Incorrect methods ‘could see kids hurt’: Cork dog trainer calls for regulation of the sector

A CORK dog trainer has called for regulation in the sector following reports of children being put at serious risk of animal attacks.

Canine training instructor Roy Long said he was shocked to hear from a client whose young children were encouraged to stand “toe-to-toe” with a pet displaying signs of aggression in order to demonstrate authority.

The Carrigaline man, who owns and runs LongLeash Canine, advised against forceful and controversial methods amid warnings of rogue dog trainers operating in the Cork area.

“There are cases where people are being advised to fight fire with fire,” he said. 

“If a dog has something they are not supposed to have, it demonstrates something called resource guarding. It’s not much good for a dog in the wild to just back off if someone wants what they have.

“They bring those instincts into our home and it’s up to us to train the dog to give something up when they have to.”

He referred to one case study by way of example.

“In one household, the children were told to go toe-to-toe with the dog,” he said.

“It had been recommended that the child be the alpha in that situation. When the training wasn’t working, they felt there was nothing more that they could do. He was rehomed a couple of months later. In a way, they were incredibly lucky that they did rehome him, because if it had been left go on for any longer, one of the children would have likely been seriously hurt.”

He recalled his shock at hearing the type of training methods at play.

“It was frightening when I heard the ages of the children involved,” he said. “They were encouraged to stand their ground when the dog was growling and showing their teeth, till the dog laid down and backed off.

“This was a dog that was capable of causing severe damage.”

Roy explained how early intervention might have prevented the issue.

“The reality is that this was just a misunderstanding of the dog’s needs,” he said. 

“They were trying to find ways to entertain themselves by jumping, biting, and pawing. All he really needed were things like longer walks and positive reinforcement. The outdated view, however, was that the dog was trying to dominate the child and take his place among the pack. Intimidation tactics were used to get the dog to back off, when all they were really doing was training the dog to bite one day.”

Forceful training tactics, Roy said, are merely a short-term solution to a long-term problem.

“Unfortunately, what happens in these cases is the methods work for the owner, but they don’t work for the dog, since they essentially just shut down and become afraid,” he said. “All this does is plaster over the issues while the symptoms get worse underneath.

Roy often faces challenges when working with dog owners.

“Force-free is where we don’t use any negative correction methods,” he said. “Any negative methods that have been used as a means to modify a dog’s behaviour in the past has been disproved by science.

“I’ve spent whole sessions having to argue with owners about why forceful methods aren’t necessary.”

He urged people to carry out research before choosing a dog trainer.

“Services like dog training became much more in demand during the pandemic, which is why so many new businesses popped up overnight. There are a couple of well-known businesses and people who are very reputable, with recommendations including Snout and About and dog behaviour expert Nancy Creedon.

“It’s really important that people carry out research before investing in their dog. This doesn’t just apply to dog trainers but kennels and other areas of the sector too.”