An NAIA conference report: Dog trainers tout value of variety in training
tools
NAIA’s equipment panel addressed two major points: A well-behaved dog
has a better chance of remaining in his home (or getting a new home if necessary),
and owners and trainers need access to a variety of tools for teaching good
manners. Any tool can be misused, panel members said, and few tools should be
discarded because of the potential for misuse.
The panel included Steve Lindsay, moderator; Portland dog trainer Ann Morris;
trainer/author Brian Kilcommons; breeder Pat Hastings; Innotek representative
Curt McLay; Arizona dog trainer Ann Austin; and Dr. R.K. Anderson, inventor
of the Gentle Leader® head collar.
The tools described included buckle, prong, and slip collars; string cheese
and clickers; head collars; and electronic collars; panel members made the point
that the choice of the tool should fit both dog and owner and that whatever
the tool, the goal is to teach the dog appropriate behavior through positive
and negative reinforcement, not punishment.
Kilcommons led the discussion with a review of the proper use of slip collars
and prong collars, two training aids that have been much maligned of late, and
a look at the evolution of dog training equipment and methods.
“We should be able to look back and see how far we’ve grown,”
he said, adding that the challenges of dog training require a full toolbox.
Properly used, these collars are part of that toolbox.
McLay then presented the case for electronic collars, Anderson described the
use of his head collar, and Morris talked a bit about string cheese and clickers.
Other panelists weighed in to answer questions from the audience.
Electronic collars
Contrary to popular opinion, McLay said that electronic collars don’t
burn because the amps in the batteries are too low in relation to the volts.
Whether used as part of an underground fence system, as a no-bark collar, or
for training, they use “electronic stimulation,” not “electric
shock” as a correction. The newest training collars have several levels
of stimulation; McLay said that trainers should start with the lowest level
and work up if necessary. Several people in the audience tried the collar on
themselves and reported that they felt discomfort but not burning or pain.
Head collars
The head collar is a relatively new development in dog training. Based on the
premise that the dog’s body must follow his head, it physically redirects
the dog’s attention to the handler.
“Halters and head collars for dogs, such as Gentle Leader® head collar,
are similar to halters for horses,” Anderson said. “They have been
used for thousands of years because they are very effective in guiding and managing
behavior. Halters and head collars for dogs were developed to use the natural
behaviors of dogs to have dogs sit and stay and walk at your side. They use
natural instincts to prevent many unwanted behaviors of dogs such as pulling
on leash to pull handlers down the street, prevent jumping on people, prevent
or stop barking and often calm anxious dogs. They provide easy, gentle and effective
control for women, children, and the elderly, as well as men, to manage the
behavior of small active dogs or large controlling dogs to achieve behavior
desired by the handler. Although sold for less than 20 years, thousands of people
have found them to be an effective way to manage behavior of their companion
dog.”
Morris rounded out the discussion by saying that she uses clickers and string
cheese as positive motivation in her personal training and in her training business.
The upshot of the session was praise for the broad spectrum of training tools
available so that owners and instructors can fit the collar to the dog.
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