Behavioural problems are one of the major reasons for owners to relinquish their dog to a shelter or even to euthanase them. As veterinary behaviourists, our main priority is animal welfare but we are also concerned with the quality of the pet owner relationship from the human perspective. Our aim is to help pets live more successfully with their owners and with the wider community.

Unfortunately, aversive training techniques have received a great deal of media and TV attention recently and many members of the pet owning public may be persuaded to use them as a result.

In order to inform owners of the dangers of these techniques and the availability of alternative methods which are both more humane and more effective the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology (ESVCE) is issuing this common position statement to stress that these techniques pose a serious welfare concern for dogs and significant risk to owners who may implement them.

The ESVCE supports the positive role of dogs in society and encourage all the members to increase the profile of positive training techniques.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.dogwelfarecampaign.org