We need to do better and we need to advocate for our dogs. What is going on in the dog training profession at the minute is worrying and as carers, owners, pawrents, enthusiasts it's time to take a stand. It is putting our dogs at serious risk of physical harm, and that is NOT ok!
Rather than go on a rant….although I might….. as last week I was close to giving up! (True story). I am angry, I am worried, I am scared for the future of our breed, our relationships with our dogs, and with each other. And I’m starting to wonder if now is the time for me to tap out.
Why?
I just cannot bear to see the promotion of techniques and tools that can and do cause physical and devastating harm to our breed, and all breeds generally and I don’t know what else I can do, the power lies with you not me. You are the key! Knowing what I know and seeing people cleverly persuaded to hurt their dogs in the name of "improving behaviour" - its not what I signed up for, and tbh you probably didn't sign up for it either when you brought your daxie home! This blog goes beyond the debate about using aversive methods and looks at the use of some methods and tools which DO cause PHYISCAL (forget emotional for now) HARM TO OUR DOGS. If by the end of this blog you choose to continue to recommend or use these techniques, that’s fine. But at least you do so knowing all the risks which should be explained to you BEFORE you use them.
I’m also not going to wade into the ethical war currently going on in the dog training community. To be honest I am sick of it. It’s a debate that has been going on for years and its still the same just more public because of social media. The arguments about science, and sheep, and cheese and hotdogs…..honestly it’s getting tiring and people are forgetting the welfare of the dogs should be at the centre of the argument. Change the story.....be proactive with training, not reactive! Put your dogs first!
Just on the way I work briefly
I work with people and animals in the way I know is kind and effective for me, mine and those I work with. I’m not a one trick pony and I work with the problem in front of me using the best approaches I have gained over 25 years of working with dogs. I train without cruelty and unkindness. Whilst a quick fix is nice, I look to make long term changes in everyone's best interests. I try not to criticise people or put them down, and I do the same with the dogs! I try incredibly hard to help people understand and reach their own conclusions using the knowledge and experience I have gained over the last 25 years of working with dogs and a lifetime of living with dachshunds and do my best to support them, well beyond the expectations they may have had. I’ve not had 1 or 2 dogs dachshunds and become an ‘expert’ overnight, I have and have had many who live in the home, take over the sofa, were raised with children blah blah blah. And, before anyone pipes up, I’ve also had and have various large breeds. They are my teachers! I will never know everything, but I constantly strive to learn more….at a high level….from the best. And the day I believe I know it all, I will quit. I am so grateful to my 4 legged teachers for everything they have given me, and to show my thanks I will ALWAYS advocate for them and their kin! I also should say, it is very rare for me to rant! I always try and see the positives in any situation and nuture them. So when I do, you KNOW it is important.
So why this blog?
Well, to be frank I am horrified at some pictures and videos I have been sent recently and I am TERRIFIED of where things are heading for us as care givers with dogs, especially our dachshunds. What I am seeing is NOT ok! But this has become an increasing concern I’ve had for a while and whilst I know there will be some sort of backlash to this blog, but I need to say something. Staying silent isn’t working anymore.
At a time where insurance is pricing people out, and vet bills are so high…..some of these techniques are putting your dogs at risk of serious PHYSICAL harm. In turn this will lead to needing veterinary care….which will lead to increased financial burden on yourselves….and emotional – but we’re not talking about emotions here.
I’m going to try to educate you. YOU, the carers, owners, pawrents, whatever you call yourselves so YOU can help in this fight as ultimately YOU hold the power as to HOW professionals will train you and your dogs. YOU are the key, and without YOU advocating for what is right, we’re stuffed!
Lead corrections….why are they a problem?
There are some “professionals” trying to tell you that using jerks, yanks, snaps, taps or cranks to “correct” your dachshund is the way forward and that this is the best way to train your dogs not to pull or react to things. I disagree obviously but there is something more worrying. They are promoting these methods and tools and are putting your dogs lives at risk……AND THEY KNOW IT!
A couple of weeks ago I was sent an image from a trainer’s page with an approx 5kg dachshund wearing a pinch collar. On looking further…..it wasn’t just one dachshund, there were many! Of all breeds, big and small……but so many dachshunds. Some on very fine leather slip collars but many on pinch collars. All positioned high up on the dog’s neck. It broke something inside me. HOW CAN THEY NOT TELL PEOPLE? And what made me sadder still, is their carers were using them too and I knew, they just don't know. It broke my heart, as I know their instincts would have been kicking up a stink initially…..but under the eyes of a professional, sometimes people are too scared to say NO! They know best, right? They are the professional after all? The specialist? They’ve got a book full of qualifications (have they?) Who are you to question the ’expert who’s been training dogs for years?’ You are definitely not the expert in your own dog after all! Your instincts are just you being a snowflake, too soft, they’re a dog – an animal! They aren’t humans or children! They need consequences! To know right from wrong! Right?!!
