Hidden Secrets Behind Dog Training: A Tell-All Book on Training, Dog Trainers, Group Classes, Dog Parks, Boot Camps, Pros & Cons of Many Methods, to Human and Dog Psychology!

By Kevin Salem "The Dog Prodigy"

For the first time ever you are about to expose the secrets that all dog books, dog trainers and obedience schools do NOT want you to know. The author blows the whistle on his own industry and reveals every flaw and scam of his profession.

NOTE: The title of the book is Hidden Secrets "Behind" Dog Training. It is NOT Hidden Secrets of "How to" Train Dogs. So if you are looking for a step-by-step training book, this isn’t it.

This one is ALL about psychology: Dog psychology, owner psychology, and every trainer's mindset and training belief.

It Reveals:

* 10 Biggest Dog Training Lies that Even "Trainers" Believe!
* Get Your Black Belt NOT in Training but in Dog “Psychology”
* Spoiled Dog Test—How Much is Normal and What Backfires
* What They Don’t Tell You About Dog Parks or Dog Classes

Also:

* 20 Reasons Why Your Dog Doesn't “Always” Listen
* Best & Worst Trainers Under Microscope
* 99% Sweet—1% Vicious! (Is Your Dog a Red Zone Case?)
* When to Doubt Your Trainer or “Current” Method

And:

* How to Tell if Your Dog’s Gradually Taking Over
* All the Reasons Your Dog Misbehaves Around Other Dogs!
* The Make-or-Break Factors that Most Owners Ignore
* Why it’s Best to Give Treats “After” Your Training, NOT Before Commands

Kevin “The Dog Prodigy” is a master trainer and canine psychologist. He has helped over 10,000 cases nationwide.

Think about it. There are over 400 breeds of dogs in the world. That’s right--400! How can they all respond to one tool or one way of training? This is the next level and the future of dog training—The Diverse Method.

In a Nutshell, You’ll Master:

1. Your Dog—Learn why your pooch behaves a certain way in various scenarios.
2. Yourself—Your actions or understanding of your dog or ALL dogs.
3. Your Technique—Pinpoint the strengths & weaknesses of all methods.
4. Your Tools—Which training tools work and which do not.
5. Your Trainer—The trainer’s method, expertise, expectations and limitations.
6. The Dog Industry—Spot its flaws and how to use it to your advantage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780971648012

Book preview

magazine…

Preface

Turning a Childhood Tragedy into Triumph.

We all have a story, a reason, or a cause behind what we do. I believe: You need to have the brains, the heart, or at the very least, the drive to succeed in life. And sometimes, all it takes a heart-wrenching experience, a feeling, or the joy you get by making a difference in your line of work.

When I was about twelve years old, we had a yellow Lab that my father named after the star of the TV show, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. Since my brothers were too young to pronounce or remember Tin Tin, we settled for Tan Tan instead. He truly was a very loving and loyal dog. Like most Labs, he was always happy, hyper and goofy as he could be.

We had to leave town for a few days. Since we couldn't take him, my dad asked one of our neighbors to watch him for us. The neighbor agreed that he and his kids would drop by to feed and check on our dog while we were away.

Just like any untrained dog, Tan Tan would act unruly every time our neighbor dropped by to feed him. He kept jumping all over him and his kids. This resulted in them getting dirty, muddy and scratched up. One day, he really got fed up with all this, grabbed our shovel, and slammed it across Tan Tan's head. This blow was so severe that it caused a hemorrhage in his brain.

When we arrived, we were surprised. None of us could hear Tan Tan’s usual happy yips and yelps. He was known to scratch and jump at our gate impatiently the minute he heard us nearby. My dad tried to push the gate open but noticed it was stuck. With a few more attempts, he finally managed to push it open only to find Tan Tan’s lifeless body pressed against our gate.

Poor dog wanted to see us so badly that he somehow managed to drag himself from the center of our yard to the gate, where he died waiting on us. I remember his paw prints in the snow... which halfway became sliding marks. We couldn't stop crying. Our loyal dog did whatever it took to drag his half-dead body just to see us one more time.

That was the first time I ever saw my dad cry. Another neighbor told us later how hard it was watching Tan Tan suffer. He witnessed him pacing back and forth, whimpering and howling day and night. They weren't sure whether his barking was due to being sad, or if he was in physical pain. They saw his dish full of food, just how we left it. Folks, our dog was slowly dying from pain and sorrow.

