I recently saw this debate on social media about the use of an e-collar. One side saying that using an e-collar on a deaf dog was ok since it helped them to learn. The other stated that the dog could only be helped through positive reinforcement (i.e., treat training). Like many things on the internet, the debate got really aggressive quickly, and I left without knowing the outcome. Still, it got me thinking about the power of intention. The objective of using a specific tool to achieve a desired goal is exactly what setting an intention means when working with dogs. If we achieve our intended goal seamlessly by using a tool responsibly, why not make use of it? Why is it ok to use some types of tools and not others? If the intention is to teach while using an appropriate tool for the task, the outcome will, in all likelihood, be successful. That is true for an e-collar, a muzzle, a slip leash, harness, food, toys—as long as the dog’s imprint of the tool is one of calm surrender. And ours is one of calm confidence. The tool is simply an extension of our intention.
What happened during the part of the discussion that I saw is a microcosm of what the dog community has a tendency of becoming. Each side demonized the other without considering the overall picture. I say this as someone with nearly two decades of experience in endless debates about how to best train dogs. Intention matters, always, independent of the school of thought you follow as a trainer. If one starts using a tool with the mindset that it will never help, then chances of that tool assisting in whatever is being taught are very slim. Conversely, if one does not have the perfect tool but uses imagination and creativity to better help the other understand, the tool will often help, perfect or not. For instance, in the debate above, the e-collar was intended to help communicate with a deaf dog. The intention was better communication, not necessarily the use of the collar. While the other side thought using food would be better for engaging the dog. But how would that help one communicate with said dog?
If you know me, you are aware that I rarely use food when training. That is a choice. I prefer to connect with a dog in a more instinctual way. I will use food to engage the dog’s nose to get them to focus or spark their curiosity. I find, however, that introducing food when teaching invariably creates more excitement and less connection with me. Hence my choice to prefer using scented candles, essential oils or other wonderful-smelling objects as tools to engage a dog’s nose. My intention when using these gadgets is to connect with the dog in an instinctual way, since once you capture the nose, you get the dog. In the case of the deaf dog, using food or strong scented tools would be my first choice. Before introducing an e-collar, I would guide the dog with scent and a leash. Getting the nose to engage with my energy and scent and teaching her what it means. However, I doubt the purely positive-reinforcement crowd would agree with me on that. Even with my intention being to insist that the dog use her nose to lead a more “dog like” existence. In order to thrive she will have to be independent of me and food. Her nose will be her best guide.
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I would indeed introduce an e-collar after getting the dog to rely on her nose to find her way around the world. I reiterate after both the dog and I got on the same page of what it meant to feel the e-collar. The issue with using powerful tools like an e-collar, prong collars, muzzles, etc. is that the tools are introduced with the intention of stopping the dog from doing something. The intention behind using the tool is a reaction toward an undesired behavior. I prefer to set an intention of a desired behavior so both the dog and I have something to work toward, not simply to stop the dog from doing something. All of the above mentioned tools can stop a dog from doing undesired behaviors, my question is, what does the pup do with the energy that has been blocked? If the intention is to simply stop an action, where does that energy go? When one uses intention for teaching instead of blocking, the tool becomes more than simply a blocker of unwanted behavior. It becomes an extension of us in our quest for better communication and relationship.
Next time you decide to use a specific tool to teach your dog, first set an intention for what you want to achieve. It can be better communication, more trust, a calmer dog. Then do some research, ask trusted professionals about their experiences with the device, inform yourself and then find the best way to introduce that tool to your dog. Not knowing how to use a tool is almost as unhelpful as not having an intention with that tool. The first and most important aspect of teaching is having a connection, then an intention and only then do we start the action. First, get the dog to associate the tool with calm – surrender—just like they did with us. Then slowly adding distance – duration – distractions while using the tool. Eventually, allow the dog more freedom to make the correct choices away from us. That is connection – communication and relationship all made stronger with the help on a specific tool.
