Comments on: Electronic training and more from the blogs http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/30/the-blog-walk-good-stuff-out-there/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: MaineMom http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/30/the-blog-walk-good-stuff-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-117731 MaineMom Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:01:39 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/30/the-blog-walk-good-stuff-out-there/#comment-117731 The home we purchased in WA had an invisible fence in place with a small dog unit for the previous owner's Maltese. We had the original company check the unit and we went through the "training" with our Maltese. Even got shocked so I'd know what she felt. She avoided the 6' current radius around the buried wire and all went well until the day she spotted a stray cat on "her" property. We yelled commands but she bolted, got hit with a shock and sat down, now being hit with a continuous shock. In this instance, it was faster to run and grab her (and get shocked too) than shut off the unit! But what if we hadn't seen her? We removed the unit. These units may work better with some breeds. There is a good reason you won't find many Maltese at obedience trials. Most of them become instantly deaf and dumb when they want to, no matter how much training they are given! The home we purchased in WA had an invisible fence in place with a small dog unit for the previous owner’s Maltese. We had the original company check the unit and we went through the “training” with our Maltese. Even got shocked so I’d know what she felt. She avoided the 6’ current radius around the buried wire and all went well until the day she spotted a stray cat on “her” property. We yelled commands but she bolted, got hit with a shock and sat down, now being hit with a continuous shock. In this instance, it was faster to run and grab her (and get shocked too) than shut off the unit! But what if we hadn’t seen her? We removed the unit.

These units may work better with some breeds. There is a good reason you won’t find many Maltese at obedience trials. Most of them become instantly deaf and dumb when they want to, no matter how much training they are given!

]]> By: Jennifer J http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/30/the-blog-walk-good-stuff-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-117528 Jennifer J Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:14:07 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/30/the-blog-walk-good-stuff-out-there/#comment-117528 Electronic collars have their place and as you have ststed, they can be lifesavers for dogs chasing livestock, farm equipment or a hunting dog that may stray into danger etc... There are people who use them to teach dogs to fear rattlesnakes, another life saving endeavor. But they are often used so very very incorrectly. I know of dogs that have been shocked repeatedly to teach them basic sit and down commands! They wind up terrified or fearful of the people doing the training. Iknow of at least one who was left unpredictable and deranged after a training session that was akin to torture. IMO the collar correction should never be associated( by the dog at least) with human beings. Used correctly to break dangerous habits it ought to seem like the act, not a person, caused the negative event. Training with electronic devices should be most often left to professionals with a proven track record of getting the desired result with these devices while causing the mimimum amount of discomfort to the dog. The average pet owner should stay well clear of shock or E-collars Electronic collars have their place and as you have ststed, they can be lifesavers for dogs chasing livestock, farm equipment or a hunting dog that may stray into danger etc… There are people who use them to teach dogs to fear rattlesnakes, another life saving endeavor.
But they are often used so very very incorrectly. I know of dogs that have been shocked repeatedly to teach them basic sit and down commands! They wind up terrified or fearful of the people doing the training. Iknow of at least one who was left unpredictable and deranged after a training session that was akin to torture. IMO the collar correction should never be associated( by the dog at least) with human beings. Used correctly to break dangerous habits it ought to seem like the act, not a person, caused the negative event. Training with electronic devices should be most often left to professionals with a proven track record of getting the desired result with these devices while causing the mimimum amount of discomfort to the dog. The average pet owner should stay well clear of shock or E-collars

]]>