You can imagine how devastated we were. As a kid, it affected me in ways I never imagined. At first, I thought of our neighbor as an evil, cold-blooded person. I know now that he obviously got fed up with our dog constantly jumping on him and knocking down his kids.

And when I think about it today, the whole sad and senseless loss of a dear pet could have been avoided with a little training.

Man's Best Friend. Myth or Reality?

You've probably heard the saying, Dog is a Man’s Best Friend and I couldn’t agree more. After all, just look at how your dog greets you every day. Do any of your loved ones greet you like that? It is a happy, real, and genuine love that is impossible to fake. Ever since we lost Tan Tan in such a tragic manner, I developed a very strong love and devotion towards dogs. I found myself reading about dogs, rescuing them, volunteering in shelters, assisting dog schools, and fostering those in need of loving and responsible pet owners.

There are thousands of stories about dogs' unconditional love and loyalty. One that comes to mind is of a dog in China that refused to leave his owner’s grave for a week. When the locals noticed a dog kept vigil next to an unmarked grave, they felt bad and started bringing him a crate, water and food.

Another great tale is the story of Hachi. The owner of a loyal Akita took the train to work daily. Every day the dog would manage to get out of the yard, walk all the way to the train station, and wait until his owner returned. The family tried to keep him locked in the yard, but Hachi always found a way out.

One day, the dog sensed something and continued barking to keep his owner from leaving for work. Well, that also was the day Hachi’s owner died of a sudden heart attack. The family decided to sell the house and move to another city. The daughter of the family tried to adopt him, but Hachi always kept getting out and found his way to the train station, going to his favorite spot, waiting patiently for his owner’s return.

This went on for days, weeks, months and even years. Yes, folks. To be exact, it went on for ten long years. Here was a dog barely moving, old, stiff and living in the streets, but no matter what, he always made it to the train station hoping to see his owner somehow show up once again. Some of you already guessed what’s coming next; he died waiting in his favorite spot. Wow. If that is not loyalty, I don’t know what is.

Richard Gere gave an outstanding performance in the movie about Hachi. So did the dogs. You really see life from a dog’s point of view and the facial expressions of the dogs even caught me by surprise. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the book yet. But if you want a good dog story, one that will have you choking up, a real tear jerker, hands down, this is one of them. (I have nothing against Marley, but this too was a true story, and far deeper.)

Now, I don’t advocate everyone buying or adopting an Akita. Just as I didn’t understand when everyone started buying Chihuahuas after that Taco Bell commercial aired, or Dalmations after the release of 101 Dalmations. Ironically, all three of these breeds are very difficult to manage and train—especially for those of you who happen to be first time dog owners.

I also fell in love with Jack London’s books. He truly related to dogs and understood them in a much deeper level. Part of the reason London described dogs and their loyalty so well is because, at one point in his life, he was homeless and literally lived with stray dogs on the streets and under bridges.

Trust me; it would be impossible to describe the love of dogs and their loyalty in such great detail without being involved with them on a personal level. You always can spot a true dog lover. That is how I felt as I read Jack London’s books—as if I were in the company of another individual who understands and agrees that dogs truly are a man's best friend.

More Heart-breaking Experiences that Changed Me:

Have you ever found yourself in a shelter full of caged-up dogs that have less than twenty-four hours to live? Have you had them lick your fingers through the fence, look you in the eye, and keep on barking, howling, panting, whimpering and pacing back and forth? How about the ones that kept standing on their hind legs begging you to rescue them?

Did the ones in the back, all curled up with no sense of hope, get your attention? Maybe it wasn’t their personality to be loud, persistent or as hyper as the other dogs. Or maybe they totally gave up trying. Some of them just hoped that you might, just might actually notice them more if they were calm, quiet and steady.

Fifty to eighty percent of ALL dogs are being killed in shelters. Think about that. Fifty to eighty percent!!! I’ll bet most of you didn’t know it. If those dogs show ANY signs of growling, lunging, or even an innocent curled lip, they are automatically killed. No question about it. If you don’t believe me, please ask anyone who works or volunteers in shelters. The bigger the city, the more dogs they receive.

A few of these dogs are truly wonderful animals that get kennel cough or a runny nose by being exposed to concrete floors and to other dogs. Some have been badly attacked and have the bruises and scars to prove it. But due to the shelter’s low budget, they too rarely get adopted and are automatically killed. There are dogs that have been used as bait for a pit bull fight ring. These dogs are all chewed up, and often too deformed to be saved or re-homed.

