filming and found Mic’s comments and attitude totally unprofessional and rather mean.
October 9th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
To all those wishing to get on dog borstal!!!
I went via the BBC website and asked for the contact details of the show and they sent me an email with an application and it went from there. Good luck its so worth it.
Also if you go on the Dog Borstal web site there is a Contact us link!
Cheers
October 10th, 2006 at 12:14 am
dear mic help me we have a ten month old rottweiller who is mental she wont walk but will run and pull on the lead, and she will wait at the bottom of the stairs and the attack you. please can you give me any advice that will help me understand her more. thanking you in advance sheila
October 10th, 2006 at 12:44 am
I have watched DOG BORSTAL several times and have found it very informative and a brilliant guide for owners. Especially the way the owners are taught the importance of asserting dominance (something I always tell my friends when they get puppies, mother them, and are then suprised when they run rings round them). My dog is fairly well behaved but I do have a problem getting him to come sometimes. We got him when he was a year old and he knew nothing, having been locked in an enclosure outside for most of his life with little contact and no training. He was also malnourished and was petrified of everything (having been cruelly beaten by his previous owner). In the two years we’ve had him he has come on in leaps and bounds and now can come, sit, lay, beg, drop, fetch, stand, and many other things. In the house he does exactly as he’s told and if he’s close by on a walk. but if he gets a certain distance away, and he’s doing something very interesting, he sometimes pretends he can’t hear you calling him. Would a dog whistle be a good idea? are there any tips you can suggest? Also, he is still petrified of some things. He is petrified of walking sticks (he was beaten with one) but some of our relatives need to use walking sticks. Is there anything you can suggest to get him over these fears a little. Thanks. love the show.
October 10th, 2006 at 9:51 am
To Sheila. Your dog needs basic training and it’s no good appealing for help from a TV celebrity (although Mic is ace) as written advice isn’t good enough and I imagine Mic’s a busy man so you could be waiting sometime. Your dog is an adolescent and needs training NOW! You need to go out and find a decent trainer or behaviourist and start doing something with your dog, Rotties are brilliant at all sorts of sports and need a hobby. In the meantime you need a headcollar and to prevent the dog from waiting at the bottom of the stairs for you. The Rottweiler is the most amazing breed of dog, what it doesn’t need at the moment is any more bad publicity - people need to taking ownership responsibly and training is part of that - so please do something more than post on here hoping for help - go out and find it.
October 10th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Dear Mic, I have a wonderful black lab she’s 1 year old very well behaved, BUT, she has this nasty habit of eating poo, I have 2 other dogs( lab & pointer) we have treid everything from pineapple to tablets from the vet( Benerva) nothing seems to work her favorite thing is waiting for it” hot of the press so to speak” this is distressing my older dog and she seems almost embaressed to go to the loo. I have spoken to my vet who seems to think that the lacking in something is a myth also I have spoken to my local dog trainer ( jerry omlo) who says if nothing works that she is lacking in something, its driving us nuts as I seem to spend hours on poo watch ready with my shovel, any suggestions ?
October 11th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
I was a participant on Dog Borstal and it was the worst and best week of my life. we should be on next week I think. It has changed my life and attitude.it is not about bad dogs - we train them - or should! dogs and people are a team - and now me and the horrendously behaved Charlie are very happy.
you apply via BBC website, but it may be some time now as the series filming is complete.
cheers Heather (the newly trained owner) and Charlie (the very good (now) dog)
October 11th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
I love the show and Love the training methods, I think that Mics way of thinking and his attitude is spot on and no messing about , with the added bonus of getting a good laugh !
I love watch Mics training , Ive heard people accuse Mic of being too harsh , which usually comes from people with spoilt little dogs that do as they please ! Ive got some really good tips from the show and I loved the first new episode Dave the rotti loved mic which shows he obviously knows how to gain the respect of any dog!
Makes me mad when I see peope go on the show and dont give 100% I was fuming when zebeedees owners left early , what a waste of time that was, If I ever had the chance to go on that show I would take all the advice I could get from these top class trainers.
October 16th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
hi, i have been back from dog borstal for nearly 2 months and just had my follow up visit today, the changes in my 17 month old english bull terrier are fantastic, and just in case she decided that she would like to go back to her old ways,i made her watch the 2nd episode of the new series tonight, she hid behind on the sofa during the whole prgramme!, but did ocasionaly look at the screen to see robert. He is a fantastic trainer! I cant wait till november to see my episode, it was probably the best four days of my life and i met some fantastic people.
October 17th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
hi i am currently instructing at the poole and district dog training club in dorset. having spent all my life around dogs i have discovered that i have a natural talent for dogs and training. however without a dog that has been shown or having bred one , i find it very difficult to break into the dog world. i enjoy instructing at poole but feel that i need more and dont know how to go about gaining more experience without expensive college courses. something on the lines of what you do on tv - i would like to start doing, however i do not wish to be on tv.
if u got any bright ideas on the matter or would consider taken on an understudy , i would be grateful for your reply, if so could you reply by mail to
address removed
October 17th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
Heather,
Well done on the exam!! We had quite a tough one too, and as with ours, feel the judge did you a massive disservice by only passing you.
October 18th, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Hi!
I love the programme. watch every one. buit could not find trhe answers for my problem. That is why I need the help! Actually I don’t know if it’s possible to help me because I’ve been on many websites. read a lot of books and informatiopn. visited training classes and have not yet solved our problems. The matter is we have a very loved doberman 11 month old and he has been unusually timid since we got him at the age of 2 month old (well, for Dobermans as we all know them). He has improved a lot since that time. but still has some problems unsolved. He is a brilliant dog and most part he is just an exellent, but when somebody gets into the house( friends, our adult kids who doesn’t live with us) he doesn’t stop barking and nothing could calm him down. Almost the same when he meets another dog outside. he just barks(never attacks or bites) and barks and barks….. As a result not too many peoiple want to let their dogs to play with our doberman and it’s a really a big pressure all the time. The matter also is that he barks not because he is aggressive . he barks because he is scared. I also want to say that I am a very strict owner and I had a German Sheperd years ago. That is why I don’t understant what am I doing wrong?And if it’s possible to solve my problems somehow?
October 18th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
Does anyone know how to get on dog borstal, i’m in desperate need of help with my doberman, he is as good as gold in the house but when it’s time for walks and i get his lead he goes mental. When he is out i don’t exist all he bothers about is my other dog honey the golden retriever, i think she hates him because he is always bullying her, he has to wear a muzzle because he attacks other dogs, now he has started to chase and bark at joggers and scares them to death. I’m forever having to apologise to people he is a complete embarrassment. I can’t treat train him cos of his muzzle anybody got any ideas?
