Potential Negative Effects Resulting from Incorrect Use of Electronic Training Devices
In its publication addressing the effective, humane, professional standards for dog trainers, the Delta Society, an organization that promotes the human-animal bond, presented a detailed evaluation of the risks associated with electronic and non-electronic training equipment. It noted that all training equipment and methods, including tools as seemingly benign as food and toys, could be harmful if used incorrectly.17 Examples cited include:
· Flat collars can put pressure on the airway and cause gagging when the leash is tightened
· Muzzles that prevent the dog from opening its mouth can quickly cause overheating due to the dog’s inability to pant
· Overuse of food rewards can cause an overweight condition
The table below is a compilation of risks and warnings that the Delta Society advises users to be aware of when using electronic training devices:
Radio Systems Corporation recommends that owners thoroughly read their owners manual for any electronic training devices in order to understand its functions and practical uses.
Case 6 – A Word About Pressure Necrosis (or Contact Dermatitis)
Pressure Necrosis is a commonly misunderstood condition. Some individuals mistakenly believe that Pressure Necrosis (also known as “contact dermatitis” or “decubitus ulcers”), caused by a too- tight collar, is a burn that appears to have been caused by the collar.
According to Dr. Dieter Klein, referenced earlier, “The electric properties and performances of the modern low-current remote stimulation devices (with current intensity of less than 100 mA) are comparable to the electric stimulation devices used in human medicine. Organic damage, as a direct impact of the applied current, can be excluded.”
Robert E. Schmidt, D.V.M., PhD, Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, West Sacramento, California, stresses that prevention of pressure necrosis is the best treatment. “If reddening of the skin is noted, the tightness of the collar should be evaluated,” advises Dr. Schmidt. This would entail removing or
loosening a too-tight collar that is causing ischemia, which can lead to pressure necrosis if incorrectly diagnosed as burns, or if not diagnosed until later stages of ulceration. Pet owners need to check for proper fit and irritation on a daily basis. Debris that comes between the dog’s neck and the devise may be an irritant as well and should be
checked daily as well. Collars should not be left on a pet for more than 8 to 12 hours at a time.
Proactive veterinarians should consider asking dog owners if they plan to use electronic training devices and briefly explain how to check for proper collar fit so as to avoid pressure necrosis.
Are Electronic Training Devices Right for Your Dog?
Regardless of their previous attitudes toward electronic training devices, after considering the information presented in this paper, veterinarians should be confident that people and dogs in the following categories can benefit from the use of new, enhanced products for addressing a wide range of pet behavioral health and obedience training issues:
· Well-intentioned pet owners capable of following basic instructions for product use
· Non-aggressive, non-phobic dogs
Additionally, senior citizens and physically challenged owners and their dogs may especially benefit from electronic training devices, notes Jerry Wolfe, President of Triple Crown Dog
Academy, “...these devices have also shown great benefit to senior citizens who do not have the strength or proper timing when using a conventional leash and collar. We have also experienced, in working with handicapped pet owners, that these devices are sometimes the only way for them to safely train and control their dog, especially in public environments with enhanced distractions and possible presence of other dogs.”19
Choosing the Appropriate Stimulation Level for Electronic Training Devices
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“Starting at too high an intensity can cause an extremely fearful or aggressive response, but starting at too low an intensity can cause habituation.” —Delta Society |
Veterinarians should encourage dog owners to read all package instructions before using any electronic training device. In addition to providing product safety information, some manufacturers also provide suggested, step-by-step written or
electronic details on how to properly combine voice commands with electronic stimuli to effectively achieve the desired result. In many cases these instructions are prepared by professional dog trainers on behalf of the manufacturer.
Case 7 – Anecdotal Evidence from Respected Veterinarian/Trainer is Positive
Several scientific studies on the physical and psychological effects of electronic training devices have been presented, yet some of the most compelling arguments for the judicious use
of electronic training devices are found in anecdotal evidence.
