In 2018, the government of Great Britain pledged to ban the sale of horrible shock collars for dogs. Yet, two years later, nothing has changed. Owners think that they can force their dog to behave by sending up to 6,000 volts of electricity through their dog’s neck whenever it does something they don’t like — lasting for up to 11 seconds each time. We no longer condone parents harming their children in order to “teach” them a lesson. So why would we allow dog parents to electrocute their animals?
For most dogs, positive reinforcement like treats and kind words actually works much better, while this type of pain-inducing punishment actually creates negative traits like fear and aggression. All dog training requires consistency, but none requires consistent physical abuse. These contraptions are truly cruel and ultimately are only useful as a poor substitute for proper dog training. The UK government made a promise. Now we need to hold British leaders to it. Demand that authorities in the UK finally ban the sale of shock collars right now!