Shock collars

Philosophical opinions aside, scientific studies document the problem of electricity and training is the issue of unintended associations, resulting fear and serious aggression.

I have personally counseled clients trying to un-do problems resulting from situations where the dog associated something in the environment with the pain/startle of the electronic collar. This ranges from extreme fear of the outdoors, house training lapses because the dog was afraid to go to the bathroom in the yard, to serious aggression to other animals or people associated with the timing of the "correction" from the collar.

 


Below are list of articles written by experts in the field of animal behavior:


From a fellow dog trainer:

"I cried this morning when the sweet rottie I have been walking for a year and have been help with training wouldn't play with me because of the toys in my hand. Her parents put in an electric fence and when her ball and tug toy got to close she was shocked. This beautiful fun loving silly pup was terrified by the things she loves the most. I cried and I cried when Isaw the terror and confusion in the dog when I would ask her to go find, or go get. She sat in confusion as if asking me, "why are you doing that? That's mean, and it hurts."

I am going back to the house soon to play/and walk the dog. I want the family to see what they did. They broke this dog's spirit. They broke my heart. Shock/electric collars are inhumane, revolting devises. I hate them. I hate what they did to this dog who is afraid to play. I hate the trainer who installed the fence and then trained the dog to stay away by zapping her. I even told the family about coyote rollers, but they didn't listen.

- Brae Peel Raphael


To use shock as an effective dog training method you will need:
A thorough understanding of canine behavior.
A thorough understanding of learning theory.
Impeccable timing.
And if you have those three things, you don't need a shock collar.
--Author unknown


Date: Tue Dec 6, 2005 4:01:19 PM US/Eastern
From an open letter from respected veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, DVM regarding the use of shock collars:

Shock Collars - Do Shock Collars Cause Damage?

"No, I have not changed my opinion and it is that there is never any reason for pets to be shocked as a part of therapy or treatment. If anything, I have strengthened this opinion. There are now terrific scientific and research data that show the harm that shock collars can do behaviorally. At the July 2005 International Veterinary Behavior Meeting, held in conjunction with the AVSAB and ACVB research meetings, data were presented by E. Schalke, J. Stichnoth, and R. Jones-Baade that documented these damaging effects (Stress symptoms caused by the use of electric training collars on dogs (Canis familiaris) in everyday life situations. Current Issues and Research in Veterinary Behavioral Medicine, Papers presented at the 5th Int'l IVBM. Purdue University Press, 2005:139-145. [ISBN 987-1-55752-409-5; 1-558753-409- 8]).


"Let me make my opinion perfectly clear: Shock is not training - in the vast majority of cases it meets the criteria for abuse." - Karen Overall


Considerations for shock and ‘training’ collars: Concerns from and for the working dog community - Journal of Veterinary Behavior (2007)

AVSAB Guidelines on the Use of Punishment for Dealing with Behavior Problems in Animals
Shock Collars - Holly's Den "Say No to Shock Collars" Page
Shock Collars - How Shock Affects the Brain - Brain changes in learning studied, Harvard Gazette
Shock Collars - The Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group - CABTSG Policy Statement on Electronic Training Devices, an affiliate of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association
Shock Collars - The Dangers of Choke, Pinch, and Shock Collars
Shock Collars - Why Electric Shock Collars Must Go
Choke and Shock Collars: Obedience Training or Physical Punishment? - San Francisco SPCA
Training dogs with the help of the shock collar: short and long term behavoural effects - Matthijs B.H. Schilder, Joanne A.M. van der Borg - Dept of Ethology and Socio-Ecology; Dept of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Vets on Behavior Proclaim, Never - GoodNewsforPets.com - Steve Dale
Shock Collars - an article by Jean Donaldson

The Problem with Shock Collars by By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., PDBC, CDBC, NADOI Endorsed, CAP2

 

The San Francisco SPCA believes: that dogs have the right to be trained and helped to fit into our society with the most gentle methods available. And that dogs have a right to be free from physical and mental punishment.


Invisible Fence collar burns - photo shared by a DITR student who is a vet tech in Spokane.
Electronic devices malfunction - this dog was probably suffering for days before his owners noticed.


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