This article appears in todays paper. My guess is that it is the editors intention for this to be a follow up to their original story.


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/content/accent/epaper/2006/07/25/a1e_dogtrainers_0725.html

Terry

Here's a copy of my comment to the author of the cited article in this post.

Hello:

I just read your article on dog trainers in the wake of Ringo's death.

I felt that in general your article was well balanced and reasonably researched.

I do have one comment on the source (Lindsay Smith) who lumped electric collar training in with "snap-jerk" methods and also with yelling: this is not a helpful categorization.

The big advantage of ecollars is the ability to administer a dispassionate correction in a perfectly timed manner. In short, it is the ability to give a proportionate correction WITHOUT yelling, or becoming angry oneself.

The appropriate caveat for ecollars is that it is a tool that requires the handler to be very well trained him or herself. Ecollar training is for professionals and serious amateurs preferably with expert advice and learning resources.

Also, modern ecollar protocols involving very low levels of distraction of the dog, and hence the possibility of using only very low levels of electrical stimulation.

Another important thing to note about ecollars, and any aversive method of training, is that in most modern dog training systems, that whatever corrective method is used, whether it be leash pops, saying "no", or ecollar, is about 2% of the answer: positive learning methods using food, praise, and toys, as well as relationship building, are 98% of success. Most successful advocates of correction defend its use, but in fact use corrections extremely selectively, thoughtfully, and rarely. It is a misconception to think that those who defend use of such techniques let their relationships with their dogs be primarily defined in this way.

Your source Lindsay Smith was quite happy to perpetuate this misconception, whether innocently, or for her own ideological reasons.

I note that your article is now "in play on the http://www.leerburg.com discussion board.

rgds, andrew may

Thanks for commenting on that. I am continually surprised at the level of ignorance surrounding correct training with an ecollar. Many thanks to Ed for showing the difference between the old - old - old ecollars that really were "snap-jerk" and the new ecollar that are finely adjustable in his DVD.

AMEN to Andrew & Anne <:-) and anther BIG thank you to Ed on his "E-Collar Training for Pet Owners" !!!