Meet Bear. Bear was the first dog that went through our adopt program. We routinely adopt dogs from a local shelter, train them and find them new, permanent homes.
When I first meet Bear, he had been in the shelter for a pretty long time and was losing his chance at finding a home. At the time, he was 115 pounds of pure muscle. It took myself, two leashes and another trainer to get him from his kennel run into my vehicle. He did not mean to be problematic. He was just SO strong and once he was out of his kennel he simple put his shoulders into it and WENT (and he took anyone attached to the leash with him!)
The overwhelming power of his pulling on leash and jumping on people made him a poor candidate for adoption. He was simple too much for people to consider taking him home.
We adopted Bear and began a remote collar training program. Within days he became very easy to walk and he could be trusted to run off leash but still come back when called. Bear stayed with us for a couple months until we found him a home with a student who came through the TMD E-cademy.
It has been 6 years and Bear is still doing fantastic.
While nay-sayers can tout that *shock collars* are harmful to dogs and cause undo stress…we know the truth, used properly they are a fantastic tool that create happy, well balanced dogs.
By providing this training option that works quickly and effectively for the average pet owner we are going to keep helping these dogs considered un-adoptable find permanent homes.
Good boy Bear. 🙂
Woof!
Good job everyone for helping with this dog (just found this site, so am commenting now!). Sounds like he fell into the right hands at the right time and is living the high life for it!
I’m amazed though, that they let you take him if they knew that you were going to train him with an e-collar and be so “cruel” to him. With some of the hoops that rescues and some shelters make adopters jump through, and strings they attach to their dogs, I’ve seen at least one adoption application where I’d be denied just because I use certain tools in my training program. Or is this a shelter with which you have a good working relationship?
I’m very fortunate that this shelter is educated and they *get it* that dogs can be helped with other methods besides just *all positive*. Don’t get me wrong, I’m big in favor of the use of treats, toys, praise and all forms of reinforcing good behavior, but when any organization limits their thinking, tools or methodology to just one…the dog’s end up paying the price.
Thanks for visiting the blog and hope you join us often!
Robin
I, along with Renee, remember Bear! If any dog can be a testament to just how wonderful and instrumental a tool a remote collar is, it’s Bear. Along with that wonderful “tool” goes the understanding and finesse Robin has taught all of her students, grads (myself included : ), and people that are fortunate and open-minded enough to take a look and listen to what Robin is saying.
Bear would not be the “Living Remote-Collar Legend” he is without Robin, Renee, and of course, Pat. He has made many fans and friends along the way, and will continue to entertain and warm hearts wherever he goes.
Happy, woof-woof to Pat & Bear!
I am the proud owner of Bear, and am happy to report that he is the apple of about 1,000 tiny puppies’ eyes, king of the patio, and a very large couch companion. He’s an imposing teddy bear, with that short tail wagging like crazy when he figures out we are getting in the car. If he could speak English it might look like “yahoo! Collar, leash, car!!” We end up in local open areas where he can run and sniff – and always come back when I ask him to. Thank you remote collar!! I just LOVE this dog!
I am so happy to see this update on Bear!! I adored that dog, and I certainly remember being the “anyone attached to the leash”!! Belly surfing across the lawn of the humane society is a memory that still makes me laugh!! Great job training him up and finding a place for him to ‘be’. 🙂
I had the very pleasure of working with Bear as we looked for a home for him. He was a big lug of a dog with a heart of gold. Taking him out in public to the festivals in Dubuque IA, teaching him a retrieve and working with him in group classes was a blast. He wouldn’t have made it out of the shelter and had so many cool experiences without the benefit of a remote collar. He loved showing off for the E-cademy students and it makes me incredibly happy to hear he is still happy and healthy in his forever home. Hugs from this trainer to my favorite Bear!