# I think I love Victoria Stilwell



## khoch4 (Apr 15, 2009)

Her methods work so well for us. I've really been slacking on training Bruno because 1)he's pretty good already and 2)our obedience classes start later this summer and I figure we'll really start working then. But there are a few things that we definitely need to establish right away.

I tried the "Leave It" command that I saw Stilwell use on "It's Me or the Dog" and it worked like a charm and SO QUICKLY!! I'm ecstatic. My 5 year old and 3 year old are whirling dervishes and leave toys, clothes, etc, all over the place. In a matter of minutes Bruno is able to drop their toys or stop chasing them if they start running.

Next we're going to work on him jumping up on people (and counters). My sister is an unsuspecting volunteer on this one-she's coming over tonight. Hopefully we'll have as much success as we did with "leave it."

I LOVE when things work out the way I want them to!!


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

I enjoy her shows also. Her methods do seem to work well. She is fun, fair and firm.. and lets the dog know what is expected of him . Congrats on the success in your training!


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## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

I've used a few of her techniques too and found that they worked well.


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## kjarv24 (Nov 7, 2008)

I like to watch her show also, Don't watch it religiously but she does have some great tips. We started the "drop it - leave it" from day one with Jake. We've got a 20month old & there is also toys/clothes etc.. strung around our house sometimes. Jake will pick up a toy we just tell him "Jake...Drop it - Leave it!" & he'll go find something else to do.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree. I was skeptical of her at first, but I like her emphasis on creative, positive solutions, rather than on aversives.

I also like the lecture she gave about the prong collar to the couple with the Weimaraners. She made them take it off and throw it away. She won me over with that one. Her approach to leash aggressive dogs is a good one too.

I'm not a big fan of the aversive sound therapy she uses sometimes, but it's vastly better than many of the alternatives.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

What is the name of her show and what network is it on? Animal planet?

I've never watched her but it sounds like I'd like her.


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## khoch4 (Apr 15, 2009)

Debles said:


> What is the name of her show and what network is it on? Animal planet?
> 
> I've never watched her but it sounds like I'd like her.


Her show is on Animal Planet, it's called "It's Me or the Dog." I don't watch it religiously, but it seems like it's at a few different time slots.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

"It's Me or the Dog" It's on Animal Planet.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

D'oh! You beat me!


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

Deb, I think you would like her. 
Tippy.. What is sound aversive therapy?


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Deb, you can watch the show on your laptop at Hulu.com. It's fun.


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

She has got an awful lot better in my view...her first series in the UK she used many aversive methods that I did not agree with such as bashing pan lids together to scare a dog away from something. I have been recently watching a series from the US and was quite impressed with her methods. There was one poor, poor dog that had been blasted with a shock collar all through its life...and as a puppy it had this collar that actually sprayed citrus in it's face everytime it went near another dog...it is absolutely appaling to me that people can use these types of contraptions on their dogs and Victoria was nearly in tears hearing about it. If these types of things are common in America then you certainly do need Victoria to hang around!! Certainly an improvement on a certain other bully (oops, I mean trainer...) that is a regular on TV in the US...


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

I love her show!


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Yea! Thanks Jill!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

jnmarr said:


> Deb, I think you would like her.
> Tippy.. What is sound aversive therapy?


When you pair an unpleasant noise with an unwanted behavior in order to make the dog quit it. It's pretty similar to striking the dog or yelling at it in terms of the way it works, but it's better in that it's less cruel than hitting and a clearer message than yelling. It's still not something I'm in support of unless all other options are exhausted.


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

tippykayak said:


> When you pair an unpleasant noise with an unwanted behavior in order to make the dog quit it. It's pretty similar to striking the dog or yelling at it in terms of the way it works, but it's better in that it's less cruel than hitting and a clearer message than yelling. It's still not something I'm in support of unless all other options are exhausted.


Oh My! I never saw her do any of that! I would have a problem with that, also! :no:

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people will revert to some sort of violence when their first attempts at training don't work. Some are even cruel. Why can't they use their so called "Superior" brains and think of ways that may work for their individual dog.. who is unique in his/her own way. Thanks for the reply.. T/K :wave:


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## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

I don't know that making a loud noise is really "violent" especially whent hat noise is clearly not associated with humans

She had a dog that was a counter surfer and would use a fog horn whenever it got close to the table. they had a camera set up in the kitchen and she would make the noise in the doorway. The dog was startled yes, terrified cowering in a corner. No. 

I think holding a fog horn up to the dog's ear would be cruel but the way it was done there was no harm to the dog and eventually it learned to leave the table alone.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

jnmarr said:


> Oh My! I never saw her do any of that! I would have a problem with that, also! :no:
> 
> It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people will revert to some sort of violence when their first attempts at training don't work. Some are even cruel. Why can't they use their so called "Superior" brains and think of ways that may work for their individual dog.. who is unique in his/her own way. Thanks for the reply.. T/K :wave:


Yeah. The sound therapy is vastly superior to directly hurting the dog, but it still works on the basis of fear and aversion, and such techniques have to be religiously avoided unless they're absolutely necessary. She seems to have used the sound aversion more in the early shows (they play both the old British and the new American shows on APL), so maybe she's moving away from it as she learns new, creative, positive techniques.


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

I watch her shows every morning 8-9am on Sky1. 
She is fun to watch and we have used a few of her tricks (they work).


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

tippykayak said:


> She seems to have used the sound aversion more in the early shows (they play both the old British and the new American shows on APL), so maybe she's moving away from it as she learns new, creative, positive techniques.


She says here on her forum (in her reply) that she_ is_ constantly learning. I admire her for admitting that she would have done things differently as she evolves her techniques.

http://www.victoriastilwell.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3477&sid=62733affcd5fa96dcfe044bbc2291c4d


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