About half of the dogs, after staying a few days in the same pen, start acting a bit protective when you stand close to their kennel. Ask anyone who rescues dogs. Almost all dogs do this in their rescue homes or in backyards. Again, any sign of aggression or protectiveness is NOT tolerated. They are automatically put on death row. These dogs learn to fight over food or flat out refuse to eat for days.

Now, I’ll draw a picture of what these dogs are going through the moment they are to be put down. (Keep in mind, the timeline they get is usually only three days.)

What are the thoughts crossing their minds when you put them on leash and take them out of their kennel? You see their face lit up with joy as they immediately start to pull in front of you in excitement, whimpering, and wagging their tail. Some even lick your hands; they are so happy, thanking you for waking them up from their nightmare.

Again, words cannot do justice, but as another dog lover, I’ll do my best to express their thoughts and feelings. These hopeful dogs are thinking:

Finally, someone who wants to adopt me.

Wow! They are taking me for a walk or to play.

I really hope they move me to a much bigger, cleaner and quieter kennel with a real comfortable bed. Or,

I knew my owners would come back for me. They always manage to find me. I just knew it.

And when it’s finally time: They get close to that room, the chamber of death, the execution room, almost every one of them put on the brakes and fight going in. You feel a twitch and a sudden pause. It’s something you can never get over.

As if they can smell death and sense this is the end. Some pull back, whine, shiver, bark, scream and even defecate and urinate. The noise they make is a different kind of scream. It is a scream and howl that truly melts your heart.

Some, as they are held down to make sure they don’t fight back, keep wagging their tails and licking your hands. They’re probably thinking they are getting a hug. Something they really need and miss. It is instead clearly a restraint, to ensure that the needle doesn’t miss the vein.

Sadly, not all of these dogs die instantly. They fight, bite, growl and sometimes even break the needle. Yes, folks, it is not always a cozy room with gas as some of you might have imagined.

Why do I tell you all this? Why do I have to be so graphic? Because it’s the truth. So before you wish to give up on your dog, think twice and get rid of the problem. This is a sad reality of shelters that due to low budget, lack of space, and the overpopulation of dogs, they have no choice but to operate this way.

It doesn’t matter whether these dogs were strays, mixed, purebred or surrendered with a long list of great qualities, most will never make it out of the shelter. And if it is a black dog or a dog with a strong personality (Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Doberman, or any type of Bull Dog), you killed it the moment you filled out the surrender form in the shelter.

Trust me; people rarely take a chance on those dogs. Their appearance, their reputation, and their size are enough to make most of us think twice.

And then there are the unfortunate black dogs: Black dogs, black cats, and even black rabbits rarely are adopted out. People just don’t see them or care for them. (Again, please understand these are not my opinions or beliefs, I am just stating the facts.) If you still doubt this, be my guest and research, black dog syndrome.

You are most likely a dog owner if you are reading this. So I am hoping you are fully dedicated to your dog and if it is a rescue dog that you own, know what that poor dog went through before he/she ended up in your care.

Folks, I've witnessed all of this and far worse when I was volunteering in shelters. It pains me just to think of this harsh reality; let alone having to go through the whole experience of it. Even tough-hearted people find themselves tearing up.

Many of you may find this hard to grasp, but in Sacramento alone, if you count all shelters, the ASPCA, and all the pet clinics, there are at least one hundred dogs being put down on a daily basis. You read it correctly—one hundred PER DAY! And if you took a closer look at their files, you couldn't help but notice that in most cases, the poor dogs were rarely at fault. In fact, they all ended up on death row because of their owners’ ignorance, poor judgment, following the wrong training method, or giving up too soon. Many ended up there because of a weak economy and the mortgage crisis.

Did you know that if you take a pregnant dog to a shelter, it could get euthanized due to lack of space or lack of volunteers?

That was another shocking reality too hard for me to accept or even to wrap my mind around. You’re probably wondering, How can they be so cruel? Or, Aren’t they supposed to all be dog lovers? Folks, being a dog lover has very little to do with it.

As I mentioned earlier, this is because there is no time or staff to take care of a pregnant dog, let alone raise those harmless cute puppies. This is the harsh reality that millions of dogs face every day, and it’s happening not only throughout the U.S, but all around the world.

