YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post

YorkieMother · 09-07-2008, 07:01 AM

There is never a reason to run a choke and if there is more then one way to do something then you run a risk of get it wrong.
Chokes should not be out for genral sale to the public at all without a writen understanding of the use of them.

For them to work right you must pop the leash but as you do you can get upset and pop harder. things it as you do it you have the dog adjusts to the pop strenght level and the ckoke stops working well.
To make it work well you need to blow the dog off it feet firt time and run the risk of wreaking a dogs mind if you are unaware you have a fraglie dog.

JL

Chokers are fear based training why would one want to train with fear ???
International Positive Dog Training Association
Body: Tool: Choke Chain Training Collar

Rating: Unacceptable due to high potential for misuse and/or abuse

Operant Sequence:

Positive Punishment - adding the choke correction to decrease the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. ie: snapping the choke chain to stop the dog from pulling on the leash.
Negative Reinforcement - ending the choke correction to increase the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. ie: releasing the choke sensation to increase the likelihood that the dog will stay in heel position (avoidance conditioning)

Use of Tool: Powerful Aversive

Proper Application: To put a choke chain on properly stand facing the dog. Make the letter “P” with the collar and slip it over 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. R1

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. R2, brain damage, R3 and even death.

The narrower the collar, the higher the risk to the dog. R4

The higher the collar on the dog’s neck, the higher the risk to the dog. R5

Since an uneducated handler has a 50% chance of putting the collar on correctly, there is 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, cause 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. For 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. R6 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 behavior 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 use 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 judgement 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.

Viable Alternatives

A suitable, well-fitting head halter

Counter-conditioning

Obedience training

Systematic desensitization

Negative Punishment - Remove something pleasant to decrease a behaviour

Positive Punishment - Add something unpleasant to decrease a behaviour (Extremely Limited - ie; "Ah Ah" - must not cause fear or pain)

Negative Reinforcement - Remove something unpleasant to increase a behaviour (Extremely Limited - ie; "Ah Ah" - must not cause fear or pain)

Positive Reinforcement - Add something pleasant to increase a behaviour

Interrupt and redirect

Create a reliable “on-off” switch to put the behaviour on cue

Create other acceptable outlets for the unwanted behaviour

Environmental management to prevent the unwanted behaviour from occurring

References
R1 -Professional Standards for Dog Trainers, Delta Society 2001, Page 20
R2 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28
R3 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28
R4 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28
R5 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28
R6 -“Habituation” - Excel-lerated Learning, Pamela J Reid Ph.D., James & Kenneth Publishers 1996 Page 37-38

09-07-2008, 07:01 AM	#21
YorkieMother YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: North Posts: 1,324	There is never a reason to run a choke and if there is more then one way to do something then you run a risk of get it wrong. Chokes should not be out for genral sale to the public at all without a writen understanding of the use of them. For them to work right you must pop the leash but as you do you can get upset and pop harder. things it as you do it you have the dog adjusts to the pop strenght level and the ckoke stops working well. To make it work well you need to blow the dog off it feet firt time and run the risk of wreaking a dogs mind if you are unaware you have a fraglie dog. JL Chokers are fear based training why would one want to train with fear ??? International Positive Dog Training Association Body: Tool: Choke Chain Training Collar Rating: Unacceptable due to high potential for misuse and/or abuse Operant Sequence: Positive Punishment - adding the choke correction to decrease the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. ie: snapping the choke chain to stop the dog from pulling on the leash. Negative Reinforcement - ending the choke correction to increase the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. ie: releasing the choke sensation to increase the likelihood that the dog will stay in heel position (avoidance conditioning) Use of Tool: Powerful Aversive Proper Application: To put a choke chain on properly stand facing the dog. Make the letter “P” with the collar and slip it over 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. R1 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. R2, brain damage, R3 and even death. The narrower the collar, the higher the risk to the dog. R4 The higher the collar on the dog’s neck, the higher the risk to the dog. R5 Since an uneducated handler has a 50% chance of putting the collar on correctly, there is 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, cause 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. For 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. R6 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 behavior 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 use 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 judgement 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. Viable Alternatives A suitable, well-fitting head halter Counter-conditioning Obedience training Systematic desensitization Negative Punishment - Remove something pleasant to decrease a behaviour Positive Punishment - Add something unpleasant to decrease a behaviour (Extremely Limited - ie; "Ah Ah" - must not cause fear or pain) Negative Reinforcement - Remove something unpleasant to increase a behaviour (Extremely Limited - ie; "Ah Ah" - must not cause fear or pain) Positive Reinforcement - Add something pleasant to increase a behaviour Interrupt and redirect Create a reliable “on-off” switch to put the behaviour on cue Create other acceptable outlets for the unwanted behaviour Environmental management to prevent the unwanted behaviour from occurring References R1 -Professional Standards for Dog Trainers, Delta Society 2001, Page 20 R2 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28 R3 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28 R4 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28 R5 - Guide to Humane Dog Training, American Humane Association 1998-2001 Page 28 R6 -“Habituation” - Excel-lerated Learning, Pamela J Reid Ph.D., James & Kenneth Publishers 1996 Page 37-38