If you’re squeamish, you may want to pass this post over for something more fun.

The use of shock collars and all electronic devices, including invisible fences, have been banned in Wales. Apparently the collars were being used on both cats and dogs. The ban went into effect March 24, 2010.

As of yet, this is a use ban, it does not ban the sale of electronic devices.

As you read through this, keep in mind that it’s been clearly proven that people who abuse animals also abuse people.

There are reports of people in the United States using shock collars on their children and some have gone to jail. A particular criminal case wasn’t in Wales, it was in Salem, Oregon, USA. According to the news of September 30, 2009, the father “got great entertainment from chasing his younger child, 3 years old, around the house with a dog collar to the point the child was crying and afraid the shock was going to come.” According to Police, he wasn’t disciplining the children, he thought it was funny. He was arrested on four counts of Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree and was put into jail. The children were taken away from him at that time. He pleaded guilty and received 3 years probation and 60 days in jail for a restraining order violation.

A Utah man in 2006 was accused of shocking his 6 year old boys, when they got out of hand “he’d give them a jolt.” The children remain with their mother.

An Ohio man in 2007 was sentenced to 16 years in prison for abusing and torturing his children with a shock collar and some other pretty rotten stuff. He had previously, according to the news story, been convicted of burning his childrens’ feet with scalding water. His ex-wife went to court and asked for leniency for her husband saying that the kids didn’t want Daddy prosecuted. The Ohio man said to the judge at his sentencing and I quote, “I just want the opportunity to try and be a father. That’s what I was trying to do, be a loving father.”

In 2007, a Tennessee man was arrested for raping and abusing his children. The arrest report said the father “regularly” shocked some of his children with a dog shock collar that he used on his hunting dogs. His wife was also charged. The children were taken away.

CNN correspondent Randi Kaye wrote an article in 2006 about shock treatments for children who were experiencing violent episodes. The treatment was apparently, according to the article, successful in many of the cases. Quoting Randi here, “When I went to the center to interview Dr. Israel, I tried the aversion shock device to gauge its power. I put one electrode on my arm and shocked myself using a remote control. I had been told by the center’s employees that it feels like a bee sting or a pin prick. Let me tell you, it hurt far worse than that. Two seconds felt like two minutes. It was like a parade of pins stabbing me in the arm. I could see why students would alter their behavior after feeling that sensation.”

It’s a common quote of persons who used shock collars on their dogs, “It’s like a static shock or a vibration. It doesn’t hurt, like a bee sting.”

The use of shock collars has already been deemed inhumane to pets and banned in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria and many parts of Australia. Ireland is working on it.

Sergeant Lou Castle, who works with police dogs, says not to call it a shock collar, that scares people. “Call it a remote training collar or even an electronic collar, it’s more acceptable. When I start with a dog, I find his level of stimulation by turning the Ecollar up slowly. Yes, we use high settings for high-energy jolts. Before everyone starts calling the Humane Society on me, the stimulation is no worse than walking across a carpet. Holding the button down until the dog responds, then release the button. Overwhelmingly the outdoor issues are solved by teaching the recall.”

I think I’ll call it what it is. It’s a shock collar. It’s an electronic collar which uses either batteries or live electricity in the case of some invisible fences linked to the household electricity to create a shock. Some collar’s shocks can reach up to 3 miles. PetCo, PetSmart, and many other pet supply companies sell shock collars. SitStay.com does not.

Cesar Millan is currently and most probably the most famous person using shock collars as of this writing. I’ll show you this video, it’s a past episode but Cesar is still using shock collars in this year’s season’s shows so I think it’s fair to show this. If he had quit, I wouldn’t share it with you. He hasn’t. I wonder, if the dog were truly aggressive, would he have bitten his owner just before he hid his head under the chair? See a video with shock collar in action.

Fred Hassel from Sit Means Sit Dog Training in video explains why he uses shock collars and although this is not a complete quote of the video, it’s still in context. I quote, “Why we prefer remote stimulation collars is, you cannot get lows and high with a stimulation collar. You can’t monitor in the dog training world what somebody thinks is the right setting, some think higher is better. It’s like one person’s definition of clean is different from someone else’s, it’s a perception and we can’t change that, it’s a fact with human beings. You have to have adjustability because you can’t make everybody happy. Some people say I can’t feel that so how will the dog feel it? If your dog is aggressing at another dog, you might want to go to a 4, someone else might only want to go to a 2. It’s not like it’s a Taser or anything so it maybe, maybe doesn’t affect the dog emotionally, who knows. It’s okay if you think this collar isn’t okay. I’m a professional dog trainer, that means professional equipment should be available.”

I liked this quote from an online chat room. There wasn’t a name attached to the quote. “I have 35 years of AKC and American Field Bird dog running, training and field trial judging experience with 5 years as a pro and am nationally known with well over 100 placements in the woods, in the WEST and all parts in between. I have owned 12 Labs and a too many to count of English setters, pointers and Brittneys. This includes walking AND horseback handled dogs. I have used a shock collar only twice during that period of time. Once was to break a dog from fighting with his bracemate and another time was to break a dog of deer chasing. Neither dog was owned by me. Amateur trainers in this day and age tend to demand an instantly trained dog in the shortest amount of time possible and are willing to reach in their wallets to buy a shock collar. I can do in 4 weeks 15 minutes a day with a 25 foot check cord what your guys are trying to do with a 300.00 E Collar. Spend 20.00 bucks on the Book, “Best way to Train your Gundog” by Bill Tarrant. Read it and then train your dog. There are no electronic short cuts in dog training. The good dogs everybody would die for have never been shocked to achieve canine perfection. If you would like to invest in a true electronic dog training tool, spend your dollars on Garmin’s new GPS dog locating/tracker collar.”

