Several major veterinary behavior organizations that promote modern, science-based, positive reinforcement dog training and behavior modification are openly protesting the promotional partnership between Merial (one of the big veterinary drug companies) and the dog trainer known around here as He Who Shall Not Be Named. You can elevate and amplify concerns expressed by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, in particular, by signing an online petition and encouraging like-minded dog people to do the same.
They’ve taken the complaint to blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and even the Huffington Post.
Excerpts from professional concerns include:
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACV expressed the opinion of the organization thatmany techniques promoted in the show “are notscientifically sound and [involve] fear and intimidation to managebehavior.” ACVB points out that studies in peer-reviewed publicationsand the clinical experience of [veterinary behaviorists] confirm thatsuch techniques can actually worsen existing behavior problems,including aggression, and erode the human-animal bond.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSA has alsoissued a public opinion on the matter, stating that some philosophiesand techniques demonstrated to owners on the show “run counter to thestandard-of-care promoted by veterinary behaviorists and taught atveterinary schools.”
A joint letter from the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians(ABVT) and the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians (SVBT) addsits view that: “If we had been asked to contributeinformation about creation of an advertising campaign that includes apet trainer, we would have recommended [use] of another more currentscience based trainer such as Karen Pryor, [author of Don’t Shoot the Dog], Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, or Victoria Stillwell [It’s Me or the Dog TV Show].”
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In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll tell you that I actually had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Sophia Yin recently for a magazine article. You’ll see her name on the official complaint letter and in blog posts on the topic.
Interestingly enough, I write on occassion for Merial indirectly since they often sponsor sections of Veterinary Technician magazine where my articles appear. A few weeks ago, I emailed one my Merial contacts to alert him to this brewing controversy and stating my case against the partnership.
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Those you who know me know that I’m opposed to these outdated, dominance training methods perhaps at the genetic level. I hope you’ll join me and others in protesting this partnership, which lends undo credence to ill-informed philosophies and methods.
I signed it a while back – hopefully Merial will reconsider this partnership.
By the way, I had to catch up on your last few posts, since I have been off-line. I’m glad that Ginko is home and doing better!
Ha! For some reason, my blog software reads a B followed by a closed parentheses as a smiley face. Really, I wasn’t using emoticons above.