October 19th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Hi i’m an owner of a staffi
I would like to get advice on my little girl as she pines for her daddy but not for me. she eats my shoes and leaves my partners and she pies when she is told off for going onto the sofa or running away please help.i love her to pieces but i dont know how to deal with her,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2006 at 1:50 pm
I am the same as Lisa. How do I get to Dog Borstal - not necessarily on the t.v. in fact prefer not. I have two dogs, one collie cross lab and one retriever. They are seven and six respectively. They are well behaved but exceedingly nervous and when I take them out I pray I do not meet anyone as they both run barking up to people. The collie/cross comes back after a few seconds - the other takes her time if at all. I put them on their leads until they pass then let them off again. They never go back towards them but go on their walk. If I see people and put them on their leads first and they have a dog the collie/cross whines and I can not hold them. I usually make them sit and stay which I find is better. They are worst of all if it is just one person. I also can not have people to the house as the same happens. The collie/cross once used to visitors clings to them getting stroked and if they move around the house the barking starts again. They are in no way dangerous but I just want to enjoy my dogs and them to enjoy life a lot more. A friend came back with me recently and the collie/cross did not hear her come in so when he came back in the room he went mental sounding really vicious but I was still able to grab his mouth and tell him to go away. He did and every time he moved when she did I told him no and silly I know but told him to go hide his face which he actually did. Please help.
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:11 am
Have you tried just attending a training class?
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:44 pm
Hi, I enjoy watching dog borstal! I have a English Bull Terrier who is very unpredictable. She will go for anyone in that comes into the house, so when people come round she gets locked away. I live by myself with my 5 month old baby. I can not walk my dog as she goes for anything that moves including prams!!so can not walk her. I would like to sort this problem as she has not been out for a walk for so long. how would I apply for DOg Borstal? any help?
October 24th, 2006 at 9:39 am
how do you get help with a naughty dog do you apply to go on the telly
October 24th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Seeing as series 2 has finished filming i would strongly urge you, in fact I would beg you to go and seek a training class.
Borstal is not the be all and end all. There are plenty of other ways to get it done. We just happened to be in the right place at the the time.
Personally, if i had an agressive dog and a 5 month old child i would be on the phone to the nearest trainer to get it sorted before the 5 month old child gets mobile.
Please dont wait for the next series of dog borstal!!!
October 26th, 2006 at 11:36 am
I have a 19month old American bulldog, he weighs about 9stone at present and is getting bigger and stronger by the day, he rules our house, what Kane wants Kane gets, he is completly spoilt, (he is my baby!!!) The biggest problem that we have at the moment is that he tries to mount me contstantly and he sometimes succeeds due to the size of him now he is getting very hard to control, he over powers me,he actually weighs more that what i do! i think that he thinks he is human, he no longer eats his dog food, he will only eat what we eat, he wont drink water from his dog bowl we have to put the tap on in the bathroom for him,and believe me there is lots more, Please help me to make Kane realize that he is a dog!
October 30th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
I have a 2 year old Border Collie. she is great in every aspect except one, when poeple fuss her or tell her she is beautiful, she wee’s all over the floor, she is not scared of them i dont think, but can not control herself when she is getting attention.
She can even go so far as layin submissive in her wee or wagging her tail so it is sprayed everywhere.
This problem really lets her down and can be really embarrasing for me and my children. Do you have any thoughts that could possibly help?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Although people get excited by dog training on the tv, I’d suggest seeing a local dog trainer through http://www.apdt.co.uk as they have a lot of members in most areas.
Waiting to go on the tv is really not the way to go, it could take months or even years!!
October 31st, 2006 at 8:55 pm
In response to Dale..
I unfortunatly missed your episode of Dog Borstal..however I find as a new watcher that its the owners that need training and not the dogs!
I after watching the episodes this year, I was impressed enough and did the resurch and found that Mic Martin had a training school in my area. Worried that he was supposed to be mean, found out he has been training dogs for over 20 years. I did not want to go on any tv show but wanted decent training from a proffesional for me and my dog. I Contacted via Mics web site. I was invited to go along with out my dog to watch a training session, after wich I decided that this was exactly wat I needed for me and my dog.
I paid to have a one to one session with Mic for me and my dog, I can only say it was the best thing I ever did for me and her, and have now booked my second session.
Stop bitching on about your own shortfalls. you should be glad to get your training for nothing. i can only surmise that if you had problems with Mic its because you only wanted the TV exposure!!!
Dale shut up or put up with what guidence you have been given, and stop slating others for your shortfalls.
October 31st, 2006 at 10:54 pm
I have watched dog borstal throughout the serises and at first was extremly glad that the dog that i adopted from a rescue center was so good. However over the last couple of months my dog has become extremly unsociable with almost all other dogs. It is gtting to the stage that i am unwilling to let him off the lead if there is another dog around which is very frustrating for an over excited nd active 2 year old border colli. my dog has unergone six months of obedess classes to help with socialising with other dogs and now partisipates in a weekly agility class. He is very good at the agility however has become more intrested in trying to attack ther dogs rather than doing the jumps. he is becoming very out of hand and needs help.
How do I apply for the help of dog borstal.
November 1st, 2006 at 1:08 pm
I would be very pleased to have an hours training with Mic Martin. But then I think that all the team are grate at what they do. I find it so refreshing to actually watch intelegent and highly trained people explain to many a dog owner that actually their dog is not to blame for their troubles. I am a home checker for Aras, a voluntry run dog rescue and have myself helped change a severely kennel stressed Gsd with many a problem to a relaxed, contented family dog happy with full knoledge of where he stands in our pack. He engoys training and I love reaching new miles stones along the way. I enjoy Dog Borstal and recomend its viewing to my home checks. I too have seen the results of so called problem dogs given up by their owners then homed with a family willing to train resulting in a different dog. At least those who go to the borstal are willling to try to learn and change their view on their dogs problems for the better.
November 1st, 2006 at 4:35 pm
hi i have a 5 month old staffy pup she is great with my 2 children and every 1 els she loves other dogs and and going out but when we let her off her lead she never comes back and we find our selfs doing more running around then her as we have to catch her just to put her back on the lead she also keeps eating her own poo and keeps pooing and weeing all in the house witch i hate so much but dont know how to stop her a part from the she is a lovly puppy and we all love her very much but her bad ways r making me want to get rid of her because she just dont listin so plz if any 1 can help me or give me advice i would love to hear from u thanks keeley
November 1st, 2006 at 10:02 pm
Hi Keeley, not sure if this is open for giving advice so it might get deleted. First of all have you looked into crate training? Some people dont like them but if you do it right then you could probably have her house trained within a few days, shouldnt take more than a week unless you got her from a pet store/puppy farm type place where she would probably have been in a cage for the first two months of her life practically.
Eating her own feces (copraphagia…sp), theres a couple of reasons dogs do this, there is a belief that some dogs do this as they have a vitamin deficiency although thats a little controversial, usually its out of boredom, hunger (they can smell the scent of the food in there in some cases) or they do in an attempt to ‘clean up their den to prevent predators seeking them out’ or for hygeine reasons….like the dam will clean up after her pups. There is something called ForBid (available in US, not sure if its available in UK, ask your vet) its just powder that goes onto the food that makes the feces taste/smell horrible to them. Also a bit of alfalfa in the diet will do the same thing.
As for the recall, sounds like shes sucked you all into a great game of chase. Okay what usually happens is owner lets dog off leash, dog runs away, owner gets pi$$ed, yells at dog……would you come back to someone if they were yelling at you? would you come back if your enjoying a great game of chase and didnt want to go home yet? No probably not.