Shaeward in an online quote in a chat room: “I’ve used one but would never advise anyone to use one without the help of a very experienced trainer. You can easily ruin a dog with one. I’ve ruined a dog with an e-collar and about a yar later trained one very quickly with very limited use of the same collar. An e-collar (just like any other collar) should be used only with the intent to “wean” the dog from it. I’ve found if you rely on the e-collar very much or use it too long it’s very hard to have a reliable dog without the collar. Dogs can become “collar wise” easily and it doesn’t take them very long to figure out the unpleasant feeling is coming from the collar. Once they figure out the collar is what’s “getting” them it really does no good, imo. They’ll be perfect with it and no different from before without it…the collar then is simply a crutch and your dog still isn’t trained… I also think an e-collar should be ones last resort. Have you tried other methods to over come the training issues you’re having with your dog? If you haven’t already, seeing a trainer or taking classes might be all you need. BTW ~ I basically had to start training all over again with the dog I ruined. There was no way I was gonna get him weaned from the collar and from improper use, there was no way to get him to do much of anything with it (except be very tense and stick to me like glue). About a year or so ago I introduced a clicker to this same dog and found he responds very well to that type of training. What once was a very tense boy during training turned into a very relaxed boy who was actually happy to work.”

There is a video online of a dog chasing a small flock of sheep as if he was herding them. The dog screams, veers away from the sheep and turns back to his handler. “That’s how you teach them not to chase sheep”, he said, showing the remote control for the collar the dog was wearing.

Youtube.com is full of people shocking themselves and each other for fun and for a test to see what it feels like. Not many of them thought it didn’t hurt. One curled into a fetal ball when he got shocked at the number 6 setting of the collar.

Remember Sarah Palin’s brother in law, the officer who shocked his son with a Taser?

“These devices [shock collars and fences] can provide an excessive punishment to the point that the dog is terrorized. They can be ineffective because the amount of shock is too little (poor contact, too much hair, weak battery). They can be used out of context (remote control) because the owner is mad at the dog and “zaps” at an inappropriate time out of anger. It can also do significant psychological damage to a dog that does not connect the shock with the reason for the shock. The shock is generally considered to be inhumane.” Dr. Bonnie Beaver, veterinarian at Texas A&M

Victoria Stilwell of It’s Me or the Dog on TV is absolutely against shock collars. Ian Dunbar and Jean Donaldson are among some of the more famous who find shock collars aren’t necessary to train or change behavior. Understand your subject, the child or the dog, and make a difference without pain.

The fine for using a shock collar in Wales is now 20,000 pounds. That converts to US dollars as $29,326.80 as of the date of this writing. Or 6 months in prison. Serious stuff.

According to the BBC, the Electronic Collar Manufacturers’ Association fears the ban could lead to an influx of “unmanageable” pets into dog shelters. I quote Duncan McNair of the Association. “”It’s a bad idea because more dogs will die, more dogs will have to be re-homed and more owners will have to be distressed at having to give up their pets.” According to the article, McNair said there are around 500,000 shock collars used in the UK and a rough estimate of 20,000 in Wales alone. He went on to say, “”I wouldn’t dream of suggesting that people disobey the law, everybody will be making their own decision about what they do, but what I do think is that if a large number of people who use them stop using them, there will be an influx of dogs into dog shelters.”

Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones is quoted, “”I’m pleased that as a government, we are taking a proactive approach to promoting the welfare of animals by banning the use of such electronic training devices in Wales.”

Shock collars are used to cause pain, no matter how small, which in turn causes an animal to stop doing at that moment what people consider “bad” or “wrong” behavior. The dog doesn’t usually get a clear message of what they should be doing instead, only that stopping what they are doing will stop the shock. It’s been proven that shock collars create anxiety and confusion caused by repeated shocks which can lead to changes in heart and respiration. We also already know that the shocks can lead to severe anxiety and displaced aggression. That can mean, shock your dog and your dog bites someone. An animal who has been shocked has to do something with the feeling it causes, it’s usually not a good result. When someone hits you, you have to laugh shrugging it off, say something, hit back, or strike out with anger or physical abuse at someone else. It’s pretty rare that anyone can take abuse without responding in some way….whatever that way is. Dogs are the same. They have to do something with that pain, no matter how small, it has to go somewhere. Will it go into hiding or biting…or fear which can cause both of those?

According to a Canadian journalist Marth Jette, “The primary concern with shock collars is that they create a fear-based aggression in pets. In a study published in 2001, five dogs were subjected to shock collar containment systems. None of the dogs had a prior history of aggression yet they all later bit people who were not behaving in a threatening way toward them. It is believed that the dogs received shocks at the time and acted out by “repeatedly and uninhibitedly” biting, which resulted in serious bodily harm and of course, lawsuits. As well, using these collars can create a huge rift between owners and their dogs on an emotional level. Unless you want a cowering, emotionally traumatized pet, don’t use a shock collar!”

Perhaps people in Wales will begin to spend more time with dogs during early training so they don’t have to shock them into submission. According to some of the speakers during the Wales conversations in National Assembly for Wales referred to people who use electronic devices as “vile”, “lazy”, “wrong headed”, “do not understand dogs and how they think”, and “adverse reactions of the animals are not taken into account, worse things can happen after the shock.”

Veterinarians in the UK ended by saying that “the judgment comes down to the political arena” and collectively supported the ban according to the BBC.

I see an online petition started to ban electronic devices in Canada. I doubt it will ever happen in the US. We have the “right” to treat our animals any way we want. And there’s too much money in the selling of them for most stores to quit selling them. I’ll repeat. SitStay.com does not sell shock collars.

As you read this article, what are your feelings? We know that dogs reach a maturity level of about a 3 to 8 year old human child. We know that children and dogs can feel pain and that both can and do show us the consequences of that pain. How many times have we heard a child abuser say that he or she was abused as a child? How many dogs turn into biters when shock collars and pressure methods are used on them? To quote one of the shock collar users turned positive, “I’ve ruined a few dogs with shock collars.” I wonder how the kids in the cases above will turn out when they grow up and have children of their own? Have they been “ruined”, too?

Interesting, isn’t it, how things tend to turn out. Do unto others.

