Dog behaviourist using choking

[Bathandminttea]

Hi everyone. First time posting but I need to know what other people would think / have done in my situation. I have an adult dachshund who is wonderful and much loved. However she barks when anyone rings the doorbell. I recently decided to hire a dog behaviourist to fix the issue. Admittedly I didn't do in depth research as I assumed (from previous courses such as puppy classes and scent workshops) that positive reinforcement is the norm. This proved to be a big mistake.

The dog trainer arrived, we did a short walk around the neighbourhood during which he told me my dog needed basic obedience training etc, which I am fine with (I did puppy school and a few classes when my dog was adolescent but admittedly since having children have not been practising much). He then and instructed me to put a slip collar around her neck and have someone ring the doorbell (but reassured me it would be to deliver slight tugs only). I felt uneasy but went with it.

He put her in what he called a 'control position' - looked like a sit to me but apparently you are supposed to push down their back legs forcefully instead of asking for a sit. When she wouldn't stay sitting while the doorbell rang, he pulled the slip collar upwards. Quite high. Meaning both her front paws were in the air and she was choking.

I immediately made him stop and told him this was not going to work out etc. He told me I was doomed to have a misbehaving dog as this is how dogs are and should be trained / he is an expert etc etc. I showed him the door.

I was very upset after he left. I feel guilty for having put my dog in this position.

Firstly, does anyone have any success training dachshunds not to bark with positive reinforcement only? I would rather she barked than hurt her tbh. I know it's a characteristic of the breed.

Secondly, was I naive for being so shocked that he used this method? I can tell my family thinks I am being a bit dramatic to have been upset to the point of crying as the dog is fine and he is gone. On the other hand I was the only witness to the choking.

Thanks if you've made it this far!

First time posting but I need to know what other people would think / have done in my situation. I have an adult dachshund who is wonderful and much loved. However she barks when anyone rings the doorbell

what’s the issue? Is it’s excessive? Does she stop when the door is opened?

i actively taught my dog to bark at the door, it’s useful when I don’t hear a knock or even when someone is lurking - it’s a simple alert.

she’s a dachshund and protecting her people is ingrained, so it may be a tough one. I’d be fine with it though..

i agree this trainer doesn’t sound great. General obedience any positive reinforcement might be better..

No animal should be trained through fear or pain . You did right sending him on his way .

Sounds like you did exactly the right thing OP

That sounds really inappropriate. Cruel, in fact. I've had a dacshund and they do like to bark! I have a friend who's a dog behaviourist and I know she would never do this.

You absolutely did the right thing. Strangling a dog is never ok.

If you do want to see another behaviourist, make sure they're APBC or CCAB qualified.

However, it may be easier to change the environment. For instance, a Ring doorbell can send a notification to your phone instead of a chime.

Mind you, dachshunds can be very intelligent. When my doorbell broke I put a note outside saying to call my mobile. Before long he started barking when I picked up my phone and said hello 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Not, however, that I've tried to put him off barking at the doorbell. I like the alert and the reduced risk of burglary that comes with a barking dog.

You did the right thing. A dog behaviourist I worked with previously caused a big deterioration for us. I wish I had spotted it as quickly as you did ( the methods weeent as extreme tbf). We now work with someone fabulous so don’t give up.

Bloody hell. Animals should never be trained through pain or fear. I’m so glad you stopped him.

I once rang one for help with my fear aggressive rottweiler. . She told me she would be sitting on my ddog until she was submissive and could guarantee me a well behaved ddog.
I guaranteed she wouldn't get through my front door..
Sorry you and your ddog have had a bad experience.. Ask at your vet's practice for a reputable trainer...

You did the right thing.

No animal should be trained through fear/physical punishment.

I had a doorbell Barker, he's a mastiff though.

We just ring door bell send him to bed, ring doorbell send him to bed, once he was sort of conditioned that ring door bell ment go to bed, we then worked on being silent in the bed, so I'd ring doorbell he'd go to bed and when he stopped barking I'd give him a treat, over and over again, eventually he knew ring door bell = sit in bed quietly.

Lots of treats, praise, patience and repetition.

What an absolute pig! Not only is that shocking, but to do it to a dachshund with the high risk of IVDD they have is even worse!

