Shelter's dog-training methods under fire

Prong collars, vinegar sprays and choke chains are standard canine behavior tools at the Humane Society of Sonoma County.

Society officials say the corrective methods, coupled with rewards, create better trained and more adoptable dogs.

Such methods, however, are considered outdated and potentially abusive by many local animal agencies, trainers and some county residents who've adopted dogs from the Humane Society.

No other animal shelter in Sonoma County, nor the Marin County Humane Society or the Humane Society of the United States condones the training methods used by the Sonoma County Humane Society. All are advocates of positive-reinforcement training.

"We don't use prong collars or choke chains. We don't use any sort of spray bottles in the kennels and don't recommend that to our adopters," said Dori Villalon, head of the Sonoma County Animal Shelter and former Humane Society director in Fort Collins, Colo.

"We want them to use positive reinforcement training. We want to set the dog up to succeed and reward him for doing the right behavior versus a correction-type approach," Villalon said.

At the Marin County Humane Society, trainer Trish King said there are better options than punitively forcing a dog to learn. "If you don't have to do it, why do that? Why cause an animal pain?" asked King, who lectures on positive training.

It's a matter of differing philosophies, both sides acknowledge.

Sonoma County Humane Society officials cite their handling of animals as a positive guideline for the public. "We're trying to lead by example, the way we treat our shelter animals. It sets an example of care and attention that should be given to their pets," said Angie Bonnert, Humane Society spokeswoman.

A prong collar consists of interlocking metal links with blunt prongs that pinch the dog's skin when it pulls or the owner pulls on the leash. The spray is a half-and-half mixture of white vinegar and water. It is squirted into the face of a disobedient pet.

The organization adopted the methods three years ago when it started a new training program to coincide with the opening of its new building on Highway 12 west of Santa Rosa. The program provides training for dogs at the center and classes for the public.

The training, plus a revised effort at matching dogs with the prospective owners, has resulted in a drop in the rate of dogs being returned from 16 percent to 3 percent, Bonnert said.

The program was developed by head trainer Julee Fullenwider, hired by the Humane Society three years ago. She has been training dogs for 25 years and previously taught classes at the old facility.

Fullenwider said she and her staff use a combination of reward and correction -- typically the prong collar and vinegar -- to stop a dog from jumping, barking, pulling on leashes and dashing outdoors.

"We monitor the system to make sure it is humane and effective, and not causing harm to the animal," said Scott Anderson, the Humane Society director.

"By utilizing several methods and systems, we are able to improve the dog's behavior at a faster rate and with greater long-term success," he said.

While Fullenwider said she also uses flat collars and lead halters, she primarily uses a prong, or pinch collar, on the shelter dogs during training. The society recommends prong collars in its training classes for the public, including for young, small dogs. It also sells the devices at its shop.

The vinegar spray is used routinely at the shelter. "A lot of vets recommend it. I've been using it for 25 years. It's not harmful at all," Fullenwider said.

Officials at several other local shelters said they worry about the acidic effects of vinegar and one Santa Rosa vet said she wouldn't recommend it. "I certainly wouldn't want vinegar spray in my eyes, so I wouldn't want vinegar sprayed in my dog's eyes," said Sue Boynton of the Laguna Veterinary Hospital.

Santa Rosan Mike Campbell said he recently brought his family dog to the Humane Society to meet a dog he was considering adopting. As the two dogs mingled in a play area, "the trainer squirted our dog in the eye with vinegar water because he was barking," said Campbell, who runs a doggy day care in Santa Rosa. "This is the Humane Society?" he said.

Occidental resident Sue Maguire volunteered to work with dogs at the shelter for about six months in 2005.

"If you open a door to take a dog out for a walk, you're not allowed to open a door unless you have your vinegar water spray at the ready. The second you open the door you spray the dog in the face so it'll back away," Maguire said.

"It bothered me. They never gave the dog a chance. The first thing out the door is punishment," she said.

Fullenwider said it's often the owner's sensibilities that are offended by the methods. "It is uncomfortable (for the dog.) That's what a correction is. I don't believe that we hurt the dogs," she said.

"You get a lot of people that they come from a gut level and not an educational place," Fullenwider said.