What are your thoughts? – Darcie

Hi Darcie: My hound is not a fan of thunderstorms, specifically thunder. She will find a spot that feels most secure to her–a corner, her pet porter, a walk-in closet–and sit or lay down until the storm passes. She may pace a little, but nothing extreme. This past Sunday night we had an average thunderstorm–lots of thunder, lightning, little rain. She began the usual sit in a corner routine. But then she started to bark each time it thundered, and then sat by our back door thumping her tail against it, and barking with the thunder. She wanted to sit in the backseat of my car, which we did for a bit, and no barking. The garage was too warm to stay out there for the duration of the storm. And frankly, completely indoors seemed safer than the garage. As the storm slowly blew over, she began to pace and pant a lot. No more barking. At the end of the storm, she flopped on the floor and slept like a rock. Any clues as to why this sudden barking during the storm and pacing? We’ve never seen her more aggravated than finding a secure place to sit or lay down. I was so surprised I didn’t quite know what to do to help her, but I did stay up with her and keep a light on as I didn’t want her to be alone–and bark more. Her health is good and she has no misalignments or conditions recently. When I gave her a few treats during the storm, she seemed to ignore the thunder. But I don’t think I can feed her during the duration of every storm this summer–she’ll become huge!
Thanks for any insight or advice! Amy

Dear Amy, I know that some dogs do start having more intense reactions as they grow older. But some dogs have less intense reactions to storms as they grow older. So, the answer you’ll get from me is…I don’t know why she acted like she did. Our storms around here seem to be more violent than they used to be. Perhaps your storms are changing, too. Dogs can detect those changes…I don’t know how they do it, but some of them seem to. Dancer was my dog who didn’t like thunderstorms, when we moved into the underground house, she must have felt and realized safety more…she calmed.

Because your girl sat at the back door to bark at what you thought was the thunder, maybe it was something other than that that started the barking. That was different, she wasn’t hiding, looking for a safe spot as she usually does.

The good news is that she took food and maybe you can change her fear to fun with clicker training…I’ll talk about that a little lower down this page. A highly anxious dog usually refuses to eat.

If you find that you need them, we have some really good anxiety relief products at SitStay.com, take a look at both pages of them here.

I know it’s tough to have a dog fearful of storms. Until we moved underground, my Dancer hated storms. She came by it honestly, it wasn’t something she was born with. When she was about 7 months old and we still lived in Lincoln, the day was lovely and sunny and blue. No storms on the horizon. We went to an afternoon movie downtown and halfway through the movie they moved us all into the basement. A super cell had popped up and a tornado was on it’s way. The storm cloud moved over the top of our neighborhood, lightning hit a tree in the park and split it into a million tiny pieces. The neighbors who were home that afternoon said that the sound was deafening. I sat in that basement and worried about our older dog, Kari, a Golden Retriever, and my poor little puppy. Dancer was in her crate, Kari had the run of the house. When we got home about twenty minutes after the lightning hit the tree, Dancer was still in a panic. Through her years, she was our weatherman. She knew within an hour when a storm would hit our area.

I don’t think anyone has yet to understand exactly why thunderstorms affect dogs the way they do. Some think it’s the static electricity, some the smell of the storm, some the sound and the wind, some believe the dog can hear the storm before we do (and the things that we can’t hear during storms), some think it affects dogs at a more cellular level…an instinctive thing. I wish I knew the truth and maybe some and all of this is true.

Try some different things to see what works best for your girl.

Some people say, I never did, that they have good luck playing a CD of thunderstorm noises, starting at a low noise level and turning it up over time. I did try this with Dancer and it sent her into fits of anxiety at the lowest level, she never calmed at all, her grief escalated. Her experience with the lightning was so extreme, that was not her cure. Pet Natural Calming might be your remedy. Or the Anxiety Wrap, that did wonders for my Dancer. HomeoPet TFLN Drops have helped many dogs.

When working with thunderphobia, I like to first see if I can find that dog’s particular button, the one that shuts off the fear before I start supplementing. Then go to the supplements that are more natural. Some dogs do seem to require prescription drugs…at least that’s what I’m told. I’ve never had a dog get that far gone that I’ve had to resort to the heavy duty stuff. I don’t like that stuff so I’m glad I haven’t had to go to that.

The very best thing we can do when we first get our dogs it to live as though storms are just a part of life. Treats or meals or games while the storm rolls in and does it’s thing creates an environment of safety and normalcy. So many of us rescue so we get what we get and all of their baggage from the past. That’s when we have to kick in our understanding of what caused what reaction and how best to change that behavior.

The training to change behavior can start with simple things, to get her to focus on something else instead of the storm. Lots of fun. The time can be filled with “what’s in this hand?” And “which cup is the really yummy treat under?”. And hide and seek and retrieving games. “Come find me!” Lots of laughter and genuine fun. The fear of the storm may become a thing of the past because you’re pairing it with fun and good energy.

I used clicker training with Dancer and although her brilliance was enhanced by it on good days, it did not work during storms for her. She was too anxious, she’d refuse food and games. But remember, she had a really terrific scare at an tender age. Because your dog does not refuse food, clicker training might be your ticket past this anxiety of storms. SitStay has several clicker training books and DVDs, here’s where you’ll find our SitStay’s Clicker Training Kit.

Being afraid of storms doesn’t have to last a lifetime. It all depends on the individual dog and what happened to cause them to be afraid. Let us know how it goes for you. Thanks. – Darcie

The HSUS thing has been all over the web and in the news so you’ve all probably heard about it by now, I thought I’d talk about this for a minute.

Years and years ago when I was in college, naive, struggling to keep the rent paid and children fed, I found a job raising money for what I thought was a great cause. My pay was on commission, based entirely on the money I could raise, they said they could not tell me what my percentage would be “because it depends on how much you raise” and no ballpark figure of what my wages would be. One of the guys was making about $100 a week and they thought I’d probably come in around that figure, too. I entered into this blindly and I quit with my first paycheck. If I hadn’t had rent and little mouths to feed, I would have turned down that paycheck. It still haunts me just a little bit now and then. At this job I called people and explained the need for the donation. I was never turned down and people gave with open hearts. When my pay check was handed to me it was huge. I thought it was a mistake and I asked. It turned out that I “earned” 25% of all donations that I had procured (yes, this seems to be the right word to use in this case). The next 25% went to my immediate supervisor. The next 25% went to his supervisor. The rest settled in admin fees and “other salaries” and then what was left went to the actual project. I never could find out exactly what went to the actual need. It was the first and the last time that I trusted wholeheartedly in an employer and “charities”.