Start off in an enclosed area, have some small treats with you (something tasty that she really loves like chicken, roast beef or something, the treats dont need to be any bigger than your small fingernail). get the family involved, stand in a circle or spread out a little, take it in turns to call her (use her name and “come”) do whatever it takes to get her to come to you but its important that she comes to the person that is calling her….if she goes to someone who hasnt called her they should completely ignore her, no eye contact, physical contact or verbal contact….the person that called her should ‘up’ the motivation and as soon as she starts coming towards them then keep the motivation going and praise her….LOADS…when she gets to them they praise her loads again and give her the treat. You can do this with her about half a dozen times a day but dont overdo it in each session, I do about 6 treats per session as some dogs can actually get bored with it. make sure that she gets the treat and praise every time….once she is coming back every time then only give the treat every second time but still give tons of praise, then when she is coming back every time reduce the treats to about every 4 times she is called (still loads of praise) and then no treats just the praise. Then move onto your next area which would be bigger than the last one but still enclosed……and do the same process. If you dont have another enclosed area then put her on a long line so you have some control still (dont use a flexi leash).
What your doing is not training, its conditioning, your conditioning her to come to you whenever she hears her name or the word “come”, its important though once you start this that you dont use her name for anything negative or when your angry at her. She needs to associate her name with coming back to you and that being like the ‘best thing in the world for her’. Another thing is when you are working with her off leash is make sure that you call her to you then let her go and play again, dont just call her back so you can put her on the leash again, some people only call their dogs back to them to take them home….no fun for the dog who will catch on to this pretty rapidly. AND quit chasing her, its okay to run towards her but call her, jump up and down basically do whatever it takes to get her attention….and once youve got it then run the other way, chances are she will follow you.
Just a little tip with that, if she runs off after youve called her and you give up and just leave her youve just taught her that she doesnt have to come back to you if she doesnt want to….Ive had dogs where Ive called them….and then its taken me like 30 minutes, standing in the rain getting soaked, getting pi$$ed and frustrated but you cant give up, however long it takes stick with it and make sure that you still give her the praise when she does come back. This is why you need to get the recall pretty good in an enclosed area before ever letting her off leash and trying it.
Just remember that dogs learn through patience, persistence, repetition and consistency, Staffs (in my experience are a lot like Pit Bulls in their mentality) are generally very intense in whatever they do, you might need a bit more patience than you would with a lot of other breeds but once youve got their respect and their focus they work intensely as well (Pits have always been one of my favourite breeds to work with, theyre one h*ll of a challenge initially but well worth it once you get through to them).
Hope that helps.
November 1st, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Oh yeah….almost forgot. with the housetraining, keep the dog where you can monitor her at all times (when your out or at night is where the crate will help), when you see her getting ready to pee take her outside immediately, on leash, take her to a designated area that she can use as her bathroom and use a command word like ‘go potty’ or ‘be quick’ whatever word(s) you want just use the same words every time, again youll need some patience as by the time you get outside they can ‘forget’ what they were about to do so it can take a bit before they will go….when shes just barely finished give her loads of praise (can give a little treat if you want but the praise is important) tell her “good potty” (repeat it in a happy tone of voice).
Watch her body language indoors, they will usually circle or start pacing right before they go….if you catch her in the act then a stern NO and take her straight outside….if you dont catch her actually in the act and shes already done it there is nothing you can do, telling her off (and please dont ever rub her nose in it….not saying you have done this but a lot of people still do….urine burns when its left of the skin) any kind of punishment after the deed is done is a waste of time, all your going to accomplish is you will end up with a nervous dog that gets shouted at but doesnt have a clue why.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Hi im Anthony and i’ve got a 1 year old labrador,were should i start,this a list of things he gets up to,jumps the fence.chews all are shoes,and the skerting boards.walls.dog toys, you name it.he allso drags me on the lead,and if let off the lead he will just run and never come back.onece we had to pay 75 pounds to get him out of the cennel.and if enyone or anything walks past he will jump on them.one time when we were out a stranger got out of the there car and left the doors wide open to look at the view of the sea,jenson or dog jumped into there driver seat because he wanted to go home.and a nuther thing he wount listen to a word we say,maybe just the simple comands sometimes if he can be bothed,but apart from that he will just lie there.but it is mostley are folt for being soft.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:37 pm
so please help us!!!!
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:40 pm
The problem isnt that youve been soft the problem is that you havent give him any guidance as to what you want him to do. You need to do some training with him. Dogs dont know what is or isnt acceptable to us unless we teach them, theyre not born knowing how to behave in human society. If he doesnt come back and is jumping into other peoples cars then you need to keep him on a lead when your out in public. Someones loose dog jumped into my car one time and then he wouldnt let me in, he got all territorial over it, and the owner couldnt even get him out cos he was snarling at him.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Hi there am hooked on Dog Borstal and the tips n there are fantastic… I have 2 Jack Russell’s 18 months old, they are both great fun but if distracted off the lead by Rabbit, another dog or other it is difficult to gain their attention again… does anyone have any suggestions!? They are the best of company and enjoy each others company too… persistence and patience will hopefully win through but if there are any hints or tips they would be great… Good luck everyone, we will all get there in the end if we really want to! By the way if anyone from the show is reading this and think they can help…and the show wants me and my dogs, I would be more than happy to oblige!
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:49 pm
I was lucky enough to rescue a gorgeous 10 month old border collie 4 weeks ago. He had absolutely no idea how to play or do anything but having had collies before I persevered as had some idea! He now sits, plays, has stopped biting although refuses to walk to heel or without pulling my arm out it’s socket - but am working on that!
Am no professional trainer but, the method I use for sit, stay, stop, leave etc is:
Get a pack of the soft meaty dog chews from Supermarket or pet store, and break a couple of sticks into loads of little pieces. These chewy sticks are ONLY to be used for training and NOT for general treats - the dog will learn to associate the chewy stick with doing something well. You can use other treats like rawhide chews for general treats but keep the chewy sticks specifically for training.
Getting him to sit, hold a piece of chew in your closed hand but let him sniff it. DONT let him have it! Raise your hand over his his nose and up above his head and he will automatically sit, tell him he’s a good boy/girl and give him the treat - same goes for all other things you want your dog to do.
After a while, telling him to sit/whatever and when he does, do not always give the treat, that way he will learn that he won’t get a treat every time but is worth doing as he is told because - perhaps he will get a treat! Eventually he will do it without expecting a treat.
Training takes TIME, Dog Borstal, getting a dog to walk to heel in 5 mins just does NOT happen - it’s edited! You must be patient with your dog but be always sure to reward him, cuddle him, make a fuss and and tell him he is good.
I stopped my border from biting just by telling him in a stern voice “Baaaad dog”, then turning my back on him and ignoring him! He jumped up at my back and nipped me but I just ignored him (although it was painful and I yelped in pain silently LOL) but he soon got the message! This is not cruel, it just teaches the dog that bad behaviour gets him nowhere and no reaction from you! Any reaction when your dog misbehaves teaches him that he only has to nip and you will shout at him - therefore he gets your attention - that round to him!
Now, if only I could get him to walk to heel!!
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Anthony,
Sorry, your dog is just plain BORED! He is not getting enough mental stimulation.
When he chews things he shouldn’t, do you shout at him? If so, he is getting your attention - it’s his way of getting noticed.
My border (see above) pulls - something I’m working on but quite trying at times (and have the scars to prove it!).
