My love affair with Bull Terrriers began when I aquired my first in 1988.
A new world opened up, as he continually forced me to look at my own shortcomings.We had a ball training, showing, then later breeding a few litters. I always felt there were not enough really good homes, the right homes, for these special characters, so I dropped out of the breeding circle, so to speak. We continued to show, finishing 2 Champions, and my third generation "pick of the litter" puppy was truely a puppy from hell. She, RoseAnne, was the dog responsible for my learning a different and better way to train and interact with my stubborn, seemingly unwilling and comical dog family.
Had I not found the philosophy of mutual respect and trust as taught by William Meisterfeld,this puppy would have probably not lived to mid-life. She had become defiant, untrustworthy, unfriendly and aggressive. As I learned that I was the problem and she was not born a bad puppy, she transformed into a beautiful young lady that behaved well in any circumstance. Thanks to RoseAnne, I delved deeper into learning about dog behavior that was/is commonly misunderstood and ignored by most dog trainers, handlers, and instructors.
I learned that with the philosphy of mutual respect and train without pain, problem dogs could be saved. My work with Bull Terriers, rescue and fostering many dogs with different issues is extremely rewarding ! Please take a look at the "Dogs" page.
C.W. Meisterfled brought his unique dog training philosophy and skills to Petaluma, Ca. as the " Pioneer of Psychological Dog Training" , where he established the School of Psychological Dog Training. In 1982 he was certified as a canine psychoanalyst/therapist and expert witness by the U.S. Judicial system. Among many achievements, he was awarded the A.K.C. Canine Distinction Award in 1957, the Writers Award for Excellence, authored many books and articles which are recognized throughout the world.William lived his life according to his philosophy: "Mutual Respect and Trust " and was responsible for saving the lives of several thousand dogs who would have killed due to their behavior. His teaching goes beyond that of and for dogs. He knew that dogs behaved badly because of mistakes made by their owners and consequently, enriched the lives of human beings in the process of dog training.
Rest in peace, William, my teacher, mentor and friend.
C.W. ( William ) Meisterfeld 3/1929 - 5/2006
You can view and purchase William's work by visiting the Products Page