Residential dog training?

[Brightstar29]

Has anyone had experience with residential dog training before for aggression? 3 year old westie has had long standing issues with resource guarding based aggression. We have had trainers come to our home but nothing has worked and think it’s might now be worth paying for residential. Anyone has experience of this?

Generally considered a bad idea as it's the owners who need help more than the dog.

A trainer won't help with resource guarding either - you need an accredited behaviourist.

It's a bad idea - residential training is almost exclusively used by bad trainers who would rather you didn't see the methods they use to "train" your dog. They can often make matters worse.

You don't want a trainer for resource guarding, you need a behaviourist, someone qualified by APBC or CCAB.

Just to manage your expectations though, a complete cure may never be possible for your dog. Environmental management will be at least half the answer - that is, making sure your dog doesn't feel the need to guard things wherever possible. Depending on what your dog guards, this can include making sure your dog eats in peace, swapping long lasting chews like pizzle sticks for rapidly edible treats, making sure the dog bed is in a very quiet corner, and if the dog guards the sofa etc, no longer allowing the dog on the sofa.

It's a bad idea. You need to train your dog. The trainers you have used are they qualified many trainers are not. I would ask your vet. If you do see a trainer google their qualifications. I've adopted many dogs mistreated. You can solve the issue yourself however if your unsure seek a " qualified " behaviourist.

Nope not a chance

this is nearly always an owner problem not a dog problem so needs working out at home and finding the triggers and stopping them

Nope. As the others have said, you also need to participate in the training. Sending him or her off to come back cured is not going to happen.

Sorry!

I know personally of one place that does positive training on a residential basis.
Part of the contract is the involvement of the owner. This includes during and after the residential stage.

The vast majority of residential training terrifies me as I would be afraid of which methods are used, and because of the lack of involvement of the owner.

A compromise could be Devon Dogs, who offer residential training for both dog and owner.
They are outstanding.

Personally I'd only use this for working dogs; guard dogs, police dogs, guide dogs etc

As already stated you need to fix the problem within your home environment so I don't understand how external resolution will solve this?

Thanks for the advice everyone x

Agree with everything already said. Also worth considering any medical problems. Most Westies have skin problems and this can be linked to behaviour due to frustration - any known issues? Ear infections? Chewing or licking feet? Scratching body? Rashes? Greasy coat?