Dogs Trust > Information > Poppy's Opinions > Shock collars >
What is a shock collar? Thankfully I’ve never had to wear one, so I can’t speak from personal experience, but I’m told it is a small box containing electrical components and a battery which is fitted to a collar. There are two blunt metal probes which stick out of the underside of the box and make contact with the skin of the neck. The collar usually emits a warning tone and then administers a static electric shock – and we all know that they can hurt (our boss Eleanor, keeps giving me static shocks from the carpet every time I touch her with my wet nose. It makes us both jump!). Most shock collars have various settings to increase the strength of the shock received. Sounds nasty already, doesn’t it? But just wait until you hear the whole horror story!
There are several ways in which this cruel collar is used. It can be used with a remote control unit held by the ‘trainer’, who shocks their unfortunate furry friend either to stop them from doing something, or to get them to do something. Others are set to go off automatically when a dog barks, in order to discourage them from making noise. Alternatively it can be used as part of a containment system, where a boundary wire is buried in the ground to create an invisible fence. When the dog moves near to the wire, he will hear a warning tone, but if he goes to cross the wire, he will receive a shock. All my two-legged friends and my fellow office dogs here at Dogs Trust think these collars are terrible and that they should be banned, along with any other device which is designed to deliver an electric shock to a dog.
The remote controlled collar used for training is far worse than the electric fence system, because at least the dog can choose whether to go near to the fence or not on hearing the warning tone. However, there are alternative, more humane versions of both the fence system and the anti-barking collar, which spray a quick burst of air or citronella into the dog’s face and these work just as well. Dogs find the sound of the air, or the smell of the citronella unpleasant, however, there is no lasting physical suffering involved - there really is no need at all to use a painful electric shock.
We would love to see all types of shock devices that cause pain or distress banned and this is why:
• If it’s painful, it could lead to the dog bolting in fear, in an attempt to escape the shock. Bolting dogs may be involved in car accidents or may become lost. It’s impossible to predict how much it will hurt a dog, since we’re all different and like humans, have different pain thresholds.
• Dogs may associate anything they see in front of them with the shock. This can lead to a fear of people or places. For instance, if a dog was to receive a shock whilst approaching or looking at the milkman, he may think that this person was responsible for giving the shock. He may then become aggressive to anyone dressed like a milkman that he meets in the future, in anticipation of feeling pain. Us dogs have long memories and all it can take is one unpleasant experience to start a (bad) habit of a lifetime!
• Owners with dogs that have behaviour problems may find it difficult to control their anger when using these collars.
• People who try the collar on their own wrists may think the shock collar is okay to use because it isn’t REALLY painful - however dog skin is much thinner and so a dog may feel the shock much more than a human. Also if a dog gets wet when wearing a collar, the level of pain can increase. Us poor dogs can become neck and head shy after receiving shocks in this area and this can, understandably, lead to aggressive behaviour. I’m sure you wouldn’t want anyone touching your neck if you were in pain either!
• Dogs who are trained through pain or fear can be unreliable and when pushed could resort to aggression in self-defence. Can you blame us?
• And finally of course, these collars could be used to inflict pain on purpose – not for training – but for fun. Sadly there are always people around who enjoy causing animals pain. These collars should be made illegal so that this cannot happen.
My human tells me that a good trainer does not need to use punishment to train a dog, in fact, reward-based training is generally proven to produce much better results. Training techniques these days have progressed so that punishment-based training is no longer required. The use of shock collars in training has been banned by the Armed Services, the Police and the Prison Service and none of the organisations that train dogs for work, such as assistance dogs, sniffer dogs or search and rescue dogs, use these types of devices.
In my opinion, if a dog enjoys training then he will try his best for you. A dog who is scared or confused because he cannot tell when he is going to be hit by pain, or where it is coming from, cannot possibly be enthusiastic or be able to reach his full potential. Imagine how you’d have felt at school, if every time you got a question wrong you received a nasty shock to the neck – you’d have turned into a nervous wreck before you knew it! Dogs love to learn. It’s what our brains were made for – to help us adapt and survive. Training should always be enjoyable and rewarding, not a frightening or painful experience.
