The Royal Courts of Justice recently upheld the ban on the use of electric shock collars, introduced by the Welsh National Assembly earlier this year. The ban had been challenged by the Electronic Collars Manufacturers Association, but the Appeal court found in favour of the WNA.
The Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones welcomed the judgement. “In Wales, reward-based training and control of animals is acceptable. The use of collars which deliver a shock to a dog or cat is not.”
The use of electric collars as dog training devices is still legal in the rest of the UK, but I can’t see that remaining the case for too much longer. These devices were banned for use by UK Police forces many years ago and one has to say, if the Police don’t need them to train highly driven Police dogs, why should dog trainers dealing predominantly with domestic pets need them?
I work as a dog trainer in Devon, a predominantly rural county and know that many dog owners use these devices in conjunction with electronic containment fences, where they have large grounds which cannot be adequately fenced. Clearly there must be concerns that where the containment fences are banned, there could well be a knock-on effect with regard to livestock worrying. Time will tell I guess.
When I carry out my client consultations, I always point out to my clients that I will not condone the use of electric shock collars and I have to say most of them are relieved to hear it. However, I also call into question the knowledge and practical experience of certain dog trainers who feel that the concept of the human pack-leader is outdated and irrelevant, with their insistence that ignoring the bad and (food) rewarding the good will work in all cases.
Having worked with lots of aggressive dogs of all breeds, including the significant guarding breeds, I feel qualified to say that there are many dogs who will push the boundaries at any opportunity and no amount of ignoring will lead to a cessation of the problem behaviour where aggression is concerned. Many of them have no interest in food or toy reward when in this frame of mind. Some of them – and I believe they are significantly less than 1% of all dog aggression cases – are beyond much practical help and should never be allowed off-lead or unmuzzled in a public place. Fortunately, the vast majority of them are suitable for rehabilitation by the use of strong leadership, interruption of inappropriate behaviour and yes, reward where appropriate.
Too many of today’s so-called dog trainers and behaviourists have very little practical experience in dog ownership or dog training and as with so many professions nowadays, if one has the money to attend one of the many accreditation courses that is often all that is required. This leads to practitioners who are strong on voicing their opinions and theory but weak on demonstrating their own practical skills, often falling well short of their client’s expectations when dealing with all but the simplest of cases.
Peter Mounsey, Ashclyst dog training Devon,
5th December 2010