Dog Trainers' Methods Trigger Abuse Claims

February 4, 2009

New York City dog trainer Tibor Feigel knows firsthand the weight various thoughts of obedience can hold; he has been criticized online for abusing dogs, but he says that his training methods are just misunderstood. (Pet Pulse Photo by Tim Mattson)

Controversy in the world of dog training, with old methods pitted against the new. Some call the old way of training abusive, preferring the newer method of encouragement and reward. One New York city-based trainer has come under scrutiny for his training techniques.

NEW YORK -- Dog training has never been more glamorous than in the past few years, following the 2004 debut of National Geographic Channel's hit series "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan."

While the show has brought canine care and training to the forefront of American households, a shroud of confusion still engulfs the booming industry of dog training.

"You know there are TV shows, and they are very entertaining, but it's a TV show and really serious problems can't be fixed in a half an hour," said Barbara Dyer, New Jersey director of the Humane Society of America.

Among behaviorists and devoted animal lovers, a debate wages between various schools of thought, as the general public is stuck waffling -- trying to make sense of new terms such as clickers, "flooding" and being a pack leader.

That is where trainers, like New York City-based Tibor Feigel, are getting caught in the crossfire. Feigel runs the NYC-based company, Zen K-9, and he and his workers are often seen walking and training packs of dogs, big and small, in the public fish bowl of Central Park.

Although Feigel is often praised for putting his clients' dogs into a Zen-like state, his methods have come under scrutiny, launching an Internet campaign against him and his company.

One anonymous e-mail that was forwarded to Pet Pulse News read, " ... a pack walking company named Zen K-9 is using force to train and walk the dogs. They have been seen punching, kicking, hanging and two dogs died running in traffic as the head trainer was loading his van."

Other similar e-mails and online postings flooded the message board under the company’s demo on YouTube.com. However, Pet Pulse News was unable to track down or identify the people behind the e-mails.

Despite the reports that have surfaced online, mainly on YouTube.com, the New York Police Department and Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have not received any formal complaints against Zen K-9.

However, Rescue Ink, a New York City-based rescue nonprofit, received approximately 300 complaints about Feigel's training techniques. Rescue Ink members say that they believe there is no merit to the claims, given the lack of first-hand accounts.

Rescue Ink also has not found a picture or video proving the alleged abuse.

Feigel says he believes that a female competitor is behind the attacks and has hired an attorney, who has virtually had most of the e-mail messages deleted from Internet message boards.

Feigel did say, however, that some people may misinterpret his techniques as excessive.

"Of course, people see us submitting the dog ... Submission is the question pretty much. Is it my technique that's harsh?" asked Feigel, who often trains dogs with behavioral issues.

"I believe in the very calm, but assertive energy and as long as we can keep that in front of them, there is no need for punching, kicking, hitting, or even using just a piece of stick to get them to where they need to be."

Contrary to the Internet claims, no animal has ever died in his care, says Feigel, who also uses assertive body language and a training collar for correcting.

"So old school, new school, I'm using everything that is out there," Feigel said. "I would never harm or abuse an animal."

Claims like the ones made against Feigel, regardless of their actual authenticity, are never to be taken lightly when first presented. In a separate case, one 30-year dog training veteran has recently learned that all too well, as he is now facing animal cruelty charges in New Jersey.

Abuse Claims Land Trainer in Court

Jeffrey Loy is accused of using, among other things, a cattle prod, a sling shot, a PVC pipe and his bare hands to curb a dog's behavior.

"I was appalled when I heard that and really shocked that anybody would do some of those things," Dyer said.

New Jersey SPCA's Cpl. Al Peterson says Loy's methods have been objected to by professionals in the animal cruelty, the animal behavior and the animal training industries.

The seven cases now pending against Loy date back to 1995, which is within New Jersey's statute of limitation. Cpl. Peterson says many people feared coming forward before now because of threats Loy made against them, their pets and veterinarians.

"One of the complainants had described to me that he was afraid to come forward for fear of a lawsuit," Peterson said.

All of Loy's clients signed non-disclosure and hold-harmless agreements. He was paid up to a thousand dollars a session. Authorities say some of them were referred to Loy by their veterinarians. As part of the Loy investigation, officials are looking into whether the vets knew of Loy's training methods and participated in the harassment of his clients.

Barbara Dyer, with the NJ State Humane Society, says fear should never be a part of dog training.

"A trainer really shouldn't dominate a dog or you," she said. "If your dog is afraid of the trainer, you should be afraid, also ... Any training methods that punishes or uses submission is out of date. Everything today is positive."

Knowing What's Abuse & What's Not

Usually consumers can trust professionals, but in an unregulated industry, pet owners are wise to be fully aware of various training techniques.

Dyer says any training methods that punish or use submission is out-of-date. Feigel, who does use submission as part of his training for certain dogs, falls within this category.

"They think submission is pinning an animal to the ground and keeping it there," Fiegel said of the kinds of methods which give submission a bad name. "Submission can just be me looking at a dog and he is going to respond by sitting down or laying down."

The Humane Society of the United States, the SPCA and law enforcement agencies all say any type of physical or mental abuse is unacceptable. This includes, choking, yelling or screaming, kicking, punching, and the use of shock collars.

"Anything that falls into the guideline of animal cruelty is not animal behavior modification, it is not training," said Cpl. Peterson.

The best method, according to the Humane Society of the United States, is encouragement and reward.

"Trust yourself, you may not quite understand what is going on, but if it doesn't seem right, stop it," Dyer advised. "Stop the session and speak to your trainer about it."

The HSUS also encourages pet owners to trust their instincts about trainers and to use common sense. If you suspect your pet is being harmed, report it immediately to either the SPCA or the local authorities.

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