Koirakuiskaaja Cesar Millan pois TV:stä

Erkku Kottonen
Nummela

/ #12 Kohteena ei ole ihminen vaan käytetty metodi

25.05.2010 15:42


Cesar Millan ihmisenä ei välttämättä ole pekkaa pahempi, mutta jokaisen katsojan tulisi katsoa ohjelmaa myös koiran kannalta. Se, mitä ihmiset puhuvat ovat toisarvoista. Ohjelmaa pyydetään poistamaan ympäri maapallon TV-kanavilta, siksi että sen käyttämät koulutusmenetelmät mm. vahingoittavat koiria. Lähes kaikissa jaksoissa hän käyttää hirttosilmukkana toimivaa narua koiran kurkulla ja nostaa koiran ilmaan. Kun koira on hetken ollut ilman happea, se lysähtää kyljelleen. Näin tekisi jokainen ihminenkin jos joutuisi kuristettavaksi, onko se siis johtajuuden osoitusta? Johtajuutta voi osoittaa myös koiraan koskematta.

Ja vaikka kuinka kielletään tekemästä samoja asioita kotona, ihmiset tekevät niitä kuitenkin. Kouluttajilta, koiranomistajilta ja eläinlääkäreiltä on tullut kokemuksia, että mm. niskan vauriot ovat lisääntyneet viimeaikoina. Hirttäminen ei ole kouluttamista ja aiheuttaa eläimille tarpeetonta tuskaa, joka on eläinsuojelulain vastaista.

Ohjelmassa on myös hyviä puolia, mutta samoja hyviä asioita, mm. liikunnan lisäämistä ja hellyttäkin, neuvovat asiantuntevat kouluttajat lisäämään myös kotimaassa. He osaavat kouluttaa, eivätkä käytä menetelmiä, jotka ovat vaarallisia eläimille. Menetelmät voivat aiheuttaa myös siirrettyä aggressiota, joka tarkoittaa että eläin siirtää aggression lähimpään kohteeseen, eli ihmiseen, esimerkiksi heti happea saatuaan.

Tätä ohjelmaa ilman Suomikin pärjää oikein hyvin.

Suomen Eläinsuojeluyhdistys on ottanut kantaa asiaan ja viestin lopussa Cesar Millan is a hack - FB ryhmästä poimittu lista linkkejä niille jotka englantia osaavat. Huomaathan, että listalta löytyy esimerkeiksi suuria eläinlääkäreiden yhdistyksiä ja muita arvostettuja tahoja, jotka vastustavat ohjelman esittämistä.


http://www.sey.fi/ajankohtaista/sey_on_pyytanyt_liv-kanavaa_lopettamaan_koirakuiskaaja-ohjelman_lahettamisen.html

Cesar Mllan is a hack:

Cesar Millan has as much business training dogs as a dog has driving a car. His lack of credentials and outdated, harmful training methods should have never brought him to fame. Like a fad diet, he was marketed to America as a quick-fix for animal behavior, requiring no thought or effort. Real dog trainers, behaviorists, and animal experts know that his training strategy is dangerous, both for the animal and for the human handler.


Why Not Cesar's Way?


http://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/ (BEYOND CESAR MILLAN)

http://www.4pawsu.com/dogpsychology.htm (The Dog Whisperer Controversy)

http://www.4pawsu.com/cesarfans.htm (The Dog Whisperer: Frequently Asked Questions)

http://www.urbandawgs.com/divided_profession.html (Modern Dog Training vs. Cesar Millan)

http://www.askdryin.com/dominance.php (The Dominance Controversy and Cesar Millan)

http://www.urbandawgs.com/luescher_millan.html (From Andrew Luescher, DVM, Veterinary Behaviorist)

http://www.animalbehavior.net/Visitors/WhatAboutCesarMillan.htm (Reputable Behaviorists and Dog Trainers Speak Out, "Cesar Millan's philosophy is not ours.")

http://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/avma-conference-the-controversy/ (Behind the Behavior Blog Archive AVMA Conference: The Controversy)

http://www.lyonsagility.com/Dog%20Whisperer%20Training%20Approach%20More%20Harmful%20Than%20Helpful%20-%20AHA.pdf ('Dog Whisperer' Training Approach More Harmful Than Helpful)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE3DF1E3EF932A0575BC0A9609C8B63 (New York Times - Pack of Lies)

http://www.4pawsu.com/cesar.htm (Cesar's Way) [A review of Cesar's book]

http://www.livescience.com/animals/091112-dog-training.html (Critics Challenge 'Dog Whisperer' Methods)

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/2725.htm (Read More About Cesar Millan)

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/2726.htm (Quotes From Experts)





