# Is doggy dan any good? Please help



## Billy Jones (Oct 16, 2018)

Hey fellow dog owners! 2 weeks ago me and my wife rescued a 9 months old dog from a shelter, her name is Holly - she is a very bright and energetic girl. We were super happy that we saved her and provided her with a warm house and love. But problems started to arrise as she has never been trained and the last dog we had was 5 years ago so we tried all the stuff we knew but it didn't work out. She still pulls on the leash, bites the furniture etc. So the other day I heard about this guy doggy dan in a facebook group and searched to check whether he's actually legit. I found some reviews and articles like this one https://treatfortrick.com/doggy-dans-online-dog-trainer-review/ where the writer actually tried the training on his dog but I'm still not sure. What do you think, is it legit? Anyone tried doggy dans program? Thank you a lot in advance!!


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

From the reviews and his websites, it looks pretty mediocre to me. There's no reason for a modern, up to date dog trainer to be using "alpha" methods, or to be spreading that nonsense about how you constantly have to be dominant over your dog and do things like eat before them or else they'll take over your home. This way of thinking has been long debunked as simply not how dogs think or work, and when a trainer insists on holding onto this philosophy it makes me worry about what else they're out of date on.

He also makes reference about how "bribing with food" doesn't work in the long-term, which means he either doesn't understand how reward based training works or is deliberately misleading people. It's an individual's choice whether they want to use corrections in training, but that choice should NOT be made based on outright falsehoods like how food rewards are the same as bribing and can never get reliable results (plenty of people working in dog behavior or running highly competitive sports dogs would disagree there, for one). I also side-eye a trainer that claims they've never met a dog they couldn't train or a behavior problem they couldn't solve, because it just feels like smarmy marketing at that point.

And, for me, him proudly declaring himself an "animal rights activist" would have me running the other way. I'm all for animal _welfare_, but animal _rights_ groups get up to some pretty shady and awful stuff and I go out of my way to avoid directly or indirectly supporting them.


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## Lillith (Feb 16, 2016)

Number one, you've had this adolescent dog for TWO WEEKS. She's still settling in to her new home, and your expectations for her should be pretty low right now! Her behavior sounds absolutely normal for a 9 month old pup. It takes months of consistent training and management to truly see results!

Doggy Dan looks like a nut. I would avoid him. I have nothing to add to DaySleepers's assessment. 

My advice, enroll in a positive, rewards based puppy obedience class. They're typically low cost and only require an hour a week of your time, plus maybe 10 minutes of "homework." Read some of the training advice on this forum. It's free. Try YouTube trainers such as Kikopup or Zak George. They're free. Avoid trainers like Cesar Milan or any trainer that promotes "dominance theory" or "being the alpha of your pack." That is likely to answer many of your basic puppy training questions, and the members here are always willing to offer their advice if you get stuck.

If you haven't already, invest in a crate. It's a safe option for "house eaters" when you can't 100% supervise. Look up "crate games" on this forum to learn how to acclimate your dog to being confined in one.

But seriously, you've had her for two weeks! There is no need to panic or worry that your dog is untrainable. A few basic puppy classes and watching some YouTube videos will go a long way!


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## LeoRose (Aug 20, 2015)

Eh, he doesn't seem as bad as some (to whit, a TV personality who passes himself off as a dog trainer) but also not nearly as good as other resources. Personally, I am a fan of the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy for online learning. 

If you want something free, then the e-book "Growing Up FDSA" covers a lot of territory. https://fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/growing-up-fdsa-free-ebook 

There is a class called Raising a Performance Puppy in the self-study section that covers basic puppy obedience. https://fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/24 Don't be put off by the word "performance" in the class name. It's really basic skills every dog needs. 

There will also be a class running in the December session that will cover basic everyday dog training, called Training Levels. https://fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/7435 Live classes have three levels of participation, and unlike self-study classes, where you only get the lectures, a live class will have forums where the instructors give one-to-one feedback to to top level students. All students taking a live class can follow the forums, as well as join student discussion groups of Facebook specifically for that class.


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## oldNgray (Aug 3, 2018)

I've read enough negative reviews that I wouldn't pay money for his training videos. I did check out his YouTube uploads, but they are all advertisements for his online training program. 

I found a 2-hour Jean Donaldson video on YouTube that I really like. You can watch a little bit, follow up with training, watch a bit more, train, etc. It is called Train Your Dog Like a Pro DVD: Perfect Paws. It is a step-by-step instruction to show viewers how to teach their dog the basics: Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Walk on Leash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAFw2Pb_Mb8&t=1920s

Here are a bunch of videos from McCann Dog Training that you'll likely found helpful and maybe even entertaining: https://www.youtube.com/user/McCannDogs/videos

I love to listen to Stonnie Dennis talk about handler/dog relationships and how each dog is an individual so the handler needs to adapt to their dog's ability and skill level: https://www.youtube.com/user/StonnieDennis

A lot of people like Zak George. He comes across as a likeable guy, provided you can ignore his self-promotion and his self-serving mini commercials for pet companies that give him kickbacks. I have enjoyed most of his videos but can handle them only in small doses: https://www.youtube.com/user/zakgeorge21/videos

LeoRose, I have checked out the Fenzi Sports Academy website several times. LOTS of interesting classes, even for those of us with no interest in competitive dog sports. Best as I can tell, the online instructors are quite knowledgeable. I cannot justify a $130 Silver or $260 Gold class (both include student participation), but one day I might give a $65 Bronze class a go. Any of the Foundations classes look like a fun place to start.


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## Billy Jones (Oct 16, 2018)

Thank you all for the feedback! It's true that it has been only 2 weeks and we totally let the fact that she is still setting slip up! That's why I like forums, people with tons on knowledge. experience and unbiased opinion can be found here. Also will take a look at the suggested videos, thanks! Though the doggy dan guy has a 1$ trial so I'll take a glimpse at the program and see whether it's worth the money.


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

Evidently, opinions vary. Here is one clown's take on Doggy Dan. LMAO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHD_OGW6cuY

Frankly, in my opinion? Doggy Dan, as well as the OP's link to treatfortrick are in the same league as TV infomercials. In the grand scheme of dog training, they are BOTTOM FEEDERS. They're certainly not quality nor professional sources that I would ever recommend. I firmly believe that P.T. Barnum's philosophy of "a sucker born every minute" can be applied to both of them.

Peter Caine is in a league of his own. He is the supreme MORON, head and shoulders above the rest.


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