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'Control Unleashed' have you heard of it?

7K views 24 replies 7 participants last post by  Chocice 
#1 ·
I've been nosing around an American dog forum and I kept hearing about this book. It is written by a lady who works as a trainer and behaviorist and also does agility.

The aim of the book is to create a focused and confident dog that will not only respond well to commands when off lead but is ready for them, it says on the website

Who needs Control Unleashed®?

# Dogs that are uncomfortable or unable to work off lead around other dogs
# Dog that are easily distracted and have difficulty concentrating
# Dogs that are reactive or easily aroused
# Dogs that are anxious or stressed and shut down
# Dog that are unable to control their impulses when excited

Well Cadbury falls into category 1, 2 and 5.

It uses clicker training and has bits about its implication for agility training. I've ordered a copy as I think this could really help Cadbury who really struggles to concentrate.

There are some You Tube videos showing the techniques in action as well. So I'm going to give it a go.
 
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#8 ·
#11 ·
well i've ordered a copy. Will be great for coal who has 'issues' occasionally and he LOVES clicker training. hope it arrives soon :D
 
G
#13 ·
Interesting Videos. I've got to say I've used much the same tecnique (I didn't know it was a tecnique though, as I just make things up as I go along :lol: ) in that Recall Game vid with most of my dogs and with some it works very well.

Mojo's recall is sharp, infact she comes back to me even before I call her half the time...Una's and Oyster's were good too. Lottie rarely left my side and I never taught her to recall, as being a Collie she always had one eye on me anyway. Tara was the complete opposite and was always the dot on the horizon, no matter what treats I had with me....and the Pood is going the same way, she often legs it after another dog or person and comes back when she's good and ready, even if I have Cheese (the highest reward in a Poodles world :wink: ) with me. I am extremely thankful that both the Pood and Tara are well socialised, sweethearts who would never dream of causing trouble and because they are cowards, if the other dog kicks off or even looks at them "funny" they come running back to Mum.

I could get Lottie, Mojo, Una and Oyster to ignore another dog approaching too just as in that first vid.....but I would have no chance with Tara or the Pood...not a hope in hell :lol: .

So I do think as with all Training Tecniques, it works with some dogs but not ALL. It really does depend on the dogs personality, breed (some are bred to be biddable, others are bred to be independent), confidence and a multitude of other things.

I would be interested to see if it made a difference to a truely hard headed, hard to motivate dog. I somehow doubt that the tecniques used will be the miracle some hope for. I am more than willing to be proved wrong though and would give it a go. :D
 
#14 ·
Aw, don't dishearten me Jules! But I see what you are saying, no technique will work for every dog. But since these techniques follow on with much of what my trainer is already saying I think it is worth a shot and if it doesn't work, well I'll try something else :wink:
 
G
#15 ·
Oh gosh yes....as I said, I'd give a go, especially as it's clicker/reward based training. :D

I suppose it just worries me, just as all these trainers with books/dvd's/programmes, etc, that they give the impression that these things WILL work if you do everything they say, when in reality even they will occasionally come across a dog these methods just don't work on.....or maybe they do but only in a limited way.

An independently spirited dog will always be a challenge and will often do as it pleases, if something else is more interesting than you or your bag of treats. But we love them all the same :wink: .
 
#16 ·
I do know what you mean, some dogs, for whatever reason, will always struggle to have a good recall.

Switching to the clicker and changing trainers has really boosted my confidence with Cadbury, he is still a nutcase but I just feel more in control with him. So I'm hoping this book may help too.

TBH, if I could just get him to focus his attention on me during agility I would be happy :D but a reliable recall would also boost my confidence in off lead walks.
 
#17 ·
At least these methods are positive though, so at worst they may not be as effective for your dog as you might have hoped, rather than the dog being damaged as with some other methods. It's lovely to watch dogs being happy as they're trained. Give me these types of trainers/owners over the likes of CM any day.

Talking of which, after I watched the videos mentioned on this thread, I found one about dog aggression, which apparently "cured" a dog aggressive dog within five minutes :roll: The poor dog was later to be seen sat panting in the centre of a hall, wearing something that looked suspiciously like a prong collar, while these other dogs were paraded around. I think when I work with Max I will stick with his toy duck, a clicker and treats and some friendly dogs that we know.
 
#19 ·
Oh! 8O

I was hoping to see something else in the vids. I wonder if she feeds her dogs at any other time or if they just get fed during their walks/training as she seemed to be chucking an awful lot of food in their direction! I've done a fair amount of clicker training and whilst I use a lot of rewards at the beginning when you are shaping a dog's behaviour, I would soon tail it off (likewise the clicker) and then only reward randomly or particularly good responses.

And another thing- her dogs would soon drive me doolally! Especially the one in the second vid with the typically 'collie-esque' behaviour of obsessively running forward a few paces and then coming back to stand infront of her to get thrown a treat everytime. How the heck does she manage not to trip over him?! Why isn't the dog going off to have a good sniff or run about?

To my mind, they weren't dogs' enjoying a good dog-like walk, socialise and letting-off-steam time.

I'd be interested to hear what you think of the books, but despite The Gangs' quirks, I would sooner walk with them than with her dogs.

Becs and The Gang
 
#20 ·
That black dog in the 'strange dog approaching' vid looked awfully like Bliss 8O

Well I'm feeling quite chuffed because I use very similar methods although my pockets aren't as bottomless as that ladies! I take Bliss's kibble out with us at lunchtime and use that for rewards and 'find the food' games. She never seems to tire of it.

Will be interested to hear how you get on with the book Sophie. Will investigate that later myself.
 
#21 ·
Becs, I watched the videos and then read your post - surely the first video at least is the author being filmed in a training session/demonstration, to show people what she does?

I don't think it's necessarily an indication of how she would walk the dogs and who knows what sort of a walk they had before/after the filming? I don't think you can assume from a training video that her dogs don't get to charge around and play like dogs.

I've also been reading about the "Look At That" idea for reactive dogs, which I like the sound of, especially knowing how hard it can be to get a reactive dog to ignore/look away from whatever is troubling them.

I'm rather in love with Easy, the collie :)
 
#23 ·
I shall let you know how it goes. Angela, I noticed the vid about curing dog aggression in 5 minutes and dismissed it instantly as ridiculous - no dog is that easily cured!!

Becs, I can see what you mean about the dogs coming back all the time, but if you hear at the start of the vid she tells the chap whose dog is approaching, 'its alright, we're just practicing them ignoring another dog.' With Cadbury I would like something in-between running off wildly and being glued to my leg :lol:

My biggest interest is what the book says about teaching a dog to concentrate and ignore distractions as Cadbury struggles with this at training, his attention very very easily wanders. I think the 'Look at that' exercise could be really good.

And at the end of the day as Angela says, even if it doesn't work as well as in the videos, you haven't lost anything.
 
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