Dog & Wolf Behavior & Behavioral Misconceptions


http://www.nonlineardogs.com/ (Nonlinear Dogs)

http://askdryin.com/blog/tag/aggression-dog-dominance-alpha-cesar-millan-behavior-training/ (New Study Finds Popular “Alpha Dog” Training Techniques Can Cause More Harm Than Good)

http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878%2808%2900115-9/abstract (Dominance in domestic dogs—useful construct or bad habit?)

http://www.cleardogtraining.com.au/index.php?view=article&catid=5%3Atraining-articles&id=70%3Athe-alpha-theory-based-on-a-misguided-premise-by-debra-millikin&option=com_content&Itemid=12 (The Alpha Theory: based on a misguided premise - by Debra Millikan)

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/news/iwmag/2008/winter/alphawolf.pdf (Whatever Happened to the Term 'Alpha Wolf'?)

http://www.nonlineardogs.com/100MostSillyPart1-2.html (Myth 10: Dogs live in a dominance hierarchy, with the Alpha dog at the top as the absolute leader.)

http://www.nonlineardogs.com/100MostSillyPart1-3.html (Myth 11: Retake: Dogs live in a dominance hierarchy)

http://www.4pawsu.com/267alphastatus_english.pdf (Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs by L. David Mech)

http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/article.php?id=1548 (If You’re Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be, Too, Says Veterinary Study at University of Pennsylvania)

http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/why-not-dominance.php (Welfare in Dog Training - What′s Wrong with Using ‘Dominance’ to Explain the Behaviour of Dogs?)

http://www.apdt.com/petowners/choose/dominance.aspx (Dominance and Dog Training)

http://sciencecodex.com/using_dominance_to_explain_dog_behavior_is_old_hat (Using 'dominance' to explain dog behavior is old hat)


http://www.animalsandsociety.org/assets/library/205_s15327604jaws07047.pdf (A Fresh Look at the Wolf-Pack Theory of Companion-Animal Dog Social Behavior)

http://www.dogscouts.org/Letting_go_of_Dominance.html (Some Thoughts on letting go of the Dominance Paradigm in Training Dogs)





Punishment & Dominance Based Training Stances


http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/feb08/080215l.asp (Veterinary behavior society announces position on punishment)

http://www.apdt.com/about/ps/pdf/PositionStatement.Dominance.pdf (Dominance and Dog Training - Association of Pet Dog Trainers Position Statement)





Training Alternatives & Information


http://web.me.com/support.notation/Site/Dog_Resource_Page_-_Intro.html (Dog +R Resource Page)

http://www.dogstardaily.com/ (Dog Star Daily)

http://www.clickertraining.com/ (Karen Pryor Clicker Training)

http://www.askdryin.com/ (Ask Dr. Yin)

http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/ (Welfare in Dog Training)

http://www.apdt.com/ (Association of Pet Dog Trainers)

http://www.shirleychong.com/index.html (The Well-Mannered Dog)

http://www.k9deb.com/ (K9Deb)

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/ (Clicker Solutions)

http://www.coape.org/awsn.html (Ask Why? Say NO!)




Other/Misc:


http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-05-05-dog-whisperer_x.htm (Lawsuit due to injury as a result of his methods)

http://www.iaabc.org/articles/dog_whisperer.htm (Concerns about child safety from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F10%2F15%2FCMGPHL9D1N1.DTL (Comparison of Millan to a qualified trainer)





Recommended Books


The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
Don't Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor
Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller
Clicker Training For Dogs by Karen Pryor
Before and After Getting Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar



Quotes:
"Millan's techniques are almost exclusively based on two techniques: Flooding and positive punishment. In flooding, an animal is exposed to a fear (or aggression) evoking stimulus and prevented from leaving the situation, until it stops reacting. To take a human example: arachnophobia would be treated by locking a person into a closet, releasing hundreds of spiders into that closet, and keeping the door shut until the person stops reacting. The person might be cured by that, but also might be severely disturbed and would have gone through an excessive amount of stress. Flooding has therefore always been considered a risky and cruel method of treatment.

. . . The last episode (compulsive disorder) is particularly unsettling because compulsive disorder is related to an imbalance in neurotransmitter levels or receptors, and is therefore unequivocally a medical condition. Would it be appropriate to treat obsessive compulsive disorder in people with punishment? Or have a layperson go around treating such patients?" -Andrew Luescher, DVM

"Mr. Millan builds his philosophy from a simplistic conception of the dog's ''natural'' pack, controlled by a dominant alpha animal (usually male). In his scheme, that leader is the human, which leads to the conclusion that all behavior problems in dogs derive from the failure of the owner or owners to dominate. (Conveniently, by this logic, if Mr. Millan's intervention doesn't produce lasting results, it is the owner's fault.)

