Post by Admin on Nov 24, 2013 10:04:37 GMT 2
IPDTA Research Findings
Operant Sequence
Positive Punishment -
Adding something unpleasant to decrease the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated. i.e.: spraying the dog to decrease the likelihood that it will bark.
Negative Reinforcement
- removing something unpleasant to increase the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated. (Avoidance conditioning) i.e.: ending the spray when the dog stops barking to increase the likelihood that it will remain quiet.
Use of Tool
Powerful Aversive
Definition - Aversive - Anything perceived by the dog as unpleasant.
Proper Application
To put a choke chain on properly stand facing the dog. Make the letter “P” with the collar and slip itover the dog’s head. When the leash is pulled the chain tightens against the dog’s trachea and neck causing a choking sensation, physical discomfort and/or pain. Proper use of the choke chain involves holding the leash in your right hand with the dog in heel position on your left. The correction is made with a quick snap-release movement across your body away from the dog. Some believe that the sound of the chain is a correction in itself.
Parameters
Timing of the correction must be exact for the dog to realize which behaviour will predict the correction and which behaviour will prevent it.
The severity of the correction must match the dog’s level of sensitivity.
The dog must be taught the desired behaviour before being corrected for the undesirable behaviour.
Benefits
The dog is less likely to back out of the collar because it tightens as the dog backs up.
Drawbacks, Risks and Warnings
Physical
If the collar is tightened for an extended period of time it can cause discomfort, pain, injury and/or asphyxiation.
Too severe a correction can cause injury to the trachea or cause the trachea to collapse.
Too severe a correction or tightening for an extended period of time can cause discomfort, pain, injury to the muscles of the dog’s neck, spinal injury, blindness, brain damage and even death.
The narrower the collar, the higher the risk to the dog.
The higher the collar on the dog’s neck, the higher the risk to the dog.
Since an uneducated handler has a 50% chance of putting the collar on correctly, the raise a 50% chance that the collar will lock in a choke position. Because proper use of the choke chain involves good timing and reflexes, coordination, awareness and sensitivity, the risk for abuse is high.
Choke chains have been known to cause irritation, wounds and infection. If the choke collar is left on the dog when unsupervised, the dog can become caught by the collar and can injure itself, because de-gloving of the skin on the neck and head, strangulation or even death.
If the choke collar is left on a growing dog the collar will become tighter and tighter and eventually break through the fur and skin causing irritation, wounds, discomfort, pain, strangulation and even death.
If the choke chain is left on while two dogs are playing together, a dog’s jaw can become caught in the chain causing injury to one or both dogs.
If the dog hits the end of the leash, life line or retractable leash with any force it can cause injury.
If positioned too close to the ears, the correction will affect the sensitive nerve bundles that exit just below the dog’s ears.
Due to the factors listed above, it is the opinion of IPDTA members that the risks involved outweigh the benefits.
Behavioural
Choke chain collars have been known to cause fear, submission, aggression, stress, depression and avoidance behaviours.
Improper use of the choke chain is seldom effective in changing unwanted behaviour.
The anxiety caused by the correction can increase aggressive behaviour, the severity and frequency of aggressive episodes.
Psychological
Unwanted associations may be created if the dog pairs up the unpleasant experience with someone or something in the environment at the moment it is choked. Fore example; if the dog is focused on a child when corrected, it may create an unpleasant association with children. This association can cause fear of the child which could lead to fear aggression.
The unpleasant experience can create fear and distrust of the handler.
The unpleasant experience can create fear and distrust of anyone or anything in the environment.
In order to effectively stop an unwanted behaviour with as few corrections as possible, the dog’s temperament and level of sensitivity must be known. Since there is no way to know how sensitive the dog is to the physical correction without correcting it, the risk of making a mistake is high. If you start too high and work your way down you can create fear and/or aggression, if you start too low and work your way up you can desensitize the dog to the correction and/or cause habituation; which is the ability to stop reacting to meaningless stimuli through repeat exposure.
When this happens you will require higher and higher levels of correction to stop the unwanted behaviour. Therefore, finding the correct intensity of choke risks causing pain, physical harm, damaging the dog’s temperament and/or creating new behavioural problems.
The unpleasant experience can cause stress, anxiety, and/or depression, leading to other behaviour issues and/or the inability to learn.
Mechanical
Unlike the pinch collar the choke chain does not have limited constriction increasing the risk of abuse.
Limitations
Excellent timing and reflexes, coordination, awareness and sensitivity are essential to proper ue of the choke chain.
Since it takes very little strength to deliver a severe correction, the risk for misuse and abuse is high.
Because human behaviour is often affected by emotions, there is a risk of bad judgment and/or timing on part of the handler.
The dog may not be able to feel the correction if there is too much hair between the chain and the skin.
This tool can only be effective once the dog understands the desired response.
The choke chain is only effective if put on and used properly.
If the collar is too tight it can cause non-stop pain and/or discomfort.
The choke chain collar can only be used during supervised training.
Choke chain Training Collars
Operant Sequence
Positive Punishment -
Adding something unpleasant to decrease the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated. i.e.: spraying the dog to decrease the likelihood that it will bark.
Negative Reinforcement
- removing something unpleasant to increase the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated. (Avoidance conditioning) i.e.: ending the spray when the dog stops barking to increase the likelihood that it will remain quiet.
Use of Tool
Powerful Aversive
Definition - Aversive - Anything perceived by the dog as unpleasant.
Proper Application
To put a choke chain on properly stand facing the dog. Make the letter “P” with the collar and slip itover the dog’s head. When the leash is pulled the chain tightens against the dog’s trachea and neck causing a choking sensation, physical discomfort and/or pain. Proper use of the choke chain involves holding the leash in your right hand with the dog in heel position on your left. The correction is made with a quick snap-release movement across your body away from the dog. Some believe that the sound of the chain is a correction in itself.
Parameters
Timing of the correction must be exact for the dog to realize which behaviour will predict the correction and which behaviour will prevent it.
The severity of the correction must match the dog’s level of sensitivity.
The dog must be taught the desired behaviour before being corrected for the undesirable behaviour.
Benefits
The dog is less likely to back out of the collar because it tightens as the dog backs up.
Drawbacks, Risks and Warnings
Physical
If the collar is tightened for an extended period of time it can cause discomfort, pain, injury and/or asphyxiation.
Too severe a correction can cause injury to the trachea or cause the trachea to collapse.
Too severe a correction or tightening for an extended period of time can cause discomfort, pain, injury to the muscles of the dog’s neck, spinal injury, blindness, brain damage and even death.
The narrower the collar, the higher the risk to the dog.
The higher the collar on the dog’s neck, the higher the risk to the dog.
Since an uneducated handler has a 50% chance of putting the collar on correctly, the raise a 50% chance that the collar will lock in a choke position. Because proper use of the choke chain involves good timing and reflexes, coordination, awareness and sensitivity, the risk for abuse is high.
Choke chains have been known to cause irritation, wounds and infection. If the choke collar is left on the dog when unsupervised, the dog can become caught by the collar and can injure itself, because de-gloving of the skin on the neck and head, strangulation or even death.
If the choke collar is left on a growing dog the collar will become tighter and tighter and eventually break through the fur and skin causing irritation, wounds, discomfort, pain, strangulation and even death.
If the choke chain is left on while two dogs are playing together, a dog’s jaw can become caught in the chain causing injury to one or both dogs.
If the dog hits the end of the leash, life line or retractable leash with any force it can cause injury.
If positioned too close to the ears, the correction will affect the sensitive nerve bundles that exit just below the dog’s ears.
Due to the factors listed above, it is the opinion of IPDTA members that the risks involved outweigh the benefits.
Behavioural
Choke chain collars have been known to cause fear, submission, aggression, stress, depression and avoidance behaviours.
Improper use of the choke chain is seldom effective in changing unwanted behaviour.
The anxiety caused by the correction can increase aggressive behaviour, the severity and frequency of aggressive episodes.
Psychological
Unwanted associations may be created if the dog pairs up the unpleasant experience with someone or something in the environment at the moment it is choked. Fore example; if the dog is focused on a child when corrected, it may create an unpleasant association with children. This association can cause fear of the child which could lead to fear aggression.
The unpleasant experience can create fear and distrust of the handler.
The unpleasant experience can create fear and distrust of anyone or anything in the environment.
In order to effectively stop an unwanted behaviour with as few corrections as possible, the dog’s temperament and level of sensitivity must be known. Since there is no way to know how sensitive the dog is to the physical correction without correcting it, the risk of making a mistake is high. If you start too high and work your way down you can create fear and/or aggression, if you start too low and work your way up you can desensitize the dog to the correction and/or cause habituation; which is the ability to stop reacting to meaningless stimuli through repeat exposure.
When this happens you will require higher and higher levels of correction to stop the unwanted behaviour. Therefore, finding the correct intensity of choke risks causing pain, physical harm, damaging the dog’s temperament and/or creating new behavioural problems.
The unpleasant experience can cause stress, anxiety, and/or depression, leading to other behaviour issues and/or the inability to learn.
Mechanical
Unlike the pinch collar the choke chain does not have limited constriction increasing the risk of abuse.
Limitations
Excellent timing and reflexes, coordination, awareness and sensitivity are essential to proper ue of the choke chain.
Since it takes very little strength to deliver a severe correction, the risk for misuse and abuse is high.
Because human behaviour is often affected by emotions, there is a risk of bad judgment and/or timing on part of the handler.
The dog may not be able to feel the correction if there is too much hair between the chain and the skin.
This tool can only be effective once the dog understands the desired response.
The choke chain is only effective if put on and used properly.
If the collar is too tight it can cause non-stop pain and/or discomfort.
The choke chain collar can only be used during supervised training.