That's awful. You did the right thing getting rid of the behaviourist. But what's wrong with barking when the doorbell is rang? I like it as if I'm in the garden I know I'll never miss someone at the door!

Thanks all for your kind replies! The barking is very loud (very good deterrent - people definitely think a big dog lives here) and continues once the door is opened, even when she can tell there is no threat / I am greeting visitors. Makes it difficult when we have new babysitters. The postman just leaves parcels on the doorstep!

I will try the advice above (we also have a ring doorbell) and ring the vet to see if they can recommend a good positive reinforcement behaviourist.

OP thank you for having the courage to immediately stop them - it's very hard when someone is so confident like that.

Most of the advice I've seen with barking (mine have never had that problem so not had to do it myself) is that you should start by teaching the dog to bark and only then teach them to stop. There is loads online.

Best of luck!

You shouldn't have got that breed if you don't like barking they are renowned for it

You absolutely did the right thing. The relationship with our dogs is (or should be) based on mutual trust which would be destroyed by such training.
Dominance/pack theory was debunked many years ago and any accredited trainer would know this and base any training on the owner-pet relationship which is a social/positive one.
Well done for booting out!!
As far as training for the barking lots of great suggestions already especially treating an alternative behaviour when the doorbell rings (breaking down in stages eg to just look at you, then sit, then in another room then quiet etc)
Or as others have said can be quite handy, I never miss a parcel!!!

A good idea is to train the dog that knocking on the door = bark and run to Mum and get a treat.
That way the barking is away from the door, you have control of the dog and the dog is distracted from barking by the treat.

I’m very surprised any behaviourist would train like that these days. It’s not what I would want for my dog and I don’t think you are unreasonable. Use a positive method of training, most trainers/behaviourists lay out their methods on their websites. Does he have actual official behaviourist qualifications? My sister is a dog trainer doing a masters in animal behaviour. Her methods are all reward based and positive. Ask around, read lots of reviews or ask for references from other clients before you go with anyone else.

God that’s terrible. I would put online reviews everywhere so people know what he’s doing and don’t let him near their dogs. If he has any professional registrations report him to the governing body.

Op, does the trainer's first name start with a C? There is one round here who really shocked me with their robot requiring training - I know he uses slip leads aggressively

I will ask the vet tomorrow whether they recommend reporting the trainer, and if so what the appropriate body would be called here. I hate the thought of other owners going along with it rather than objecting while their dogs are harmed. While producing the slip collar, he mentioned he had more 'serious' leads for bigger/aggressive dogs 🙁.

@binglebong, I am not currently living in the UK so unlikely to be the same trainer. Sad that there is more than one really!

Take a look at Southend dog training. They have an Instagram page and also a website where you can have 7 days free. Take a look at their videos.

@Bathandminttea what qualifications does this behaviourist have if any. Just like dog trainers there are self taught behaviourist. Be careful. Get a recommendation from your vet and Google their qualifications.

Only if you want to do more choking! He loves a good yank. Avoid him at all costs.

A qualififed behaviourist will have a level 5 qualificiation in the relevant subject.

They should have a MSC in dog/animal behaviour. Noone else is a behaviourist although they can call themselves one.

It goes without saying that a behaviourist will not ever inflict pain on your dog.

TBH many behaviourists hate actually "training" dogs they work to change a dogs emotional state which often does not involve traditional training.

Many trainings try to train through anxiety resource guarding and separation anxiety and it just does not work.

However having said that you may just need a good positive trainer rather than a behaviourist however for the situation you describe. As it sounds like learned behaviour door bell rings dog gets excited dog barks etc etc.

As stated above change the behaviour to the door bell. Practice without guests first. Personally I would get a new bell sound as this will be easier to condition.

Before you fit the new bell ring it and give a treat in dogs bed, do this over a course of several days and your dog will be charging to their beds at the sound of the door bell. Then you can fit the bell. Do make sure you always reward the dog when the door bell rings (you may want to put a note on the door saying you are coming to answer the door but to give you a few minutes) then go to the door.

No dogs should be forced or yanked but a daschund with a long back absolutley should not have this done to them - maybe worth getting the vet to check out your dogs back as you are going anyway.