I’d like to thank my blog followers for providing me information that I normally wouldn’t come across, such the recent ban on e-collars in Quebec. They say that forewarned is forearmed, so brace yourself for activists here in the United States following the lead of other countries in the growing ban on e-collars.
However it turns out that Quebec isn’t the first to ban e-collars. As reported in SpinoneUS, Wales banned their use in 2010. The alternative offered is positive reinforcement, which although admirable, has its limitations because it does not allow boundaries to be set and is useful only as long as the dog wants the reward. The people who abuse e-collars would also abuse through other means such as hitting or kicking their dog.
Admittedly, I’ve seen and heard of e-collar abuses and that was the primary reason it took me so long to buy into their use. After having been trained on their proper use, I occasionally use them in training only when necessary, which for me is very seldom. When I do use them, it’s primarily for the safety of my dog and the only times I’ve really nicked my dogs is for their safety. But lawmakers and activists who propose their ban are ignorant of their proper use as I was, but I believe the ban is more ideological than rational, and these people are not interested in learning about their proper use.
Many if not most e-collars today have a “tone” setting that beeps rather than “shocks”. I have found that low settings on my e-collar cause a painless vibration sensation rather than a shocking sensation, and those are the settings I use. How do I know this? The truth is, I tried the collar out on myself before using it on the dogs. Yes, I placed the e-collar to my throat and went through most of the settings so that I would know how much stimulation was being applied to the dogs.
So an attempt to ban e-collars is undoubtedly on its way. If you don’t want to see them eliminated as a training tool, now may be the time to head it off before the movement gains momentum.
Twin Buttes Spinone 
There are many old books on training field trial dogs. The methods they used before ecollars were very brutal. Cattle prods, bee-bee guns, riding crops…terrible. Ecollars allow dogs to be trained to a higher level using a human tool. As you know we also use ecollar with invisible fencetoo. I guess it would be better to leave a dog loose….lol.
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An ex-Lab trainer said he’s shot dogs with a shotgun, far enough away to just pepper their hides but abuse is abuse regardless of the method applide. Guess that’s why he’s no longer a trainer and why I’ve never taken his advice! These must be dog people who took Dr. Spock’s philosophy on raising children a little too seriously. lol.
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