The Welsh Assembly has banned electric shock collars, do you think the rest of the UK should follow this lead or do you think these collars have a place in the training of dogs?

1

Personally I would not use an electric shock collar on my dog but I don't think the Welsh Assembly should have banned them. There are plenty of owners, breeders and trainers who use them responsibly and to good effect. Once again it is not the fault of the collars but people who abuse them and use them in the wrong way. If collars are banned in the UK then why not ban keeping dogs outside or using dogs to work? There are plenty of animals in terrible conditions who are ignored but instead the Kennel Club seems to focus on issues such as a collar.

Posted at 12:02 on 03 Jul 2008 by
monk | Report as inappropriate


2

Shock collars can be very effective and I have seen one used to stop a dog chasing tractors - something that would easily killed or seriously injured him. People daily abuse dogs with check chains to a far greater extent but no one is stopping them. I think like many things there is a time and a place for the shock collar, but it is not suitable for Joe Public to use without training.

Posted at 18:33 on 03 Jul 2008 by
beepy | Report as inappropriate


3

Have you ever felt the jolt from such an electric charge? If you had then there is no reason on earth to justify putting such a contraption around a dogs neck. If a dog is that badly out of control then it should not be allowed to run loose. No they shouldn't be tied up or starved or beaten but at least by banning these instruments of torture then the Welsh AM's have made a start on improving the lives of dogs.

Posted at 13:33 on 04 Jul 2008 by
CarolM | Report as inappropriate


4

Having been a trainer for several decades, I DO feel that shock collars have place in dog training, but ONLY when used by responsible people & as a last resort to stopping unwanted behaviour.Numerous dogs will have had their lives saved by the responsible use of these collars, for instance dogs who have a problem with livestock.Surely far better to use an effective method of training thereby enabling the dog to be exercised off lead rather then subjecting a dog to no free running or ending up being shot?For the people who are against the use of electric collars, does this mean you are also against the use of electric fencing to keep livestock in? Same principle surely ?????

Posted at 22:12 on 04 Jul 2008 by
beepy | Report as inappropriate


5

I have lived with an avid sheep chaser who despite many years of work was totally unresponsive when in the proximity of livestock. Even so I would never resort to inflicting pain on an animal to subjugate it to my will. My alternative was to travel many miles to find a beach area where my sheep chaser could run free - maybe it was an inconvienence but rather that than hurt my dog to force it to obey me. How anyone, especially a trainer, can condone punishment as a control method amazes me. Surely training should be reward based - we are no longer in the dark ages, honestly. Yes it is a simliar principle to use electric fencing with large livestock and I am not in favour of that either but at least with that type of control it is not around the animals neck and therefore not in the control of an external being ie human.

Posted at 01:08 on 05 Jul 2008 by
CarolM | Report as inappropriate


6

I have been involved in training dogs for a number of years.I now own Tibetan Mastiffs.They all wear the collars.The type I bought have a bleep sound,which can be used separately to the stimulation.I do not no many owners who let their TM's run free as they have a mind of their own and do not respond to titbits.I use the bleep sound as a warning and only use the stimulus on very low if really needed.I have tried it on myself and it is no worse than a vibrating phone.All my dogs run free,they come back to call 95% of the time,if they ignore me I only have to use the bleep sound.(the only time I have used the stimulus on a stronger pulse was when they chased the racehorses).I train them with it by bleep and a titbit if they will take it!I have tried the Master Plus remote,I found it is fine when the dogs are out of coat, if I have to use it,but useless when in full coat.Also it works out very expensive in batteries as you can not buy rechargeables!If the collars were banned my dogs would loose their freedom.I may not have to use them often,but I would not feel safe letting them free in case they saw something to chase.Both my dogs have their bronze good citizen certificate,and both attend obedience classes. They both love going to the local park where they run free playing with other dogs.They also come running as soon as I pick up the collars as they know it means a fun walk!

Posted at 15:49 on 10 Jul 2008 by
casparian | Report as inappropriate