Recommending training tools or methods to dog owners have NO experience?
Submitted by admin on May 8, 2010 – 10:43 pm8 Comments
UMI? asked:
Do you feel uncomfortable?
I feel uncomfortable when I read other people recommending prong collars, check chains or negative reinforcement methods to people on here because SOME of the people they’re recommending it too have no experience at all with dogs and will do damage to the dog using these methods.
Do you feel the same way?
LIzzyB, I wasn’t talking about you specifically it was a generalization.
Don’t take it personally.
It is very rare that I would recommend a specific tool, as I don’t know the owner and dog in question. I simply recommend obedience classes, so they can train under the guidance of a (hopefully) experienced trainer who can properly evaluate their needs.
To my mind, although they do have their uses, most people use these “tools” as a substitute for a proper training relationship with their dogs.
EXCUSE ME — I specifically told them to get professional help with the prong collar or they could seriously ***** up. But used properly (which I clearly stated) they are a great help for dogs that pull. Get a grip.
And positive reinforcement works MOST of the time. But there are times, and there are dogs, who need proper training equipment and proper training supervision. Until you have trained a Lab for Utility, don’t be too harsh on trainers who recommend professional “tools” and professional training.
In my 7 days of experience owning a dog, I have found that positive reinforcment works WONDERS for training puppies.
Oh the possiblities when armed with treats!
Yes!
Training collars (now know as choke chains) are used way to often and for the wrong reasons. pronged ones?? Eck! never use one is my advice, just TEACH him to walk nicely.
I like and recomend NILF “nothing in life is free” for problem behaviors if possible.
although i dont see anything wrong with a LIGHT TAP (not a smack or a beating) o the rump to get their attention. It shouldnt be the punishment just a way to get their attention on you.
It makes me angry.
Extreme training tools like prong collars and electric fences should only be used on evaluated dogs under professional supervision. The likelihood of causing psychological trauma to an animal, even if the devices are used perfectly, is too great.
Just because it worked for one person doesn’t mean it’ll work for another.
When people answer questions on here, they should be responsible and understand that everybody in the world can view what they say, so they should be as careful as possible. We live in a world where a lot of people will skip the expensive, time consuming part (doing the right thing and hiring a trainer) and go straight for the tool.
When someone buys a training tool it is their responsibility to learn how to properly use it. If they’re capable of coming on here to ask questions about their untrained dogs I’m sure they’re capable of reading and following instructions as provided on training tools like a prong collar.
I will continue recommending prong collars and choke collars to people as when used correctly they do give results.
When I recommend prong collars (and I occasionally do), I *always* recommend that they find a trainer who can show them how to use them properly.
I rarely recommend choke collars, since IMO those are much easier to do damage with than a prong.
Most of the time, I simply recommend obedience classes…because that way a trainer can show them in person which tools to use, and how to use them.
ADD: Since when is a prong collar “extreme”?? Is it “extreme” because it “looks scary”? I’ve trained dogs to obedience titles with prong collars, and I’m quite sure none of them suffered “psychological trauma”.
Prong collars work if used correctly and i heard their better than choke chains because the choke chains can damage a dog’s trachaea but if a prong collar is used wrong it can hurt a dog… prong collars dont hurt dogs they just feel like their mother telling them to settle down. if ur dog is out of control i would reccomend getting a trainer to come to ur house to help fix ur dog