Do you have an enclosed area near you where you can let your Lab off the lead without fear of him escaping? Check it out, I have lived in my area for 5 years and never noticed the enclosed park just around the corner until I got the dog! - and then I only found it by accident a fortnight ago!
Try using the ‘chew’ method as described above. When your lab has a shoe - try the “baaad dog” approach in a very stern voice but do not shout - he aint deaf! give him a piece of chew, substitute the shoe with one of his allowed toys and make a fuss of him! He will learn to associate his toys with a reward, your shoes with a telling off! Do also try the ‘ignore’ method, may cost you a tin of paint but he’ll get the message eventually!
You have to get your Lab to play WITH you, like with a figure of 8 rubber ‘push me pull you’, ball on a rope whatever. Once he learns that you are fun to be with, he will co-operate, but sticking him in a back yard and shouting 24/7 will get you nowhere fast.
Jumping at fences is a sure sign of total boredom - or stressing out - he needs to get out more! Do you - be honest - stick him in the garden and just ‘let him get on with it?’ You need to take him for walks, and I know the pulling your arm out it’s socket is not pleasurable - got the Tee shirt on that one but it’s necessary to get him to socialise.
You could try getting him a kong, is a toy in which you place a treat and he has to fathom out how to get the treat out the toy.
Whatever, the best mental stimulation your Lab can get is you and strangely, dogs love to work e.g. fetch, heel , leave etc, it’s up to you to have the patience to train him.
Good luck!
November 6th, 2006 at 11:32 pm
Hi I have two Border Collies. They both seem the perfect dogs to my friends and family and I have many friends who comment on how well behaved they are. The problem is when they are left alone whilst my husband and I are out at work. If I shut them in the kitchen then 8 out of 10 times when I return the kitchen has been turned upside down. I am sure it is Todd who wrecks the kitchen as when I borrowed a large cage from a friend and put him in it I didn’t have a problem. The only thing is my kitchen is not big enough to keep a large cage permantley. One day I retrurned home from work and was looking forward to having my lunch when I was faced with 1 1/2 hours of cleaning up the mess which he had made. He firstly upsets the water bowl all over the kitchen floor then pulls over the bin and empties it all over the floor mixed with the water, then if he can, he will pull the dog food bin over and mix well with the water and rubbish. I then spend ages putting it all back together and trying to get rid of the bad smell! One day he actually got into the fridge and pulled half of everything in the fridge out and added to the mess one item of which was an expensive bottle of champers which smashed. He then cut himself and there was blood everywhere. Up the walls, doors fridge - i just didn’t know where to start.
Another thing which they do when I am not home is howl when the phone rings. I discovered this one day when I was out in the street cleaning the car and phone in the house was ringing - there was a terrible sound coming from inside the house. If one dog starts then the other will start and basically if one of them is howling then the other one will carry on so it is never ending. Goodness knows what the neighbours must think.
I would have a good idea on how to cure behaviour problems when I can see the dog doing wrong but I just don’t know where to start when I am not there to work on putting it right.
Please can you help me. My husband and I are at witts end.
Thank you
November 7th, 2006 at 4:53 pm
To Kelly,
Oh dear, I am going to upset you - sorry!
You have 2 border collies, and you go out to work - you have the wrong dogs for your lifestyle.
I am 53 and have had many border collies, mostly rescued dogs whos owners are ‘at their wits end’ . These dogs are bred to be herding sheep and running round fields all day and do NOT like being left alone, shutting them in a room, house, is asking for trouble, this is not what these dogs are bred for.
I blame programmes like ‘one Man and His dog’ who portray beautifully behaved collies - so folk go out and get one imagining that their ‘pet’ will behave exactly like the dogs on the programme. It don’t happen!
If there is no-one at home to take these dogs out for exercise - at least twice a day for 2 hours at a time minimum so they can run their butts off - and then play with them in the garden for the other 6 to 8 hours a day with a ball, toy, whatever, and put 100% committment into training them - then you are fighting losing battle.
So you have 2 collies, and assume one will amuse the other - doesn’t happen - sorry! Each will stress out the other - hence the ‘howling’.
If you want to keep your borders - one of you will have to be at home and exercise the dogs - constantly - and train them. Border collies are not born with the wonderful behaviour you see on TV - it takes time, and patience to get to that standard.
You really must ask yourself, and sorry to be an ‘old misery’, are you really in the position to care for, exercise and train 2 border collies?
Jax
November 10th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
I am trying to get the Dog Borstal phone number to enter my 6 month old Boxer Harvey. I cant find the phone number anywhere and his behaviour is coming to the point where i’m gonna have to make a harsh decision about keeping him or not.
He is a white Boxer who i think is deaf (or just stubbon) problem is i have a 3 year old little boy and a baby on the way due in Jan.
When Harvey plays he just keeps biting all the time and wont lay down so i have to keep him in the kitchen. He doesn’t do anything he is told and is terrible with my cats.
Please help before its to late and he does some serious damage.
November 13th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Hello and help!!!
My sister has fallen pregnant which should be wonderful news, however she has 2 Staffordshie bull terriers both female. When they go for a walk one of them (Bow) is aggressive to other dogs which triggers Tia the other dog to attack Bow.
Then they literally try to kill each other by clamping their jaws round each others throats, it is terrifying for my sister and she has to break up the fight so they don’t kill each other. I was once in the garden with them at a BBQ and they were given their dinner under the table they also fought then and Tia bit into Bows eyelid and all the food went flying and it was a totally terrifying experience. They are seriuosly strong dogs.
They are very friendly to people and do tricks and sit, lie, recall etc. They have never bit anyone. My sister and her husband train them together and they are good dogs when there are no other dogs or threatening situations around. She has also seen a dog behaviorist.
To me all this is irrelevant because as soon as that baby is born I think it will be in grave danger. The dogs will kill it cos it is the same size as them and they won’t understand it is a human. I am so worried about this, I think my sister is too but is in denial cos she loves her dogs and does not want to get rid of either one of them.
Any advice?…
November 14th, 2006 at 10:36 am
where was this dog training class you went to
November 15th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
The dog behaviorist was from her local vets in Bristol. She gave them some training tips but my sister has always kept up the training since they were puppies. She did take Bow to a dog training school but I don’t know which one.
November 21st, 2006 at 10:50 am
I really enjoy this program - its really the owners that need training!
What I would really like to know is where I could train to become a trainer, or if there is a correspondence course I could do. I would like to do this back home (Cape Town, South Africa) - I’m on holiday in the UK at present and then going to do some sailing in the States before returning to SA. I really would appreciate some help in this matter, if possible.
November 27th, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Dog Borstal is just brilliant, I think the lady with Merlin was brilliant, It was funny watching Mic every time she said heel merlin lol…..well done brilliant show.
November 28th, 2006 at 12:51 am
So many cries for help posted on this forum!
There are many dog clubs thoughout the country to help train your dog to live happily, safely and under YOUR control.
All you folks need to do is spent the time, effort & money learning what tools you need to become a good owner, giving your dog a fulfilled & meaningful life.
You can only learn the very basic in 4 days with these brilliant trainers at Dog Borstal. So please please if you can’t control your dog then go on…… go have fun & join a club.
