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From the Guild Issue 37 / JULY 2019 Barksfromtheguild.Com BARKS from the Guild Issue 37 / JULY 2019 BARKSfromtheGuild.com CANINE Addressing Aggressive Behavior FELINE Enrichment: Cats and their Boxes EQUINE Group Housing Solutions TRAINING Clicker Training Shelter Kittens BEHAVIOR Lessons from Mother Nature CONSULTING What’s Shocking Helping with Pet Loss about Shock? TRAINING Working with What science tells us about the Escape Artists use of shock in dog training PLUS: A FULL REPORT FROM PPG’S 2019 CANINE AGGRESSION AND BITE PREVENTION SEMINAR IN PORTLAND, OREGON © Can Stock Photo/shauna2286 © Can Stock c o v e r What’s Shocking about Shock? Don Hanson, co-chairman of PPG’s Advocacy Committee, examines what science tells us about the use of electric shock in animal training, and what you A number of scientific studies have reported can do to help the Shock-Free that shock collars cause undue stress to dogs and Coalition help pets and their can lead to a negative impact on welfare owners © Can Stock Photo/Vera1703 20 BARKS from the Guild/July 2019 c o v e r he Pet Professional Guild (PPG) was founded in 2012 by current A study by Schilder and van der Borg (2004) president, Niki Tudge. As a dog training and pet care professional, examined guard dogs who were specially bred TTudge, like many of us, was discouraged by the flawed and harm- for toughness and low sensitivity to pain and ful information being disseminated around the profession, including by stress and found that training with shock collars some trainers, day care operators, groomers, boarding kennels, breed- ers, shelters, rescues, veterinarians, and even “reality” television shows. caused long-lasting stress effects — to the point In some cases, the latter were promoted as offering “expert” dog train- that the dogs continued to associate their ing advice, but were, in fact, just like most “reality” TV: entertainment handler as aversive even outside of a training based on conflict and drama. context. From its inception, PPG has been committed to the training, care, and management of companion animals that are free from pain, force, and fear. Its Guiding Principles (2012) state that members are obligated for the training, care, and management of pets was unnecessary and to follow this philosophy: “To be in any way affiliated with the Pet Pro- harmful out of the blue. Its position is based on the careful review of fessional Guild, all members must adhere to a strict code of conduct. the growing number of peer reviewed, scientific studies that demon- Pet Professional Guild members understand Force-Free to mean: No strate that shock is not only unnecessary, but is harmful, both physically shock, No pain, No choke, No fear, No physical force, No compulsion and psychologically. based methods are ever employed to train or care for a pet.” This guarantee to kind, compassionate and scientific training meth- What Do the Professional Organizations Say? ods is why I am a member of PPG and why the Find A Professional sec- The current scientific data, in addition to the moral and ethical concerns tion of the PPG website is the first place I go when looking to refer to about mental and physical damage to animals subjected to methods another pet care professional. Whoever I recommend reflects on my using force, fear and/or pain have moved a number of representing pro- reputation and that of my business, so it is essential I know that those fessional organizations to advocate for the use of humane training tech- receiving my referrals are committed to training, care, and management niques founded on evidence-based learning theories and avoid training that comply with PPG's Guiding Principles. methods or devices which employ coercion, pain, force and/or fear In January 2015, the PPG Advocacy Committee was born with its (Tudge & Nilson, 2016). These include, but are not limited to: mission defined thus: “To reduce or eliminate the practice of using elec- • “The AAHA guidelines oppose aversive training techniques, tronic shock devices in the training of domestic pet animals. PPG will such as prong (pinch) or choke collars, cattle prods, alpha rolls (forcibly achieve this goal through strategic professional, respectful and ener- rolling a pet on his or her back), electronic shock collars, entrapment, getic processes of advocacy and education. These efforts will at all times and physically punishing a pet. The guidelines note that aversive training adhere to the Guiding Principles of PPG and will be accomplished techniques can harm or even destroy an animal’s trust in his or her through the development of specific action plans, as determined by owner, negatively impact the pet’s problem-solving ability, and cause in- members of the PPG Advocacy Committee.” creased anxiety in the animal. Aversive techniques are especially a con- Key to this plan was to use the existing and developing scientific lit- cern if pets are already fearful or aggressive, rendering any aggressive erature, demonstrating that using shock