Learning Fear Through Shocking Greetings : Never Shock A Puppy

This blog is part of an ongoing campaign to educate people about the dangers of using shock collars, in conjunction with NEVER SHOCK A PUPPY. Feel free to share the link and the blog, if you personally know someone who has made the choice to use a shock collar on their puppy or dog. Combined individual efforts will work over time, to help change the choices people make, with education.

When greeting a stranger, do certain behaviors not occur, given your social expectations? Thinking of standard professional introductions, eye to eye contact, a smile, a cordial verbal greeting and a polite handshake: all to be expected. However, what if your greeting was unwelcome, and communicated by application of a taser to your chest? Suddenly normal social expectations went out the window. What happened? Why did that happen? You were only trying to say hello. Are people not to be trusted anymore? What if it keeps happening? What will you do? Will you become defensive? Perhaps even arm yourself? Get the person before they can get you? 

Now, imagine a puppy, leaping up happily to greet a stranger coming into his home, only to feel horrible and unexpected pain around his neck. What happened to the anticipated lovely attention? Where did that come from?  This sad scenario is one I keep imagining. Somewhere out there, a puppy  was indeed shocked for jumping up to greet a stranger. A puppy that never came to me for training. A puppy I was made aware of by a client, concerned for the welfare of the puppy. Despite their best efforts and voiced concern to the person shocking the puppy, I am supposing the shock collar was continued. What happened to that puppy? Did that puppy learn fear and aggression in response to strangers? Perhaps I will end up seeing that puppy for behavior modification.

Sadly, the puppy would indeed associate the sudden pain with the stranger in the environment, as both events occurred simultaneously. With repetition, the association is negatively conditioned. Stranger appearing equals pain equals strangers are scary. There are two choices in this event. Run away. Defend. Often, even though dogs are fearful, a defense is chosen,  learned responses evolve and become increasingly aggressive. Or, they are shocked into submission, wary, fearful and un-trusting of the world around them. Dogs need a predictable environment to feel safe. How could they feel safe when anticipating pain? Would  you? This sad situation happens. Puppies and dogs become needlessly aggressive, due to thoughtless application of shock collars. Yet the sale of shock collars goes on.

Recently I overheard a sales clerk in a pet store happily explaining all the settings on a shock collar to a couple with a dog in tow. Shocking the dog was being discussed rather matter of factly. I wonder if they went home and slapped their kids? Why is it ok to shock a dog, but have different expectations for human conduct towards others. In my first greeting scenario, with the taser, law enforcement would have been called to the scene, perhaps a prison sentence, lawyers. Yet the shocking of puppies and dogs goes on. People who know nothing about dog behavior continue to sell harmful devices. This is just inherently wrong. Perhaps people should require a license to both sell and purchase them. Even better, a complete ban, as some countries have done. Wales Bans Shock Collars/More There is an ongoing and rather interesting discussion on this link as well.

As you go through your days, think about appropriate social greetings with strangers, and the scenarios I have described. Think about painful and unexpected events taking place as you reach to shake hands with a stranger. Think about all the puppies and dogs that continue to be shocked. Think about becoming involved in some small way, even if it is just to share this blog and campaign with someone.

Happy and pain free dog training, Leslie and the labbies

PMCT CPDT-KA, AKC CGC Evaluator, ABC Student Mentor

Comments

[Kenzo_HW]

A very accurate description of how a puppy must feel when a shock collar is used. Dogs are social beings, trying to see things through their eyes and put yourself in their shoes puts everything in the right perspective. Great post!

[Silvia Jay]

100% in favor of a complete ban.

[Debbie Jacobs]

I was pleased to learn that the salespeople at our local pet shop discouraged people from buying shock collars, recommending training classes instead. They had a large display case of them though.

[Mel Freer]

What a great way to demonstrate why using a shock collar can be so harmful to a young puppy or adult dog.

I have seen people shock at wrong times for behavior they were trying to correct and shock by accident because they couldn't remember which button made the buzz and which shocked. I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to see this happen. No doubt these dogs will need a trainer eventually to help resolve issues that arose from shock collar.

Great post!

[Leslie Fisher]

Thanks so much for all the positive comments, taking the time to read this blog,much appreciated. it is very helpful to have insights and perspective of readers. Glad to know that example/descriptions thought accurate, and sure wish I could find a way to get that local store clerk off his shock collar wagon. He is so into it, very disturbing.