OK, I admit it. I’m a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fan. Crazy as it may be, after being a celebrity publicist for years, I find the ridiculous dramas these women get themselves into a great source of mindless entertainment. So, when we were introduced to Kim Richards’ new dog, Kingsley this season, I thought it might bring some sweetness to the prickly and bitchy ladies of Bev Hills. And it did. Kim and Kingsley do love each other and you can see how the dog has helped Kim in her struggle this past year with getting and staying sober. She coos at him and cuddles him and he plays with her, bowing and fetching. That’s all good. But Kingsley, as a one year old Pit Bull puppy, is very active and strong. And because Kim doesn’t know how to train him, Kingsley is chaos on paws!
If you watch the RHOBH, too, you’ll know that Kim hired a dog trainer. This guy, David Utter, keeps telling Kim that Kingsley is spoiled and shouldn’t be coddled. Instead, Utter manhandles Kingsley appearing to roughly shove him on his side with his leg and generally treat the dog inhumanely. There’s been a lot of backlash against this trainer’s methods online. Studies have proven that quiet, positive-reinforcement training is how to teach a dog. To show love and respect is to teach love and respect. Fear or compulsion training, as it’s called, creates aggression where the dog tries to protect itself from the trainer.
That Kim is questioning David Utter’s methods is a great thing. Hopefully, she will figure it all out soon. I love the positive training of experts like Victoria Stilwell, of It’s Me Or The Dog tv fame. Her book Train Your Dog Positively is a great tool, receives 5 stars in reviews and is widely respected. You can pick one up here.
Do you watch the RHOBH? What do you think about Kingsley and Kim’s choice of trainers? What experience have you had with trainers, good and bad?
Until next time…
