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Some dog trainers say training techniques that punish a dog are as outdated as spanking a child.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
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.