to train animals is unnecessary dog more dangerous. According to the AAHA guidelines, the only ac- and often harmful and not in the interest of animal welfare, as a foun- ceptable training techniques are non-aversive, positive techniques that dation. Next came the Shock-Free Coalition, established in September rely on the identification of, and reward for, desirable behaviors. Posi- 2017, a child of the Advocacy Committee, but a separate entity with its tive reinforcement is the most humane and effective approach.” - Amer- own website and a very clear mission: “The key purpose of the Shock- ican Animal Hospital Association (2019). Free Coalition is to build a strong and broad movement committed to • “The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) sup- eliminating shock devices from the supply and demand chain. This goal ports the use of humane training methods for dogs that are based on will be reached when shock tools and equipment are universally un- current scientific knowledge of learning theory. Reward-based methods available and not permitted for the training, management and care of are highly recommended. Aversive methods are strongly discouraged as pets.” they may cause fear, distress, anxiety, pain or physical injury to the dog.” Critical steps in this process are: - Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (2015). • To engage and educate pet owners and shelter/rescue work- • “Aversive, punishment-based techniques may alter behaviour, ers to help them make informed decisions about the management, care, but the methods fail to address the underlying cause and, in the case of and training of the pets in their charge. unwanted behaviour, can lead to undue anxiety, fear, distress, pain or • To build a worldwide coalition that provides pet owners ac- injury.” - British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani- cess to competent, professional pet industry service providers. mals (2019). • To create widespread pet industry transparency and compli- • The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) “rec- ance regarding how professionals implement their services and commu- ommends against the use of electronic shock collars and other aversive nicate their philosophy to pet owners. methods for the training and containment of animals. Shocks and other The Shock-Free Coalition website serves as an educational resource aversive stimuli received during training may not only be acutely stress- for anyone wanting to learn more about the organization and why end- ful, painful and frightening for the animals, but may also produce long ing the use of shock is so essential. It also offers anyone the opportunity term adverse effects on behavioural and emotional responses…The to support the cause by taking the Shock-Free Pledge (see also ad on BSAVA strongly recommends the use of positive reinforcement training p.23), either as an individual or as a business. Participants may pledge at methods that could replace those using aversive stimuli.” - British Small several different levels ranging from simply signing the pledge to signing Animal Veterinary Association (2019). the pledge and making a recurring financial contribution to help the • “The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has concerns about mission continue toward its goal. the use of aversive training devices to control, train or punish dogs. The use of devices such as electronic collars, as a means of punishing or con- What Does Science Tell Us about Shock? trolling behaviour of companion animals is open to potential abuse and The Shock-Free Coalition did not come to its conclusion that using shock incorrect use of such training aids has the potential to cause welfare BARKS from the Guild/July 2019 21 c o v e r © Can Stock Photo/vauvau A study by Schilder and van der Borg (2004) examining guard dogs concluded that training with shock is painful and stressful; also, they found that the dogs involved in the study learned their owner’s presence predicted more shocks — even outside a regular training context and training problems…Electric pulse devices are sometimes used in They are an aversive training method that have in some studies been as- dog training as a form of punishment to prevent a dog from repeating sociated with significant negative animal welfare outcomes. Positive re- bad behaviour. Although training a dog is important for their well-being, inforcement training methods are an effective and humane alternative research shows that electric pulse collars are no more effective than to e-collars for dog training…The use of pain to train dogs is no more ac- positive reinforcement methods. BVA has consulted with experts and ceptable or humane when it is administered by remote control, than if it examined the evidence. Research by Schalke, Stichnoth and Jones- was delivered as a physical blow such as a punch or kick.” - New Zealand Baade (2005) showed that the application of electric stimulus, even at a Veterinary Association (2018).
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