Electric Fences (I know, I hate them)

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moxiemutt
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:40 am

Electric Fences (I know, I hate them)

Post by moxiemutt »

I have a problem with my friend. She has an OVERLY excitable 1 1/4 year old chocolate Lab (not spayed yet). Every time we go on a walk, My friend still leaves her dog's shock collar on her dog's neck, and brings the little shock remote with her too. We always walk down a street that normally has medium-low traffic flow. Whenever a car goes by, even if her dog doesn't jump or lunge or bark, my friend STILL pushes the shock button. Lately, she has been making me hold the remote and shock her, but i won't shock her. Every time I just say something like oops, or sorry I forgot. Please help!
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Post by ckranz »

Tell your friend that the only way you will carry the remote is if she wears the collar and not the dog. That you refuse to take part in her abuse to her dog.


If she asks if you know a better way to train, say yes and then direct her here.

If you understand the basics of clicker training, you could sho her a few basic things which I am sure her dog will pick up quickly. labs in general learn very quickly with clicker training.

If you friend is reasonable, start asking philisophical things like which is easier: teaching a dog to do the one thing you want, or correcting the myriad of things you don't want.

Let her know that if her dog is afraid of cars (the barking and lunging indicate that she is) that her punishment provides even more reason for her to be fearful....her dog was right everytime one of those care thingys goes by I feel pain.

If you cannot convince her to ditch the collar and adopt humane methods of training, I would begin to question the value of her friendship. I have already lost a couple of friends who refuse to take the collars off. At one point they rudely suggeted a collar for one of my dogs. After my line about refusing to abuse my own animals they have not really spoken yo me since. To be honest, I'd rather not have friends that use such barbaric methods of training.
moxiemutt
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:40 am

Post by moxiemutt »

Thanks! I will do that.
It's Me Or The Dog ROCKS! Sorry I love that show!
Dibbythedog
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:08 pm
Location: Middlesex West London

Post by Dibbythedog »

Whether you agree with shock collars or not, what your friend is doing is cruel because (apart from the pain of the shock) she is punishing her dog for not behaving and then FOR behaving so how is the dog to understand what she wants him to do? It just doesn't make sense what she is doing and it must be very confusing for the poor dog. :(
Your friend clearly doesn't understand the principles of training and she need this to be explained to her.
Clicker training would be the way to go here :wink:

Don't let your "friend" bully you. You are in the right. :D

Ali
moxiemutt
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:40 am

Post by moxiemutt »

I know. She acts like a know-it-all about dogs (majorly). I try not to, but sometimes I can't help it.
It's Me Or The Dog ROCKS! Sorry I love that show!
melhos123
Posts: 39
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:24 am
Location: U.S.A.

Post by melhos123 »

Does her dog know sit? Does she give her dog a treat when the dog sits successfully?
The only reason I can think she could be doing this is she is afraid the dog will chase the car?
Growing up, every time my grandmother walked her dogs and a car went by she had them sit until the car was gone. Slowly she replaced the word sit with car along with rewarding them for sitting without verbal command because the dogs recognized that seeing the car meant sit.

She taught me to do the same because I would sometimes walk them for her when I was a kid. Because the dogs did it EVERY time a car went buy they would often sit before I could say anything. I know for a fact that this saved the dogs life when it escaped and sat long enough for a car to go by and for me to catch up to it and bring it home.

I don't know if that helps but it might offer an alternative to her shock collar.
emmabeth
Posts: 8894
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: West Midlands
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Post by emmabeth »

Im torn here... id either put the collar on her and shock her... or 'accidentally' drop the remote under the wheels of a truck... or down a drain...
Disney Paws
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:37 pm

Post by Disney Paws »

Tell her that you think she shouldn't use shock collars. They can leave huge physical and emotional scars, and encourage and provoke bad behavior. If she still wants to use it, then tell her she should only shock the dog when the dog lunges at a car. Explain to her that how would she feel if she didnt understand the language of many giants around her, and whenever these loud, monster-like things go by you get zapped, as if it's your fault they are going by. What would you think? You'd probably fear cars completely, and then bark or lunge at cars more because you've been taught that they are a threat. You'd probably also hate your owner, and any other people for that matter, who's causing you incredible pain and try to defend yourself in any way you can, usually with your sharp teeth.
Maybe she'll understand then, because a lot of people just need different ways to understand. If she thinks of herself in the dog's place, it'll help. I used to crate my dog, for example, if I'd run to the store or something, and then someone told me, how would I like it if I was put in a cage, that, sure was big enough to turn around, but when I really wanted to play with my stuffed toys or watch animal planet(my dog loves IMOTD) or something? I know crates are houses to pets, but I realized I wouldn't like it, and that was probably why my dog didn't like going in, no matter how many or what treats I gave him. You can't understand someone without walking a mile in their shoes, or paws in this matter. ;)
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