At the End of My Leash Q & A
with Brad Pattison

Brad, why do you think your tough love approach is more effective in changing dogs’ bad habits than the gentler systems being used by some of the other dog trainers?

Brad: My main objective when training dogs is to empower the owner and help place him/her, and the rest of their family, in a superior position to the dog. Most, if not all, dog behavioural issues stem from the fact that the dog has received a myriad of mixed messages, is completely confused and as a result has assumed the alpha position in the family. This gives rise to all sorts of problems. Oftentimes, dogs are weighed down by the heavy pressure of feeling responsible for the protection of the entire family and this causes undue stress, anxiety and aggressive behaviours.

A critical tool dogs employ when interacting and disciplining other dogs is speed. Remember that a dog can move its mouth seven times faster then the human hand. This is an important fact when managing a potentially critical situation. One way dogs will try to determine their owner’s status is based on the quickness of their movements. Once a dog has calculated our weaknesses, it begins to assume the alpha position. This is absolutely normal for dogs and what they would do in a pack. Often I must teach the owners how to change the way they move in order for them to regain their alpha status. This doesn’t happen overnight but takes baby steps and consistency.

When I work with a family, I adapt to the various people, studying their limitations and designing daily dog training challenges that they can handle. I often receive urgent requests for help and these usually require an immediate call to action. Often in these cases, other trainers have been called in and their “softer” approach has failed both the family and the dog. At the end of the day, “gentle” negotiation techniques such as treat training and constantly repeating verbal commands undermines the owner and empowers the dog to an alpha status, and we generally do not see the resulting danger until the dog has lashed out or threatened a family member or friend.

There have been times during the show when it seems that you placed your dogs in dangerous situations. Can you please comment?

Brad: Let me reassure you that I would never put my dogs, or any other dog, in a situation that it couldn’t manage. Usually I find that most dog owners who have issues with their dogs tend to have a low opinion of their animal, and low expectations of what it can do and handle. My training allows me to assess very quickly what these dogs are capable of and my intent is to allow them to prove themselves to their masters as quickly as possible. It may seem to the viewer that the dog is being put in a dangerous situation but, in fact, they are only being placed in situations that I fully believe the dog is capable of handling.

Are you at all worried that ordinary people will try to imitate your tough-love methods and may end up misguidedly abusing their pets instead?

Brad: Overall, I believe that the viewing audience is mature and sensible enough to realize that when they see me in action, they’re watching a professional who has spent the last fifteen years studying and working with dogs and their owners. It is crucial that people use both caution and common sense when trying to change a dog’s behaviour, especially if that dog has demonstrated aggressive behaviours. In that case I would always recommend they turn to a professional for help. Without a doubt, there are many processes and checklists I go through when assessing and determining a dog’s ability. Every dog I work with is always different from the last, each with his/her own individual personality.

The best recommendation I have for dog owners is that they take the time to study and observe their dogs and learn from them.

I find that the most common form of dog abuse is simple neglect. Many dog owners just ignore their dogs and overlook a potentially critical situation, often until it is too late. I just hope that At the End of My Leash helps people understand dogs are complex creatures who need love, attention and lots of patience. I try to wake people out of their indifference and make them realize just what a wonderful friend and companion they actually have, if they only bothered to look.

Sometimes your method of training the dogs on the show seems rough and cruel. You seem to prefer punishment rather than a reward system to train dogs. Why is that?

Brad: I don’t believe in being either rough or cruel. I am firm and determined to demonstrate to the dog that it is not allowed to attack or bite me. Many people forget that dogs are animals and don’t communicate or show respect and love the same ways that humans do. The dog pack is always defined by who is the Alpha. Discipline is prevalent in the animal kingdom and our ignorance of this fact has cost many dogs their lives. That’s because dogs seek out the alpha position and will nip, bite or attack family members in order to move up the ranks of the human/dog hierarchy. In a dog pack the leader will discipline at any cost. This is essential and mandatory alpha behaviour if order is to be kept. When the members of the human family fail to establish their superiority, the dog naturally assumes it is in charge and will dispense discipline as it sees fit, with often disastrous results.

Consequently, I refuse to use treats when working with dogs and prefer to 1) interrupt a dog’s bad behaviour 2) then discipline and finally 3) reward the dog with a massage to the chest. Dogs do not reward each other with food. This is a behaviour humans have created to express their love for the dog, but it is the opposite of what would happen in the real dog world.

When is Brad going to come to Toronto to work with dogs & their owners?

Brad: Presently I am planning a series of seminar dates in various Canadian centres for fall 2007. If you are interested in attending a seminar or request that I come to your area please visit my website or email a request to bradpattison@shaw.ca.

Please take a look at www.bradpattison.com for further scheduling updates. DVDs and books will be available from the website.