A couple of weeks ago I received an invitation in the mail to attend a seminar with a bunch of great, high profile and very knowledgeable guest speakers lined up. I'm not going, for two reasons. One is time, or more accurately the lack of it - the other is that one of the topics discussed deals with the pros and cons of electric and electronic collars. Pros????

It saddens me that so many dog professionals still recommend, or are willing to discuss a tool that is abusive, cruel and should be outlawed (it is, for that matter, in many other countries).

Manufacturers and sellers promote it as a training tool, anti-bark, invisible fence and a bunch of other nice sounding names. There even was an article in a "positive trainers'" newsletter a few months back that stated that the new electric collars can be a great communication tool and are nothing like the older type electronic collars. Huh?????

People who use it on their dogs claim that they tried it first on themselves and that it didn't hurt if set on the lowest level. That's great - but there is a huge difference between you controlling it, and putting it on a dog who has no control. It makes all the difference.
I wonder how the owner would feel if I would fit him/her with a collar, on the lowest setting, and then I control it. The person does not know when (s)he gets zapped. I decide. It might be if he says a certain word - zap; or doesn't sit properly or fast enough - zap; or doesn't come fast enough when I ask him to - zap; or if she walks to the bathroom, or out the door - zap.
I bet that by the end of the day that person would be a basket case.
How uncomfortable is it to get zapped when the air is dry whenever we open the car door, or switch a light on, or touch a metal railing? Doesn't really hurt - but is really annoying, and driving me nuts. And I still have somewhat control over it - and I know that it might happen, anticipate it and am prepared.

A shock collar changes a dog's personality, increases stress to a chronic level and sets a dog up for neurosis and behavior problems that were not present before. I refuse to work with clients unless they take the thing off. Would they let a teacher put it on their elementary school child? I don't think an educator would be employed for long would she suggest that little Johnny will surely learn his ABCs faster if gets zapped every time he spells a word wrong.

I feel very strongly about this, and don't even blame the average dog owner, or retail stores that sell them. People sell what brings a profit: guns to teenagers; substandard food; overpriced medication for sick people; and shock collars for dogs. That's just the way it is.

I am blaming trainers, veterinarians, and humane societies that use them, and advice desperate owners to put it on their innocent dogs, even puppies, who have no choice, or voice.