Augusto Deoliveira, is a controversial dog trainer also known as “The Dog Daddy.” Now, he’s making headlines for stirring debate among pet owners and animal trainers alike regarding his teaching methods, as per KPIX. While some vouch for his knack to manage aggressive dogs, others condemn his methods, labeling them as animal abuse.
The lack of rules within the dog training industry has led to different opinions on the matter. Deoliveira claims to have effectively changed the behavior of some challenging dogs. However, he stands accused of resorting to violence and inducing pain during his training. Critics argue that such practices only result in short-term obedience, potentially making the dog’s behavior worse in the long-run.
Nonetheless, many pet owners consider Deoliveira as their last resort for their aggressive canines. Many have already explored several trainers and boarding schools to no avail. As such, they are prepared to spend hundreds of dollars for his sessions. Put another way, many of them are desperately hoping to prevent the devastating possibility of having to euthanize their dog for behavioral reasons.
Divided opinions on The Dog Daddy’s training techniques
Elena Zulueta, owner of Mikey — a six-year-old German Shepherd-Husky mix — has concerns about her dog’s aggressive behavior towards people during walks. Despite the efforts of numerous trainers and a boarding school, his behavioral problems remained unresolved. As a final effort, Zulueta turned to the controversial dog trainer hoping a four-hour session would help her pet. “I have a vicious dog here so that’s why we want to just try it to see if it would help,” Zulueta said.
As she walked into a San Francisco building on Saturday afternoon, she came across a crowd of protestors. Most of them were dog trainers, asserting that Deoliveira is guilty of animal abuse. “Each one of us has our own opinion but, for me, if it would help my dog, why not?” Zulueta stated.
Dog trainer and behavior consultant Christina Cambie said, “Unfortunately, they’re the victims of an unregulated industry and the thing that they’re trying next is something that could potentially make their dog much, much worse.”
Deoliveira believes opponents misunderstand his work
“There’s a lot of misunderstanding on what I do because, when you reach millions of people on a daily basis, there’s a lot of different opinions that get formed,” Deoliveira told KPIX.
Deoliveira holds one-day training sessions throughout the country. He asserts that he has many years of experience with dogs. According to him, he provides dog owners with strategies during each session that they can then apply at home to achieve lasting behavior changes.
Moreover, Deoliveira has responded to allegations of canine mistreatment by stating that people misunderstand his work. Emphatically, he emphasizes that his clientele is usually comprised of extremely uncontrollable dogs.
Meanwhile, Zulueta shared that her pet, Mikey, became very calm following Deoliveira’s training.
The Dog Daddy has arranged another training session in Sacramento later this month. Protestors intend to express their opposition at the upcoming event as well.
