What follows are 10 suggestions or warnings. We ask that you read them and think for a moment about the items you either currently own or were thinking about buying for your pooch. This article just might change your mind!
#1 – Debarking
Debarking (often called “bark softening”) is the act of cutting a dog’s vocal cords so that it has more of a whisper than a true bark.#2 – Choke Chains
They have been around for as long as any of us can remember. However, they cause trachea damage, are abusive (when used for correction), and can be deadly.#3 – Electronic Collars
An abusive tool, many dogs end up with psychological damage due to the adverse training methods.#4 – Invisible Fences
Aside from the obvious abuse of shocking your dog, the fences are not as effective as a solid fence for several reasons.#5 – Puppy Mills
Hundreds of dogs in horrid conditions, being bred as much as possible with no concern for genetic health issues or temperament, which are then turned around and sold purely for profit.#6 – Selling Dogs in Pet Stores
Puppy mills will only go away if we stop buying their “product.” A lot of these puppies are bought at pet stores.#7 – Tethering
While there are times (training exercises, for example) where it is necessary to tether a dog, they should be supervised and not left outside for hours on a tether.#8 – Cargo Transport
We should be able to take our pets with us when we travel, without worry about their safety.#9 – Punishment-based Training
Punishment (which often is borderline abusive) has been scientifically proven over and over to cause more harm than good.#10 – Retractable Leashes
This one may actually cause the most controversy, but they really are dangerous.
This writer is an advocate for allowing owners to take their pets inside an airplane – not the cargo hold – when traveling. Or, at the very least, allowing the owner to go down and see their pet, when it is reasonable, where the pet is stored. The stories heard about what can happen to these poor animals, that are not supervised, is heartbreaking.
If you would like to read up on the above listed in more detail please go to I Love Dogs. It is what you do not know that is dangerous for your pet.