My particular, personal moral compass weighs heavily to the side of what I think is right. That job was a hard lesson for me: Know who you’re working for, get it all in writing before you start, and understand where the money goes. That job was my first shoulder rub with truly dishonest people.

I do give money to what I believe are good causes and I know that you do, too. Do you know where the money goes?

Paid positions exist in just about every non profit but how much are they paid? How much money does the founder get? What exactly is the percentage of my donation that goes to the cause I want to help? If you’re not asking these questions and donating blindly from the goodness of your heart, you might have some trouble with how your money gets spent. Non profit does not mean that someone doesn’t profit.

According to a New York reporter and humanewatch.org, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) may not be using your donations to take care of the animals like you thought they were. There was a full page ad about this in the USA Today dated yesterday, the page seems to have been paid for by humanewatch.org who is, according to info I found, The Center for Consumer Freedom in Washington. They appear to be a group who also solicits donations and according to the website, they are also a non profit.

They say in the article that HSUS gave only $425,371 to hands on pet shelters in 2008, out of a $99,664,400 budget. And that HSUS made $8,558,128 in pension contributions between 2004 and 2008. If that is true and the way to find out is ask for the accounting from them, it does not look good for the animals that people wanted to help with their donations. According to humanwatch.org, only $1 of every $200 donated goes to hands on pet shelters.

HSUS is being sued in federal court for racketeering, according to the stories. Here’s a definition of racketeering:

“Racketeering is the act of operating an illegal business or scheme in order to make a profit, perpetrated by a structured group. It is a broad category of criminal acts that includes bribery, sexual exploitation of children, and illegal gambling, among many others. Racketeering is closely associated with organized crime, since both are conducted by groups. Racketeering encompasses many criminal acts. It includes theft and fraud against businesses or individuals. “

HSUS has always been sue happy and right or wrong, that is their thing according to their website. They sue for this or for that. Right now they are suing Amazon for carrying dog fighting materials. They sued Ringling Brothers Circus several years ago. That seems to be what has led to Ringling Brothers bringing the racketeering effort to light.

I don’t find anything on the HSUS.org site in answer to these charges. Perhaps someone from there will comment here and tell us what’s up. They do claim that they are doing the right thing. Here’s their page of financial statements if you’d like to sift through. If they really are racketeering, it won’t help you much, that will be hidden somehow.

Sometimes a law suit is the only way to be protected or find protection and it’s not cheap but where does it end and should it end? I’m really curious what you think.

I don’t know the ins and outs of this argument. My post is only to start a discussion on the subject. Want to put in your two cents?

What goes around, comes around. If we don’t do the good thing every day, if we harm someone or an animal in any way, it’ll come back to us to pay someday.

Mark Twain once wrote that “the trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that aren’t so.”

I’m all for doing the right thing. Everyone has a different idea of what that right thing is. What do you think? – Darcie

I don’t know why I didn’t remember this when I wrote about fleas a few days ago. I haven’t had a garden for a few years, I used to have a large garden every year. I love to play in the dirt and can and freeze my own veggies. Anyway, I remember from my organic gardening days that beneficial animals can help us with those we don’t think are so beneficial…like fleas. I’m talking about beneficial nematodes. They kill cutworms, ants, termites, grubs, fleas and probably more than that, too. It’s not an instant cure but it could be what some of you need.

Here’s a simple article to give you some info. I found it at Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.

Apple Cider Vinegar in the water and a raw diet will help repel fleas and ticks? I believe it is so. Here’s a nice list of ideas to try against fleas.

May 24, 2010

Hi again Darcie – I’ll be interested to see the results of this new test. For your information I have made a lengthy post of my investigations into ShooTag, its science, its technology and the credentials and beliefs of its creators in my post at Tetherdcow.com. I should warn you that, though my post itself is completely Safe For Work, some of the links, by necessity, are not. Click on links at your discretion (there are warnings). – Anaglyph from the Tetherdcow

Okay, the testing is completed.

shoo!Tag. Their contact info as it shows on their website at shootag.com

Energetic Solutions, LLC
11101 Hwy. 290 West
Austin, TX 78737
Phone 877.746.6512
Fax 888.871.1538

According to the Austin Business Journal article dated March 5, 2010, Energetic Solutions LLC received $375,000 from 12 investors for shoo!Tag. In 2003, Energetic Solutions LLC developed a homeopathic cream for stress reduction, that launched with $90,000 investments from friends and angel investors. According to the article, the company employed 8 workers April 2009.

If you’d like to know Anaglyph’s (comment above) real name, who he is, and see his work in debunking products and services that don’t work like maker’s claim they will, please go to his website, tetherdcow.com, it’s all there. I appreciate the time he’s put into the behind the “science” for this testing project of shoo!Tag. The information he shares about the scientist whose work led to the shoo!Tag is worth seeing. This scientist was named on the shoo!Tag website by the makers as the science behind the shoo!Tag, that info was removed from their website by the makers as Anaglyph will attest to. There is video of the scientist doing his many things.

And what’s in the strip on the back of the shoo!Tag? Anaglyph shows you that, too.

My human mosquito shoo!Tag testing was completed late last night, the mosquitoes didn’t show up on camera in the darkness, they did bite. I’m not one to give up before I can show proof perfect so I went back out again today and in full light of day, here’s your proof. I did not have a human control with me today. I did have plenty of company…biting mosquitoes…which showed up beautifully on camera.

I agree with Anaglyph that if the supporters of shoo!Tag who commented here at The Dish and wrote to me hadn’t been so adamant and rude, I probably would have dropped the testing after the tick Tag failed for the dog. I suspect that those particular supporters were not only the makers of the Tag but also investors in their company. When I asked the most adamant if he was an investor, he did not write to me again.

Too many of my Readers were interested in the mosquito Tag by then and a distributor wanted me to test it for him, too, so I went on to complete the testing.