I was raised in a culture that men don’t cry, but I fight my tears whenever I witness these dogs on death row. If I could, I would take every one of them home with me and give them the love, attention, and proper training that they all need and deserve. About seventy percent of the reasons why these dogs end up in these situations is because of the owners’ lack of commitment, poor judgment, ineffective training method, and, of course, failing to spay and neuter their dogs in a timely manner. As you can see-

It is NOT about the money or fame for me...

It is and has always been about the dogs!

When some people lose a loved one in a tragic manner, or if they have been a victim themselves, they often get involved in that particular field to make a difference. These individuals, whose lives have been touched or even scarred, make a difference on a much deeper level. It is because they have their heart and soul in it. They build new organizations, pass new laws, and donate their time, resources, and even money because it gives them joy and helps them heal.

A great example of this is John Walsh, the host of the TV show, America’s Most Wanted. After a child predator took his son from him, John and his wife made it their personal mission to catch bad guys. If one of those predators hadn’t taken his own flesh and blood, do you honestly think he would be as passionate and hard-working as he is today in catching these criminals? I seriously doubt it. Another good example is Nancy Grace. If she didn't lose her fiancé in such a tragic manner, she wouldn’t be the crusader that she is today. And perhaps both probably wouldn’t even have their own TV show.

In retrospect, my passion for training and understanding dogs and people is no different than John and Nancy’s passion for catching and prosecuting criminals.

My path, my talent and my gift is to teach you how to understand, communicate and train your dog the best way possible. Most importantly, my goal is to help you get there by being loving and by being diverse!

This simply means: Don’t abuse your dog, don’t limit your options and no matter what, don’t give up. But as ambitious, tireless and determined as I am, I get the fact that it is impossible to help every dog owner or dog trainer out there. So I’m hoping that perhaps this book can make a lasting impact on the lives of many more of Man’s Best Friends for years to come.

Many ask me why or how I got into this field. Don’t I get tired of it or sick of it all? The answer is always the same: "Sure, you get tired even if you do what you deeply love. But it’s also the love, the passion, and the desire that make it worthwhile."

Now you know. My inspiration comes mostly from the love I have for all dogs, and I do mean ALL dogs. I don’t care whether you own a mixed dog or a pedigree, big or tiny, bully or wussy, fearful or aggressive—they all deserve an honest chance and they all need our love and guidance.

If everything happens for a reason, then I guess I had to lose my childhood dog in a tragic manner in order to save thousands today and hopefully millions in my lifetime.

Introduction

How the Dog Training Industry Manages to Brainwash Millions of Dog Owners Worldwide.

It took over ten years of hard work, intense research, and studying thousands of cases to write this book. My mission: to find the real cause why dogs didn’t thrive to their fullest potential. I was shocked to find that the reason had very little to do with the dogs' age, breed, size, intelligence, history, or even personality, but had everything to do with the human element.

The information that you are about to read in this book will come as a shock to most of you. In fact, it contradicts everything you've ever read, tried, or believed when it comes to your dog, his mindset, and exactly HOW you’ve been training him.

For the first time in history, you will get a rare glimpse into what dog training and canine behavior is really all about. In other words, if dog psychology came in a Pandora’s Box, this book will crack it wide open.

Question: With so many different training methods out there, how do you truly know which works the best, the fastest, and considered to be the most effective way to train your dog, or ANY dog?

Answer: Your training approach needs to be logical, practical, versatile, fair, and easy to follow for you and your dog.

Welcome to the next level and the future of dog training—The Diverse Method. This is the first book of its kind that will give you a new perspective on dog trainers, their philosophy, and how this impacts you and your dog in the long run.

Did you know that there are more than four hundred breeds of dogs in the world? That’s right. Four hundred! Now, how can they all respond to one training method or one tool? Think about it. There are big dogs, small dogs, hyper dogs, mellow dogs, bully dogs, wussy dogs, stubborn dogs, sensitive dogs, overprotective dogs and gentle dogs. Don’t forget loud dogs, quiet dogs, strong dogs, sneaky dogs, vicious dogs, sweet dogs, unpredictable to unreliable dogs. We also have dogs that are food-driven, toy-driven, praise-driven, or NOT driven at all.

I’ll ask you again: How can all these different personalities respond to only one way of training or one training tool? Can they all be trained or tamed with the use of treats, spray bottle, a harness, choke chain, pinch collar, clicker, head halter or even a shock collar?