Helen
November 28th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
Hi Lorna, i am lesley merlins mommy. I am glad that you liked the program dog borstal 27/11/06.
It is a shame that a lot of the good bits were cut out of the program. Mic was really nice to work with merlin but i was shocked that he took the mick out of me so much.
Merlin sat and watched the programe with us last night and didnt take his eyes off the tv screen.
For any dog lovers out there and need help with your pooches contact dog borstal its not as bad as it looks.
Lesley
November 28th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Agree with you Lorna I Loved Merlin last night.. it was a hoot. Especially knowing what Mic is like after taking part in the show. It was nice to see Merlin’s two month follow up.. You’ll have to watch out for Otto ( a german shepherd) & myself, as we are scheduled up to now for xmas day. yikes!!!
Anyways I think all of us participants from series 2 should all get together for a dog borstal reunion after the last episode. Maybe’s sometime next year. Would be a laugh to compare notes… especially on the trainers…lol…
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Hi Elaine and Lesley, you were great Lesley, and Merlin was a sweety pie….Can’t wait to see yours Elaine…is it with Mic, as he wanted a GSD? We also have a gsd…..Sherman we got him from a rescue 3 months ago and is a cutie, very vocal like most gsd’s are…..And at the moment trying to find him a doggy pal, as where we live no one will play with him, because of his size…….He tries playing with our 4 cats but of course they just spit and bat him. lol
December 4th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
I have been watching dog borstal and i have tried to contact thembut their has been no reply. My dog (holly) always barks at every thing and everyone!From the moment we leave front foor to the moment we return.
We cannot stand this behavour, it intimidates people, it is embarassing and most mportantly…. It gives us a headache!! She is a beautiful colly cross and we need help to stop her barking so we thought you could give us some good advice…… PLEASE HELP!
p.s we also have just got a 12 week old jack russell and are worried she may teach him bad habbits ??? xx
December 6th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
Hia,
Totally love dog borstal especially merlin he was so cute…. we have had bull mastiffs in the past and i think they are an absolutly great breed of dog. However i need help with our new puppy….. he is twelve weeks old, we got him at eleven weeks old not sure if he has had too long with his parents and siblings as he is suffering from sever seperation anxiety. on an evening when it is time for bed we put him in our untility room which is now his room !! he is ok for about 1 hour but then barks sctratches howls cries for the rest of the night until we get up with him in the morning and we just dont know what to do. He even cries when he is in the front room if we get up to go to the kitchen or toilet. Has anyone got any ideas how to get him past this. he is such a loving intellegent dog this is his only fault please help. Becky
December 6th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
I have a 1 year old beagle thats female called Inde, she is a general pain, we can’t leave the house without her barking the place down, we have tried her with a bark collar with no success, it never seemed to go off when she barks/whines. She cannot be taken off the lead when out walking as she would not come back, when she smells something, she would run for it. We have started using a lead tht goes round her nose (halty) to stop her pulling.
She steals anything left on the sides that she can reach, shreads paper and will eat absolutely anything. She has eaten some glasses, shoes, her chew toys she demolishes, she just loves to chew anything, she rarely listens to our comands of leave/stay/no ect. we are getting to the point where we can’t cope with the price of her distruction.
she also nips at us rarely, we just don’t really know the best way to disciplin her. She also has a humping problem which i don’t know whether that is normal for a female dog, as soon as we take any kind of control from her, or just playing with her humping is her response.
Most of the problems were caused when we moved house the dog got really unsettled.
We have been trying to find some puppy classes/ dog training schools but can’t find anything affordable.
I know its our fault she behaves this way and that its us tht needs the training.
If anyone has any advice i would appreciate it. Please Help!!!
December 10th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Dog Borstal. What a great show. However, you can only do so many or sameness will set in. So… How about a new angle? Your instructors, asses a potential instructor, who in turn asseses a student!
I am a police dog handler in a small rural north eastern county Constabulary. Have been a handler 14 years. Retire in three. If you decide to give this a run, give me a call!
December 14th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
hello im just wondering if you could help me. i have 2 dogs both crossed breed and my youngest Buster (aged 8 months) is really naughty on the lead he pulls everywhere does not stop when i tell him. if i let him off the lead he is really good and responds to all my commands. Buster also chews everything including my leather couch, my oldest bella (aged 2 yrs) does not have any problem at all, i did think he would follow in her footsteps. please reply back
x thank you x
December 16th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
I’ve seen many questions asking how to get on Dog Borstal but no replies? So, how do you get on there? Or is it all just a big fix…
December 17th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
Our English bull terrier Alfie will not recall under distraction;we have tried everything can you help
December 17th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
i have a 15 month old black male labrador who is just well out of control he wont listen to most commands that i tell him, he is very boisterous and hyperactive. he will sometimes try to nip the family members . every time we get back from a walk or run i have to let him in the garden before i let him in the house so he can do about 10 laps round the garden or he will do it in the house. he is constantly chewing in the house and he cant lay down for any longer than 5 minuites. I cant buy him any toys cause he absolutely destoys them within minuites.
can somebody please give me some advice and help i would really appreciate it thanks
December 20th, 2006 at 1:53 am
Hi All,
Thanks for all your comments about Borstal. I’m glad to see that it has got people talking about training, whether or not you agree with what we do.
Many of you are asking how to get on the show. You need to contact the BBC through their website and express your interest.
There are also a number of you who are asking for help with your dogs. The vast majority of behavioural problems have a variety of causes, and it is almost impossible to give adequate advice in an email without even meeting the dog and owners. There are NO QUICK FIXES IN DOG TRAINING, it probably took you quite some time to teach your dogs to behave as badly as they do, and you need to get a professional in to help fix it. Find a local reputable behavioural trainer to help you by coming out to look at your dog and your relationship with it.
Please do not take it personally if you post messages to us on sites like this and we do not reply. Although some of the dog owners who appeared on the show have posted on this site, the site itself has nothing to do with the show, and we, the trainers may occasionally look at this or other sites, but certainly with no regularity. If you particularly need to speak to one of us, you should email us directly.
December 20th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
I have only just started watching Dog Borstal and think it is wonderful.
) but he has some way to go and we doubt he will ever be able to mix with very small children. Mick come on….the challenge of a deaf dog……..Have the **LLS to take it on !!! 
All the trainers are great ……but have to agree for me Mick is soooo entertaining, he revels in the fact people will think he is a right B, but at the same time comes across as very knowledgeable and caring about the dogs in particular. I would love to have training with Mick, we have a deaf blue merle border collie, who we have brought a long way in the 18months we have had him. He was a terrible herder, car chaser, kid chaser, bike chaser. We have on the whole managed to deal with that (not so easy distracting a dog who is deaf
GREAT PROGRAMME…THE ONLY ONE WE STAY IN FOR!!!
December 23rd, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Hiya i have a german sheperd bich and a rottweiler dog in the house they are fine but when shut in the garden they constantly bark an my next door neboures dogs (which mostly start it) And when told to stop they wont also when out on walks the german shepard is a night mare to controll she constantly pulls till u let her of and when she see another dog she gets worse but will not fight it she just barks aand finaly the rotty will some times ackt def when let off the lead. i would be very great full for eney edvice u can give me
December 28th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Hi, I have a long legged, long haired Jack Russel called Skippy. He is my first ever dog. I have taught him loads of things eg, sit front and to heel, walk heel, role over, jump obstacles and jump through a hoop, weave through my legs as well as ‘Paw hand shake’ etc etc, but for all I’ve taught him, as clever as he is, he can be right naughty.
