[Dailydrool] Nigel's Special Collar

[Beverly Szaton]

I use a shock collar on Nigel to stop endless and pointless barking. He is
not a basket case and I would not use something on him that caused pain or
was in any way abusive.
I tried very hard to first teach him not to bark, but with the dogs on the
other side of the fence screaming insults, and 3 other dogs egging him on,
it was hopeless.He knew what the command "quiet"meant, but outside it was
ignored. The setting on the collar is moderate and the only outward sign I
have ever seen that he has recieved a zap is that he stops barking and looks
around, then finds something else to do. It is so painful and upsetting to
him and so abusive that when I walk out with the collar he runs over to me
wagging his tail and sits proudly while I put on HIS SPECIAL COLLAR.

I have more dogs than the Village allows, and I have neighbors who, no
matter how melodious I may think Nigel's ahrroooos are, don't want to hear
him. Without the collar I probably would have had to have him debarked, or
get rid of him. Not nice choices. Are those preferable to a light zap from
the collar?

Shock collars are not meant to be used IN PLACE OF training. They are never,
ever to be used simply to punish.
I have not had to use it more than once this summer, right at the start of
the season when all the neighbor dogs were out as well, screaming on the
other side of the fence. One reminder did the trick. Now when they go out he
may bark once or twice, but then he stops. The collar is not even charged
right now, because I don't need it anymore. Once Nigel stopped his
bellowing, everyone settled down.

MomPerson to Nigel, Llewis, Mitchell, Zelda and Cooper
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