In some ways I can understand that some desperate owners may regard the shock collar as a quick-fix way of stopping certain unwanted behaviours, however, people who own dogs must be prepared to put in the time and effort required to have responsible, well-behaved and happy animals. If they need help to train their dogs or deal with problems, they should get in touch with a professional such as a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers www.apdt.co.uk, the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors www.apbc.org.uk or the UK Registry of Canine Behaviourists www.ukrcb.co.uk
So, now you know how I feel about these cruel and completely unnecessary devices, please tell me what you think. Should shock collars and any other punishment-based training devices be banned, or are there times when they can be used?
See below for your replies!
Until next time, when I'll be barking on about another hot hound topic,
Best woofishes,
Hi Poppy
I do think we live in a quick fix society - people want dogs like Lassie and are not always prepared or understand how to get that without using force.
People who say the electric fence is so good - what about the dogs who learn to fence guard; or who go over the fence but can't get back in? What about stray dogs who can attack them because they have no collar, and what about dog thieves who can get in easily because there is no physical barrier? Also what about the dog who was killed because the owner forgot to put in the collar batteries, even though she knew they were dead? Talk about false sense of security! and the dog paid the ultimate price on a local road. Seems these devices are not so excellent after all.
As for dogs who run off, chase sheep etc - before collars were invented, we used to keep them on a lead and walk them in areas that were safe. There are also excellent behaviourists who specialise in livestock training without use of force or electric collars. The collars work because they cause pain - it's as simple as that.
Why choose pain to train a beloved pet? Morally it is unacceptable. It simply makes life easier for the owners.
Lynda, UK
Hi Poppy
I am against shock collars as a training device and as a means of keeping a dog from straying. The view that they are a good way of keeping dogs within an unfenced or poorly secured area doesn't wash with me I'm afraid. This sort of environment is obviously unsuitable for keeping dogs in and it is unfair and cruel to shock a dog for simply stepping over an 'invisible fence'. How on earth can this be humane when the dog doesn't even know what it has done wrong? Most of us have played the shock roulette games that were popular last year where you get a small electric shock in your finger or hand and while it doesn't hurt as such it is a very unpleasant experience. Imagine your dog getting a shock like that just because he barks, doesn't train at the speed his so-called trainer wants or because he wants to go and have a sniff in next-doors garden which has been left accessible to him. So cruel. These need to be banned. Please tell me who I can lobby for this to be included in the new Animal Welfare Bill.
Keep up the good work Poppy. Caroline
Hi Poppy,
Undoubtedly these shock collars need to be banned, for all the reasons you state.
Those that give an ultrasonic warning sound better: we have never used one, so can’t be sure.
By far the best method of keeping a dog in is a secure fence, if at all possible. We have a one acre garden which is deer fenced, and a ten acre paddock which is stock fenced. One of our six rescued dogs, a very big lurcher called Murphy can clear six feet - after one escape, a severe talking-to cured him. Although he goes right up to the fence and barks at deer, he has never again gone over. The other dogs who like to guard us follow his lead.
Fences can be dog proofed. If necessary, gates can be kept locked against visitors leaving them open.
Best of luck, Poppy, and we hope your campaign gets these devices banned, or at the very least, power limited to a low level.
I was in America recently and a friend had a large garden and two dogs. They were contained by an invisible ’fence’ that activated the collars and it seemed to work extremely well. They had the free run of a large area, yet were safe from traffic etc.
I understand that the shock only has to be activated once or twice and then they soon learn by the warning tone and that’s enough to deter them. I had no feeling that it was cruel.
With all best wishes, Lydia Vulliamy
Hello Poppy,
Electric Training Devices should never, ever be used. The banning of them should be included in the new Animal Welfare Bill. Cruelty should never be used to train an animal.
Strict regulation of Puppy farms and 'tail docking' should also be included in the Bill.
I am always ready to write/email assisting you in your campaigns. Just let me know.
Valerie Coffey
Animal Lover from Worthing
Hi Poppy!
It's Bella and Maisie here - we totally disagree with you. Our collars allow us to go and play in our 9 acre garden without being on a lead or have someone with us! Before, our owners were had to tie us up outside when they ate by our pond - they didn't know how let us off the leads without putting us in danger of getting lost or hurt. But now, we have learned where we cannot go and just make sure we don’t go over the boundaries, unless, of course, we are with or owners who take our collars off when we go for walks. To us, it's heaven! We can go where ever we like, so please don’t knock them until you can see the massive relief and freedom they have brought to our doggie lives.