I consider that he knows he’s not to do some things ‘cos he will wait till i’m out of sight for a while before he does some things.
the one naughty thing he does occasionally, is cock his leg in the house. he doesn’t do it as often, but I still have moments when he has done it when i’ve been out of sight. Can anyone suggest something that will help me stop this and make skip decide to always pee outside, and not in the house. He’s a good dog most of the time now, so i truly don’t understand why I still have the odd occasion that he does this. I have no other animals at home or even visiting. It’s a headache to clean up when it happens, which thankfully is only occasional nowadays, but it’s still a nuisence.
Does anyone have some helpful advice for me please!
:o)
December 29th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I really enjoy this program. Is great to listen to good advice from Rob, lin Mic
Mic is straight to the point and is fantastic, should bring more “one liners” to the show.
I’m really hoping for a second series.
The problem is not the dog its the owner. The dogs should sleep in the tents and the owners in the cages.
Many thanks to a very good, and EXPERT Team….
January 15th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I have three dogs. We`ve all been through the stress of a divorce. I love them and could never be without them. but their behavior is very demanding. I have had to totally compromise what I have been able to do to keep them with me. I want them to be happy especially as two of them are quite elderly and they deserve happiness in their lives. I`m finding it all a bit overwhelming. Before Christmas they were attacked by a pitbull cross. Tillie was quite seriously injured but after being looked after by a very good vet practice is on the road to recovery. I am now nervous every day when I take them out and I`m sure they sence this. I need to know how to make them feel secure. Any input would be appreciated.
January 17th, 2007 at 10:23 am
hi, can anyone help, i have a wonderful 7 month old collie cross, he is amazing and obedient in all ways EXCEPT he suffers from separation anxiety, you cannot leave the room without him shadowing you, i put up baby gates, he jumps them. we got a dog cage for when we are out of the house. He is called Harry and has definately earned the name houdini…..he managed to unclip it and get out. we have only had him 3 weeks but his previous owner NEVER left him alone, has anyone any ideas?
January 17th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
hi mic, rob, and lyyne i think you are all fantasticly amazing and im sorry for any sprlling mistakes i am only 19 but have a huge knowlage about dogs iv worked in a resce centre since i was 15 and have delt with a wide range of dos fromm mastiff x great danes to mini yorkies but my dream is to be come a trainer and to meet you personaly. i have a 3 yers old gsdx prt called crystal she was my first and is almost excellent who i have traind my self with no hep and i have a 20 month old rottie (one of the best breeds eva) she has arthritis in both her elbows only mild tho her name is ruby. if you have any information on how i can start trainig dog for a living then plese get in contact thnk you.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Hi Rie,
Just to let you know that I have two border collies from the same litter. One of them (Scrappy) has the same problem with submissive peeing. No idea why he does it. Has got better with time but sometimes he has a relapse for no apparent reason. Scraps always wants your attention and can sometimes be a bit much, I unfortunately cannot afford dog training so I have had to train the dogs as best I can. I do have one problem though, both my dogs had a set to with a labrador recently and I ended up being attacked by the labrador. Since then both dogs have become aggressive with other dogs and I have lost some of my confidence due to seeing the dog that bit me regularly. Does anyone have any tips?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:48 am
Just loved tonight’s Dog Borstal, Otto was brilliant, such a lovely good looking GSD (I’m just biased……as I also have a GSD)
January 19th, 2007 at 1:23 am
Like MIKE HAS sAID TO night Border Collies are Great Dogs, If train Good, I have a 17Month Border Collie And We Started Trainging From the day We Brought her Home as a 10 Wks Old Puppy, She Is VERY intelegent, She Was from Working Stock, her Mum and Dad Still work, And What we Do Is Let Meg Use her Brain, And You have to let her decide things for Her self, I was Brought Up With Border Collies, If You are Not Prepared To Spend the Time Traing These Dogs……then Don,t Get one, Because they are not Stuffed Toys you Can Bloody leave @ Home all Day long, No Matter What the Weather You have to get Out In the Pooring , Rain and Snow… and Walk Miles,,,, I do It everyday…. 3 Times aday…My Dog has 4 hOURS walking in the week, and longer @ Weekend In Between We Do Fryball and Healwork To Music, and we are Waiting On Agility, This is What These Collies are Made For, They are not Going to sit Near the Fire…. and Sleep all Day, Well Done mike On Sending That Lazy Women Home, from this weeks Show, But I don,t Think She Should be Feeding that Dog The Crap she was, Collies Need Good Food, Don,t need To be Exspencive Just Good Dried Food….and that all You Need apart From Love and traing you need to have a Happy Border Collie,
Julie
January 19th, 2007 at 2:04 am
MORE PROGRAMES LIKE DOG BORSTAL PLEASE, AS IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT ANY DOG REGARDLESS OF BREED CAN BITE, AND OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DOGS BEHAVIOUR.
I own 3 irish staffords, and at the moment bull breeds are in danger under the DDA, dog borstal shows clearly many dogs that have the potential to bite, but the media portrays staffs, pit bulls ect as devil dogs that cant be trusted and will attack people. im very worried my dogs could be seized as ‘TYPE’ even though they are people friendly dogs.
id jump at the chance of the help of any of the DOG BORSTAL team ESPECIALY mic martin.
PLEASE PLEASE GET MORE BULL BREEDS ON THE SHOW, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED INTO BELIVEING THE MEDIA HYPE ABOUT PITBULLS, STAFFS AMERICIAN BULLDOGS ECT.
BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION IS NOT THE ANSWER, BUT DOG BORSTAL IS…….MIC PLEASE HELP!
“PUNISH THE BREED, NOT THE DEED……..ITS TIME TO LOOK AT THE OTHER END OF THE LEAD!”
January 19th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Hi, I have a Beautiful B/C called Ava. She started Obedience training from 8 weeks old. She is such a good girl in training & does anything I ask her to do for it.
My problems began a few month ago now, she barks consantly while in the car. So high pitched its awful. I’ve tried all kinds to stop it, but nothing is working. I even went through a red light the other day. She comes to work with me every day & the barkings getting me down. Also she is cage guarding. Even with me she is snarling, but I just keep on stroking her head as if to say bugger you ava, I’m not having it. She keeps on doing it though. Im frightened that she may bite someone else though. It’s like if you go into her space, your not allowed but if you invite her into yours then thats ok.
HELP… Gail n Ava
January 19th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
how do i get my dog on that dog borstal because he don’t listening
January 20th, 2007 at 2:42 am
Hi
Me and my cat Smudge love Dog Borstal we watch it every week Smudge seems to like it and we wondered if you could have a cat borstal as well
I would be very willing to participate
Thanks very much
Darren
January 20th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Horrendous programme. I agree great TV value for novices but a lot of outdated training methods that do not take into account the way they are presented to members of the public who are viewing the programme. If you are looking for good trainers check with the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers). Yes, you might be paying a bit more than a local trainers fees but you’ll be getting quality up to date humane training techniques and an assurance of quality.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Tony,
I think you may find a few people who have somewhat different views to you regarding APDT - Rob certainly does
How does ‘paying more’ equal ‘quality’? Do the APDT personally ensure everyone of their trainers on the books is up to standard?
