Dissapointed in 4th US season

Discussion of Victoria's TV show, It's Me or the Dog.

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

sj96skittles
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:38 pm
Location: Texas

Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by sj96skittles »

So far I'm a little dissapointed in the new season. I dont know about yall but I dont really like how Vic's episodes are focusing too much on family counsling. Sorry but i thought it was a dog training show. I mean I know they show how the fam's problems affect the dog(s), but its too much family counsling and not enough dog training. What do yall think?
LeighSD
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:30 pm

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by LeighSD »

I hate to admit it, but I feel the same way. I'm really disappointed! This season it's 3/4 sitting on the couch figuring out the humans' issues, and then 1/4 "oh, walk your dog and it will all get better." Now don't get me wrong, I KNOW that the owners' problems directly relate to the dog's problems. They have to work out the laziness, resentment, inappropriate punishment, etc... before they can be successful at changing their dog's behavior. However, we're not getting the same level of dog training theory and application that we used to get.

I found it especially true with the separation anxiety dog episode. No talk of exercise, obedience training, anxiety medication, etc... It was more about cleaning out the garage than anything else. Victoria did address it on Facebook that the show can't show everything in 45 minutes. However, I feel as if this show is falling prey to "let's find the people with the most far-out and stubborn attitudes, cause that will be more controversial. And controversial = ratings!" Maybe I'm wrong, but somehow the show has changed, and I'm disappointed.
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by Suzette »

I'm sorry to say, I feel the same way. This season is feeling (very uncomfortably) a bit like bad reality television where it's all about exploiting the most outrageous words and actions among the humans and, oh yeah, there just happen to be dogs in the background. I have much admiration and respect for Victoria, but if the next episode (which will be the fourth in this season) follows the same pattern, it will be the last one I watch. I find it too uncomfortable to watch VS be a marriage/family counselor 90% of the show. Sure, there will always be a bit of that in any show - afterall, the family is a huge part of why the dog behaves as it does - but this season it's been the overwhelming focus and that's not what I watch this show for. :(
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
lucyandbella
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 7:19 pm

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by lucyandbella »

I am very disappointed too, and will probably quit watching because I don't gain anything from watching. I don't think it’s entertaining watching these horrid families and their issues. I understand she needs to work with the people and their issues because it affects the dogs, but they should cut that out of the show. The worst was the married couple that they showed going to dance classes. They no longer show how to train dogs at all, and dog training is why I watch the show. It makes me sad because so many people I know use forceful methods and could benefit from watching positive training methods and seeing how positive training works. The last show they put harnesses on the dogs but didn't show how to loose leash walk. They didn't show any training other than walking two dogs that fought in the home side by side. I agree I feel like I am watching a show on family counseling, not dog training and I have not felt that way in all the seasons I have watched until this season.
wickedhippy
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:12 pm
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by wickedhippy »

I have to respectfully disagree. The show is called "It's ME or the Dog" and the format has always been to straighten things out between the PEOPLE - and in doing so, get some of their issues as well as the dogs, in order. I don't think you should be relying on a television show to train your dogs anyway - there are instruction videos, as well as books, to help you with all of that. As a matter of fact, the eHow Pets videos, which feature Victoria just training, are perfect.

Television shows are for entertainment purposes. You have to keep in mind that there are other types of shows that IMOTD has to continuously compete with - and unfortunately, not a whole lot of them have "instruction" of any kind. Most people turn on the TV to be entertained.

What frustrates me is that the seasons are so much shorter - the first two (at least in the US) had over 20 episodes each. Last year there were only 12 - and this year there's only going to be 10. And I haven't heard of anything being shot this year at all for a possible 5th (US) season. Though nothing has been confirmed either way.

I love the show - because it still promotes a more positive way of training dogs - and that's the ultimate message. :)
"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" ~ Anonymous
Creator of the We Love Victoria Stilwell Fan Site http://victoriastilwellfans.webs.com/
wickedhippy
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:12 pm
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by wickedhippy »

And P.S. - it's the editor's job as to what's aired. From what I understand, from Victoria, as well as some of the clients, there has been a LOT of training cut out completely.

In other words, there is more training done - it's just that by the time we get to see the finished project, the editors have cut those things out.
"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" ~ Anonymous
Creator of the We Love Victoria Stilwell Fan Site http://victoriastilwellfans.webs.com/
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by Suzette »

Well, I respect your take on this WickedHippy, but I don't agree. :wink: That's okay, we can agree to disagree. :D

Personally, I never did rely on this show to train my dog (too much is left unsaid and unshown due to tv's time constraints). But in the past it did focus far more on the dogs and less on the humans and I found that formula much more informative and helpful (and far more entertaining) than the current one. Whoever makes the final editing decisions, it's Victoria's name that's out there to take the praise or the fallout. And I would be very surprised if she didn't have some say in the final product. But no matter what, this season, sadly, simply smacks of sensationalism to me and that's not what I watch this show for.
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
Ari_RR
Posts: 2037
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by Ari_RR »

Well.. It's a big business now, the content is probably driven by ratings, I doubt that Victoria has a lot of say, if any at all, in what direction the show takes.

I agree that this season is probably catered more to the general public, with the appetite for a juicy story of a weird family, rather then for those seriously looking for dog training advice and techniques.

