I cannot be more against the ear-pinch method. It ruined a good dog for me, and caused me a dog's lifetime of regret, not to mention many tears.
My first dog was Neechee, as you all know. He was my first "hands-on" dog of my adult life (I was raised with dogs, but they were all "yard dogs" and "hunting dogs" - not very integrated into the family.) He was enrolled in puppy classes from the age of 8 weeks on. Our trainer was an obedience competitor from way back, with Corgis and Goldens, and thought Neechee had what it took to make a good competitor. So he was put on the competition track, and was in training classes for almost 6 years straight.
Neechee was a big retriever just in playing (though he initially had to be taught that trying to herd it back to me wasn't the way to go). He never (and I mean NEVER) refused a retrieve while playing. I let my trainer (in all other respects, and excellent trainer) talk me into using the ear pinch method. I was told that unless there was a negative aspect to NOT bringing the dumbbell back, the dog wouldn't properly learn the behavior.
Neechee was NEVER trained with negative conditioning. I read everything I could get my hands on about operant conditioning, and made a conscious effort to avoid anything negative.
The class came about when I was forced to make a decision. I had resisted for a while, and saw others in the class use the method. All the others had good results, and dogs that would eagerly retrieve on command. So I made the horrific mistake of trying it.
Little Neechee (all 12 pounds and 13 inches of him) was shocked that I would do anything to hurt him and revealed a surprisingly stubborn streak. He basically shut down and refused to do ANYTHING. He just stood there and yelped bloody murder. I won't go into all the gory details (I am ashamed of myself as it is), but I was unashamedly in tears by the end of the class. For hours afterwards, I held my dog and cried. I STILL cry when I think of that awful day. As much as I could, I tried to make it up to him.
My cheerful little boy, who brought me toys and asked to play all the time NEVER PLAYED AGAIN. Oh yes, he would retrieve when asked, but his sweet little puppy spirit was broken.
Eventually, he recovered and would play with me using hands only, but he never touched a toy for over 10 years. (Later in life, when he developed an inexplicable hatred of closing doors, telephones and doorbells, he would seize any toy or sock or clothing in the floor and viciously shake it in a temper tantrum.) For the rest of his long life, he wouldn't play like he did before.
My Border Collies were NEVER trained using the ear pinch method. I had the same trainer for them, but I absolutely refused to use her methods. I used strictly positive reinforcement (by this time, I was in college taking psychology courses), and developed my own system based on the personality of the dog. After Neechee, I never had another dog (and I had 3) that refused a retrieve in the ring.
It saddens me that this horrible method is getting any exposure at all. While I admit that some dogs may do well on this method with SOME trainers, I'm not one of them. I strongly disapprove of it. I'll never use it, and I'll never recommend that anyone else does, either.
It is the one great regret of my life that I used it with Neechee. I was so lucky that he loved me enough to forgive me, because I never to this day have forgiven myself (and I find myself apologizing to his ashes on occasion).
If you haven't tried this method, DON'T. Shelties don't need it. They are bred to be gentle, willing, and joyful. Don't ruin that. You can almost always fix the physical damage, but the emotional and mental damage is there permanently.
My first dog was Neechee, as you all know. He was my first "hands-on" dog of my adult life (I was raised with dogs, but they were all "yard dogs" and "hunting dogs" - not very integrated into the family.) He was enrolled in puppy classes from the age of 8 weeks on. Our trainer was an obedience competitor from way back, with Corgis and Goldens, and thought Neechee had what it took to make a good competitor. So he was put on the competition track, and was in training classes for almost 6 years straight.
Neechee was a big retriever just in playing (though he initially had to be taught that trying to herd it back to me wasn't the way to go). He never (and I mean NEVER) refused a retrieve while playing. I let my trainer (in all other respects, and excellent trainer) talk me into using the ear pinch method. I was told that unless there was a negative aspect to NOT bringing the dumbbell back, the dog wouldn't properly learn the behavior.
Neechee was NEVER trained with negative conditioning. I read everything I could get my hands on about operant conditioning, and made a conscious effort to avoid anything negative.
The class came about when I was forced to make a decision. I had resisted for a while, and saw others in the class use the method. All the others had good results, and dogs that would eagerly retrieve on command. So I made the horrific mistake of trying it.
Little Neechee (all 12 pounds and 13 inches of him) was shocked that I would do anything to hurt him and revealed a surprisingly stubborn streak. He basically shut down and refused to do ANYTHING. He just stood there and yelped bloody murder. I won't go into all the gory details (I am ashamed of myself as it is), but I was unashamedly in tears by the end of the class. For hours afterwards, I held my dog and cried. I STILL cry when I think of that awful day. As much as I could, I tried to make it up to him.
My cheerful little boy, who brought me toys and asked to play all the time NEVER PLAYED AGAIN. Oh yes, he would retrieve when asked, but his sweet little puppy spirit was broken.
Eventually, he recovered and would play with me using hands only, but he never touched a toy for over 10 years. (Later in life, when he developed an inexplicable hatred of closing doors, telephones and doorbells, he would seize any toy or sock or clothing in the floor and viciously shake it in a temper tantrum.) For the rest of his long life, he wouldn't play like he did before.
My Border Collies were NEVER trained using the ear pinch method. I had the same trainer for them, but I absolutely refused to use her methods. I used strictly positive reinforcement (by this time, I was in college taking psychology courses), and developed my own system based on the personality of the dog. After Neechee, I never had another dog (and I had 3) that refused a retrieve in the ring.
It saddens me that this horrible method is getting any exposure at all. While I admit that some dogs may do well on this method with SOME trainers, I'm not one of them. I strongly disapprove of it. I'll never use it, and I'll never recommend that anyone else does, either.
It is the one great regret of my life that I used it with Neechee. I was so lucky that he loved me enough to forgive me, because I never to this day have forgiven myself (and I find myself apologizing to his ashes on occasion).
If you haven't tried this method, DON'T. Shelties don't need it. They are bred to be gentle, willing, and joyful. Don't ruin that. You can almost always fix the physical damage, but the emotional and mental damage is there permanently.
I know this because I know the trainer she went to, told her not too-for various reasons) She got her CDX but that was as far as it went because she got to utility and found out in the ring that she wouldn't be corrected and no one would make she find articles that was it . SO much for the realible 100% retrieve.
She was her owner's first obedience dog and believed that was the way it should be done. Nothing I could say would change her mind. The trainer has over 25 yrs training obedience , who was I. Sad part I have 2 UDXs(in 2 AKC dogs so far) and the so called professional trainer(1 UDX in 25 yrs).