January 27th, 2007 at 1:07 am
I’m afraid that unless things have radically changed in the last year or so, the APDT are more orientated towards training than behaviour. I know of behaviour counsellors who have applied to the APDT only to find that there is nobody in their area confident enough to assess them on behavioural analysis. Not good if the problem with your dog is more behavioural than down to training.
January 27th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Hello,
Love dog borstal, espcially Mic! Would love to bring my puppy dobermann on for some advice on her ‘barking problem’. I have another older dobie who is great, just dont know where we are going wrong with Izzy!
We have tried all kinds but when she is outside she barks at everything and anything. She hasnt got a vicious bone in her body, but because of her breed, and her constant barking everyone we pass thinks she is going to bite them, even more so because she is always out with my 4 year old male dobie Guy. Who can blame them though! This is something we need to sort out now before she is fully grown, any advice will be greatly recieved!
We are attending a training class, and she is brilliant in there with the other dog once she has settled down, but if a new dog comes in she is off barking again!
She is so lovable though, wouldnt swap her for the world, just wish i could crack this BARKING!!!
Andrea, Guy and Izzy
January 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
hi,
my dog buttons doesn’t stop jumping up on me and my family and barking!
he is nearly 9 months and he wont clam down not even if is with the other dogs we have if he see s the 3 week old puppys we have he will won to go and play with them he wont stop i’ve been to puppy classes but it doesn’t work!
January 30th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
please can you tell me how i can get myself and my dog booked into some kind of borstal, i would love to come to your one, but did not know if you were open to the public? thank you
January 31st, 2007 at 9:51 pm
hi would like to know how i can get my miniture schnauzer into dog borstal, he is good in many way but not with other dogs or children . he thinks he is top dog all the time !!! he is or can be very jealous when my husband comes near me .i am worried when anyone visits us ,he does not like anyone coming in who he does not know well. i think he is the only dog in the park with an asbo !!!! please help .
January 31st, 2007 at 11:32 pm
I started to watch the re-runs of the program and I am totally hooked, I think the show is great and gives me some tips to looking after my own dogs. I’ve watched tonights episode 7/12 there was a german shep x collie named Penny , I had to look twice, because my dog is the spitting image, I honestly thought they were from the same litter, fortunately I have my dog more trained than penny but I could see why they had problems, if I hadn’t trained my from the beginning she would of been exactly the same, though I can say that Ihave had to get a new car after the damage she caused, the car I have now is an estate that fits a cage in nicely. I could tell you more stories, but this page isn’t big enough.
once again I really enjoy the show and I think all of the trainers are great!
February 6th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
YOU NEED TO GO ON BBC WEBSITE TO APPLY FOR DOG BORSTAL.
February 6th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
contact the show on
February 6th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
would like to attend dog borstal with 15month old rottie cassie,we got her from the rspca,this is her 3rd home in her 15months,we have a few issues with her,such as pulling , chewing mail,not sure how she is around other dogs or cats , was’nt too much history when we adopted her.
February 7th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Hi Rob,
I would like to attend dog borstal with my 4 year old German Shepherd, Rosie. I feel that she suffers from fear aggression and as she will attack any dog or human that comes within a small distance of her. She seems to be on high allert 24/7, this could be a guarding instinct as she will not let any body into my home. But, if someone is thare, as soon as they move she will attack them. I am very fearfull for her future and see this as a last resort, so your help is clearly needed.
I hope to hear from you in the very very near future where you may possibly be of a help to me and my dog, that she may be a suitable candidate for Bog Borstal.
Best Regards.
Beverley.
February 8th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Hi Im natasha I have a Rottweiler cross bull mastiff female who is 10 months old. Due to being pregnant this is my last hope as i really do not want to have to see her go to a new home. She is very jelouse and tends to nip me every now and then. Her jumping up has started to become a problem as she does not obey the down command, down, no and sit. Over the past few months she has started chewing furniture in the household including doorposts ets. My friend has bought her baby down and she constnatly jumps up and tries to nip the little one. This has had to resort to us locking her away while we have visitors. She has a lot of chew toys etc and toys to play with, we iteract with her but she constantly wants to be centre of attention. We have tried methods to stop her nipping, chewing and doing her business in the property but she finds it a game no matter how strict we tell her off Please help
Best regards
Natasha
February 8th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
As a dog owner of 2 dachshunds I find Dog Borstal an excellent programme. As Barbara Woodhouse used to say ” It is not the dogs that are the problem - it is the owners “. Never a true word spoken. Please let us have more of these programmes in the future.
February 8th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I have a Beared Collie named Jodie, who barks constantly in the car, I would like you to feature on Dog Borstal, something to help stop this behavour. I have attended good dog training classes, I have written to Jan Flemming, But no one seems to have a solution to this problem. It’s more or less you will have to live with it. I do my best to be in control of her, she knows all the sit stay heel etc. she’s not to good on recall if her favourite dogs are playing, in the same area she preferes to run with them. Jodie is a very lively dog, I excercise here regulary, but this barking is getting me down as we have to travel to visit our sons, I have recently been to a dog behavourest, who has sugested feeding her in the car starting up the engine, covering the cage, but all this takes so long, and it could be months,before we get a result, but you seem to have an answer quickly. We are about to become grandparents, but will never be able to travel with a baby and Jodie in the car. I am so upset because I feel I have done everything, and want her to be able to travel with us I watch Dog Borstal and I think what am I doing wrong. PLEASE HELP PS she loves to jump into the car, and will stay there until you start the engine then the barking starts,and flying at cars parked on the road
February 11th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Please Can Someone Tell me How To Sign My Dog Up For Dog Borstal!!!!
February 13th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE POSTED ON THE OTHER PAGE!
totally agree with you BMstaffords, i was horrified the other day when someone told me her staffy was being a little git and chewing stuff in the house… she then said her dog hadn’t been a walk for 2 days!!! whats that all about?? how can you have a dog and not walk it.
I have a staffy and i have been on Dog Borstal, (my episode being repeated on thursday 15th) Although the programme potrtrays my dog as being lazy reality is he’s a very active dog. We have never had a single wee or anything chewed!
After being on the programme my advise to any one who needs help to get in touch with a local Dog Trainer, there are hundreds available!
Although i found the experience very usefull the main thing i learnt was how to stop my staffy from pulling which Mic did in the first 10 mins, I have continued to follow this method and it works very well.
The rest of the time was really spent making a programme, repeating things, waiting for crew, being interviewed etc. Please everyone realise Dog Borstal is not real… it’s a mock up for the programme you can’t just call and book your dog in for a week!
LINDSAY please look on net and find another dog trainer that would suit you more maybe 1 to 1 training… don’t give up!
BECCI please don’t think the trainers were moody they were infact fantastic, great trainers, good sense of humour and very sensitive to our opinions and downfalls.
i just want to repeat what Mel has said ‘All you peple asking to get on Dog Borstal, WHY ON EARTH DONT YOU GO FIND A GOOD LOCAL TRAINER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GET ON TV?? ‘
I’m not contradicting myself as i was on the programme but my staffy didn’t have any real problems, i just needed to be told a few home thruths about spoiling by boy.
