tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post5245610836194488193..comments2023-12-16T00:39:47.007-08:00Comments on Lassie, Get Help: Inside Animal MindsLuisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04042236324318156854noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-53583285914975933012014-06-10T18:02:08.975-07:002014-06-10T18:02:08.975-07:00I have read most of Katz's books, heck I had h...I have read most of Katz's books, heck I had him as a guest speaker at our library. I do not even own a dog, but this man's nonsense and self worship are becoming worse by the day. I was terribly upset when he killed Orson. Then it was Rose, the subject of another one of Katz 's books. Today's blog featured his shooting of a lamb, which he referred to as sacred, and for whom he did not bother to call a vet. And last evening a rant about who should and should not post on his blog, and what they should and should not discuss. I fear that this guy, his wife and his animals will end up being a front page tragedy. Check out his facebook page.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-5381000010562886562014-05-28T22:33:31.782-07:002014-05-28T22:33:31.782-07:00I can't agree more with your position. Katz i...I can't agree more with your position. Katz is purely a writer and anyone with a modicum of dog experience will quickly conclude he is utterly informed about dogs. The "crime" of it is that because he has a background in media, his clueless drivel is taking by fools as dog-speak.<br /><br />While listening to his call-in radio show in the past, I was amazed that he seemed to get stumped several times by callers in each show. Almost without exception I could have answered the stumpers. And there are people (many) out there who've forgotten more than I'll ever know about dogs. So why is he on the radio?!?<br /><br />His most recent book Second Chance confirmed to me his utter incompetence and even worse, that of his astoundingly irresponsible wife. No one but no one should make such egregious mistakes with an aggressive dog. He and his wife make them a practice.<br /><br />Shame on the media for giving him air time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-86577250392912643762014-05-09T15:40:47.213-07:002014-05-09T15:40:47.213-07:00And he's gotten worse. He's rearing sheep ...And he's gotten worse. He's rearing sheep now, and even though he should know some of the many mistakes he's making [since he had sheep once], resulting in various conditions- he never takes responsibility for his mistakes, or even admits mistakes. He's a complete bully online now, maybe he always was, but with his blog and Facebook, he seems to become more arrogant and down right offensive to many people who try to ask questions or leave comments. He dishes it out, argues with reviewers, but can't seem to take much hot air when it comes back at him-especially when it is well thought out, reasonable questions-if it doesn't agree with his mindset, bang, head but, you're out of there!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-52098703720360885262012-10-13T14:05:47.062-07:002012-10-13T14:05:47.062-07:00Well written blog....Well written blog....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06332054552312571939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-66783413536650786632010-09-14T20:26:40.937-07:002010-09-14T20:26:40.937-07:00He's a writer and a dog owner who didn't b...He's a writer and a dog owner <i>who didn't bother to research dogs, and who put down one of his animals for purely spurious reasons</i>.<br /><br />Fixed that for ya, Anon.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18015219452269186971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-13314580893738087842010-09-13T17:38:45.634-07:002010-09-13T17:38:45.634-07:00I'm about 3/4 of the way thru "A Dog Day&...I'm about 3/4 of the way thru "A Dog Day" by Katz, and I've not been under the impression that he considers himself an 'expert'. He's a writer and a dog owner, the end. This annoyingly arrogant criticism is ridiculous, and it really makes you look, well, like loud-mouthed know-it-all's. No one takes loud-mouthed know-it-all's seriously except for other loud-mouthed know-it-all's. Might as well get over it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-35073501006471700752010-06-06T09:34:12.756-07:002010-06-06T09:34:12.756-07:00Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate what ...Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate what an idiot Katz is. Hard to believe the ego of the man to set himself up as an expert on something about which he knows absolutely nothing (herding with Border Collies). As Bill pointed out while he is a danger to his own dogs and vastly amusing to those if us who know what an idiot he is, he is a danger to the general public unable to differentiate between his fantasies and reality. What a rich fantasy life he must have and how sad his dogs can't be protected from it.Beverlynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-48340014598827127592009-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:002009-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:00I just found your post through a search "I hate Jo...I just found your post through a search "I hate Jon Katz". Kudos to you for speaking your mind I agree wholeheartedly.