This video is garnering a lot of attention because of the click bait title. It’s meant to educate the public on the types of cases I work with, but in sharing such a serious case, it has also been receiving negative feedback.

Go Big or Go Home!

I knew when I came back from Miami, FL after my internship with Richard Heinz that I was going to make myself vulnerable to the internet warriors of the web and now is that time. Many of my aggression cases don’t allow me to record because of pending court cases, they’re high profile or they just don’t want footage of their dog to be out there. Which is completely understandable, but that makes displaying what I can do, a bit difficult.

Well, now, I’ve received a case that is bringing what I do to the limelight. It’s getting views fairly quickly and I know it’ll only get more and more. Unfortunately, this means that at some point people will begin targeting me or my business. It’s happened to my mentor, and has happened, and continues to happen, to other behavioral trainers that I respect and have learned from.

Just comes with the territory. So in this newsletter, I’d like to talk a little bit about that video.

Rehabbing Aggression Towards Humans in Dogs

My video “Aggressive Pitbull Attacks Trainer” has been getting quite the bit of attention. Positive from those who know me and have worked with me, and also negative. Mainly from people whom I’m going to guess, have no real education or understanding of dog behavior. It’s understandable, I deal with aggression on a regular basis, and have essentially, become desensitized to it. I remember early in my career how I would get nervous, but now, it doesn’t faze me.

Many people can’t believe that anyone could keep a dog like that around, but there are people who absolutely love their dog so much that they simply can’t find it in themselves to put him/her down. Some change their life around to accommodate the dog’s aggressive tendencies. Others are determined to find help and end up doing so. That’s where I come in.

There are a few comments regarding the dog being put down, that the video is an egotistical thing, that it was staged, and lots of other nonsense. The purpose of the video is to show people what kinds of cases trainers like my self deal with day to day in hopes that someone else with a dog with similar issues will see it and see that there is hope in rehabbing the behavior.

Some commented on why I would let a dog practice such behavior for 5 minutes. The truth is, it didn’t feel like 5 minutes! It felt like 1 to 2 minutes because I was in my head assessing what was going on. The dog in that video is not the same dog I saw during the consult. Yes the intensity of the aggression was there, but he was also backing away and panicking when I put confrontational pressure on him by walking into him. In the video that we took before the first lesson he was relentless so he may have gotten a bit of a confidence boost because he went unchecked the first time.

In the end, it doesn’t matter to me that he got away with it a couple of times because at the end of the day, I’m going to get that aggression in check. In my opinion, it’s actually easier to fix blatant aggression because the problem is right there, clear as day, and I can work with it regularly without having to fish it out of the dog.

Also, with a dog like this, who’s aggression is that intense. It’s not about working with the dog and saying, “Ok, he’s perfect now, take him where ever you like and let children put their face in his.” That would be irresponsible and egotistical. I’m realistic and very cautious with any aggression case I work with. As I’ve come to learn, just because I can get the dog to do it, doesn’t mean the owner can do it as well or just as well.

Stay tuned as I’m hoping to have another video up that shows what we accomplished during the first session.

All the best and until next time.

Jesse
Owner-Operator
Canine Perspective, Inc.