My intention in this testing was to show that either mosquitoes would bite or would not bite while I was wearing the Tag. My intention was to show that either ticks would crawl on me or they would not, I did not let ticks attach to my skin. That intention turned to proof and the proof is positive.

We did use a human control for the first mosquito video. Normally in our lives mosquitoes will bother me more than they bother Kent and we saw that again during this testing…I think it’s because I’m sweeter. The testing was done on the first spring evening that mosquitoes were out around the house. We had plenty of mosquitoes for the video test. Our lighting was normal porch lights, it was nighttime. The June bugs were big enough to show up on the video, the mosquitoes don’t show. Anyone who has ever spent an evening outdoors knows that you don’t always get to see them before they bite and leave. Same thing happened here.

Today’s video in broad daylight shows happy mosquitoes, biting away on me.

I’m not highly allergic to mosquito bites. I’ll heal up in a few days. Kent is allergic to them so he’ll have about two weeks of itching and swelling.

So far no one who sells the shoo!Tag will offer any video proof that it works, not even the distributor who sent me the free samples and wanted me to test it for him. The interesting thing that I find about his asking me to test the new Tag is that he lives in an area with mosquitoes and says that the original shoo!Tag, the one that looks like a credit card, works for his customers. There can’t be a difference between me and those folks, can there? Why would it work for them and not for me? No reason I can think of. It would be simple to make this video proof for himself. I wonder if he’ll stop selling the shoo!Tag and distributing it now? The proof he wanted is right here.

The makers of shoo!Tag to this day have shown no video proof of the effectiveness of their shoo!tag. If they had the proof, they would show it on their website, wouldn’t they? That only makes sense from a marketing and advertising point of view.

I wonder if any of the retailers will stop selling the shoo!Tag now? I guess we’ll see. Good of them if they do, it means that your and your animal’s health means more to them than money. Shame on them if they don’t. Disease spread by ticks, fleas and mosquitoes is no laughing matter. People and animals all over the world get sick and die. No amount of money makes it okay to swindle you and your animals our of your health.

In my and my skin’s opinion during this past several weeks of shoo!Tag testing, the shoo!Tag has most definitely failed to protect me from biting mosquitoes and from ticks. I let the mosquitoes bite. I did not let the ticks attach.

Click here for tick test and video review for the dog shoo!Tag.
Click here for human tick testing video review of the shoo!Tag.

Fact: shoo!Tag was used to the letter of the maker’s instructions
Fact: no bug repellent has been applied to my skin, clothing, or property this year at all
Fact: Darcie did not change her diet or anything about her life during the testing period
Fact: Darcie wore this shoo!Tag continuously beginning May 21, 2010 through the final video
Fact: video proof taken on May 23, 2010
Fact: video of mosquitoes biting taken May 24, 2010
Fact: mosquitoes bit

SitStay will not carry the shoo!Tag. You and your dogs and cats mean too much to us. We don’t sell products that don’t work the way the makers claim.

Before I forget to answer some of your questions, here you go. (Keep reading past all the legalese for the new shoo!Tag info pertaining to the testing that we’re doing. A new Tag has been made and sent to me for testing, no not by the maker.)

The maker of shoo!tag is Energetic Solutions, LLC. The dog shoo!Tag sells for $29.95 at the maker’s site. That’s a chunk of change if it doesn’t work. Not so much if it does. (shoo!tag failed in our tick testing.) The maker’s site claims to have a 30 day money back warranty, guarantee, with caveats. Depending on where you live, the return will cost you about $6-$10 for shipping cost if you want insurance that it will deliver.

Instead of copying everything the maker posts on their site here, I’ll sum up.

You must return the entire package of Tags along with the original receipt and barcode to the maker with a note explaining why you want your money back. It could take 2-3 weeks for the refund, they say. I’m not sure why this should take so long. (For comparison, SitStay.com refunds for all returns within a day or two of the return, we post 5-7 days.)

For a list of shoo!tag retailers, click here (the shoo!tag site is live and is working as of this minute.) I wonder if any of the stores tested the Tags with video and will offer that info to you. It would be an interesting question.

Returns for a refund in US or Canada must ship to:

Energetic Solutions, LLC
11101 Hwy. 290 West
Austin, TX 78737

Here’s a kicker. If you bought more than one shoo!Tag for your family or dogs, you will not get all of your money back, they’ll refund for one package. They must have wanted you to use it first to make sure it worked, then you could protect the rest of your family. You must send a note along to say why you want your money back. The maker refers to the refund as both “guarantee” and “warranty”. The legal disclaimer is substantial but those usually are.

I found it interesting that in the US and Canada, all refunds must be requested directly from the maker, address Austin, Texas. For all other countries, the retailer can give the money back. That means that if you buy it local to you, you have to pay to return it to the maker to get your refund. That’s good if you live in Austin, Texas, not so good if you live anywhere else. If you want to insure that your package is delivered to the correct address, you’ll need to use a package shipper like UPS or FEDEX, they both use tracking numbers. Minimum shipping costs will be around $6.92 if you live close by.

One online pet store that sells the Tag says if you return your Tag to the maker, you get a replacement, not a refund. Well, perhaps that’s just for the warranty and not for the guarantee. I don’t find that info posted at the maker’s site, shoo!tag.com.

Okay, back to the testing. A distributor who has been very interested in our testing of the shoo!Tags (the same one who sent the first shoo!Tags which failed our tick testing) has been following this blog. He sent me a new shoo!Tag mosquito Tag made for human use. I received it yesterday and I’ve been wearing it.

I’d guess the makers wouldn’t have made a new one if it wasn’t better and stronger than the old one. If it was only to make it smaller, it would still have only one strip on the back, logically speaking. I’ve set the older Tag aside, the one that looked like a credit card, and glad to be rid of it. It was big and, aside from all the questions about what it was, it was hard to work around. Making a smaller version was a good idea.

This new Tag is a newer version of the old Tag, apparently so new that it hasn’t been updated in any online store that I could find as of today’s date, not even at the maker’s site. The only info I have is what the distributor told me.

