Update 23 September ~ excellent news, The One Show is dropping the Fix My Dog feature. Well done to everyone who complained about the methods used. I know along with the major animal welfare and training/behavioural organisations, many individual dog trainers, rescue workers and owners also submitted their thoughts. The Cold Wet Nose blog has quoted the email it received from the BBC press office:
“The One Show has thanked viewers for all their comments and criticisms which were taken very seriously. Last night the show featured various differing opinions plus advice from The One Show’s vet on the subject of dog training and care.
There are currently no plans for this feature to return.”
I wonder if the show might consider a feature showing the appropriate way to deal with dogs with food issues, without causing distress to the dog or placing people at risk. There are plenty of reputable and qualified professionals who have worked with clients with such problems.
If you haven’t read this fantastic post from Iron Mountain Canine, I recommend taking a look. I do hope Jordan Shelley sees it and takes Iron Mountain up on the offer. It really would be great for any dogs Jordan may work with in the future, if he were to learn from those who really know their stuff.
With the exception of Jordan’s associates and friends, this issue, as has been said by others already, really does seem to have united the UK dog world – and some from further afield – which is something quite unusual!
Before I finish up, I would just like to clarify that there was never any intention in my post to “ruin” Jordan Shelley. I hadn’t heard of him until he appeared on The One Show, he’s likely a decent chap away from some of his current dog-handling techniques – and he’s still young and able to learn a different way forward if he takes note of the feedback and suggestions. Sadly I do believe that there is legitimate concern for those who may copy his methods with their own dogs (see below) and that is why so many people have felt compelled to complain about the feature and why I wrote this post.
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Does your dog ever look a bit like this around food?!!
(Photo is just a recent out-take – she’s actually very pretty and sweet! – but it seemed appropriate for this post!).
If you watched the recent “Fix My Dog” feature on BBC1′s The One Show, you may have seen a man called Jordan Shelley fending off a Jack Russell Terrier with his foot, while the poor dog was trying to eat from her bowl, and subsequently believed this is the way to deal with dogs who present issues around food? If you haven’t watched it yet, you can see it here.
This method is totally inappropriate and could place an owner in a dangerous situation*. I watched the feature in horror and disbelief. I never expected the BBC to feel this was appropriate TV viewing.
Various animal welfare organisations and dog behaviourists and trainers speaking out against this feature and rightly so, in my opinion.
The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) has issued a press release here.
The Dogs Trust has issued a statement here.
The Kennel Club has issued a statement here.
Beverley Cuddy at Dogs Today magazine has a blog post running with various statements and quotes here.
The RSPCA has confirmed that it also considers the methods used inappropriate and is writing to the show.
Other rescue organisations and individuals and animal behaviourists and trainers, including Victoria Stilwell, have also spoken out against Jordan’s methods, as shown on The One Show.
I understand the BBC has received over 400 complaints about this feature. If you would like to add to those complaints, you can do so here. There is also a petition to sign here.
If your dog has ever shown any issues around food, I would urge you to please contact a reputable dog behaviourist who uses appropriate methods, if you are not confident of how to deal with this yourself. Such issues can certainly be worked on very successfully, but not by making the dog feel more distressed and placing humans in danger. There was no don’t try this at home warning on the feature, but there should have been.
I have worked with a dog who had issues around food when we first brought them home. Using the correct methods, you can see huge improvements. I will not offer any advice here because I am a dog lover/owner and pet photographer, not a dog trainer or behaviourist, but truly, it’s definitely possible to work on this using kind and positive methods and without involving your feet! Had I tried Jordan’s methods, I suspect I may have come away with some toe-damage.
*While I was writing this blog, I have read a couple of updates. Victoria Stilwell is so horrified by The One Show’s feature that she has offered to fly to the UK, free of charge, to work with the family featured on the show. Quoted from Victoria’s facebook page:
I’m worried now that the family is in danger of getting bitten by their JR after the abusive techniques that were used by Jordan Shelley on the BBC’s One Show and if so the JR will get put down. If anyone knows who the family is, please tell them that I will come over to England free of charge and teach them how to stop their dog guarding in a humane and beautifully effective way. No point in just complaining, I want to save this dog and this family. Please send this to everyone you know.
I have also just read some extremely sad – but not altogether surprising news – on a facebook page which has been launched to campaign against Jordan’s TV feature. Apparently a lady in the UK copied what she saw on last Friday’s episode of The One Show. This resulted in her dog biting her grandchild
Thankfully the bite was not a severe one, but the owner no longer feels they can trust the dog and so the dog has been put to sleep. A very sad outcome indeed. I REALLY hope the BBC will take note of all the complaints and ensure that such methods are not featured on the show again.
Since I am having a bit of a rant about training methods (I use that term loosely), I will also mention that it’s not appropriate or acceptable to yank heavily on your dog’s lead if they don’t sit when asked at a kerb. Nor is it fair or helpful to smack your dog in the face when they fail to recall. Both examples I have sadly witnessed for myself in the last couple of weeks. If your dog doesn’t come when called, work on your bond and training using positive methods. Walking off and leaving your dog with complete strangers and their dogs, then coming back to your dog and smacking them because they ignored your repeated shouting-from-a-distance is not going to help your relationship with your dog, or his/her recall.
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