[PyrNet-L] shock collars and walking off lead

[Jaime Stathis <jstathis@andover.edu>]

so...could a shock collar be used to help train a dog to stay close to you
when out hiking in parks?  would a shock collar be enough to prevent a dog
fight if another dog got in your pyr's face? my dog (1/2 pyr, 1/2 lab) i so
sweet and gently UNTIL another dog gets in her face, then she is, i hatre
to use this word, vicious.  my biggest fear walking my dog off lead in
public places is that she will meet an oncoming dog and get involved in a
brawl before i have a chance to catch up and call her away.  she likes to
walk ahead of me/us.  i only take her to p7ublic places when my husband is
with us b/c he is a lot more confident and fearless about the potential dog
fight thing.  he is also a much faster runner....

we have 11 acres in a triangular shape. 2 fairly busy roads on two sides
and power company owned woods on the third. lots of small animals, deer,
and occasionally coyotes for her to chase ON our property where she is
alwasy off leash, so this is where she gets most of her excercise, and her
favorite time to be active outside is midnight...gotta love it!


At 05:44 PM 11/02/1999 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Recently on another list, there was a big discussion
>> about using pinch 
>> collars.  Seems they are illegal in the UK, and
>> several English list members 
>> were very critical of anyone who used these devices.
>>  Well, I for one, use 
>> them on our males.  We were shown by our trainer how
>> to fit them and how to 
>> use them properly.  
>
>   I have used a pinch on my also.  I'm much more
>comfortable with a pinch then a choke.  The pinch
>looks harsher, but I know it will only tightened down
>so far and no farther so the risk of real harm is
>gone.  
>    I've only had males, and when they get about 6
>months it seems a pinch is needed to teach them for a
>while.  In a flat collar, at this age they will pull
>me all over the neighborhood, and walking them is
>impossible.  In a choke they pull against it so hard,
>I'm afraid they will damage something.  As a result we
>go with the pinch.  Around 10-11 months, I've been
>able to retire the pinch.
>    I also use a gentle leader. This head collar works
>wonders, especially for excitablity.  It is a bit
>ackward though trying to lead under the chin,
>especially training sits and such.  
>    I've never used a shock collar, and hope I never
>need to but I've learned that each dog takes a
>different approach.  You have to analyze the situation
>and do what is best for each dog.  Ultimetly, the goal
>should be to give the dog more freedom, not less.  For
>example, I use the pinch because without we'd never be
>able to take walks.  You might use a shock collar to
>curtail barking so the dog can stay outside without
>bothering neighbors.  Each situation and dog has to be
>taken individually.  
>                    Brandy
>
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