Shared Blog Post–The emotional toll of electric shock collars–and not just for the dogs–Andrew Hale
< Updated 2024-09-15 >
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The emotional toll of electric shock collars- and not just for the dogs
I will never agree that these devices are valid or warranted in ANY situation, study or context. There are many posts that detail the many problems with these devices, but I wanted to touch on the emotional toll they bring.
I do have huge sympathy for the public who have been convinced to use them, and then have to find ways to justify them. I also admire those that come forward and ask for help to remove the use of the tool, and I will always make myself available to anyone who wants support to do so.
A tragic part of this for me, is the added emotional toll on all involved – the dogs, the caregivers and for us professionals who come to help. Many of the ‘aggressive’ dogs I have worked with who have had these used on them, have had the relationship with the caregiver damaged in the process. The so called ‘trainers’ who pushed for there use invariably couldn’t get near the dog so they ask the caregiver to put it on their dog, so they can zap the dog from a distance. This is a story I have heard again and again from clients, and I am sure other professionals here can share similar.
So, for us that work with the dogs who have endured these devices, we have so much to take on. Not only do we have to do our usual work of trying to work out what the dog was experiencing underneath their behaviours, we also have to help repair the damage to what was once a more secure attachment with their caregiver. And then support the client with the emotional fallout from the guilt they feel as they become more aware of what this device has done both to their dog and their relationship, and the masking of the often underlying pain (physical, emotional or social) that the dog was trying to communicate in the first place.
This is why so many of us are are so passionately against the use of these tools – not just from a moral or welfare point of view. Not because we are ‘extremists’. Not because we are unwilling to listen to the ‘other side. But because we see the trauma and fallout from them for both the dogs and caregivers, and that in turn it takes it toll on us too. Whilst the other ‘trainer’ has moved on, we are left to pick up the pieces and take on all the emotional support needed to be offered to the dog and client x
Thank you to Denise O’Moore at Mighty Dog Graphics for the image – it is a powerful one- a power that comes from it’s truth.