For Wayne Dorman, the owner and founder of Dogzies Pet Services in Kelowna, the issue of ecollar (shock collar) usage on dogs comes down to two basic things乌鸦传媒攅ducation and regulation.
In his years as a dog trainer, Dorman estimates the handling or training with more than 15,000 dogs in the Okanagan with clients from all over.
He乌鸦传媒檚 seen what ecollars can do with the correct usage, and what they can do when ecollars are not used responsibly.
READ ALSO: READERS WEIGH IN ON COLLARS
乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 believe (ecollars) are detrimental, or that they don乌鸦传媒檛 help dogs, people just shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be able to just buy them,乌鸦传媒� Dorman said.
乌鸦传媒淭here are products online that people know nothing about, and they stick it on their dog. There needs to be education and training.乌鸦传媒�
Dorman knows he乌鸦传媒檚 just one trainer who乌鸦传媒檚 had a high success rate of clients keeping their dogs, when those same clients have been told that their dog is untrainable or can乌鸦传媒檛 be helped.
At Dogzies, Dorman works canine clients hard in order to have a balanced and well mannered dog, which at times has Dorman resorting to use of ecollars and vibration-only collars.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 a big advocate of the right usage of any tool: leash, collar, or food. If one doesn乌鸦传媒檛 now how to train a dog, they (should get help), there shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be any person without training using ecollars or other tools for training,乌鸦传媒� said Dorman.
乌鸦传媒淚 do believe there are irresponsible trainers and owners out there.乌鸦传媒�
READ ALSO: THE SPCA SAYS NO TO SHOCK COLLARS
The photos that appear online of alleged damage from ecollars can come from a wide array of problems, said Dorman, notably poor products and improper education that leads to the overuse of ecollars.
Dorman sees injuries to dogs from a wide variety of issues, more from leashes than from the correct usage of ecollars, but he says measures adopted in legislation might be needed to stop injuries caused by ecollar abuse.
乌鸦传媒淭he government needs to get involved,乌鸦传媒� said Dorman. 乌鸦传媒淣ot every dog needs a collar, and we can乌鸦传媒檛 have 18 or 19 year-olds setting up ecollars without help.
乌鸦传媒淭he people who use the collars love their dogs, and don乌鸦传媒檛 want to hurt them, but some people want a quick fix.乌鸦传媒�
Dorman乌鸦传媒檚 Dogzies Pet Services can be found .
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