According to this distributor of shoo!Tag, this “smaller Tag has two strips on the back which will make it stronger”. Also according to him, he has been selling this Tag for some time and personally using it, too. He says that mosquitoes might land but they don’t bite while he has the Tag on. He offers no video proof and even though I’ve asked him for video, he won’t say that he will make the video. Don’t we all have cameras now? How hard could it be? I’m going to do it.

This new human mosquito Tag is smaller (approximately 1 3/4″ X 2 1/4″), the same size as the cat Tag seen at Tetherdcow.com. You can see the backs of the old Tags there, with at least some of the coding on the back strips decoded.

It’s finally stopped raining and it’s hot out today, well, it’s 87 degrees F. We should have mosquitoes tonight! Get the video camera, I’m ready! – Darcie

May 18, 2010

It’s still too cold for mosquitoes, jacket weather at night. This is the coolest spring I can remember for a long time and it continues to rain on and off. The good news is, the grass is green and gorgeous. This would be the first time in my whole life that I was looking forward to having mosquitoes. Perhaps they’ll help with this test and then go away again? LOL!

I’m still wearing the shoo!Tag and sleeping with it under my sheets just like the maker says I have to do. This Tag is on or against my body constantly. One thing I really don’t like about it is the size. It’s cumbersome. I’ve been told they’re coming out with a smaller size which would be better…if it works. The shoo!Tag didn’t work against ticks. When the mosquitoes finally get here, and they will, we’ll see if it keeps them off.

Click here to see final results with video for human and dog shoo!Tag against ticks. Didn’t go so well.

Thanks. – Darcie

May 15, 2010

I’m still waiting for mosquitoes. It’s been a strangely cool spring here, lots of rain and some storms with wind and hail. We had a few days of 80 degrees a few weeks ago and the mosquitoes were out just as we started the shoo!Tag tick test but they have gone into hiding for now.

Still wearing the shoo!Tags around my neck. I sleep with them under my sheet just like the maker says to do. It’s been over 48 hours and I’m still following all directions so when the temps warm up, we’ll be ready.

Can’t wait to complete this test. The tags are big and often seem like they are in my way. Like wearing two credit cards around my neck on a lanyard. If it works I might have to get some pockets sewn into my shirts. If it doesn’t work, I won’t have to consider that at all.

It’s not raining right now, maybe I’ll go fishing. Maybe there are some mosquitoes on the lake. Yummy. – Darcie

May 14, 2010

I sat outside until the sun went down, it just kept getting cooler and cooler. Bugs were biting me but there were no mosquitoes tonight. It’s supposed to rain again tomorrow. We almost have the Ark finished…. Darcie

May 13, 2010 Thursday

shoo!Tag human mosquito test starts now

We’re starting another test just like I promised you that I would. Yummy. I don’t like mosquito bites much better than I like ticks. My control human, who is allergic to mosquito bites, isn’t going to be very happy about this but he’ll still be happy to be my film director and help with the video testing. “Stand over there. Sit over there. Go to the water, get into the boat. Stand in the deep grass.” To pass the test, the shoo!Tag must protect me from bites and my human control should be fighting off mosquitoes. He will not be wearing any natural or chemical remedies used to ward off pests.

I have just hung the shoo!Tags around my neck, both the Ticks and the Mosquito Tags. The strip on the back is to my body.

I am well and happy. Again, I won’t do anything that I don’t normally do. I will not use any natural remedies or chemical remedies or anything at all used to repel pests or mosquitoes. I won’t use any lotions, shampoos, soaps, or scents that I don’t normally use. I will continue to eat the same way I always do. We do not use poisons or natural remedies to kill mosquitoes on or around our grass, lake, ponds, or property.

The Tag is in perfect shape, it looks the same as when it first arrived. No dents, cuts, smears, folds, dirt…it looks just like when I took it out of this anti static storage package originally.

This time we’re testing it against mosquitoes biting a human. Yes, I’m putting myself out there to get bitten by mosquitoes for this test. I’m not allergic, a little itching for a few days then it goes away.

shoo!Tag FAQ: “Do I have to wear the tags all the time? For the tags to work when you need them to, 24 hour use is required. However, you can take them off for brief periods of time for comfort such as during swimming or showering (though they are waterproof). At night, you can place the tag under your sheet with the magnetic strip facing the body. When you wake up, just put it back on in the way that suits you best. If you only want to wear them for short periods of time, such as while on vacation, you must place the tags back in the anti-static bag during non-use. Be sure to put the tags on a couple of days before you need them.”

The science as posted on the shoo!Tag website:

“The Science Behind shoo!TAG™:

shoo!TAG™ represents a paradigm shift in the pest management industry. shoo!TAG™ utilizes Nature’s energetic principles in combination with physics, quantum physics and advanced computer software technology. The key to shoo!TAG™ is the three dimensional electromagnetic field embedded in the magnetic strip.

shoo!TAG™ when used as instructed, utilizes the power of the bio-energetic field which surrounds all living things to create a frequency barrier for up to four months.

shoo!TAG™’s magnetic strip is encoded with beneficial frequencies and resonances and an electromagnetic charge bearing a polarized energy signature, which when introduced into the bio-energetic field of the wearer produces results.

shoo!TAG™ is calibrated to specific animals and specific insects to repel targeted pests. This is possible because various insects and pests react to frequencies. These frequencies are introduced into the bio-energetic field of the wearer. These specific frequencies and resonances have proven to disturb targeted pests and create a barrier.”

“As a founder and co-developer of the Shoo!TAG™ I was looking for a non-toxic “green” alternative for controlling fleas and ticks on our dogs and cats and flies and mosquitoes on my horses and milk cow. When the finished prototypes were ready, I picked two dogs and one horse and cow for the first trials and put a Shoo!TAG™ on them. Within 36 hours, the dogs wearing a Shoo!TAG™ had a noticeable reduction in fleas and ticks. In addition, those pests still on the dogs were staying on top of the hair, moving slowly and easily picked off. I also observed that the dogs with a Shoo!TAG™ did not scratch or bite at themselves, unlike the two dogs not wearing a Shoo!TAG™ . The horse and cow wearing a Shoo!TAG™ had a dramatic reduction in flies. After two weeks observation, I tagged the other animals so they could receive the same comfort and benefit. Again, after 36 hours, all newly tagged dogs, horse and cow demonstrated the same reduction in pest problems as the test group did. I knew then we had a winner!
-Kathy M. Heiney, Wimberley, TX
Developer and Founder of Energetic Solutions, Ltd. and Shoo!TAG™

My best guess is that this is the only testing that was done on the shoo!Tags by the makers. I don’t find anything else on their site that shows that they did more than this and certainly it would be there if they did, wouldn’t it? I don’t find any reference on their site about testing on humans.

