Training program! - good?

I dont know if you guys remember but i had a bit of a problem with the dogs barking before and then got it under control but know its started up again!!!!!!!!!! And to my absolute horror one of the neighbours complained to the council and we got a warning and i am totally freaking out!....

Anyway so we looked around and called up these Dog training people "Dog Tech" (Man who started it does the "Dog Whisperer" show in Aus) recommended by the Vet and some friends...anyway a lady came today and she said that we are having like Leadership problems...and that we are letting the dogs be like the Alpha of the pack and to get rid of these barking problems we need to first make ourselves their "leader"...

so anyway she showed a few training things we should do every day with them and it was all great...and then she said (btw this like like a 4 week course thing) that for the first 2 weeks i have to completely ignore the dogs...meaning no patting them, no acknowledgiing them, no playing with them..no NOTHING!!!! Only when i feed them and do the training methods can i even pay any attention to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....how can i just ignore them for 2 weeks!!!!!! like they can be around and all but i cant got and pat them or anything like that....has anyone heard of anything like this?!?

anyway thanks..

You must train a lot!!!!!!!!!

Boy I'm really sorry -- that's a tough situation to be in! And annoying as well.

Yeah, I've heard of things along those lines. I don't put much value in anything that extreme -- you can establsih good leadership in many ways. But leadership is really not elated to what dogs do if no one is there to supervise, at least in terms of barking, and if they are telling you otherwise, I'd wonder how they expect a stimulated or bored dog not to bark. Training not to bark is not easy -- unless you are there ALL the time. Dogs on their own bark because they are bored, or stimulated by outside noise, not because they feel they run the show. You will really need to keep the dogs indoors more than go through a leadership programme with them -- have yet to hear of something like that stop dogs from barking when no one is home.

Cavaliers and most dogs really do need to be indoors anyway when no one is home. It is natural for dogs to bark if they are outside and hear noises. Very few dogs will sit silently in response to lots of outdoor stimulus.

If you are going to follow their approach however you need to stick with that approach or there's no point in doing it halfway. Most trainers do not have you ignore the dogs all the time -- you ignore them when the behaviour is undesireable and not appropriate, usually.

You must train a lot!!!!!!!!!

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sorry??

Thanks for that Karlin.

I asked how this had to do with them stopping their barking and she said they are always on the go because they think they are the leader and they need to "protect" the house and that its their job to warn us ..and that the only reason they are thinking like this is because they dont consider me alpha to them...

Most trainers do not have you ignore the dogs all the time -- you ignore them when the behaviour is undesireable and not appropriate, usually

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well its meant to only be for the 1st 2 weeks....not exactly sure why..

Its been like a day since i started this and its already killing me! its so hard not to have any contact with them! but i think im going to go through with this program because people have said it has worked for them and its been highly recommended.....ive just never heard of any training program like this before?and not sure how all this is relevant with the problem

Wow I am sorry this situation has come up for you. I've never had a barkey dog so I have no sage advice to offer. I sure hope it works out.