Orlando Florida’s Best Dog Trainer Laurent Gabriel has been training dogs since 1990. Laurent has successfully trained 99% of all dogs and never turns down dog owners if their dog is out of control with behavioral problems.
In this second part of Laurent’s dog training history, he talks about the third dog trainer he worked with: Gottfried Dildei.
The Third Dog Trainer I Worked With
For my 30th birthday, I wanted to complete an Ironman, and one of my teammates introduced me to a guy by the name of Gottfried Dildei — God rest his soul. And me being a decoy, which is basically a sparring partner for the dogs, I was able to meet him.
I introduced myself. I gave him a little bit of my background and what I’ve done and asked if I could learn from him. He said yes.
Bringing Out A Dog vs. Shutting Down A Dog
First day I went over, we were bringing out a green dog. A green dog is a dog that doesn’t have much experience and I think the dog maybe had two or three sessions. And he said, “look, I’m going to show you the difference in bringing out a dog and shutting down a dog.”
To see what Laurent is explaining Watch This Video from: 8:30 to 9:40 https://youtu.be/vzDMl3VVO0w
What Does A Decoy Do?
So he brings a dog out and it was in a blind — which is like a corner — which the decoy backs into, and there’s shades that go over it. So when the dog comes up, there’s that corner, he’s inside the blinds and he says to the dogs, “Don’t move, don’t move. If you move, I’ll bite you.”
He was behind the fence, because sometimes when a dog is not used to that type of scenario, the dog can be a little unsure of himself. He sends him off and the dog starts barking “Ruff, ruff, ruff.” And he bends over a little bit and then the dog slows down a bit. The voice slows, and then he just slightly backs up, and then all of a sudden you just see this explosion.
Three Valuable Months of Training
And right there — again me being young – I was so intrigued because I’d never seen anything like that. I decoyed for him for three or four months. I can tell you what, those three months were very, very valuable in that aspect of wondering, of dog training. Because regardless of what you do, you can always learn something from other trainers.
My Fourth Dog Trainer: Phil Hoelschur
I finally got to meet a guy by the name of Phil Hoelschur. Now, Phil Hoelschur is the one who taught the very first dog trainer that I worked with, how to become a good decoy or Schutzhund and performance dog.
So I got to meet the Grand Master, which is pretty cool. And Phil has a list of accomplishments, that is unbelievable. I worked with him for three or four years, and through him, through repetition, I became a national decoy.
I still, from time to time, I try to go back. I haven’t been in a while. But the goal now is to be able to take my own dog and compete at the highest level.
Sporting Dogs and Defense Dogs vs. Pets
When you’re working with a working dog — a true working dog vs. a home pet — the animal or the mentality is totally different.
You have your sport dogs, ones that are good for sport and the ones that are good for defense.
Defense would be your police dogs, your military dogs.
And the sport dogs would be your Schutzhund, your PSA.
I’m talking from a protection standpoint. They’re a different caliber of dogs because sport dogs are meant to bite equipment and the other dogs are meant for biting humans or protecting the force or the platoon.
I Become One With The Dog And Use What Will Get The Job Done
What I’ve learned over the years from working from all the trainers is show me one thing. I’ve learned it taught me how to become one with the dog. I mean, it’s so many different perspectives and thought processes and you name it, everybody has tried it. What I do is I use what will get the job done. And that’s why I’m successful.
I founded Elite Professional Dog Training to help dog owners who are having real problems with their dogs. Over 90% of my clients have worked with two or three other trainers trying to resolve serious issues.
That’s too bad because the dogs go through a lot of emotional and physical turmoil when someone trains incorrectly. But what matters is that the owners didn’t give up on their dogs. I always tell people to never give up on their dog because their dog would never give up on them.