But, none of this should reflect negatively on Victoria, in my opinion. She is simply doing her job, and doing it well. And she should maintain her celebrity status - it helps tremendously in doing other things, lobbying for various good causes, etc.

The show format is changing. In my personal opinion - to the worse. But perhaps it will attract more viewers. And those will still be exposed to at least some principals of positive reinforcement, alongside of a story of some disfunctional family.

Those of us who watch IMOD because of the "dog issues" content - are somewhat of an "elite", folks with high interest in dogs, training, and such things.
Those of us who watch because of the "people issues" content - are mainstream, their main objective is to simply kill an hour in front of a TV, watching something enternaining.
Going from elite to mainstream format is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just a business decision.
Although, of course, a bad thing from elite's point of view, as most of the posts above illustrate.

Just my 2 cents.... 8)

Cheers!
wickedhippy
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:12 pm
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by wickedhippy »

That makes sense Ari - better than what I was saying, but I agree 100%. :)
"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" ~ Anonymous
Creator of the We Love Victoria Stilwell Fan Site http://victoriastilwellfans.webs.com/
LeighSD
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:30 pm

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by LeighSD »

I never meant that the show should be a stand-in for a real-life trainer, etc... but the basic techniques the show was valued for have been edited out almost completely. I am a veterinary tech, and I see first hand that her methods are understood and assimilated by dog owners (as I'm sure many of you trainers are thankful for, too!) Basic things like "Watch me," walking the opposite way to deter a pulling dog, or guiding a dog to sit by raising a treat above the dog's head... these are things I find incredibly valuable that the show teaches the "mainstream" public. Her show began as education for clueless dog owners. Teaching those tools in a positive way is what drew me to Victoria's show in the first place. But only having 10 minutes at the end to get in to the actual dog behaviors and training makes it seem that the show has lost its way somehow.
wvvdiup1
Posts: 3397
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:31 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by wvvdiup1 »

Have you thought that some of these problems these owners are having with their dogs stems from the environment in which these dogs live? In other words, a lot of the problems we are seeing in these shows stems from the problems humans are having with each other that is affecting the dogs. :(
Image
Image
"Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius." -author unknown
JudyN
Posts: 7018
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by JudyN »

wickedhippy wrote:Television shows are for entertainment purposes. You have to keep in mind that there are other types of shows that IMOTD has to continuously compete with - and unfortunately, not a whole lot of them have "instruction" of any kind. Most people turn on the TV to be entertained.
That makes me sad though - can't television shows also educate and inform, and not have to pander for those who like Jeremy Kyle, Jerry Springer, dysfunctional families, soaps where everyone is getting everyone else pregnant, and so on? I would love to be able to watch a decent dog-training TV programme where the dogs weren't selected because they could make the trainer look macho, and the solutions weren't as obvious as 'stop shouting at each other and the dog will stop peeing on the rug'.

This will make me sound old and British, but I remember the days when Horizon (a UK science series) delivered facts that were interesting in and of themselves, and managed to challenge intelligent people. Nowadays it seems to consist of fancy graphics repeated ad nauseam, with sensational doomsday scenarios about how civilisation as we know it will soon end as a result of solar flares, mega-earthquakes, tsumanis, collisions with asteroids, or whatever the flavour of the month is. I blame media studies - and having any number of competing channels. TV was so much better when there were only three channels :lol:

I can't comment on the shows specifically as I haven't seen any of Victoria's US shows, and she may be in a catch-22 situation - insist on returning to dog training basics and she may lose a platform where she can promote positive training. But what a shame, when almost all channels have to pander to the lowest denominator :(
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by Suzette »

JudyN wrote:"can't television shows also educate and inform, and not have to pander for those who like Jeremy Kyle, Jerry Springer, dysfunctional families, soaps where everyone is getting everyone else pregnant, and so on? I would love to be able to watch a decent dog-training TV programme where the dogs weren't selected because they could make the trainer look macho, and the solutions weren't as obvious as 'stop shouting at each other and the dog will stop peeing on the rug'.
I guess this has been my point too Judy. Up until this season, the focus was on the dogs and dog training with a bit of the family dynamic thrown in (because that dynamic is important to understanding behavioral issues in dogs), all the while educating folks on the importance of positive reinforcement. But this season focuses far too much (in my opinion) on the family dynamic with just a bit of the dogs issues thrown in to the mix and it's just coming off a little too much like a Jerry Springer type show (not nearly as mind-numbingly idiotic as that show, but still, even veering slightly in that direction is disheartening to me).

We have plenty of those types of shows already. I personally just wish that IMOTD had stayed true to its original formula. It worked, it informed, it educated and it even entertained.

That's my nickle's worth (inflation!). :wink: :D
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
CarolineLovesDogs

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by CarolineLovesDogs »

I don't have Animal Planet- a real bummer because no matter what the episodes are like I'm sure I'd still love them- but I see what you guys mean! I wish Victoria stayed true to the original show but I still couldn't love her or her show more :D.
wickedhippy
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:12 pm
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Dissapointed in 4th US season

Post by wickedhippy »

Some things are explained during this interview...

http://positively.com/2012/06/28/victor ... on-nj-com/

... so there was a reason for the format change. ;)

No matter the issue - I still love the show, and still highly admire Victoria. :D
"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" ~ Anonymous
Creator of the We Love Victoria Stilwell Fan Site http://victoriastilwellfans.webs.com/
Post Reply