Quebec pet store will no longer sell aversive dog collars
One of Canada’s largest pet product retailers is ending the sale of aversive collars.
Quebec-based Mondou pet stores announced Monday it will no longer sell the pet collars – including choke, electric, vibration, citronella and ultrasonic designs – designed to punish dogs for bad behaviour.
Aversive collars are banned in several Quebec cities, including Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Beauharnois and Sherbrooke, but they were still sold in stores.
In business since 1938, knowledge about animal training and behaviour has come a long way since then, Mondou said.
“Sometimes dogs bark because they’re afraid or because they’re excited and it’s absurd to think that a choke chain or a shock collar is going to make the problem go away. We have to understand how the dog feels to help him,” explained Mondou’s dog behaviour consultant Isabelle Borremans.
Some dog trainers say training techniques that punish a dog are as outdated as spanking a child.
“Dogs were punished for doing bad behaviour,” said dog trainer Gaby Dufresne-Cyr. “They were never taught what to do in its place, so focusing on the good behaviours now is what we’re after.”
The SPCA applauded Mondou’s decision, saying aversive collars aren’t just inhumane, said Sophie Gaillard, director of animal advocacy at the SPCA, they’re ineffective.
“Aversive training techniques including actually increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviours developing in dogs,” she said.
Mondou suggests anyone needed help with challenging pet behaviour can seek free advice in store, and should consider interactive toys to relieve dogs of boredom, as well as natural products designed to reduce stress and reinforce positive teaching of appropriate behaviour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Should you save or splurge on makeup this summer?
If you're wondering whether you should splurge or save when it comes to buying skincare products and makeup this summer, we got some answers for you.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Maple Leafs eliminated from NHL playoffs with Game 7 OT loss to Bruins
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.