And then, the tip of the iceberg….. I see trainers shamelessly promoting using yank and crank techniques….WITH DACHSHUNDS…dogs at around 5kg maybe 10kg…with a predisposition for spinal weakness.......all said with a toothy smile and a patronising…."you’re stupid if you don’t do it" spiel. Social media is flooded with “professionals” advocating the use of corrective tools and physically damaging techniques and its enough now (I’ve written a blog before on the emotional fall out so will leave that out of this blog.)
Ever wondered why they position the collar so high on the dogs neck?
Did anyone tell you why? What did they say? "There's pressure points? Its easier to control them? Its safer for them as avoids their throat? "
NO!
There is a joint which connects your dog’s head to its spine.
Let me say this again….it CONNECTS YOUR DOGS HEAD TO ITS SPINE!
Now, I’m sorry if I’m being patronising, but where people are encouraging and allowing these things to happen to what is supposed to be a loved member of the family it shows a need to really break it down. To make the obvious more obvious in a sea of marketing bullfunkle akin to a dachshund barking at a gnats fart!
Your dog’s head houses its brain. The brain is literally what makes us, us, and keeps us alive. A dead brain = dead! A brain which is unable to transmit messages to the body…..is just a hardrive without monitors, the internet, a mouse or a keyboard. It is useless!
The spine (vertebrae and discs) protects the spinal cord! (Again we know what happens when the vertebrae and discs are damaged from our knowledge of IVDD)! Broken cords carrying the wires = vulnerable wires. Bend the cord and the wires cannot pass on the current. Broken wire=useless mechanism!
The spinal cord transfers messages from the brain to the body. We all know what happens if the cord is damaged from our knowledge of IVDD! Broken wires in a computer = a useless computer.
Dachshunds are prone to a WEAKENED SPINE due to a genetic predisposition for IVDD! You know that too!
The lead is positioned there because it is the weakest part of them. It is the most vulnerable part of them, and could be argued to be one of the most important parts of them. Think about that deadly move in some of the action films…..you know the one? Yep, you’ve got it. Weak spot!
The neck joint
It is called the atlantoaxial joint. It is the joint that allows us to turn our head, look around, lift our heads up and down. It is delicate, and it is VITAL!
This joint…..is the most mobile joint and within it are several CRITICAL structures through it! Including the SPINAL CORD!
In our heads it is here: touch it…..look how vulnerable it is. Right at that dimply point near your hair line.
Imagine how uncomfortable pulling and jerking is to that part of your neck and imagine how you may feel long after the event? Bit stiff? Sore? Spasms down your back? Feel how vulnerable your neck is all around this point. Don’t take my word for it….feel it yourselves.
What happens if it is damaged?
If there is damage to this joint the cord can become compressed. But unlike the majority of IVDD cases where its lower down so ‘only’ two legs are paralysed, if it is compressed here, not only could FOUR legs become paralysed, messages to the WHOLE body are compromised.
The impact of this joint being damaged or weakened isn’t hypothetical – there is already a significant amount of information on a congenital disorder where this can happen called atlanto-axial subluxation. It is most commonly seen in young, small breeds. So hey, maybe there’s another weakness there! I've seen it, I've supported carers who are nursing their dogs through it. I've cried when dogs have died from it. Trust me, you don't want to experience that! Its awful.
It can also lose stability from traumatic injury! Forceful flexion of the neck CAN and DOES cause damage to the atlantoaxial joint. (Think whiplash). What is a jerk, yank, crank, tap or snap if not a forceful action causing an abrupt flexion and impact to the neck?
The delicate ligaments that hold that joint steady can be torn or broken if the right forces are applied. And guess what, the consequences can be WORSE than IVDD! At the least it can cause neck pain, weakness or wobbliness on ALL 4 LIMBS and at its worst an inability to stand or move their legs, stop the ability to breathe as the diaphragm paralyses and …..and yes they can die from it!!
Yank and crank, wrist snap, snaps, pull ups, pull backs, taps and jerks from YOUR hand to the lead which is attached to the collar which is attached high up on their necks.
What does that mean? Its 'just' fluffy marketing for a sharp and quick yank to the lead, something we used to call “check” or "yank." Usually done as a correction or in anticipation of an undesired behaviour for example pulling on a lead, or even just looking at a passerby. The force is dependent on the handler. A more 'skilled' handler will be quicker, a less skilled handler will be harsher, longer and more emotional with it increasing the risks.
But they said it doesn’t hurt?
Do they think you are stupid? You know it does!
Remember a drip of water in the same spot over and over can cause significant harm, it was used for torture for years! A DROP OF WATER!
So imagine the damage a blunted piece of metal jabbing you all around the neck, or a thin cord of material wrapped around that sensitive spot....think about the damage a quick flick or snap or jab or tap or jerk or yank to these tools can cause over time to the same spot. Lets forget the progression in force and severity of tools when it loses its effectiveness for a minute……think about what the next step would be – it’s a slippery slope.
Can't imagine it? Think about your child poking you in the arm when they want something......it gets sore after a while....and they poke harder if you ignore them!
Eventually that part subject to the abuse weakens, messages slow down, their communication disrupted, or ligaments tear or snap, or the joint becomes unstable and weak.....but by then, the trainer is long gone, but the damage is done and you are left with the aftermath!