We’re still having rainy days and it’s cool. Friday 14th is supposed to warm up to 70s, mosquitoes around here are not scared off by that temperature so it will be a good day for testing.

I have to wear the shoo!Tag for 24 hours before we start the test. shoo!Tag says it will reach it’s full “potency” to create a “barrier” around my body in 24 to 36 hours. The barrier, if I understand this right, is to keep mosquitoes from coming inside the barrier and or biting me.

Let’s get started!

(P.S. I will post all comments to this testing as long as they are courteous and helpful. Pro or con doesn’t matter. – Darcie)

Norman, To start this post, I want to say emphatically, so there is no confusion about where I stand on this issue, that I’m with you on this. I hate using chemicals on my animals and around my home. It’s why I’ve searched and searched and tested natural products hoping that they work. So far, I’ve not found anything that works like the chemicals do. Some of the natural products I tested were far worse than chemicals. I’m positive that we are not doing our animals a good service by putting chemicals on and around them. The alternative is to live with fleas and ticks or ban our dogs to the outdoors…I won’t do either.

I don’t think Ortho targets fleas, does it? I can’t find anything on their site to tell me that it does. I think that’s more for winged insects. You certainly don’t want to be breathing this stuff or letting your dog breath it either.

For your house and yard, talk to your local pest control. If your home and yard are infested, they’ll know the fleas that you’re dealing with and should help you gain effective control as safely as possible for you, your dog and your family. Then vacuum daily for a while, then at least every other day, it’s a natural way to pick up fleas and their eggs. You’ll more than likely have to continue the fight with vacuuming even after getting some chemical help to gain ground on the infestation. Most flea eggs are not laid on the animal but in the carpet, cracks and crevices, and in damp places. Burn the vacuum bag when you’re done, don’t leave it in the house, the eggs will hatch and it all starts again. Wash bedding frequently and use a hot dryer.

Diatomaceousearth is one natural remedy that you rub into the dog’s hair and put on flooring and bedding. It kills the flea by cutting them to death so it’s not a fast remedy. There is a caution with this, too, wear a mask and mask your dog when you apply to your dog and your home. I haven’t had a lot of people tell me this has worked for them so my jury is still out on it as widespread home and dog flea control.

I think the ingredient in Ortho Bug-b-gone is Bifenthrin which is a Pyrethroid compound. Pyrethroids are supposed to be fairly harmless to humans and dogs in small doses but can harm sensitive individuals. Symptoms of poisoning with Pyrethroid compound according to pesticideinfo.org are:

- Irritation of skin and eyes.
- Irritability to sound or touch, abnormal facial sensation, sensation of prickling, tingling or creeping on skin, numbness.
- Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, fatigue.
- In severe cases: fluid in the lungs and muscle twitching may develop. Seizures may occur and are more common with more toxic cyano-pyrethroids.
- Suspected carcinogen
- Suspected endocrine disrupter

I found this extremely concerning piece of info, too. According to mdpest.org:

A study conducted by four scientists on a variety of pesticides found a connection to thyroid damage, although this study was conducted on rats and not on humans. The study concludes “exposure to organochlorine, organophosphorus, and pyrethroid insecticides for a relatively short time can suppress thyroid secretory activity in young adult rats.” The study also said a decrease in body weight seen “suggests that pyrethroid insecticides can inhibit growth rate.” [Journal of Applied Toxicology, Vol. 16, No. 5, pages 397-400, 26 references, 1996.]

To combat the infestation of your dog, talk to your vet possibly about Frontline Plus or Comfortis. Confortis is a once a month pill that targets fleas. I had good luck with it with Oliver when he was coming home from his rescue…he was infested with fleas. He was also infested with worms of all sorts partly due to the flea infestation. Poor guy. Within 30 minutes of taking a Comfortis pill, the fleas were dying. Within 4 hours of giving him the pill, the fleas were all dead and very quickly after that he was alert and happy, excited to be alive when before the pill he was lethargic and itching…a very, very sick little puppy. Our vet said that if I had not taken this measure, he certainly could have died soon. His infestation was horrible, I’ve never seen so many of anything in one place as I did when I saw these fleas dying and falling off of him. I was worried about giving him this pill because he was such a sick and underweight little guy but it worked out well. The vet I talked to was right in my opinion, it was our best solution at the time and one that saved his life. Oliver only took one pill. I made sure there were no live fleas on him or in the car before we drove home. I sprayed the car with Frontline spray. We made it home flea free.

Since I wrote the article about bringing Oliver home, several people tried Comfortis and told me that they liked the results. There can be side effects so do question your vet thoroughly to make sure it’s the right choice for your dog. If it is the right choice for your dog, your home can become flea free. Comfortis is designed to be used once a month.

Here’s a short list of what you’re up against if you live in flea country. I believe there are closer to 2000 types in the world. All of these fleas have their preferred hosts, but all will feed on dogs and cats. With so many fleas that can and do feed on dogs and cats, we understand why they are difficult to control.

Pulex irritans: The human flea infests people, swine, and occasionally dogs and cats.

Xenopsylla cheopis: The rat flea is the carrier of bubonic plague, which we know as the ‘Black Death’ during the Middle Ages. Bubonic plague killed 200 million people. The “rat flea” feeds on rats, people, dogs, and cats.

Echidnophaga gallinacea: The Tropical hen flea or the sticktight flea is mainly a flea of birds, but will also feed on other animals.

Ctenocephalides felis: The domestic cat flea actually prefers dogs. This is the most common flea that affects dogs and cats. This is the one that Oliver had the most of, he was covered with them! It was awful!