Big woofs,
Bella and Maisie x
We were quite confident that our Beardie pup, Gnasher, knew the boundaries of the garden and would not stray. With two acres to play in, that should have been enough. Then one day he chased something out into the road and was hit by a car. Fortunately no long-term damage, but no lesson learned either. A determined escapologist, there was no way we were going to keep Gnasher in the garden if he wanted to get out.
We agree that punishment collars should not be used as this is no way to train a dog, but we invested in an "Invisible Fence" and spent two weeks training him to understand it thoroughly. He wears a "shock collar" which warns him when he gets too close to the perimeter of our garden and gives him a slight, non-painful (but scary) shock if he doesn't step back. Ever since then (some 13 1/2 years later) he has happily wandered in and out of the house whenever he chooses, whether we're here or not, knowing exactly where he can and can't go. In all that time, he has probably set the collar off maybe a dozen times. Indeed, so successful has this been that Gnippa (9) has been wearing one since she was a pup with the same excellent results.
Cruel? Not at all - our dogs, who are dearly loved, are happy, well adjusted and have complete freedom to come and go as they please (within our grounds). We are utterly confident that they won't run off and cause trouble at the neighbouring sheep farm, or cause a traffic accident. The alternative would be to have them confined to a pen, within the house or on a leash. There is no question that they have the better alternative.
Keep up the good work!
Peter and Yoko Martin
Gnasher and Gnippa
Hi Poppy,
It's Andy, Dawn, Bess & Toto here!
We agree with you 100% about those awful shock collars. They should definitely be banned. Keep up the good work!
I have to say that I have used a shock collar. They are definitely a very useful aid but should only ever be used as a last resort and even then a little as possible. In my experience I have not needed to use it much and certainly on only very low power. I also know of people who have the wires which run around their garden and this causes no distress at all to the dogs. They are given visual markers initially and once learned the most they ever get is a buzz warning. This means the dogs get a lot more freedom and the owners relax knowing the dogs are safe. I feel that anyone criticising the use of these collars should at least have experience of them or they should talk to someone who has used them to discover the benefit. I agree that overuse could definitely cause problems but don't let the few disreputable people spoil it for those of us who are responsible. Remember there are 2 sides to every story and the good should also be heard. This is a subject that should be discussed in depth hearing both sides of the argument before decisions are made on a few negative comments some of which are 'maybes'. Or does this mean farmers must stop putting electric fences around fields because of the poor cows?
My dog is now allowed access to area and places that she could never have had before giving her a better life.
Brenda Parsons
Hi Poppy,
Your article about the shock collar upset me so much I had to e mail. Like you, I don't see any circumstance where the collars could be used kindly - not only because it's difficult to gage the pain it might cause, but using such a threatening and fear producing method is really cruel and not the way to have a loving friendship with your dog. As far as I've seen from both doggie training programs on TV and from my own experience, dogs respond best when they know they are respected and loved.
These collars should be banned- they are both cruel and unsafe.
Yours
Brigid Holmes
Hi Poppy,
I have just read your article in "Wag" on shock collars and other shock deterrents and I am as horrified as you are by them. No true animal lover could possibly condone the use of such cruel and barbaric items.
Please ask your humans at Dogs Trust to launch a campaign to outlaw the use of these.
Best wishes and please keep us updated.
Mrs J Gill
Hi Poppy,
We totally agree with you that these collars should be banned. There is absolutely no excuse for using them. If you can’t use them on human murderers, why use them on innocent dogs?!!
Although we are in the still in the process of training our humans, we wouldn’t dream of using cruelty. Well, we may use a bit of pain but we are cats after all.
Love Fred, Bobby and Sam
Hi Poppy
They should definitely be banned. We wouldn't put them on children, so why put
them on an animal? Shouldn't the government be doing something about it?
Best of luck in trying to get them banned.
Love Cheryl and "Malcolm".
Hi,
I would like to tell you about my experience re using a remote trainer.
Peggy, our Border Terrier cross was a very well behaved dog, who found us as a stray. After several months I let her off the lead and she would trot along fine until a rabbit, cat, duck or anything that ran, crossed our path. She became a completely different animal. She would not come when called, even with cheese or sausage - her favourite foods. I would often return home without her. I almost took her back to the rescue centre, very afraid she would run in the road. So, she had to be kept on a lead which I did for 2 years. I was very unhappy with this, as she should be free to run if only she would come back. So I bought a remote trainer.