February 15th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Sylvia - sounds like your dog is barking because it is seeing things. Try getting a black out curtain, or something to block the windows and her view out the front. You say she barks at parked cars - so what would happen if she cant see the cars?
February 15th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Can anyone please help i have a 14 week old english springer spaniel and i had him for just over a week and had NO sleep he howls all night. I put him in the kitchen in his bed with an item of my clothing, teddy bear, chews, water bowl and the radio on!(the radio kept him quiet for 2 night but has now failed!)
I am up for suggestions as i really do need my beauty sleep!!!!
February 18th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
hi rachel, having been through the same problem twice!! with our pups, (plus 3 times with my children!!!!) my husband and i left a dimmed light on, and that worked for us. Sleep!!!. If it,s any consolation your puppy will grow out of it. Good luck!
February 19th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Hi Ajl
We have covered the cage, sprayed water,disks,tablets,pet corrector, the trainer even sat in the back with her, you name it we’ve tried it. This only started when she was about 18months so something triggered this behavour, but as the behavourest said it is now well established and will take a long time!!! At the moment I am watching dog listener, maybe I can fine something to help in his approach. Thanks for the reply
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:22 pm
hi
i have just read above that what is crucial is the way a dog is trained/treated in the first 6mnths of its life is integral to its future behaviour
what hope have i got (or anyone) who has adopted a rescue dog of 12mths?
he is very anxious around other dogs that results in fear biting. he is much improved with training, unless he is approached by a dog off leash
this has resulted in a few scraps. i have been bitten twice now whilst intervening. once by my dog and last night by a staffordshire bull terrier
have had to have tetanus today and anti-biotics
have rang and range to get on to 3rd series of dog borstal? is my last hope.
is muzzling him for every walk my only option?
HELP!!!!!
March 14th, 2007 at 2:34 am
I found a dog training video on BT Vision Download Store that helped train my puppy. She’s a english bulldog who used to bite at my toes. I got some tips on the online video download from BT called “Dog Training” - http://www.downloadstore.bt.com/download/lifestyle/hobbies/Dog-Training.product
I would love to know Rob’s opinion of the training video - as it really helped me. I just want to know if I just got lucky with a great dog?
March 19th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I have a 2 year old bull mastiff who is very dominering.
I can not go upstairs and leave him downstairs without him barking constantly and ruinig the house, we cannot even leave him outside on his own while we are outside without him barking and damaging our back door. He has to be in our company and have 24/7 attention.
March 20th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
HELP ME PLEASE!! I have two black labs male at 2 years called Max and a female at 6 mounths called Izzy. They have both wrecked my backgarden. The puppy jumps on to my worktops and steals the food. my daughter can not walk them becuase she gets draged alog or if max see a moped he will try and chase it and i am scared he will pull my daughter or me in front of a car they know there basic comands but i am relly struggaling. i love my dogs but my husband is startting to say if i dont sort it i will have to get them rehomed i dont want that to happen. i watch your programs all the time i would really much like you to help me please.
March 21st, 2007 at 2:19 am
Since Dog Borstal appeared on our screens, there is an even greater demand for help in training dogs. Not only has this brilliant programme made people aware that their dogs are capable of learning far more than they’d realised, but also people are seriously taking on board that it’s the owners who need to be trained as well as the dogs. I’m especially pleased to have learnt to understand the way dogs think.
I strongly believe that the solutions to the majority of dogs’ problems can be found by watching Dog Borstal. It would be a good idea for us all to write to BBC THREE, requesting that the Dog Borstal series be made available to buy on video and DVD.
March 21st, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Emma you need to be seeking help from a dog trainer who can spend time with you and your dogs. This kind of help can’t be posted in a forum.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
My partner has been in the Dog world forfor nearly 50 years working in a pet shop when leaving school & ending up having a very good Grooming Palour taking on all breeds so we both know a great deal about dogs & believe in the way the Trainers work at Dog Borstal. This lastest idea in training does not work. Mic has the right idea & you only see what makes good TV they do an awful lot of work which you dont see & have to put up with owners who are only there to be on TV.
As for comment made by a couple of people that the RSPCA should shut it down is rediculous. They are some of the worst people in the country for treating animals. First thing they are taught is how to put a dog to sleep.
Keep up the good work at Dog Borstal.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
HELLO PLEASE HELP ME!!! I have a German Shephed X with something or other, aged 19 months, male named Laney. I attended basic Obedience classes and he passed with a bronze certificate. i was impressed with him passing as i thought he was the worse dog in the classes. I kept up with the training at home. now he has gone from bad to worse with the obedience, he will do the very basic things now, ie. sit, lye down things like that. The problems i have is when we are out walking he will bark and jump at other dogs, i cant risk him sniffing another dogs incase he bites them he has never bit another dog before and i dont wanna wait to see if he does. This is also hard for the other people out walking there dogs, when the other dog is off the lead and sniffs my dog i have to say to the people that my dog is funny so i have to hold my dog back incase he does take a turn for the worst. I walk him on a training lead with this permanent strap across his nose because he pulls me and i have even pulled my arm muscles due to him pulling me this lead has help abit but he still pulls but not as even to pull my muscles which makes him look like a bad dog. he has also wrecked my garden ripped the grass up, uses the garden as a race track and i have had to put up a 6ft fence around my garden as he use to jump the 4 ft hegde i had. To this day he will still find a hole and once he is gone i cant get him back, off the lead he is wild, he will not come back to me calling, you could hold a big joint of beef in your hand he will not come back but in the house he will quite happyly help himself to the scraps in the bin. i am so worried about this as he can run so fast and if you try to grab him he will go to nip you and go down on front paws ready to jump at you. when i got him he was 5 months old and he nipped and had no respect for anything any toy he had he would chew it and tear it to pieces within minutes, he has chewed the stiars and my door frames, he has even eaten a tv remote control. He used to drag my 4 year old boy up the garden by the sleve of his top. anyone that comes round my house has to face the dog before they get to me. I have lost all my trust in him that i built up with the classes i attended. i have had a few experiences when he has ran out the front door, he has got no road sence but on his walks he will sit at roads before crossing. The last experience i was faced with was the dog running out the front dog and when up an alie way outside my house and was faced by a german shephad twice the size of him and went to attack him. after he moved on from the other dog he enjoyed running on the road and ignoring anything i was saying. I have found a way to get him back is for someone to open the boot of there car and he will jump straight in. i used to enjoy walknig laney i used to do a 3 miles wlak with him every weekend now, i do not look forward to walking him at all, as it doesnt matter where you walk you still manage to bump into another dog. i would really like to take a nice walk to the park with my son and my dog with the dog walking nicely and not pulling me and being able to walk by some else with a dog and not being worried whether my dog with attack. Laney never runs out of energy and i would like to take him to big fields and let him run around off the lead and will return when i call.
I know this will not be easy but i really need the help and i would put all the effot i have to achieve abit more respect from my dog and have alot more control. i believe he is a good dog and capable, i just need help and support from someone how knows there stuff to put my dog back in his place and let him know who’s the boss.
Please any ideas and tips welcome.
Thanks in advance.