Improving the Bond Between Owners and Dogs
One Dog at a Time, LLC
One Dog at a Time, LLC
Humane Training Solutions, Effective Results
Shoreline, WA (206) 851-5636
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The Shocking Truth about "E-collars"
| Posted on August 27, 2012 at 12:55 PM |
Recently a client of mine told me they had begun using an
“e-collar” in place of the anti-barking protocol I established for them.
“E-collar” is a rather innocuous term for an electronic shock collar which
emits an electric shock as an aversive “correction” to undesired behavior. I
was horrified to hear this because I know that using harsh aversives to train a
dog can lead to complex behavioral issues down the line, and their dog was
simply a healthy young puppy still learning his boundaries. I did not have much
specific knowledge of shock collars, and she described their use of it as very
limited, so rather than letting our training session get sidetracked with a
long discussion about animal learning theory, I gave her a skeptical OK,
telling her I would prefer they didn’t use it all. I decided to research the
subject further so I could present her with more information and wrote this
letter in hopes of dissuading her: Hi Jane,* At your last session we discussed your use of an electronic shock
collar to curb Rover’s* barking, and while I expressed my skepticism and
concern, I did give you the go ahead to use it sparingly. I had limited
knowledge about electronic shock collars, and rather than just giving you a
textbook “no”, I wanted to explore the subject further to see if there was any
compelling scientific research to validate their use. Here’s what I found: Every article I could find supporting the use of electronic shock
collars was, without exception, written by someone without any scientific
background in animal behavior. They were most often written by trainers
employing traditional methods, which use harsh aversives, who cited their own
experience as expertise. I did find two articles which quoted an actual
certified animal behaviorist, Stephen R. Lindsay, from a book which is 13 years
out of date. I could find no credible scientific research in favor of their
use. I did however, find a mountain of credible scientific research
against their use and I’ve included some links for you to read further on the
subject. The first describes a scientific study done in 2004. It’s a bit
technical and lengthy, but researchers concluded that: “Avoidance behavior and fear postures during the shocks indicated
that the shock elicited both pain and fear and, therefore, were not just a
distraction or nuisance.” “ even when compared to working dogs trained using choke chain
and pinch collar corrections, dogs trained with electronic shock collars showed
more fear and anxiety behaviors than those trained by other traditional police
dog and watchdog methods.” “Both dogs trained using
electronic shock collars and those trained with other traditional coercive
methods (choke chain, pinch collar, physical punishment) showed more signs of
fear and anxiety when being trained than when on a free walk.” The second is a compilation of arguments and firsthand accounts
from reliable sources put together by Cathy Toft, an educated trainer
experienced in the use of electronic shock collars. It contains statements from
the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, Dr. Karen Overall from the
American College of Veterinary Behavior, and the UK Association of Pet Dog
Trainers against the use of electronic shock collars. The US Association of Pet
Dog Trainers does not have a statement because, as an association, they are
trying to include traditional trainers in order to create a dialogue between
them and positive trainers. But even their website states: “Training collars
should not be used by novice dog owners or by trainers who are not properly
instructed in their use. Use of electronic training collars can result in
trauma to your dog and generally are not recommended by positive reinforcement
trainers.” So clearly, an electronic shock collar creates pain, fear, and/or
anxiety; none of which are effective or appropriate tools for training a dog.
It is also clear that use of an electronic shock collar causes lasting long
term side effects. Other research concluded that the pain from an electronic
shock collar will linger for 2-10 seconds after the initial shock. With timing
being such a crucial element of training, a 2-10 second window of pain
communicates a very unclear message to Rover about his behavior. He is a
healthy well rounded individual; each shock he receives from the collar is a
step towards fear, anxiety, and aggression issues down the line. In conclusion, after doing extensive research on the subject I am
in complete opposition to any further use. I must recommend that you stop using
the electronic shock collar immediately and return to the established anti-bark
protocol that I outlined in previous training sessions. I encourage you to read
the information and I hope it will convince you not to use this dangerous
shortcut in training any longer. A sweet little guy like Rover will benefit far
more from patience and understanding. Sincerely, August Henrich, CCS One Dog at a Time (206) 851-5636 *names have been changed to
protect my client’s privacy |
Categories: alert barking, aversives, barking, dog behavior, dog training, e-collars
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Cassie Richard
9:19 PM on August 27, 2012
Thank you for this info. I have a friend who just started using one for her dog who constantly keeps trying to get out the door. I thought these things were not even out there anymore. I will share info.
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