<BR/><BR/>Jon Katz has no business hosting radio shows or penning advice books about dogs. <BR/><BR/>I believe he euthanized Orson to provide material for a new book and line his pockets. Or perhaps just something to break up the boredom. Whatever the reason it was not good enough. He claims the dog saved his life and repaid Orson by taking his. You cannot tell me he could not have tried to find a trainer that dealt with aggression or territorial dogs or that he could not have built a secure fence to keep him from biting people or found someone who could have cared for him. I recall reading in one of his earlier books that his sister is a recluse that takes in Newfoundlands perhaps she could have taken him. Basically, Katz did not want the responsibility of taking care of Orson. He was too LAZY to care for this dog that he claims save his life.<BR/><BR/>I will never buy another Katz book again. I have no intention of seeing the new movie. If there is any justice Katz will go bankrupt and spend his elderly years picking food scraps from dumpsters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-11959663454744896112008-10-07T11:15:00.000-07:002008-10-07T11:15:00.000-07:00I just finished reading A Good Dog, and I had prev...I just finished reading A Good Dog, and I had previously read The Dogs of Bedlam Farm. I was shocked that he decided to put Orson down, and I got a very bad feeling about it. I think Orson was not what he "needed" him to be, and he justified killing him. What is the longest amount of time he has had any of his dogs? I agree with the above poster who suggests that Katz tired of the dogs, or perhaps, they no longer met his needs. I think Mr. Katz has LOADS of personal issues, and his dogs suffer the consequences. He had a screwed up childhood, true, but I think Katz would have been better having gotten "traditional" therapy, and left the dogs to someone else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-16930999400610961522008-08-03T08:29:00.000-07:002008-08-03T08:29:00.000-07:00Hi... this is certainly an interesting article. I ...Hi... this is certainly an interesting article. I just read 'A dog year' yesterday, and having lost my (pet, non-working) border collie a few years back i found it to be a nice tale which brought back a lot of memories.<BR/><BR/>However. Since looking at his website and discovering to my disgust that he already has completely different dogs to when this book was published, i did a bit of searching and just couldn't believe the guy. He obviously has a low boredom threshold and makes up excuses to rid himself of dogs when he gets fed up... and gets himself new ones. After all he'd been through with Orson/Devon, i can't believe he wouldn't persevere after a few bites.. and the bites can't have been that bad or the dog would have been out down straight away. Then Homer, who sounds like a perfectly loveable dog.. given away. the two labs in the book only needed to get a bit ill and they were put down without too much thought. he's then gone headfirst into the farm idea, and now is bored with that and is well into hospice work. unbelieveable. what next???<BR/>As i live in the UK and there aren't many animal shows on TV at the minute I hadn't heard of him before, but unfortunately seem like america is flooded! just hope he stays over there!<BR/>SarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-84059341791008011932008-03-25T02:34:00.000-07:002008-03-25T02:34:00.000-07:00Hola, en uno de mis paseos por aca, queria dejarte...Hola, en uno de mis paseos por aca, queria dejarte mis saludos.<BR/><BR/>¡Abrazos!La Blogueriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15694693283108832166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-69646252381776578462008-03-23T00:27:00.000-07:002008-03-23T00:27:00.000-07:00http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/001134.htmlHe...http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/001134.html<BR/>Here is a katz rant I wrote in 2005 Is this dog Rose seen herding in the video?<BR/>Nancygooddogzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09494095021191112745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-24509243014142250602008-03-22T18:16:00.000-07:002008-03-22T18:16:00.000-07:00Nancy --As for "herding geese on Storrow Drive."Wh...Nancy --<BR/><BR/>As for "herding geese on Storrow Drive."<BR/><BR/>When I lived in the Boston area, many Hub dawgs got a kick out of chasing geese in the park near the Hatch Shell, between the Charles and Storrow. Including my sweet GSD, a time or two.<BR/><BR/>It never occurred to us to make that goose-chasing revelry a line-item in the dogs' CVs.<BR/><BR/>I'm pretty sure that's what Katz's dog was doing, "herding" on Storrow Drive.<BR/><BR/>Edmund, my messed-up unemployed repo dog, has come in to inform me that dinner is late. I'll make sure to put "professional catering events coordinator" on his resume, which also wants some padding.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-82482969949847801402008-03-22T07:03:00.000-07:002008-03-22T07:03:00.000-07:00I weep with gratitude at the absolute correctness ...I weep with gratitude at the absolute correctness of your blog post and wish that it were required reading for anyone who has ever even looked at a dog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-52539581480482294912008-03-22T04:15:00.000-07:002008-03-22T04:15:00.000-07:00As a trainer and member of BC rescue for 8 years,...As a trainer and member of BC rescue for 8 years, I hear what you are saying, and I nearly wet my pants at your Nat. Geo cover. My mixed up BC-X Charlee would never have passed and could not pass a TT right now. There are not many people on earth who would want her or could care for her. <BR/> I am certainly not sticking up to the number of dogs that Sue Sternberg has had put down, but I do think that Orson illustrates why she has the stance that she does. The general public cannot for the most part, handle problem dogs and her test finds dogs who can roll with Joe average public. Her test also assumes that there are very limited resources. Again, I am not agreeing, just saying.