The APDT Chronicle of the Dog Summer 2018 | Page 43

FEATURE | TRUTH IN TRAINING ORDINANCE
Unfortunately, we do hear a lot about our dog being part of our
pack. So, we have Mum and Dad being Alpha male and female,
the kids come next and usually the older is more dominant over
the younger, and at the bottom of the pack comes the family dog.
That’s really easy to understand, no matter how wrong it is.”
The simplicity of the theory is what sells it and is what abusive
trainers can exploit.
How the Dogs Die
So how do the dogs die? This is also a complicated question, as
most owners did not opt to perform a necropsy, which are not
always available logistically. Interestingly, some trainers offered
to pay for necropsies if they were performed by “their vet.” The
victims I interviewed found this both suspicious and offensive.
Furthermore, most veterinarians are not able to identify cause of
death from a gross, basic visual inspection; a forensic pathologist
would be required to perform an in-depth necropsy. Furthermore,
many times the physical evidence that is found because of the
necropsy tells only part of the story. In one case the owners,
both highly educated professionals who had carefully researched
the trainer they hired, were told their six-month-old puppy’s
necropsy showed possible evidence of strangulation, but the cause
of death was pneumonia. It was of course unknown what caused
this pneumonia, however, several professionals involved in the
case suspected that the dog was dunked in water and as a result
aspirated, sucked, contaminated water into his lungs. When this
same owner went to collect the puppy, he was given a freshly-
bathed dead body, which also raised questions, none of which
were answered.
Of the cases I am most familiar with, the most common cause of
death appears to be strangulation or other related neck trauma
such as a collapsed trachea.
Victim Blaming
It is easy to blame the victims, it is easy to claim they are
confused or uneducated. The victims I met were highly educated
people who had gone to considerable lengths to screen and
interview the professionals they hired. One victim was told
all training would be positive reinforcement; this is not what
happened since his dog died as a result of the “training.”
How could a dog training consumer know if someone is a
skilled dog trainer or behavior consultant? When we hire
dentists or medical professionals, we rely on boards regulating
these professions and a system of accountability that withdraws
licensing in cases of incompetence. In the current setting the
consumer would need to be a highly educated dog trainer or
behavior consultant to be able to identify the proper skills in
another person.
The County Hearings
To get an ordinance passed in Hillsborough County, there
were three public hearings. These hearings can be attended