The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), the UK’s largest professional pet dog training body, is joining the fight to have the use of electric shock collars banned under the new Animal Welfare Bill.
The APDT has a very strict code of conduct for its members, ensuring that dogs are trained only in a positive and humane way. Electric shock collars, in the APDT's view, are totally at odds with this code, training dogs using pain and fear.
The Kennel Club has been heading the anti-shock collar campaign in the UK, and the APDT are supporting them in their goal – along with, they say, an ever-growing number of professionals and members of the dog-owning public who agree that there is no place in a humane society for such aversive and painful methods of training.
The APDT believes modern dog training has progressed far from the days when punishment was the most common method of teaching dogs – in the same way as education has progressed from caning children in schools. The APDT acknowledges that there is no behaviour or training problem in dogs that is best dealt with by delivering an electric shock into a dog’s neck.
They also believe all problems are best solved using up-to-date reward-based training methods and responsible dog ownership – adhering to their motto,"kind, fair and effective". The APDT believes that not only are these collars inhumane, but their use can give rise to far more serious problems than the ones originally being treated – often causing serious aggression or debilitatingly fearful behaviours, as they tap directly into a dog’s natural ‘flight or fight’ response.
A spokesperson for the APDT said “We are totally committed to having these barbaric pieces of equipment consigned to dog training history. It is our professional opinion that it is totally unacceptable to train dogs using such inhumane devices, and a complete ban should be implemented as soon as possible. Dogs are meant to be man’s best friend – and you don’t cause your best friend pain and fear in the name of education.”
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