Aversive techniques, they are not the answer

Sabrina Poggiagliolmi, DVM, MS

Recently, I read an article in print and available online at the Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research1 website (www.journalvetbehavior.com) which once more has strengthened my opinion about the use of aversive techniques for training domestic dogs: they are simply wrong and unnecessary.

It is a case report about a 1-year old GSD who had to be euthanized because of brain damage resulting from having been chocked by the owner while training him. The dog developed severe cerebral edema, confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, which explained the severity of the clinical signs (i.e. disorientation, blindness, left-sided pleurothotonus, and circling) which developed within an hour after  strangulation by the owner using a choke chain collar. 

I suspect this is not the first incident, and sadly is probably not going to be the last; no one has  reported a similar case so far.

Another paper2 shows that one of the side effects of using a nylon collar in dogs is an increase of  intraocular pressure. The authors therefore recommend using harnesses instead of collars during exercise or activity in dogs with weak or thin corneas, glaucoma, or conditions for which an increase in intraocular pressure may be harmful.  

I have been presented with two different dogs trained by the same trainer who recommends the use of both pinch collars and shock collars. To convince owners to buy the shock collar, he tells them that the collar does not work by applying an electric current to the dog’s neck, but instead by mimicking the neck scruff used by adult dogs to correct their puppies.     

Shock Collars, to affect the behavior of dogs, must be associated with pain or negative experience otherwise they simply would not work as they are meant to. If the collar were to deliver an almost pleasant feeling (such as a "tickle") then the behavior targeted for suppression would reasonably increase, since the dog seek out pleasant sensations. If the collar delivers a sensation the dog can "barely feel" then it will have no effect on the dog’s behaviour. Once the dog has learned, by association, that the “tickle”, “tap”, “stim”, “pulse”, “buzz”, “tingle”, "beep" or “static” is followed with a painful electric shock it can then modify its behaviour accordingly - in order to avoid the electric shock. The fact remains these collars MUST be associated with pain or trauma on order to have an effect on behaviour.seek out pleasant sensations. If the collar delivers a sensation the dog can "barely feel" then it will have no effect on the dog’s behaviour. Once the dog has learned, by association, that the “tickle”, “tap”, “stim”, “pulse”, “buzz”, “tingle”, "beep" or “static” is followed with a painful electric shock it can then modify its behaviour accordingly - in order to avoid the electric shock. The fact remains these collars MUST be associated with pain or trauma on order to have an effect on behaviour.would look for that pleasant sensation repeatedly. If the collar delivers a sensation the dog can hardly perceive then it will have no effect on the dog’s behavior. Once the dog has learned, by association, that the “zap” is followed by a painful electric shock it can then modify its behavior accordingly, to avoid the electric shock. These collars have to be associated with pain or trauma in order to have an effect on the dog’s behavior.

 Whenever we use the above mentioned techniques we are simply teaching our dogs to be scared of us and to not trust us and therefore will never create a bond and a relationship based on mutual respect. Any punishment, to be effective, should follow three rules:  it must be delivered within seconds from the beginning of the behavior, it should be delivered each and every time the dog misbehaves (i.e. even when no one is around him or her), and it should be intense enough to startle the dog but not scare it. This is why punishment is never effective. Most of the time the owners’ timing is not perfect (for example, think about the dog being punished hours after he has chewed on the sofa while no one was at home), and the owners do not choose punishment according to the dog’s response to it, but only according to their personal perception of what may work on their dog. Moreover the owners may start over-punishing their dogs out of frustration especially if they do not see compliance from their pets. A dog being punished may respond to the punisher with further aggression as he/she feels the need to protect him/herself from the punisher. Therefore to avoid an escalation of the dog’s aggression or to make fearful/anxious dogs even more uncomfortable, it is not advisable to resort to punishment.

The best way to teach our dogs manners is to use positive reinforcement, which simply means to reward all the wanted behaviors with the reward that will work the best for that particular dog. A reward can be either food, or a favorite toy. Even going on walks may be seen as a most treasured reward; it just depends on the dog.  Dogs, like human beings, need motivations to work for.

I understand that owners are always looking for a “quick fix” because they do not want to, nor do they   have enough time to dedicate to their furry friends, but even “Rome was not built in a day”. Training dogs by using positive reinforcement it is a time consuming process, but the ensuing benefits from it will be long lasting. Not only that, it is a fun experience which by involving all the family members will help them develop a stronger and deeper bond with their dog.

Choosing the right trainer is a fundamental step to have our dream dog, but owners usually do not know how to pick the one who will teach them how to create that long lasting relationship they all want. The AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - avsaboline.org) has a “How to choose a trainer” handout available on its website which makes a list of all the qualities a good trainer should have. The one I like the most? “He/she should be using reward-based training”!

My take home message is very simple: please, refrain from hurting your dog by using training as an excuse. There are more humane ways to train your dog, use those instead and enjoy a more healthy relationship with your pet.    

References:

1.       Grohmann K, Dickomeit MJ, Schmidt MJ, Kramer M. Severe brain damage after punitive training technique with a choke chain collar in a German shepherd dog. Available online at: www.jornalvetbehavior.com.

2.       Pauli AM, Bentley E, Diehl KA, Miller PE. Effects of the application of neck pressure by a collar or harness on intraocular pressure in dogs. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association; May/June 2006, Vol. 42, pages 207-211.