Women are the worst offenders in his world. In one of the outtakes included in the four-DVD set of the first season of ''Dog Whisperer,'' Mr. Millan explains that a woman is ''the only species that is wired different from the rest.'' And a ''woman always applies affection before discipline,'' he says. ''Man applies discipline then affection, so we're more psychological than emotional. All animals follow dominant leaders; they don't follow lovable leaders.''
-Mark Derr, author of ''A Dog's History of America: How Our Best Friend Explored, Conquered and Settled a Continent.''

World-renowned dog trainers, behaviorists and veterinarians had all warned National Geographic that Millan’s methods had the potential for disaster. Below are quotes from noted experts:

“Cesar Millan's methods are based on flooding and punishment. The results, though immediate, will be only transitory. His methods are misguided, outmoded, in some cases dangerous, and often inhumane. You would not want to be a dog under his sphere of influence. The sad thing is that the public does not recognize the error of his ways. My college thinks it is a travesty. We’ve written to National Geographic Channel and told them they have put dog training back 20 years.”
Dr. Nicholas Dodman - Professor and Head, Section of Animal Behavior
Director of Behavior Clinic, Tufts University - Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

“Practices such as physically confronting aggressive dogs and using of choke collars for fearful dogs are outrageous by even the most diluted dog training standards. A profession that has been making steady gains in its professionalism, technical sophistication and humane standards has been greatly set back. I have long been deeply troubled by the popularity of Mr. Millan as so many will emulate him. To co-opt a word like ‘whispering’ for arcane, violent and technically unsound practice is unconscionable.”
Jean Donaldson, The San Francisco SPCA-Director of The Academy for Dog Trainers

"A number of qualified professionals have voiced concern for the welfare of pet dogs that experience the strong corrections administered by Mr. Millan. My concerns are based on his inappropriateness, inaccurate statements, and complete fabrications of explanations for dog behavior. His ideas, especially those about “dominance”, are completely disconnected from the sciences of ethology and animal learning, which are our best hope for understanding and training our dogs and meeting their behavioral needs. Many of the techniques he encourages the public to try are dangerous, and not good for dogs or our relationships with them ."
Dr. Suzanne Hetts, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
Co-owner of Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., Littleton, CO

"Cesar Millan employs outdated methods that are dangerous and inhumane. Using a choke chain and treadmill to treat fear of strangers and dogs is completely inappropriate. Hopefully the National Geographic Channel will listen to the scientific community and discontinue production of The Dog Whisperer."
Vyolet Michaels, CTC (Certified Dog Trainer and Behavior Counselor)
Owner of Urban Dawgs, LLC of Red Bank, NJ

"On his TV show, the main method Millan uses for aggression is aversives (leash jerks, kicks, snaps of the hand against the neck, and restraint, among others) applied non contingently. The aversives are non contingent because they are so frequent that they're not connected to any particular behavior on the part of the dog—the dog gets popped pretty much constantly. This results in a state called learned helplessness, which means the animal hunkers down and tries to do as little as possible. This is what Millan calls "calm submission." It's exactly the same thing you see in a rat in a Skinner box that is subjected to intermittent shocks it can do nothing to avoid. This can happen quite fast, by the way, shall we say in ten minutes? The dangers to the dog are obvious, ranging from chronic stress to exacerbating the aggression, i.e., some dogs fight back when attacked. This latter is the simplest reason that aversives are a bad idea in treating aggression. Even used technically correctly as positive punishment for specific behaviors like growling and snarling, aversives do nothing to change the underlying fear or hostility, so the best you can hope for, in the words of famed vet and behaviorist, Ian Dunbar, is "removing the ticker from the time bomb." Thus such methods substantially increase the risk to humans of getting bitten."
Janis Bradley, Instructor at The San Franciso SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers
Author of the book, "Dogs Bite"

Excerpt of letter from Lisa Laney, Dip. DTBC, CPDT, CBC to National Geographic before airing “The Dog Whisperer”:
“The intended program depicts aversive and abusive training methods - treatment for some serious anxiety and fear based issues - being administered by an individual with no formal education whatsoever in canine behavioral sciences. The "results" that are shown are more than likely not long lasting changes, but the result of learned helplessness, or fatigue, neither of which impact behavior to any significant long term degree - at least not in a good way. For those of us who are pioneering the effort to end the ignorance that drives the cruel treatment administered upon our canine companions, it is disappointing to see that this programming will reach the masses - especially on the NG Channel. The ignorance that this program perpetuates will give equally ignorant people the green light to subject their dogs to abuse. In turn these dogs will react even more defensively, will bite more people - and end up dead.”

"I have serious concerns because his methods are often intimidating rather than motivating. On TV, the dogs do comply but often they're being forced to - you can tell by their body language: tail down, mouth closed, ears back, eyes dilated... I argue that motivating leadership is far more effective than leading through intimidation."
Steve Dale

Want to complain to National Geographic?

National Geographic Channel/Information or Inquiries
+1 202 857 7000

comments@natgeochannel.com