SAN FRANCISCO — Six-year-old Mikey is a German Shepard Husky combine. His canine mother Elena Zulueta was nervous about his conduct as he acted aggressively whereas walking close to folks.
She tried completely different trainers and even a boarding college. She hoped {that a} four-hour session with controversial canine coach Augusto Deoliveira would yield some optimistic modifications.
“I’ve a vicious canine right here in order that’s why we need to simply attempt it to see if it could assist,” Zulueta mentioned.
She was met with protesters as she entered a San Francisco building on Saturday afternoon. Many of the protesters had been canine trainers. They keep that Deoliveira, who’s higher identified on social media as The Dog Daddy, is abusing animals.
“Each one among us has our personal opinion however, for me, if it could assist my canine, why not?” Zulueta requested.
The Dog Daddy has hundreds of thousands of followers. He claimed to have modified the conduct of a number of the worst dogs however critics say he makes use of power and inflicts ache and will get solely non permanent compliance.
“Unfortunately, they’re the victims of an unregulated trade and the factor that they are attempting subsequent is one thing that might probably make their canine a lot, a lot worse,” mentioned Christina Cambie, a canine coach and conduct guide.
There are not any laws on the subject of canine coaching. No license required thus no oversight.
“Is this the way you need to deal with your canine? Would you utilize these strategies on a baby to make them obey?” requested Ren Volpe, a canine coach and conduct guide.
KPIX was not allowed contained in the coaching session. An attendee supplied a video of Saturday’s session which confirmed the Dog Daddy working with roughly 30 house owners.
Dog house owners mentioned they’d paid $100 to $400 to attend. Many mentioned it was their final resort.
“(My canine Sophia has) already bitten one other canine or two within the neighborhood and I do not need it to escalate the place she may harm a human and the ultimate might occur — euthansia,” mentioned proprietor Paula Kotzen.
Kotzen mentioned she helps The Dog Daddy and believes his technique might help her canine.
“There’s quite a lot of misunderstanding on what I do as a result of, whenever you attain hundreds of thousands of individuals every day, there’s quite a lot of completely different opinions that get fashioned,” Deoliveira instructed KPIX.
Deoliveira conducts one-day coaching periods throughout the nation. He mentioned he has years of expertise working with dogs. He mentioned that, in every session, he supplies strategies that canine house owners can take home to work on sustainable conduct modifications.
“The false impression that I’m abusing dogs comes from folks that do not perceive that, particularly, the sorts of dogs that come to me are dogs which might be very out-of-control. They have tried every little thing else,” Deoliveira mentioned.
For Zulueta, she mentioned Mikey was very calm after the coaching.
“It’s superb. It’s very informative. I’m very glad and happy,” Zulueta mentioned.
The Dog Daddy has scheduled one other coaching session later this month in Sacramento. Protesters mentioned they plan to show at that occasion as nicely.