Harmful
Training Devices: What to watch out for
The evolution of dog
training has gained serious pace over the last decade- and largely
for the better. However, there are still innumerous products on the
market which promote punishment as a route to obedience. There is
much debate as to whether or not these products have any useful place
in modern dog training practices. Nonetheless huge numbers of these
training aids are still sold each year- and the majority to the
general dog owning public, who have no formal schooling in using such
devices. Here we look at some of those products involved in this
debate.
Prong Collars
Prong collars are made up
of interlocking links which support blunt, and sometimes not so
blunt, prongs. When tightened these prongs pinch at the dog’s skin.
These devices are fearsome looking things- yet despite their
aggressive appearance many dog training professionals support their
use.
Advocates insist that the
pinch is no worse than the pulling or jerking which others forms of
obedience training rely upon and unrestrained use of the much less
aggressive looking choke chain can actually be much more damaging.
Designed for use on large dogs there have been reports of severe
damage caused to smaller dogs which have been erroneously fitted with
them. This only serves to highlight the fact that this type of
training aid should not be readily available to the general public.
Choke Collars
A ‘choker’ as it is
often known, is the most commonly used of the punitive training aids.
Chokers consist of two loops of chain, one slips around the dog’s
neck whilst the other is used to tighten the first, and hence help
instruct the dog. Many responsible dog owners use them and would be
appalled to see them categorized as a harmful training device and
this is where the debate becomes much more complex. Whilst the
argument against prong and electronic collars seems clear cut, the
restraint offered by a choke chain is seen as wholly acceptable by
many.
It is our belief that
chokers are not necessary- and whilst not as harmful as the other
devices they should also be avoided. If you look at the dog
collars at dogscorner.co.uk you will not find any of these
chokers for sale. The simple fact is that non-punitive training is
more effective.
Electronic Collars
There are three main
types of electronic dog collars: sonic, spray and electronic. Sonic
collars emit a high pitch sound which dogs find discomforting, spray
collars emit either water or bespoke solutions into the dogs face and
electronic collars deliver a shock. Especially cruel are citronella
collars, the substance emitted causes prolonged distress as the scent
remains after the initial spray.
Once
again some dog training professionals stand by the use of electronic
collars as a valid means of instilling obedience. Whilst this point
remains open to debate, what is clear is that such devices should not
be available for purchase by the general public. Without formal
training it is quite possible that these devices can cause serious
discomfort for any dogs on which they are used.
This article was
written by Richard Howe, a life long dog owner with an interest in
all things animal, on behalf of Dogs Corner. You can buy everything
you need for your dog from toys to dog
beds with Dogs Corner. One thing they will never sell are
punitive training aids.