<BR/>On the flip side, as a trainer and behavior councilor, I see a lot of these people with dogs that should never have been placed with them in the first place,and they are now in a 13 plus year commitment with a dog that they can only enjoy sometimes. Just saying. BC's fry in shelters and we do not go by this test in deciding which dog we will take, but we do use TT in deciding where they will be homed and what kind of home they need.<BR/>I nearly fell of my chair reading that dogs should herd on STORROW DRIVE! That is the Charles river that seperates Boston from Cambridge, and has a very small grass area and tons of cars and traffic and people, and dogs, and dog walkers with multi dogs. PLUS,hello, THERE IS A LEASH LAW! What an idiot.<BR/>Nancygooddogzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09494095021191112745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-33432375714222969462008-03-21T20:11:00.000-07:002008-03-21T20:11:00.000-07:00I won't second-guess Katz on Orson, but I will by ...I won't second-guess Katz on Orson, but I will by God protest his poor stock sense, minimal dog-handling chops, shoddy research, etc., etc.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.petfinder.com/journal/index.cgi?article=692" REL="nofollow">Here is an article</A> by Pat Miller on adopting a shelter dog. Miller is a Sue Sternberg fan. A friend of mine [a shelter supervisor, Sternberg seminar attendee and one of the savviest animal people I know] says of Sternberg, "She wants to kill <I>everything</I>!" [Pit bulls especially.]<BR/><BR/>The Sternberg methodology doesn't appeal to me, but your mileage may vary. Have to add that none of the great dogs I've given house space to over the years would have survived that gauntlet. I don't believe purpose-bred dogs are meant to survive it.Luisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04042236324318156854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-39331033142218579752008-03-21T17:00:00.000-07:002008-03-21T17:00:00.000-07:00Smartdogs, I doubt Jon Katz is a follower of Pat M...Smartdogs, I doubt Jon Katz is a follower of Pat Miller. She is a positive trainer, but her philosophy is not that it's better for a dog to die than receive a correction, but that a better fate for a dog is to die than be warehoused in a "no-kill sanctuary" forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-27905053449214768182008-03-21T12:29:00.000-07:002008-03-21T12:29:00.000-07:00Check out the reviews of Katz's snuff book "about"...Check out the reviews of Katz's snuff book "about" Orson/Devon on Amazon.com<BR/><BR/>I was one of the first -- possibly <I>the</I> first -- Amazon reviewer who endeavored to take that POS profanation of dead trees and beat the author bloody with it.<BR/><BR/>And the putz got onto Amazon and <I>argued</I> with me (and the other appalled reviewers, who are now legion).<BR/><BR/>Because, see, we just didn't understand the <I>specialness</I> of Jon Katz, and how very, very <I>special</I> his mid-life crisis is, leading to his <I>special</I> insights about his very, very <I>special</I> and very, very dead dog.<BR/><BR/>Also, the author of a "book" titled <I>Katz on Dogs</I> was very put out at being held to a standard of competence or accuracy on the topic of dogs, because, see, he'd never claimed any <I>expertise</I> on the topicHeather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-18482930115054902252008-03-19T17:08:00.000-07:002008-03-19T17:08:00.000-07:00You know what this reminds me of? How much people ...You know what this reminds me of? How much people who really knew things about dogs "back in the day" 1910-1940ish) loathed best-selling author Albert Payson Terhune ("Lad: A Dog," etc.) for painting himself as an expert on dogs in general, collies in particular. <BR/><BR/>Katz and Terhune share the same motivation: Making a good living as a writer. Nothing more, nothing less.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244618.post-22092486279068123262008-03-19T16:54:00.000-07:002008-03-19T16:54:00.000-07:00There is a very special, very hot place in hell re...There is a very special, very hot place in hell reserved for Mr. Katz. After ruining Orson by refusing to consider using any kind of aversive to teach the dog more appropriate behavior, he then went out and wrote a book about his great 'learning experience' thereby poisoning the heads and hearts of thousands of clueless pet owners and - probably - killing untold numbers of dogs. <BR/><BR/>He is a great fan of the philosophies of those such as Pat Miller who has been quoted as saying that it is better to kill a dog than to correct it.<BR/><BR/>Utter insanity.<BR/><BR/>And, speaking as someone who has just a wee bit of knowledge on stockdogs, but who was fortunate to get much of it from great sources (like Derek Scrimgeour and my friend Donald McCaig) - border collies (and kelpies like mine) are most definately NOT clicker trained. A whistle, a crook and one's mind and body are the key tools involved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com