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“In the past ten years at our training center, we have ‘rescued’ over 100+ dogs that would have been turned in to shelters or euthanized because the dogs were deemed uncontrollable. These are dogs from normal households that failed to learn for whatever reason. These dogs come to our training center and spend two to four weeks learning how to respond to the training collar. We do not punish with it, but teach the dog to pay attention, learn right from wrong, and develop self- control and a solid sense of teamwork. These dogs go back home with their owners, who easily maintain control by occasional application of a tone or stimulation to remind their pet of the rules.” —Phyllis Giroux, D.V.M., CAC “I like the way (static stimulation) works and the fact that it gives “gentle” to high level reminders to keep behavior in check” —Shirley Lehmann, Veterinary Technician, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. |
Because advanced electronic training devices offer a range of stimulation settings, it is always advisable that dog owners find the lowest setting that is effective for their dog before beginning training.
Owners are advised to quickly determine what Phyllis Giroux, D.V.M., CAC, of the Deep Run Health Care and Training Center in Goldvein, Virginia, and quoted previously, refers to as the “recognition” level. “This is the level at which the dog can recognize that he is receiving some signal from the training device,” says Dr. Giroux. “The correct level for training is that level at
which we have the dog’s attention, whether we get it in the form of a treat, a click, a vibration or a low-level stimulation.”
Conclusions
Despite increased efforts by national and grassroots organizations to slow the growth of the unwanted animal population, the fact remains that a large percentage of dogs in shelters or roaming city streets are without a home because they failed to integrate successfully into family life.
Veterinarians who proactively address behavioral issues with dog owners can help make significant reductions in the number of dogs that are sheltered or euthanized. This paper indicates that the appropriate use of modern electronic training devices is a valuable tool for the majority of behavioral and containment issues that frustrate dog owners.
Based on the information presented here,
veterinary professionals should feel comfortable recommending electronic training devices to responsible dog owners. They should continue to encourage owners to evaluate the training options that best suit their individual pet’s needs, and read and understand all training device instructions prior to product use. When used in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions, it is reasonable to expect successful outcomes from electronic
training devices in the overwhelming majority of cases, without physiological or psychological effects to the dog.
Bibliograpghy
1 Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior & Training, Volume Three, Procedures and Protocols, Steven R. Lindsay, 2005, Blackwell Publishing, p. 570
2 Lindsay, p. 586
3 Lindsay, p. 593
4Nicholas Dodman, Director of Animal Behavior Clinic, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine; author of The Dog Who Loved Too Much, Bantam Books, 1996; and The Cat Who Cried for Help, Bantam Books, 1999.
5 Nova Online – Animal Hospital, produced for PBS by WGBH Science Unit
6 Randall Lockwood, PhD, Senior Vice President, Anti-cruelty Initiatives and Legislative Services, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
7 Radio Systems Corporation industry research, 2007.
8 Lindsay, p. 569
9 Radio Systems Corporation industry research, 2007
10 “Top Line Summary from interviews conducted at the North American Veterinary Conference: January 2003,” Radio Systems Corporation, 2003.
11 Steiss, J.E., Schaffer, C., Ahmad, H.A., and Voith, V.L., 2007, Evaluation of Plasma Cortisol Levels and Behavior in Dogs Wearing Bark Control Collars. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 106, pp. 96-106. A copy of this study is available upon request, by contacting Radio Systems Corporation.
12 Dave Head, Director, Knox County Animal Control, June, 2007 Knox County study, Knoxville, TN.
13 Dieter Klein, “How Dangerous are Remote Stimulation Devices for the Training of Dogs?” originally published in Amtstierärztlicher Dienst und Lebensmittelkontrolle, 2000.
14 Jerry Thomas, “The Modern Remote-Training Collar—This is Not Your Father’s ‘Shock Collar,’” Gun Dog Magazine, June/July 2004, p. 56-61.
15 F.O. Christiansen, M. Bakken and B.O. Braastad, “Behavioural Changes and Aversive Conditioning in Hunting Dogs by the Second-Year Confrontation with Domestic Sheep,” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, April 26, 2001
16 Phyllis Giroux, D.V.M., CAC, “The Shocking Truth About Remote Trainers,” The Whole Dog Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 2001.
17 Sgt. Rod Hampton, Round Rock (Texas) Police Department Canine Unit Supervisor, open letter, August 7, 2002.
18 Delta Society, Professional Standards for Dog Trainers: Effective, Humane Principles. Renton, WA: Delta Society, August 2001, 26-28.
19 Jerry Wolfe, President, Triple Crown Dog Training Academy, letter to Phil Alder of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (United Kingdom), May 20, 2004.
Permission to reprint and distribute this white paper in its entirety is granted by Radio Systems Corporation through January 31, 2010.
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