Ctenocephalides canis: The common dog flea and despite its name, it also feeds on humans, cats, and other animals. Oliver had these guys all over him, too!

Male and female fleas feed on the blood of animals. And they can live several months without a meal.

Fleas transmit:

* a tapeworm called Dipylidium caninum
* Haemobartonellosis which affects red blood cells
* another parasite called Dipetalonema reconditum
* Plague caused by Yersinia pestis
* Typhus caused by Rickettsia typhi
* Tularemia caused by Francisella tularensis

From ehow.com:

Transmitting to Humans
5. One disease from dog or cat flea bites can transmit to humans: typhus. Dogs are not affected by typhus.

To give your dog some relief today if you can’t get Comfortis right away or choose to use something else, bathe your dog in warm water that has a squirt of Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Rinse the dog with the water, you’ll see fleas die instantly. Then rinse thoroughly with fresh clean water and dry. It won’t stop the infestation, it will give him some relief and I dare say that you’ll be gratified to see dead fleas. Or for a more natural way and I haven’t used it so I don’t know how effective this is: slice one lemon and soak it in a pint of very hot water. Let sit overnight, strain the pulp, and sponge or rinse your dog with the water.

I would love to find something to control pests on our animals and in our homes without poison, so far I’ve had no real and positive success at that. I hate to put chemicals on or in my dogs and cats but I want to live with them and I refuse to live with fleas and ticks. Once the fleas and ticks come in, it takes some doing to kill them all and keep them out. Science will one day find the thing that will work to keep us all safe. Until then, we have to do what we have to do.

Do your research and choose the things that feel safest to you. It’s all any of us can be asked to do.

Before I leave you. A dog with a low immune system will have more pests than a dog with a strong one. An extremely strong immune system might keep fleas from biting and at the very least will help your dog cope with bites better. If you are feeding your dog a dog food with corn in it or a poor quality food, expect that your dog will struggle with the effects of flea bites. Dogs who eat corn are not getting the nutrition they need to fight off anything, much less pests like fleas and ticks. Consider a raw food diet for your dog. You might find that change to be a lifetime of happiness for you and your dog. Some “experts” suggest giving high doses of garlic to dogs and say it will repel pests. I wouldn’t do that, large doses of anything are not smart or safe.

Don’t forget to call your local pest guys and talk to your vet. An infestation has to be tackled from many different sides. If you have fleas on your dog, you have fleas in your house.

Norman, thank you for being brave enough to share this problem with others. When we can all talk intelligently and helpfully, we all win. – Darcie

(Here’s an article at Mother Earth News about fleas. Natural certainly would be better if you can get it to work.)

(Here’s my worst and first experience with fleas. Oliver’s Story, part I, II, and III)

I couldn’t agree with Darcie more. We learn from and because of our dogs with “issues”. If medical concerns are ruled out then learn about clicker training ASAP. I only just learned the difference between “clicker training” and “training with a clicker” True clicker training is a whole philosophy that is much more than getting your dog to do what you want as fast as possible. It is about having a cooperative partnership with your dog, it is about communication, it is about your dog learning to learn, think and make choices. While some dogs may have the temperament to survive punishment and dominance-based methods and learn stuff this will be a disastrous approach with a fearful and aggressive dog. (and isn’t the best approach for any dog). Some of the books and people who have helped me with my fearful boy are Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown, Click to Calm by Emma Parsons, Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt, and The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Fisher. Of course there are many more, but these are the ones that have been specifically helpful for using the clicker approach for working with fearful and reactive behavior. There is also a group list for Click to Calm that you can join. You can get answers from other trainers who have a wealth of experience in dealing with these situations. It’s a wonderful support group. Best wishes to you and your dog Jill M

Jill is right and I’ll go a step further. Your dog already knows how to think and make choices, he’s already learned what works for him and he uses that knowledge to his advantage, he does it every day. Your dog already knows how to get you to pet him, or feed him, or throw the ball, or open the door, or move over when he wants up next to you on the couch…he trained you to do all of those things.

Your dog already knows how to do the things you want him to do….sit stay, lie down, wait, sit pretty, fetch, retrieve, come to you, quit barking, and tons of other stuff that are generally referred to as “tricks”. The thing that clicker training gives you is an open communication with the dog so he’ll do these things he already does…when you ask him to. That’s when it becomes a “trick”.

With clicker training, you can teach a dog to do things he normally wouldn’t do, too, like walk on his front feet. I’d caution that only dogs who are in prime condition be trained to do that, it can put unnatural stress on the joints. And things like quit pulling on the leash, walk by your side in heel position, stop a dog who loves to bark from barking with a simple word or gesture, go get your purse and bring it to you. My point is, with clicker training, you really can teach something new, something a dog normally wouldn’t do in their daily, normal life, because, like Jill has said, dogs do learn new things.

When the lines of communication are opened, dogs who show aggression and fear can be taught that they don’t have to respond with aggression or fear. We can teach them a better way, a way that they will come to know works for them and the fear and aggression subside or are eliminated altogether. This training and behavior changing can save their life. You do have to think about this a bit. Know what you want the dog to do instead of the fear or aggressive behavior, that’s the thing that you’re going to show him with your training.

If you are new to dog aggression and fearful dogs or are afraid of your dog, please find a positive trainer who can help you. Making big mistakes with a dog who is already moving quickly to being a red zone dog can make that progression happen more quickly. It’s not what you want.

I’d suggest that you read everything about dog body language and behavior that you can get your hands on. The more you understand about dogs, the better trainer you will be for your own dog. Be discerning about the information that you read, not all authors, behaviorists, and trainers are created equal.

Please do learn how to clicker train before you start working with your dog with a clicker….there is a right time to click…you will be amazed at the communication you open.

Communicating with dogs and having them show you that they understand and respond to you with that understanding is nothing short of…incredible. It will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud when it happens. It doesn’t take an expensive course of study or a lot of expensive anything. A book or a DVD, a clicker, and treats or a toy are all you need to start talking to your dog. – Darcie

(SitStay.com is having a huge 50% off book sale for most books. Clicker training books are included. There’s never been a better time to start Clicker Training!!)