I have only had to use the shock 5 times - she is very happy to have it on as it means we are going out. She always comes when called, I can let her run with other dogs and chase rabbits or squirrels. She is a happy dog and I am a happy owner.
Regards, Jill Harland
Hi,
I have just read your opinion about electric dog-collars and couldn't agree with you more. How can anybody think it correct to give electric shock treatment to alter behaviour to anything? I am sure that the two that answered and said they liked them because it taught them where they could go and where they couldn't go could have learnt painlessly. Mind having said that I wouldn't let Lenny run out alone into a dangerous situation but I wouldn't give him electric shock treatment. I do know some kids it might help behave! No, too far even for me!
Having read some of the comments of other pet owners as to how they 'teach' their pets not to stray by using these barbaric collars, they should be consigned to the bin along with any other product that causes pain or suffering to any animal.
If anyone is having trouble in controlling they pet then they should seek help from perhaps dog training classes, or even their local vet would probably have good sound advice on how to control their dog.
Most dogs will stray if they have a good enough reason, leaving a pet to roam around a garden getting bored is just asking for trouble. Please don’t encourage lazy ownership of a pet. They require work and a loving home.
Hi ya Poppy,
My wife and I both agree that the use of shock collars on dogs or any animal is a step in the wrong direction and should be illegal.
Thanks for listening.
Cheers, Tom
Hi Poppy!
It’s Lou here! My owner has never used a shock collar on me but I have been told what they are like and the DO hurt! If they didn't then there wouldn't be any effect on us dogs and there would be no point in using them! Why do we need to have these used on us anyway?!? A squirt of cold water did the trick for me and all of the other dogs at my training! It would be a different story if they were being used on humans...they would be banned straight away, so why should it be any different for us? (Considering we are mans best friends.) People who use these collars are meant to be dog lovers!! They shouldn't have to resort to cruelty to us just to train us! Treats do the trick! All it takes is patience and a water squirter if we are naughty! It’s worked with me anyway and I go in my first show on Sunday! I totally agree with you Poppy and shock collars should definitely be banned!
Lots of licks, Lou xx
Hi Poppy
One of my humans read your article about these horrible torture devices to me (I’m not allowed to sit on the chairs to reach the computer you see). She and my man-human were very upset to learn just how nasty shock collars can be. They themselves have never EVER resorted to such measures. When I came home from the rescue centre I was so happy to have a home and a family that I was eager to do anything to please. All it took for me to learn 'the ropes' was a kind word, lots of love and the occasional treat. My humans say that love is the best training aid. If I do something wrong then my humans exert their place in the pack hierarchy. They make efforts to understand my doggy mind and I try to get my head around what they want. It’s not hard and it works so well. I used to be allowed on the couch, but my humans bought a new one that’s harder to clean and since my woman-human is sick lots, they told me I couldn’t climb up for cuddles anymore. I thought I could try and sneak up while they were out (I do love a soft place to lie) but it doesn’t take my humans a minute to block the couch off. Nobody gets hurt, my humans don’t have to clean up any extra and if I’m a really good boy then I might get a biscuit or a chew when they come home.
Keep up the good work Poppy.
Licks and Wags, Zebedee (as dictated to Amy Kavanagh)
Like anything of this nature there are always two sides of the argument.
Some dogs can be very bad around sheep or other farm animals etc. which could result in dead sheep and a dog that has to be destroyed, even if normally it is a perfectly good family dog. I have heard of a case when a dog inadvertently came across some sheep which were not able to be seen and a quick shock prevented what could have been a dangerous situation.
I appreciate that they must be used with care and discretion but there are cases when their use is necessary. Training is not always the answer but as long as they are not cruelly used it can sometimes be the only answer.
Regards, Mrs.J.M.Juniper
Please try to do something to stop these collars. There is only one way to teach a dog and that is with a lot of patience and understanding. Those collars could be very misused and cruel and need to be banned. Like a child you train with patience and love, not viciousness. On reading the article I feel very strong about this, having been a dog owner (4 dogs) for the last 34 years.
