In days gone by, a gullible public eagerly bought up miracle
cures by the gallon to cure everything from baldness to obesity. You’d think
that people would be smarter nowadays, but I could make a good argument (at
least in my little corner of the world - dog training) that things haven’t
changed all that much. Even in this Internet age - people are every bit as
likely to buy a potion, lotion or miracle cure to fix a problem as they ever
were.
Don’t believe me? Then how else can we explain the millions
of dollars spent each year by pet owners
and so-called “dog trainers” on things like Thunder Shirts, Rescue Remedy, Dog
Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) and other “miracle cures?” Where is the credible scientific
research supporting their effectiveness?
There is none.
If your dog has a serious behavior problem – like fear, hyperactivity,
aggression or separation anxiety – you might be willing to try anything to help
your pet. These “miracle cures” might not make things any worse, so it’s tempting
to give them a try. But when it comes to dog behavior there are problems with
wasting time experimenting with junk science: 1) After these products fail to
deliver as advertised, people tend to feel they’ve “tried everything” and are
tempted to give up; 2) People spend their limited time and money in the wrong
place. Spend your money on an experienced, properly trained, “real world” dog
trainer - not on nonsensical notions, lotions and potions promoted by the “purely
positive” crowd.
These products are a
multi-million dollar business. Their manufacturers sponsor many of the major
dog trainer conventions each year. Well-meaning but often inexperienced trainers are the primary conduits for many of these products.
Veteran dog trainers don’t promote tight fitting sweaters, herbal
remedies and aroma therapy to treat fear or aggression in dogs. They understand that real changes
in dog behavior can only be achieved by classical and operant conditioning,
systematic desensitization, obedience training, deference protocols and proper
management. With some time, patience and
good coaching from a balanced professional dog trainer, owners will see
genuine, lasting improvement. It doesn’t come in a bottle. It comes through
hard work, consistency and sound training protocols.