Dog Health Questions: What method of dog training do I use?

I have been training my chihuahua Zoey (1 yr) since she was 3 months. For months, I have been going in and out with Cesar's method ( Alpha dog technique) and Victoria Stilwell's method ( Positive reenforcement)
Which one is better, and why?

Dog Training Collars and Harnesses - Making the Proper Selection is Essential to Training Success

Recommended Answer:
It's great that you're asking for help! I'm sure you want the best for your dog!

First of all, I strongly recommend NOT to follow ANY of Cesar Millan's so-called “training” techniques! Please follow and support someone else.

Sorry, but Cesar Millan IS NOT a real dog trainer! Not even close! He is an actor!

Cesar Millan isn't qualified in any way to train dogs. He has no business waltzing around telling people what to do with their dogs.

The dominance/alpha training method has proven to do more harm than good! People will NEVER master the art of trying to be a dog or wolf! We will never be able to perfectly replicate what a dog will do to another dog. This is why the dominance/alpha/pack leader method is useless and has hurt many dogs and people. People have gone WAY overboard on this method. People become total idiots and power happy and all they focus on is more ways to enforce their position as a “PACK LEADER” and “THE BOSS.”

This is the 21st century. Things have changed. People have found more effective ways to train dogs without fear or force. This includes aggressive dogs. Cesar Millan's techniques are very outdated and harmful to dogs.

If you need more convincing here are some websites. http://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/ http://www.4pawsu.com/cesarfans.htm

Victoria Stilwell's positive reinforcement methods are the way to go!

I love positive reinforcement training. Positive reinforcement is not a death sentence. The goal of this method is to make training a more pleasant experience for the dog and owner while STILL producing a well trained dog.

I highly recommend these books. The Power of Positive dog Training by Pat Miller and Positive Perspectives 2: Know your dog, Train your dog by Pat Miller. Both of these books are very detailed and advanced, (The second book more so than the first one) and it will enlighten ANYONE on positive reinforcement dog training. These books bust the silly myths that people have about positive dog training.

Also get dogs books by Karen Pryor, Patricia McConnell and Victoria Stilwell.

Dog Treats for Dog Training

• There are lots of methods of training, and most are equally good. If one doesn't work for you, try another. If you changed from one to another, presumably there was something that didn't work for you and your dog. Use whichever works best for you.


• I am with you...I watch (and learn) from both shows. The most important thing I have learned is that while you can expect certain behaviors secondary to breed, all dogs have their own personality. Not every training method works for every dog. You need to go with what works for YOUR dog. I also do both methods of training with my 50 pound pit mix. That is what works for me. The Basset side of him can be very stubborn...positive rewards work well with that. I also had (in the past) some problems with what is termed "selective aggression" but which is probably fear aggression. In those cases, Cesar's techniques worked best. (They worked best because the dog was anxious, I "took over" control and took away the reason for the anxiety, thereby taking away the reason for aggression). Using both techniques has helped my dog achieve his greatest potential.
  In answer to your question..there may be no BEST way...just keep reading, watching and incorporate what works into your own training. Good luck, have fun.


• Neither. Cesar's method enforces fear and only gives a temporary solution. Victoria Stillwell's is just stuffing your dog with treats to get them to do what your want.
  
  Positive and negative reinforcement is necessary. Stop watching TV and get yourself a real trainer.


• I can't tell you which one is best. The best training method is the one that works best for the dog and the trainer. The best methods encompass many different techniques. In fact if you have a general knowledge of training history, you will see that both Cesar's and Victoria's methods are parts of many methods developed by past trainers. In fact much of Cesar's works came from the Monk's of New Skete, William Koehler, and other older successful trainers who follow the classical conditioning model. Victoria Stillwell's methods came from Karen Pryor, Ian Dunbar and trainers who are more into operant conditioning and the B.F. Skinner model.
  
  So train your dog with whatever works for you and make the method your own. After all that's what the excellent trainers do.


• there are many dog training products, but I think this one is the best : http://bit.ly/9FAXQo Over 217,474 dog owners worldwide have been successful with their dog training, and solved their dog's behavior problems. http://bit.ly/9FAXQo