Thank you
Jan Pattenden
I strongly oppose the use of shock collars and feel that their use should be strictly limited to vets and professionals who have been vetted (no pun intended) or licensed to use them. Sadly, I fear that there will always be those who will abuse their use if they are available on the open market. In order to protect those dogs who would suffer as a result I suspect there will need to be a complete ban on them.
I have read with great interest the reports from various organizations on the use of these collars and have to admit that I both own and use one.
Before you stop reading or turn me off in disgust please read what I have to say in their favour.
I do not think they are the answer for day to day training but for a dog with a specific problem that other methods have failed with I think they can be a godsend. My large OES has right from a puppy bullied my BC. She does not do it when I am near enough to correct her but as soon as they are far enough away she jumps on top of her and bites and attacks her. On recommendation of a friend who uses one for a sheep worrying problem I bought one.
There are as you say different levels of correction and to start with I used only the lowest level. Each time she attacked the BC I pressed the button once. The OES showed no reaction whatsoever and so on the second day I tried the next level up. This carried on until one day upon pressing the button she gave a slight shake of her head and stopped what she was doing. At no time did she cry, yelp or show any sign that she was distressed or felt great pain, more a sort of, "oh what was that". After a couple of times of this happening she stopped worrying the smaller dog and walks became a pleasure for all 3 of us.
She still wears the collar when out for a walk running free and most days I do not even have to use the button to correct her. She knows what she was doing was wrong but knew she could get away with it if far enough away from me. Now she knows that I can still correct her even from a distance.
I agree that in the wrong hands they can be misused but then so can most things. I think there should be far more control over who can buy one and for them not to be sold indiscriminately over the internet. However in the right hands and used correctly there is nothing wrong with them. After all, think what damage one can do to a dog with just the check collar being put on the wrong way round.
I most certainly would not use one for day to day training of my dogs but for a bad habit like sheep worrying or my problem I think they can be the answer.
I would like to say that I tried one of the remote control citronella collars but she absolutely loves the taste and smell and she even started offering bad behaviour in order to get a taste of the citronella. She even ate 2 canisters of the stuff.
Headbutts Dear Poppy,
We just read (with our feline paws) your article in Wag! magazine while mommy tried to read it at the same time. We absolutely agree that no suffering should be inflicted upon any living creature. Being kitties rescued from abused feral colonies, we know how far love and patience can go, along with commitment, understanding and perseverance when re-directing undesirable behaviour.
Having had a canine brother too, we feel disgusted with the extent to which humans go to train their canine friends. Any given device that inflicts pain or releases electrical shock (even without pain) is inadmissible. Electrical training devices ought to be banned.
Canine companions come with many traits. Humans should opt to share their lives with them only if they can provide a safe environment humanely. Feline companions, as well as canine companions, have a deep understanding of all what surrounds them, including the human mind. We understand what our humans expect us to do. Positive re-enforcement is the humane way to resolve behavioural issues, even extremely difficult ones. We can attest to that.
Poppy, you have our twelve paws up for the banning of electrical training devices.
Purrs,
Maui, Fanti and Narkis
As you state, these devices are simply not necessary to train a dog; all that’s needed is love and understanding. Will everyone reading this please boycott all catalogues, magazines, websites and outlets advertising these products. Perhaps consumer power will stop these places from selling these cruel devices.
Mrs M Bell
Maybe we humans should use the static electricity shock to get us to quit our bad habits such as one on the fridge & cupboard doors (where the food is stored) to stop overeating.
I live in a dry area (Tucson, Arizona) so get static electricity shocks 3 or 4 times each day. My hand "knows" where each shock will occur and stops before touching (the garage door, the car door after getting out of car, some business entry doors). When my hand stops I become conscious of the pending shock and get my metal key out and ground the item that would shock me.
The shocks here are strong and there's a tiny lightning bolt. They hurt.
Why would I want to do that to a dog? Too lazy to figure out how to train her with positive training methods. But that's what I do with my 4 kids...positive reinforcement, no hitting, etc. (most times, sometimes I yell, but then apologize profusely), treat them with respect. It takes a lot longer than training them through fear techniques but it's well worth it.
Thanks for your article, I was considering electric fence to keep my high jumping dog from leaving the yard but now I'm not.
Dear Poppy,
I completely agree that these things are barbaric. I believe if you are going to own a dog then you should make sure that you have the time and the patience to train him in a humane way. Dogs that have been mistreated in the past - what about them? It would destroy any confidence in humans that they had. Ban them I say!!!!
