Went to the dog park to run some energy off the dog before watching the Packers beat the Steelers yesterday. As I am walking in I notice two guys, one with trench coat (!), and a German Shepherd mix with an e-collar. No big deal, Lars has one and I see them all the time. I start out with these guys a little ways behind me. Soon the GSM is screaming and crying while the guy is shocking him and telling him to come. The dog has NO idea what is happening. After this abuse goes on about 7-8 times in about 30 seconds, seriously, I walk back to the guy and ask if he has trained the dog on the collar, he says "No" (of course), but the dog comes in the house fine (but of course he does). I basically give him a quick synopsis of Evan's leash around the clothesline pole and then tell him he is going to ruin the dog. Meanwhile, the guy in the trench coat is backing away wondering if I am one of those PETA people, his eyes were absolutely HUGE. I turned and walked away.
I wondered which extreme attitude I was going to get. The one "Oh, really? Please tell me more, I love my dog and don't want to hurt him." or the one they want nothing to do with you for the rest of your life. I got the later, of course.
Later on, I realized that I didn't tell him the most important part of collar training: teaching the dog how to turn off the pressure. When I crossed paths with him again I said, "Hey, I don't want to belabor the point but you need to teach your dog how to turn off the pressure." He said, "Yeah, yeah." Didn't say anything else.
While we were in with the group of dogs it was obvious to me this guy needed the collar, or some training, because he spent about a half hour trying to get close enough to the dog to get a leash on it. He wouldn't even look at me, wanted nothing to do with me, too funny. At least he didn't use the collar again at the park that I could see.
When I was thinking about getting a collar, I talked to a lot of people about them and decided they are a good thing. But I also trained myself in the use of them. I didn't just go out and buy one and expect my dog to come when I hit the button. It's truly sad that someone won't take the time to know how to use something and instead "intentionally" hurt another being that they love.
I wondered which extreme attitude I was going to get. The one "Oh, really? Please tell me more, I love my dog and don't want to hurt him." or the one they want nothing to do with you for the rest of your life. I got the later, of course.
Later on, I realized that I didn't tell him the most important part of collar training: teaching the dog how to turn off the pressure. When I crossed paths with him again I said, "Hey, I don't want to belabor the point but you need to teach your dog how to turn off the pressure." He said, "Yeah, yeah." Didn't say anything else.
While we were in with the group of dogs it was obvious to me this guy needed the collar, or some training, because he spent about a half hour trying to get close enough to the dog to get a leash on it. He wouldn't even look at me, wanted nothing to do with me, too funny. At least he didn't use the collar again at the park that I could see.
When I was thinking about getting a collar, I talked to a lot of people about them and decided they are a good thing. But I also trained myself in the use of them. I didn't just go out and buy one and expect my dog to come when I hit the button. It's truly sad that someone won't take the time to know how to use something and instead "intentionally" hurt another being that they love.
