I’ve been upset recently by some things I’ve witnessed, and all are a welfare concern for the dogs in question. But what can we do? Educate is the answer, and not always by confrontation.
With social media channels opening up more information about dogs and dog training, this means we are flooded with the good, the bad and the ugly side of methods and gadgets. How are we to know what is right and wrong? And the internet has opened up a wider range of products to buy. And just because a trainer has a good marketing team behind them, does that actually mean they are a good trainer?
It’s all about your ethics and viewpoint.
I need to learn about all of the methods and equipment, how to use them and the effects/repercussions on the dog. For me, I like to factor in just how the dog is feeling, and what they are actually learning from the experience. This means that the dog’s welfare is my top priority.
I can’t always blame the owners, but there is so much information out there on what happens when they use certain methods and equipment, that I feel there is no excuse, unless they really enjoy the feeling it gives to THEM. Egos are real, and some of these social media ‘influencers’ try and be seductive in how they present their miracle results.
However these last few weeks I’ve seen some really horrible sights, and these are actually quite common. Each one of these I’ve said something – often politely but the owners have not wanted to even engage let alone listen.
Sad sight 1 – the fabric muzzle.
I’m all for muzzles, introduced properly, they are a fantastic management tool for any reactive dog or a dog that scrounges/picks up dangerous items. But not all muzzles are suitable. I totally support the basket style = the one that looks like a cage around their mouth. This suspends around their muzzle and allows them to open their mouths to drink, take treats and more importantly they can pant and breathe easily. It doesn’t need to be a hot day for dogs to need to pant. Any exercise requires more oxygen as the heart rate increases, and this heats up their body. They main way to regulate their temperature is to pant. On humid days (more so when overcast), the hot breath doesn’t evaporate as well, so panting is more rapid.
Sadly there is another type of muzzle that is even sold for a few pounds in top pet shops – the fabric muzzle. You may have seen your vet use this type – but only briefly and under careful conditions so that they can examine a pet without being bitten. But I’ve seen more and more dogs being forced into these contraptions out on walks. The fabric muzzle is tight, it fits like a sleeve and forces their mouths closed. They cannot open their mouths to pant at all. And I’ve seen owners then let their dogs run around in these, thinking they are better, when in fact they are risking their dog’s health.
The fabric muzzles should never be used out and about, and ideally never be sold to dog owners. Do you really want to kill your dog by overheating it? If you cared, you will get a good fitting (that is the key!) basket muzzle and be responsible to your own dog as well as others.
The response I got to this particular owner? ‘I tried the basket style but I didn’t like it, I prefer this one’. So her preferences trump her dog’s needs. It was a spaniel too, so a very active dog that was suffering on a hot humid day. Mind blown.
Using a basket muzzle means they have more freedom with the risk of grabbing mitigated. There could still be some minor damage should the unfortunate happen with another dog, and the mental impact of an attack is not to be underestimated. But it’s certainly 100% better than forcing your dog’s mouth shut and making it run. You try that – not good!
I had an article published in Dogs Today all about the muzzle – read it here – https://www.pippinpetsdogtraining.co.uk/top-tips/dog-muzzle-training/
Sad Sight 2 – the prong collar
I have a bug bear on any choke lead, anything that gives a sudden tightening around the neck. Slip leads (lazy leads) are really common for any gundog type – even if the dog in question has never done any ‘work’ in it’s life, and I’ve even seen these on brachy/flat faced dogs that struggle to breathe normally without the fear of being choked. But prong collars are a different level.
Made of metal or plastic, they operate as a choke lead, but have intervals of spikes on the inside. The added benefit to being choked is pain around the throat. Popular as a ‘quick fix’ to lead walking to replace practice and effort, these devices can cause severe pain and pierce the skin around the neck. This device is used on almost every ‘information video’ by a popular online trainer on social media channels.
Owners that may have some level of conscious (not enough to bin these horrific contraptions, are now able to buy ‘prong collar covers’, to hide them. If you feel you have to hide them, then you must know they are not good for the dog. A tell tale sign is for the dog wearing 2 collars – you know that the second one has either a shock device, or his hiding the metal spikes of a prong.
This is the case just yesterday when walking in open private parkland – a lovely Doberman being walked but on 2 black collars, but one of them that was higher up on the neck (as yes, there are instructions that it needs be positioned high on the throat) but the metal spikes were very clear to see glinting in the sunshine as you looked down on the dog. If this wasn’t bad enough, the dog was on a long line – about 3-4 metres long! Now I never recommend a long line attached to ANY collar as the risk of damage to the neck increases by the sudden ping as the dog reaches the end of the lead, but to attach the choke lead with spikes on the end to a long line is beyond cruel.
Said dog owner just walked on chatting to her friend before I could even get a few words out of my mouth as I was planning to ask her why she needed a prong, and hoping to then engage as to why she felt she had to hide it, but I didn’t get that opportunity.
There are three things to consider if you are going to use a prong collar – 1) it hurts the dog, 2) it hurts the dog, 3) it hurts the dog. You are choking it and driving metal spikes into it’s neck. That is it. That is what it is designed to do. But to use one with a long line is so shocking, that poor dog. In my opinion, the should be banned. If you can’t be bothered to put in the work to teach your dog and the hours of practice that it takes, then don’t get a dog.
Sad Sight 3 – Being hit by daypack for not instant recall
This was a young gundog who was just mooching around whilst I was chatting to the owners. There he was just sniffing around, not bothering anyone but the male owner (yes, I’m dad shaming here) called the dog over. The dog was too distracted by some lovely wildlife smells, and it was adolescent, so their brains are just a fog at times. Instead of waiting for the dog to look up before repeating the cue, the dad stormed over, grabbed the dog by it’s collar, pushed it down on it’s side and using his day pack that had been over his shoulder to then hit the dog with the bag a few times. He was ‘punishing’ the dog for not listening and not responding instantly. I called out that hitting the dog wasn’t really necessary but the owner shouted at the dog and whacked it again. I had to walk away as I felt any interaction with the dad would escalate his temper, not stop him. The wife just stood by and said/did nothing.
What did the dog experience? Fear, intimidation, and certainly no desire to recall to the man for fear of being hit. Zero relationship building going on here. The owner did not make any adjustments to their expectations of an adolescent dog, gave the dog no time to listen or interpret the cue let alone time to respond. Future recalls would be under duress, and most likely with the dog cowering, lip licking and other anxiety signs = all due to fear.
There is NO excuse to hit your dog – taps on their nose, using objects to hit their bodies or any other way. That is abuse and violence, but the dog is trapped. They can’t escape to another home, the have to suck it up. What a destitute life for that dog.
If your dog is not listening or being as quick to respond as you would expect them to be, then think about why. It’s not your dog’s fault. Maybe the environment is too distracting, maybe they have too many hormones to content with, or maybe they just don’t understand what you are asking them to do. Just because you know what cue/response you want, stop and think if you have really taught your dog the same. If they continue to ignore you, then if you keep doing the same thing, you won’t get a different response. You have to do something different to get a new result.
But nothing should warrant you hitting your dog. Manage your own frustrations and expectations, and then coach your dog to help them learn.
Hopefully you won’t witness these things yourself, but the only way to help other owners is education, not intimidation. And it may not always be by approaching them directly if you are not comfortable enough to do that (take each person as an individual), but to shout out ethical methods in all your socials and more, as we need to spread the word to everyone.