Tag: stoptheshock
Are you familiar with the ‘stop the shock’ movement? It’s a grassroots campaign (# stoptheshock) that Petco launched in October 2020 when the company announced it would no longer sell shock collars at any of its stores or online. The company introduced an online petition to “create responsible regulation for the retail sale of shock collars to general consumers.” Instead, Petco asks pet owners and trainers to focus on using reward-based training, also known as positive reinforcement.
We’re all about that. Kudos to Petco for leading the campaign.
You may be asking, are shock collars safe? Are shock collars cruel? According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), the use of shock collars as a form of punishment for a dog’s behavior can increase fear and aggressive behaviors. Plus, if they aren’t used right, they can injure animals and people. Recent research from Edelman Intelligence suggests that 70% of dog owners believe shock collars negatively impact their pets’ mental health. The study further notes that 59% of dog parents say “they would rather shock themselves than use a shock collar on their pet.”
Are shock collars safe for dogs? The simple answer is no. They can injure your pet and cause irreparable harm to their mental and emotional well-being. While there are anti-shock collar options available, they too focus on punishment.
As pet parents ourselves, we are committed to stop the shock and never sell or promote shock collars on dogs. BarxBuddy fosters humane dog training and positive reinforcement through our blog, resource center, and online store.
New Ways to Stop Barking Dogs
Before we get into the topic of how to get a dog to stop barking, we want to be clear: This is about stopping a dog from barking, not about preventing a dog from barking. We don't believe in never allowing a dog to bark. Dogs need to bark -- it is their primary means of communication. We find there are seven reasons dogs bark: alarm, anxiety, attention, frustration, greeting, injury/illness, and response. These are times...Read more
How to Calm an Aggressive Dog
What defines an aggressive dog? An aggressive dog is one that tends to growl, snap, bite and otherwise dominate other dogs, people and maybe even you. The common notion is that canine aggression is a large dog breed or "dangerous" breed issue. Unfortunately, this assumption couldn't be further from the truth. Given the "right" circumstances, any dog can show aggression to humans or other animals. While there's not a one-size-fits-all approach to aggressive dogs, there...Read more
How To Train a Dog Not to Bark (… or How to Speak Dog)
Before we get into the meat and potatoes of how to make dogs stop barking, let us be clear: Dogs communicate by barking. The key to controlling their barking is (1) first understand why they’re barking, (2) acknowledging you understand their message, and (3) letting them know you’ve got it from here. In other words ... you and your dog need to learn to speak the same language, so you can understand what your dog...Read more
#StoptheShock: Positive Dog Training Without Shock Collars
A campaign called “Stop the Shock” has been making its way through social media and email inboxes in an effort to educate dog owners about alternative and humane ways to train their pets. We love it! Positive-reinforcement training is exactly what we recommend in our “Train, Treat, Repeat” approach to dog training. More on that in a moment. Here is a short video message from Petco’s national dog training manager about positive reinforcement dog training:...Read more
Do Bark Collars Work on Dogs (and Are They Safe)?
Does your dog bark way more than the shelter or breeder led you to believe? Does he bark at inappropriate times all day and night? If you are looking for tools and solutions to train your dog to stop barking, you're probably finding a lot of information about bark collars, also known as anti-bark collars. As training devices, all bark collars interrupt unwanted behavior such as barking so that you can redirect your dog. Each...Read more
4 Humane Ways to Control Dog’s Barking
Barking is one of the most annoying behaviors that dogs have, but you can’t fault them for it. That’s how they communicate when (they think) something is wrong, when (they think) they need something, and when they’re excited about something or someone (you’re home!). How can you humanely stop a dog from annoying barking, or train him to bark when you want him to? If there are two things we want you to take away...Read more
What Is the Best Bark Collar? Maybe It’s Not a Collar At All
Anti-bark collars are devices that dogs wear around their necks so their owners or trainers can correct unwanted behaviors. To answer the question about the best bark collar, you have to understand what bark collars are, what types there are and how they work. The best fit for you and your dog depends on how much time and effort you commit to train your dog, as well as what your dog can tolerate. And, after reading...Read more