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KeriVit · 10:44 AM

What the hell is wrong with people?

I have an invisible fence for my dogs. All is fine and good- they haven't gotten a shock in 6 years since training. In fact half the time, they don't even have the collars on.

Well, anyway, my co-worker and her husband rigged up their own invisible fence and have shock collars. BUT- they have no training and basically use the remote to shock the dogs whenever they do something wrong. Not just going outside the boundry- but if they start running off fast or get into something, etc. If one gets out without the collar, they will bring him back, put the collar on and shock them. To me, they are missing the point entirely.

My fence has a beep as the dogs reach the fence and they know that that beep means to back off. Therefore, no shock.

Using a remote to discipline a dog every time they screw up just seems cruel?

Am I a hypocrite or are they using this system the wrong way?

Randman · Jun 24, 2005, 10:33 AM

I'd call and report them for animal abuse.

brapper · Jun 24, 2005, 10:40 AM

I'd punch them in the face.

budster101 · Jun 24, 2005, 02:49 PM

The collars don't hurt the dogs.

Further, this study demonstrates that the training "shock" is one-fourth the level of a cattle fence and one-twentieth the level of a stun gun, two devices to which electronic training equipment is often unfairly compared.

But even this study tells only half the story. It compared the voltage put out by these devices...the intensity. You also need to consider the duration. Reputable brands of electronic training equipment correct for only a short period of time. The brand that has the UL mark of approval on its receiver features a correction that lasts only 1/40 of a second -- less time than it takes the average person to snap their fingers.

But what this study does demonstrate is that not all "shock" is the same. And that the correction in question is not "painful," "powerful" or even "uncomfortable." "Surprising" maybe, but none of the above.

I had a collar on my dog for 1 day, he barked out of line a few times, and then he just got fed up. Now he barks only when he has to go out or is hungry, which is all the time it seems... where is that collar????????

Resource:

http://radiofence.com/myths.htm

Cody Dawg · Jun 24, 2005, 02:56 PM

Hey, budster101, sorry to agree to disagree.

Have you ever put one of the prongs on yourself and shocked yourself on purpose? It hurts like heck!

I know because we were testing them one day out of curiosity in the local PetSmart store.

Those people who shock their dogs are just teaching their dogs that their owners are to be feared.

Pretty sad.

Print out this thread and leave it in their mailbox after we've all posted a while.

budster101 · Jun 24, 2005, 03:04 PM

It was an automatic collar, it sensed him getting ready to bark and it interfeared with the process. (Activated by vibrations in their vocal chords)
He used to bark constantly, and then for one evening only we tried the collar, and he never did it again.

I don't agree with having a device that you activate. He went to obedience class with me and my wife, and he learned how to behave, and listen, but he just was an uncontrollable barker.

I think it is worth one afternoon or even a week of discomfort for the dog.

I don't believe in fences that are activated by the dog's presence though. They should be trained to know boundries, and I have never had trouble in this regard.

BTW: The trainer we used recommended this specific collar and he was totally against SHOCK collars. I think it vibrated, and not shocked the dog. There are all types of these devices, and I wouldn't be suprised to see there are those that do harm the dogs, but they can be adjusted to lower the shock.

Did you read my article?

wdlove · Jun 25, 2005, 10:34 AM

I think that your coworker has definitely gone over board with the way that they use the system. I'm not sure how the training process went, but it seems that it worked. The training process isn't easy, but it appears that in your case the dogs are well trained.

BRussell · Jun 25, 2005, 10:42 AM

I had a psych professor, an animal learning specialist, who used those dog collars. Apparently it is legitimate use, though obviously I'm sure there's a right way and a wrong way to use them.

Randman · Jun 25, 2005, 10:49 AM

I hope something happens and they get tasered. That would be poetic justice.

budster101 · Jun 25, 2005, 11:08 AM

Put the collars on them, and press the button for a long time once.

Tell them if they swear, they'll get zapped... press the button again... and again... and again until they swear, and then say UH OH! Gotta zap you.. tee-hee... when they protest, they never swore the first time, just say, well, I'm changing the rules as I go.