Victoria Stilwell in the US - anyone seen the new series?

alphadog · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 03:10 PM

Victoria Stilwell has taken her TV programme, It's Me Or The Dog, over to America and it's being aired on Sky 1 over here.

Has anyone seen it? Any views on VS?

I remember the episode where she advised a family to have their spaniel pts after he bit the daughter, I haven't been able to watch one of her shows since because that left such a bitter taste. I didn't feel that enough avenues were explored before she advised euthanaisia (you could even say that she scared the family into making that decision), I cried for a week wondering how many people might have seen that show and made the same decision

If anyone has any info on that particular case, that wasn't edited into the final episode cut, and can put my mind to rest I would be very grateful

Nicky09 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 03:12 PM

I like her in that she encourages positive reinforcement rather than negative training. I would always be uneasy about a dog that had bitten a child anyway but I would try a lot of different methods before I went to the vet to have it pts.

Yogi B · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 04:44 PM

I watch it when I get the chance and I actually find her methods better than Cesar Milans. As for putting a dog down for any reason outside of illness, well lets just say that several of my rescues literally are rescues as they were set to be pts for aggression issues. I have had them now for years. Granted, they do not do other people well but as I live by myself I am not concerned and this way they can live out their lives as dogs with little human intervention accept from me and it works well.

Nonnie · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 04:47 PM

Victoria's Comment on 'Benjy' Episode

The info regarding that cocker can be found here.

Quote:

Victoria's Comment on the 'Benjy' Episode

October 17, 2006

Following the airing of tonight�s (Oct. 17, 2006) episode of �It�s Me or the Dog� on Channel 4, I am aware of many viewers� sadness after watching the program, as it is a sentiment I share. In the episode, one of the family�s cocker spaniels, Benjy, unfortunately had to be put to sleep after having bitten their youngest daughter three times and then mauling their middle daughter unprovoked. We had worked very hard with the family and with Benjy during the filming of the program, but while real progress was made regarding his training, he ultimately had too strong a history of unprovoked attacks on children, and this was something that couldn�t be ignored. Six weeks after finishing the filming of the program, Benjy mauled the daughter, causing significant injuries. It is my firm belief as a dog trainer that once a dog has bitten, he can never be trusted 100% not to bite again. The sad fact is that while this behaviour can be modified and managed, there is always a possibility of a bite happening again if the dog�s bite threshold is reached. There is also a difference between a bite and a mauling. The attack on the little girl was a frenzied attack and was classed as a mauling.

I was shocked when I heard Benjy had attacked again, and deeply saddened by the realization that this dog could never be successfully rehomed without significant threat of harm to its owners or others. Many have suggested that he could have been trained to become a �police dog� or a �drugs dog,� but this was unfortunately not an option, either. While dogs that work for police can be taught to direct what looks like aggressive behaviour towards specific targets, most of these dogs are trained to behave in a certain way without feeling it. They are trained that barking and then biting a suspect is a game for which they receive a reward such as a ball after their job has been completed. These dogs would not be any good if they felt aggression when they were doing their work. They are the most highly trained of all dogs, and represent 100% success, as they must be trusted with their behavior in all circumstances, all the time. Benjy, while a very intelligent, loving dog, was not to be trusted. With evidence of what occurred before, during and after the attack there was also suspicion of a neurological condition known as rage syndrome and this had been discussed with the vet. The mother had also been on the receiving end of a mauling where the dog exhibited the same kind of strange behaviour before, during and after the attack. Rage syndrome is a well-documented condition that has been linked with epilepsy, where the dog has no comprehension of what is has done, before, during and after an attack. The dog will have a glazed look in its eyes and will normally be very quiet after an attack, similar to a fit.

While I agree that watching what Benjy and his owners went through was painful and very upsetting, I feel that the most responsible thing we could have done was illustrate how difficult the whole situation was for everyone involved. Too many dog owners take their dog�s problems too lightly, and as we have seen in recent news reports, the result of that irresponsibility can be truly tragic. As the mother of a 2-year old, I know how hard it can be to monitor the content our children watch on TV, and I feel that a program like tonight's, while difficult, was not improper.

I feel terribly sad for Benjy and his owners � losing a pet under any circumstances is extremely difficult, and when the owners must make that decision themselves, it is unimaginably tragic. I am adamantly against putting pets to sleep when it is unwarranted, and unfortunately, far too many pets are lost that could be saved and rehomed. The vast majority of the work I�ve done over the years has been with rescue shelters in New York City, where the euthanasia problem is out of control. I have personally saved over 40 animals from being put to sleep and am constantly trying to think of ways to save more. That is not to say, however, that dogs should never be put to sleep. In rare cases, I feel that keeping dangerous dogs alive ultimately does more harm than good.

Part of my responsibility as host of �It�s Me or the Dog� is to not shy away from the difficult decisions, and while I would rather that every episode end in success, the cold, hard truth is that sometimes there are unhappy endings. I think it would have been far more irresponsible for us to not air tonight�s program or temper the impact its conclusion had on everyone involved.

I understand the anger and upset that many viewers felt watching tonight�s episode, and I share it. It was not lightly that I made the decision to encourage the owners to put Benjy to sleep, but I do believe it was the right decision.

Victoria Stilwell

I agree 100% with the decision.

dexter · #5 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 04:48 PM

i personally enjoy watching her , although i'd like to see an odd failure

.
I watched the programme tonight

alphadog · #6 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 05:58 PM

Thanks Nonnie

I had wondered about rage syndrome but as there was no mention of it on the programme I (wrongly) assumed that she had failed with this case and instead of recommending that the family take advice from a different style of dog professional, she suggested pts intead in a moment of defeat.

The problem with TV editing raises it's ugly head again, a la Cesar Milan!

#7 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 06:00 PM

I personally like watching her and think shes great

SpringerHusky · #8 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 06:01 PM

It's interesting to watch, I missed the one with the cocker I only started watching it last Wednesday. It's interesting to see the different methods and how they work, I haven't seen her in years so it's refreshing too.

Guinevere13 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 07:21 PM

I like the fact that it is all positive reinforcement, no dominance over the dog just letting it asociate good things with doing the right thing. She is very straight with the owners as well, letting them know exactly what they have done wrong. I think she was doing some marriage guidance today - making them trust each other by climbing a wall blindfold! All so they could look after the dogs better though

AussieLuv · #10 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 07:35 PM

I've watched a couple of her episodes and thought they were awful. I can't remember which episodes or what they were about, but I remember laughing at some of her suggestions. Maybe I just gave up on her to soon, but I didnt enjoy watching her.. maybe I'll try wathing an episode again

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