WOULD YOU USE ONE OF THESE ON YOUR BARBET??
I have found it necessary to contact a few Barbet owners recently who see nothing wrong with using an e-collar on a Barbet . . . even on a Barbet puppy during routine gundog training!! I know that some e-collars have a "beep" or "vibrate" setting and that their use is not illegal in many countries, but that is not the point . . . civilised people with any degree of knowledge, insight and thought for animal welfare have moved on from the bad old days when aversive training methods were often regarded as the norm. It stands to reason that national governments would not go to the trouble and expense of legislating against the use of these devices lightly or without good scientific evidence to support their ban.
The Barbet is a "soft" dog . . . it will not respond well to aversive training methods and is likely to become wary and distrustful of anyone it associates with the use of devices such as these. The result will be likely to be a dog that does not enjoy its work in the field and if it doesn't enjoy it, ergo it will work less efficiently; this is hardly desirable in a gundog, ANY dog working in the "service of man" - indeed ANY domestic companion dog at all.
If you are a Barbet owner training your Barbet to the gun (or even if you're not) please speak out about why you believe the use of e-collars on Barbets is wrong, and condemn those who do so, OR have the courage of your convictions and put forward a reasoned argument in favour of the practice in this breed!! I welcome all comments!
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