Here’s the Harsh Reality: Most experts argue that you can train or rehabilitate ANY dog, regardless of the temperament, by either positive or negative reinforcement! But it’s this assumption that also indicates the poor judgment, little experience, and lack of diversity of that trainer.

Folks, the secret is to follow a Diverse Reinforcement! Just like people, dogs never respond to strictly positive or negative approach. Now, here’s where it gets more interesting

Most Trainers Know This, But...

Only a Very Few Choose to Teach or Practice it.

It took more than a decade to write this book. I was always fascinated by all the reasons why dogs didn’t thrive to their fullest potential. My intense research in studying thousands of cases from various backgrounds was definitely enough to raise a few eyebrows: A dog’s command response or behavior pattern had very little to do with the dog’s age, intelligence, past history, or even the breed—but had everything to do with the human element.

You are not going to be safe, smart, or effective if you stubbornly rely on just one way of training as a crutch. The key to greatness is to master different training techniques.

I was shocked to find how dog owners and even trainers from all around the globe have been brainwashed. All these factors affected people’s beliefs, attitude, technique, sense of hope, determination, and, ultimately, the level of success they hoped to achieve with their dogs.

You see, the key to success is to be open-minded and versatile. It’s a known fact that once you are diverse in your training, your dog’s age, size, speed, physical strength, temperament, history, or even the level of his aggression won’t matter much. You are guaranteed to see a transformation against all odds.

Despite so many sources available today, you’ll be furious to learn how skillfully you've been misled. Get ready. You are about to read the most controversial book about dogs and the owners’ mindset and beliefs ever published. You’ll soon know why the dog training industry is threatened by this book and trying to silence my message.

After reading over two hundred books, manuals, e books, to even thick college textbooks on canine behavior, dog psychology and breed characteristics, I was very disappointed to find that only a small percentage of training schools and dog books were considered to be the real deal. What amazed me were the major flaws in their teaching philosophies. Most of their suggestions for certain problems were just irrational, impractical and ridiculous. To make matters even worse, their method was poorly planned and difficult to understand for the owners and the dogs.

After all, anybody can make something seem easy on paper, but putting it into actual use takes skill, talent, and years of experience. Many of these so-called experts missed two key elements: Practicality and being able to adapt to ANY dog! The major misconception is simply their one-method-fits-all mentality. Strangely enough, most couldn't get to the root cause of a problem. Take this example:

Doctors vs. Dog Trainers!

Let’s say you’ve made a few trips to your doctor about an ongoing back pain. Now, if you have a smart and caring physician, he/she won’t just settle by sending you home with a variety of painkillers.

Wouldn’t you want to find the real cause of your pain? After all, your body is trying to tell you that something’s wrong. What exactly could be causing this nagging pain? Did you fall, gain some weight, have a car accident or perhaps lift something heavy? How about your mattress, your bed or the lack of exercise? Did you get a new job that requires you to sit all day, stand all day or move heavy objects? Could it be a ruptured disc, a pinched nerve, muscle tension, or perhaps you might have triggered an old injury?

Sadly, we all know that the majority of doctors never bother to ask you any of these questions. And the greater your pain and the longer you’ve had it, the more they’ll experiment on you with strong drugs. As if your back pain was due to lack of Advil, Motrin or Tylenol. Hey, it must be from a Vicodin deficiency. After you’ve been sitting and waiting in that cold room half naked, the doctor presses down on your back a few more times and tells you, Here you go. Get dressed and try this new drug that just came out.

So what is my point, you ask? Unfortunately, ignoring the root cause of a problem is also extremely common among canine professionals. What makes it worse is just about all of them rely on one method and one training tool to get results. Bottom line, they rarely lay out a plan designed for that specific dog and that specific owner!

Here’s another example: Most of you have been told to always carry treats with you whenever you train your dog. Some trainers even suggest that you spread them all around your house so you are never caught off-guard. Be honest. Do you honestly consider that kind of logic as solid advice?

I’ve exposed all the flaws behind using treats in many chapters of this book. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that these days just about every trainer relies heavily on the use of food. What you don’t know is this approach only gets you quick, but short-lived results. Ironically, using treats has become so popular in recent years that poor dog owners hardly even dare to question or challenge it.

And it only gets worse: The majority of dog trainers say that you should completely ignore your dog’s bad behavior and only want you to focus on the positive. Hmm…focusing on the positive, huh? (Like when your dog’s taking a nap?)

Let’s get something straight. Didn’t you go to an expert to solve your dog’s bad behavior? Who hires a trainer and says: