Dangers of Electricity and Dogs

My Feelings on Electric Collars on "Invisible, Underground or Unseen" Fencing:

Dogs are pets.  Dogs are social animals.  Dogs belong in our homes.  A dog who is outdoors all day is
miserable.  Chances are if you hear a dog barking non-stop, that dog is outside alone.  In a natural setting, a
dog all by itself is a dead dog.  Dogs need to live with their pack.

Dogs who are tied outside tend to be more aggressive.  They are routinely frustrated by things just outside
of their reach, eventually that frustration can become aggression.  This frustration can also come along
with underground fencing systems.  The dog can routinely see people or things they want to get to, but are
frequently shocked for trying to get to them.

I understand the appeal of underground fencing; low installation cost, unobstructed property views and the
ability to fence large areas.  However, I have seen for myself the lesser known dangers that come along
with them.  The decision to install one of these “fences” should not be made lightly.  Please remember that
no fence is fool proof and you should always be present to watch your dog.

o Dogs *WILL* run through the line if the temptation is great enough.  Then they will not   take the
shock to come back.

o Once the dog learns that they can run through the line they will often do it again.  Once that
happens, the fence is useless.  Shelters and animal control officers routinely pick up loose dogs
wearing e-fence collars!

o These “fences” do not stop anyone or anything from coming in your yard!  Dogs can be injured by
other dogs and wildlife such as coyotes and fisher cats, while being too terrified to leave.  In this
area this is a very real problem.

o People have been known to remove the collar and steal dogs.  As seen in the media this year,
stolen dogs are often used as “bait” dogs for fighting dogs in training.

o If someone enters your yard with this type of fence and is injured by your dog, you can be held
liable for not properly containing your dog.  This precedent was set in NY last year.

o Dogs can become barrier aggressive with these fences.  This is one of the most common “side
effects” I see with these fences.  Dogs run up to the line to greet a passerby, the dog either
hears the warning tone or actually gets shocked.  The dog then begins to associate the passers by
with the punishment and actively works to keep them away to prevent being punished.

o Many dogs begin to develop sound sensitivities to other electronic devices (there is a warning tone
before the dog gets shocked).  Dogs then panic at the sound of cell phone voice mail indication beeps,
as well as the low battery chirp of smoke detectors.

o Fence collars malfunction, shocking dogs who are nowhere near the line.  The dog now does not know
where they are safe and this can lead to anxiety attacks.

o Certain appliances can set collars off.  A client of mine noted that her television had triggered the
warning tone in the house.  This is terrifying to dogs.

o Some dogs do not make the association between a boundary and the shock.  These dogs become
afraid of the yard, often refusing to go outdoors and beginning to have accidents in the house.

o If fence lines travel under drive ways and the car is parked on the line, the car’s battery and
cause the collar to shock the dog!

o I was attacked by a very large dog when her collar malfunctioned!  I was her perceived source of
pain and it is instinctual for a dog to lash out at a source of pain.

o Pedestrians and drivers of cars do not know your dog is contained by e-fencing!  Drivers may
swerve or slam their brakes thinking they are trying to avoid running over dog.  Traffic accidents are
easily caused this way.

E-collars, e-stim, remote training collars are all nice ways of discussing shock collars.  I DO NOT stand by
the use of electricity in training animals.  I personally think it is inhumane and a short cut.  Short Cuts
Always Have Pot Holes!!!

Just as with invisible fencing, aggression problems can occur with these collars if the dog associates the
shock to a particular person or item.  Bigger problems can occur when the dog does not understand why the
shock is occurring.  A good trainer must always keep in mind that we can never be 100% certain that the dog
is associating a punishment with a behavior.  Poor timing can lead to a dog thinking that landing on the floor
after jumping is the punished behavior not the jumping up in the first place.  It seems obvious to us, but we
already know the rules.  

Always ask yourself two questions;

1) Would I like this being done to me if it was not being explained?

2) Would I do this to a toddler?  Very few dogs' mental equivalence will ever exceed a small child's.  Treat
them with the same compassion.

At all times, we must remember that no fence is a substitute for close observation
by responsible owners!
Puppy, Please! ~ www.puppyplease.com ~ (603)261-9283