Kind Regards,
Klaire Baker
I am the owner of 2 dogs, a Rottweiler and a chocolate lab. We live in the country and have 4 acres of a garden. I am totally opposed to cruelty to animals, but recently (after much deliberation) installed an invisible fence which operates with a shock collar. Training my dogs with the collar was quick and easy. The collar gives a warning beep as the dogs near the fence and the 'shock' level can be turned down to a minimal voltage. The beep itself was enough to deter Lewis and Ted from breaching the perimeter of our orchard. Both Lewis and Ted now can roam freely over 4 acres of land; they love this freedom! As a responsible dog owner I have no fear now of 'the boys' frightening people out for a Sunday afternoon stroll, attacking children or local farmers flocks! You should see the enjoyment they get out of playing in the orchard. I ask you, which is more cruel - the invisible fence training, with the shock collar, or keeping the dogs in a 10x12 ft enclosure when they can run play in 4 acres? The amount of stray dogs in the country is dreadful. I was involved in a bad car accident approximately 2 years ago when a pack of stray dogs ran in front of my car late at night. It was not the poor dogs fault (two of them had to be put to sleep) and may have been avoided had invisible fences been used by their owners. I hope that Dogs Trust will take on board the benefits that these collars can have. I have no doubt that the collars could be abused, but so can choke chains, leads, muzzles etc. etc. and I don't see you petitioning to ban these.
All this being said I do believe there are people out there who would use these devices inhumanely; therefore sales should be monitored i.e. through veterinary clinics etc.
Darren Wadley.
I’m getting cross reading letters from people saying that love will conquer all. I DO love my dog. I especially love to watch her cavorting around the fields on our lovely walks. But the only reason she can do this is because we use an electric collar. The one I bought was very responsibly sold. They wanted to make sure that I had tried all traditional methods and insisted that Meg had to be at least 1 year old. Changed our lives! Can’t imagine having to walk her on a lead for the next 15 years – please don’t ban the collars. Let’s face it, at £170 there are much cheaper ways to abuse your dog – that’s not why you’d buy one. It’s a last resort for a caring owner who wants their dog to live a full and happy life.
Jo from Kimbolton
Hi Pop,
Guess what? My name is Poppy too! And I love your ideas about dog-friendly households and holidays, but I can't agree with you about banning things like shock collars. I OWE MY LIFE to one of these! Seriously! They were going to shoot me for being a terrier and not being able to hear things like "STOP" when I was off chasing sheep and ducks and stuff. It wasn't my fault, but I am a TERRIER, and well, you know what we're like. I can't say it didn't hurt, but I know that there were different settings. My owner's Dad (the one who was going to have to shoot me (sob!)) told him that there are 4 settings, and that when chasing sheep it was only at level 3 that I yelped and came running back. I did sort of feel something before that, but when you're used to chasing rabbits through thorn bushes and brambles it takes a lot to make a FOXTERRIER notice!!! I only got the one shock, nowadays they just press the beepy thing and I go straight back. Who said Fox Terriers were slow learners?? If they ban the collars then loads of us terriers will probably get put down before the other methods start working. It's all very well for THEM to go on about "humane", but they got to remember that WE are not human!
Poppy
Dear Poppy,
I have never used a training collar, but our three dogs have a very happy life helped by the use of an invisible fence. Dogs are very good at getting through, over or under fences. Of course one can retain a dog in a steel cage on a concrete pad, but I prefer to give our dogs a bit more freedom. They have the run of several acres of garden and woodland, which they enjoy enormously.
A neighbour of ours used to have a cocker spaniel. Her garden was completely deer fenced, but the dog still managed to escape regularly. I advised her to install an invisible fencing system. Sadly, before she had done so the dog escaped and drowned in a well.
And I do not believe that these devices are inherently cruel. Thoughtless or cruel people may misuse them and unfortunately we are unlikely ever to be able to prevent unsuitable people from owning dogs. There are many other ways in which these people can abuse their dogs.
If you have dogs that are inclined to go off hunting, you very often don't get a second chance to experiment with your training methods and one of these devices can often be, literally, a lifesaver.
James Cope
I think shock collars should NOT have been invented!!!!!!
Dear Poppy,
(We can't believe we are actually e-mailing a dog!)
