Maja Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 I wanted to share the link to my article on the above topic, since the question keeps popping up. The questions on e-collars are usually met with a great deal of negative emotions, which I perfectly understand and share, but I wanted to try and actually answer the question "why not" in an organised manner. I hope that maybe some people will find it useful. https://owceimanowce.blogspot.com/2019/01/why-we-shouldnt-use-e-collar-in-sheep.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 I like your article. Good points. But the question if e collars have a place in stockdog- , or even general dog training is moot here in Iceland; their use is illegal. And even though I believe in competent hands, and for specific reasons ( again I agree not in stockwork) they can have their use I still am happy with this ban. I have seen myself how a complete idiot abused this tool, and it was not a pretty sight. This person would have been fully capable of screwing up her dog without it, but the e-collar enabled her to do this way quicker and more efficient.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted January 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 That's really good news that it has been made illegal in Iceland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrecar Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 Good read. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted January 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 This was published in 1996, in the Working Border Collie magazine. Agree 100%, shock collars/ecollars have no place in training sheepdogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted January 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 Wow, that 's great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thank you, Maja! I've no experience at all in working stock. Watching dogs work sheep, live and on the ground, is very different from watching on film. The 'dance' between 3 very different species is fascinating to me. I could never articulate it before, but your idea that the handler tells the dog what must be done and the dog conveys that to the stock in a very different form from how the dog gets that information from the handler is the missing piece for me. I'll be re-reading this. Thanks again. Ruth & Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted January 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2019 Ruth, I am no expert in stock work, but I gave a lot of thought to the topic, and so far nobody has pointed out any serious flaws so, I guess it's not too bad . In my mind, the stuff I wrote on e-collars relates to my observations on Bonnie who has lost her hearing at the age of 4-5. And how long it took me to realize it and to see how much she had been reading from me without being able to hear the commands. And how people (who never had a dog going deaf) assumed without a doubt that she was blowing me off. It opened my eyes to how little we know sometimes on what is going on. I mean, they were sure she giving me the middle finger, while all this time she was desperately trying to figure out what I wanted. How much more wrong can you get? And the thing that scares me in people who want to use an e-collar for border collies is their brash confidence about being right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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