Anti-barking collar - fireworks

[weevil]

Following a discussion at work today I was just wondering what you all think of the following situation:
Person has a 4 month old puppy (terrier) and announced that she had put it in an anti-barking collar today (All day while she was at work) because for the last two nights puppy has been barking at fireworks. According to her puppy was not barking because he was scared and it's OK because it is not an electric collar - it just makes noise, and apparently it was recommended by her vet

Does anyone else think that it is wrong to
A) use one of these on a 4 month old puppy
B) to use it when she is not even there to supervise

 

[_Acolyte_]

Oh dear, some people should just not be dog owners - or vets by the sound of it

IMHO it is not right to use this sort of collar on a 4-month old puppy, it is not right to use one when there is no-one there to supervise and it is DEFINITELY not right to use this type of collar because the puppy is barking at fireworks

Can the owner explain WHY the puppy was barking if it was not scared? I can give her a clue - it was SCARED

Sorry, I shall stop shouting now, but some peoples stupidity never ceases to amaze me

I hope the puppy gets rehomed because she cant cope with it before long, for the puppys sake

 

[MurphysMinder]

Poor little puppy. In any circumstances I think 4 months is far too young to use an anti-bark collar, and to put one on because the dog is barking at fireworks is disgusting imo. I bet its even more traumatised now. If there is any way to talk this owner out of doing this please try and do it, and it might be an idea to suggest they change their vet too

 

[weevil]

We tried to talk her out of it but she is one of those people who has to be right all the time and refuses to listen to anyone else (even a very experienced dog owner). She was adamant that the puppy was just barking because he was being naughty or wanted to play.
We all pointed out that he is really too young to use something like that but she just won't listen. I just hope the puppy was OK last night

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

Poor puppy

I assume she will be highly suprised when her dog is petrified of fireworks next year!!
If a puppy is barking because it wants to play or wants attention and it is getting a negative reaction like the collar I also would expect it to be very backward in interaction with its owner after a period too.
Can she not take the time to train her puppy properley and reward when he is doing the correct thing not punish when he is doing the wrong thing!!!
Sorry rant over!!!

 

[MizElz]

Poor puppy dog

I do actually feel that electric collars can be effective - but at the right time and place. It is interesting that this has been posted - my aunt has a one year old GSD pup, who at times has been very wilful and strong minded. My aunt is a professional dog trainer herself, but felt the need to use a sonic/electric collar on Roma - when she was nine months old - when less severe methods failed to stop her jumping up at people, or yobbing other dogs in play (never nastily, but she was too young to understand the difference between getting a young dog to play, and bowling over our elderly Lab in her enthusiasm

). The collar worked wonders - she only ever used it for short periods of time, and within a couple of weeks she was able to take it off.

The same dog, Roma, was absolutely terrified of the fireworks this week, but my aunt would never, ever have considered putting a collar on her to stop her barking at them

She barks out of fear - the fact that she tiddled herself and kept trying to hide behind things would lay testament to that - so what good would it do to punish her?

I find it unbelievable that a vet would recommend using a collar on such a young puppy

 

[CorvusCorax]

Wow, that's way too young. She could risk fecking it up for life, I hope it is OK.

 

[weevil]

Well apparently the puppy "took no notice" of the collar so she put on one that squirts water at him

She still maintains that the puppy was not scared - just wanted to go and attack them (and was getting so worked up he was sick). We tried to point out that often fear in dogs manifests as aggression but were ignored.
I just feel so sorry for the poor puppy - she has said that she didn't want a puppy really but she bought him as a birthday present for her 10 year-old son knowing that she would have to do the majority of the work herself.
She has already said that she thinks the puppy doesn't like her/is a bit scared of her as she is always the one who has to discipline him.