We live in a 2 acre site in the village of Rock. Our site is bounded on three sides by a natural hedge of trees and shrubs and on one side by the busy main road through the village. We have a black Labrador female dog called Pebbles We run a holiday accommodation business on the site and would find it impossible to make it totally secure to prevent Pebbles from straying into neighbours property or onto the road.
From a puppy we introduced her to an electronic containment system consisting of a signal wire around our boundary and a shock collar. When the collar approaches the wire, initially a buzzer sounds and if it gets closer it gives an electric shock. We have tried it and it is similar to that you get from a cattle fence which could also be under threat.
When we first introduced her to it she got a shock twice. After that she knew exactly where her boundary was from the buzzer and from then on she has known her limits even without the collar on. If she does get forgetful, the buzzer is enough to remind her. She is now free to go outside whenever she wants and we know that she will not stray into the road.
Please come and see Pebbles for yourself. She is a happy and bouncy dog who loves walks in the dunes and adores swimming in the estuary. If she didn’t have her collar she would have to stay in doors all day or be tied up.
We would not like to see these collars banned. Many of your e-mailers by their own admission have no experience of their use.
We do not use it for any other form of training.
Yours sincerely
Frank Cox, Alison Cox, Simon Cox Age 10, Alex Cox Age 12
Hi Poppy!
I'm 13 and I get a lot of questions wrong at school and I could imagine how painful it is. I think it is a criminal act and you should be punished because if some one was to shock another human they would be arrested. Dogs are living beings to and have feelings just like us.
I strongly agree that all punishment devices should be banned. Though if you think about it, they shouldn't even be made anywhere in the world! It should be part of the world law or something.
What I would like to know is why do people want to do that to their dogs?
When you said about humans having higher pain threshold and it hurts even more when you sweet innocent dogs are wet, maybe we should get the owners to see what it feels like when their skin is wet. Then maybe it will fill just as painful as a dog finds it when they are dry.
Loads of love, Laura Rosenfeld
I have had to use one of these on the advice of one of our top dog psychologists. Many years ago I had a giant schnauzer bitch who killed many of my rare breed turkeys and chickens. Nothing I did would stop her scaling the fence and mauling them. I tried literally everything. My milking goats were also in danger. She was a dominant bitch too and would challenge me every step of the way. Although we managed to sort the dominance issues out, her killing of valuable and loved livestock was beyond a joke. After she killed a rare and valuable lavender turkey one year I contacted the animal psychologist and went to his farm. This wasn't cheap either. He explained about the electric shock collar, put one on her and we went out to a field full of sheep. I was very nervous and told him that I accepted no responsibility if she got his sheep. He explained that upon activating the collar, she would hesitate and I was to immediately call her back and praise her. She shot like a bullet towards the sheep and he pressed the button. Nothing happened. He turned a dial and she was literally 5 feet away from the sheep when she gave a small bark and hesitated, whereupon I called her back and praised her. That afternoon she was allowed to chase, sheep, cattle, ducks, geese, chickens all with the same effect. From that day to the day she died aged 12 years earlier this year, she was 100% trustworthy around all livestock. I firmly believe that without this, I would have had to find another home for her which would have upset her and me. The reason she carried on after he first pressed the button apparently was because she had a high pain threshold and didn't even feel it. In the right hands and for the right reasons, I believe these could be valuable.
Hi Poppy
I don't think people should EVER use shock collars they are horrible! I think that it is better to the invisible fence so people can put it around the garden say like a fence is being put up so he/she can't run away.
Yours woofilely
Bethany
xxx
Hello, I was reading your opinion regarding electronic dog collars, regarding citronella/air collars being preferential to electronic ones:
In my opinion all that can be said regarding punishment training is that a given stimuluis whatever it's nature whether a stick, a harsh word, an electric shock etc is or is not aversive enough to prevent a dog displaying a given behaviour (e.g. roaming out-with the boundaries of an open garden) not that the dog finds one more or less distressing.
To a dog with a sensitive nose for example a shot of citronella may be far worse than an electric shock though many people assume it to be kinder..
All we can say is that the dog finds each stimulus sufficiently aversive to change its behaviour, not that one is less "cruel" than the other so is it safe to promote alternative collars in the name of animal welfare?
Yours sincerely, Thomas Lloyd.