I’ve tried it on my skin……have you? Ok….now lie on the floor, with that bit of equipment up high around your neck (remember your neck is much bigger than a dachshunds), attach a lead and pass it to a 5ft-6ft teenager. Try to read a paragraph out loud whilst they do exactly what you do. And that’s without you trying to move around. Still think it’s ok? The direction of the force matters, as well as the mindset and "skill" of the person delivering it.
What else?
This part of the neck houses so many important things. Its not just the spine that is being weakened by repetitive force.
In the dogs throat, right where that lead or collar is positioned you have the lymph nodes which help your body fight infections; the mandibular gland which produces saliva to break down food. If you can’t break down food, you won’t get the necessary vitamins to survive. The thyroid gland which produces and releases VITAL hormones for the body to function, it regulates the metabolism, bone growth, brain development, heart rate, digestion, muscle function, body temperature and so much more. A damaged thyroid affects EVERYTHING. The trachea –how we breathe….I’m sure you don’t need an explanation. The carotid artery to send oxygen around the body; veins that collect deoxygenated blood and send it back to the heart. (Again you don’t need an explanation of how important that is.) And the oesophagus which carries food and liquid from your throat to your stomach – remember my beautiful rescue Popi? Hers was damaged and it ultimately led to her death!
In my opinion ANY professional recommending the use of such aids and techniques, no matter how they “fluff it up” when they KNOW the physical damage it can cause is negligent. I oppose it in any breed, but recommending it in a breed with a susceptibility to spinal weakness….is beyond negligent!
I asked a dog lawyer if trainers could be held liable for injury when promoting the use of these methods and tools. The answer was -if it could be proven, yes they could. However, usually injury to this part of the body through using these techniques isn’t seen until long after that trainer is gone, so there is no direct proof. So you are left with the knowledge of why, but only yourself to blame whilst many other dogs face the same consequence from following the same advice. Ultimately it is your choice, your responsibility. We cannot pass the buck. But that also empowers you now to make that choice! You have the knowledge, so now you can choose!
In hindsight, do you really want to look back and question whether or not using this technique led to the poorly dog in front of you. And do you want the guilt hanging over you that you let it happen, and continued on with the ‘recommendations?’ Wondering if it was your fault? Tell me, will it be worth it?
With medication, you are given a leaflet saying what the risks are. With surgeries you are given a long list of possible worst case complications. But in an unregulated profession…..where you can claim to be anything you like without experience or qualifications or a governing body……..who’s telling you the short and long term risks? And where will they be if the worst happens? They certainly won’t be holding your hand as you grieve for your dog.
Stealing the phrase from another trainer, can’t remember who – sorry, "the worst thing that can happen if you use treats is they get fat…..but what’s the worst thing that can happen when you use tools like this? Is it worth it?"
This argument is beyond positive reinforcement training vs aversive training, it’s a welfare issue. Professionals are advocating long term harm to your dogs without fully informing you of the potential fall out….and when you challenge or question it……you are a karen….or a snowflake!
But are you? Or are you listening to your instincts, trusting your knowledge of your own dog and understanding of the person you are?
DO NOT BE SCARED TO SAY NO AND WALK AWAY! BE THEIR VOICE! You have to live with your decision, no one else. Be confident in it. If a method or tool feels icky….then maybe you need to take a moment to think about it.
Backlash
There is likely to be a backlash from this post. People adamantly defending their approach. And that’s fine. I gain nothing from this blog other than to try to raise awareness of what CAN and DOES happen and to make EVERYONE - professional or carer - think about the consequences of what they do.
If professionals want to advise people to use these tools and techniques that’s their choice but they should warn their clients of the risk without making those risks sound unlikely or "fluffy" so they have a choice! BE HONEST!
If after reading this you decide you will continue to use these tools and techniques, that is your choice and that is fine too. It’s not my place to tell you how to live with your dogs, I can only guide you and raise awareness of things you may not have considered. But at least you do so with the knowledge of what damage you can do, of what might happen. You cannot say you didn’t know. And if that is a guilt you can carry – then that is fine too.
It is important to make decisions about your dogs based on all the information be it neutering, diet, stairs, equipment or training approaches. Research it yourself. Don’t be look back with regret and say “I didn’t know.” That won’t make a difference to the situation you may be faced with.
Weigh up the risks yourself, and then ultimately you know you have done the best you can to prevent harm to your dogs.
I am truly sorry for the negative tone in this blog, it's not my normal style or approach and I am sorry for any offence I may cause. I hope you all realise this comes from the heart as I absolutely love our breed and am so concerned at the physical harm that is heading their way. I care about you, your relationships with your dogs and each other and I am so worried at where this strong campaign of social media marketing for the use of aversive methods will lead us in our fight against IVDD and other health issues. You all know how hard I work in trying to advocate for their health, including taking on dogs with significant health issues. This isn't just coming from something I learnt in a book or a video - I live it EVERY SINGLE DAY!
If this post makes just one person hesitate before using the described methods or tools then it has served its purpose.
Images: Apologies to the owners of the images I've used and not credited. They were taken straight from google and I couldn't find the source. If you want your name added please send me the link to where I may find them and I will update this blog.
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