Dog Listener's Newsletter

We now have a new tool to help us spread the word about Amichien Bonding - the kind natural way to communicate with your dogs. Our own Newsletter. The first edition has just been published and you will be able to access it by clicking on the link below.

It carries a number of articles and I'm involved in three of them. Yellowstone Experience (I'm far right in the picture wearing a fetching little hat). Featured Dog Listeners about our involvement with rescue dogs from Afghanistan and their appearance at Crufts and finally, under the heading Health News is an article I wrote about Electric Shock Collars.

I don't yet know how often this Newsletter will be published but hope to keep getting involved in its content.

Read and enjoy. As always, any feedback welcome. http://www.listeningtoday.co.uk/

Crufts 2008

As you may have read in an earlier blog, a friend and colleague of mine Caroline Spencer have been supporting the rehabilitation of two dogs, Nowzad and Tali rescued by Royal Marine Sergeant 'Penny' Farthing from the abuse they were suffering in Afghanistan. They now live a life of luxury with Pen and his wife Lisa in the UK.

This connection is timely because the theme for the 2008 International Day of the Dog (IDOD) is rescue dogs and if ever dogs were in need of rescue, these were. IDOD is an event that takes place every April and is the brainchild of Jan Fennell 'The Doglistener', pioneer of the 'Amichien Bonding' method of canine communication.

Nowzad and Tali were one of five nominees for the Kennel Clubs 'Friends for Life' award which is awarded following a phone in vote by viewers to the BBC's Crufts programmes. The award ceremony is a huge event and can be overwhelming to both humans and dogs. It takes place in an arena in front of a crowd of 7000 and is screened live around the world to countless millions. A daunting prospect for anyone but the other nominees included an autistic boy, an 11 year old girl with cerebal palsy (the eventual winner) who had been virtually confined to a wheelchair until her dog gave her the confidence to start walking. There were also two ladies with severe mobility problems whose dogs, one a Newfoundland the other a black German Shepherd had given them their lives back. Every one of the six dogs nominated would have been a worthy winner.

Caroline and I had gone to Crufts to offer support to Pen and Lisa, not in a partisan way but to ensure that the dogs went into that arena in a calm state of mind to do otherwise would not be right. Until the end of 2007 they had lived their lives in a war zone. Why should they trust a human unless he dressed as a Royal Marine? It was important that Pen and Lisa knew we were there, they knew what they had to do but they didn't want us with them every waking minute. We stressed to them the techniques that they had to work on right up to the big moment. As long as they knew that at any time if there was a problem we were able to be with them within minutes to resolve the situation. We also had to be at the arena entrance to make that final decision at the very last moment, how are the dogs going to cope? Are there going to be be both humans and dogs in the arena or only one or even no dogs just Pen and Lisa?

Because as always, we have the interests of all dogs at heart we were, with the blessing of the Kennel Club able to work with and offer assistance to all of the nominees and dogs. They were all delightful people with wonderfully supportive families. Obviously in a time frame of a couple of days we can't deal with every problem but that was not our aim. We just needed to ensure that both owner and dog were happy throughout the ceremony and not subjected to any undue stress.

It was my turn to drive and so because I was having a lady passenger, the day before we travelled I washed my car and discovered that I own a blue one. I then cleaned the interior and removed the old newspapers and cleared the pens (32 in number) from the front passenger seat and filled the fuel tank. I was leaving at 5.30 am and so wanted everything ready so that I could get in and go. Just before going to bed I had to do a pick up job, it was at this point that one of my headlights decided to pack up obviously a taster of what was to come. To change a headlight on my car requires a degree in advanced electrical engineering and hands the size of a three year old. Late at night with an early start and long drive ahead the prospect filled me with dread. I knew that if I attempted it I'd be left with skinned knuckles and a foul temper. My wife then suggested I take her car as she wouldn't need a vehicle until daylight and could use mine. Problem solved, I transferred all my luggage, refuelled (again) and was ready to go.

The following morning I set off as planned, picked up Caroline en route and headed for Birmingham. We decided to go and locate our hotel first because as our decision to go to Crufts had been taken only in the past few weeks all the hotels near the venue were booked solid. We managed to find accomodation at an establishment some distance away that was clearly modelled on Bate's Motel. Having found the place and so understanding why they had vacancies, we headed for the show.

If you have never been to the NEC at Birmingham let me tell you that it is a very impressive range of halls. The car parks are massive and managed in a very unusual way. Normally the first arrivals at a venue are placed closest to the event, not at the NEC, the first arrivals are placed in the car parks furthest away. When you realise that this could place you just a little bit north of Manchester you begin to sense the annoyance felt when you realise that the people who didn't get out of bed until after lunch are able to park by the front door.

We were placed in car park North 12. It was so far north that all the staff were Glaswegian. There are shuttle buses to the doors which are free after you've paid your £8 parking charge but the queues were horrendous so, having been told that it was only a 10 minute walk we decided on that option. There is a different perception of time and distance in Birmingham but eventually after coming across several remote South American tribes we arrived at the doors only to discover that they were at the opposite end of the complex to the show itself but unfazed we pushed on.

Huge, crowded and noisy are the words to come to mind. when I was in Montana recently watching wolves (blog to follow) I saw on US tv reports of a prestigious dog show which was reported as "The Worlds Biggest Dog Show" they boasted of having "over 2000 dogs competing". At Crufts I saw competitors wearing numbers well over 20,000. There are an array of halls used with breeds being judged, agility competitions and all manner of dog related activities. There were also countless stalls selling everything from really useful equipment to tasteless rubbish. For me the slate clocks with the naff pictures of various breeds of dogs on them got my 'DelBoy, Most Favourite Piece of Tat Award' although the reflective dog bandanas came a very close second.

As previously mentioned the day progressed and Caroline and I developed a rapport with the Kennel Club staff dealing with the Friends fo Life Awards, and got involved not only with Pen and Lisa but with the other nominees as well. We were heavily involved in the rehearsals which take place after the show closes to the public on Saturday evening. By the time we left to return to the car it was like a ghost town. All the Nominees, Kennel Club and BBC staff were staying at the Hilton Hotel directly opposite the NEC. We looked at the signposts and found ones that directed us to the South and East car parks but nothing else, I then found a sign mentioning North car park but it was preceded with the words 'No Access to'. We walked and walked until we found a security hut. when we asked the way the guard was helpful but couldn't supress a laugh. He pointed us in the right direction? And off we went again, two further encounters with security guards and over three quarters of an hour later we found my car, alone, in a vast empty carpark, no wonder it was whimpering. At last, back to the hotel and some food. Yeah right! We followed the directions to the exit only to find locked gates! We turned around and drove through the complex following various exit signs all of which led to more locked gates. Suddenly there were no security guards to be found, they were all probably rolling around on the floor laughing, watching us on cctv. Eventually more by luck than judgement we found the only unlocked exit from the site which for some reason did not have an exit sign.

On our return to our hotel we asked about getting a meal, no chance, it was Saturday night and they did have a large restaurant but they weren't able to do food although they could sell us a packet of crisps in the bar. When we asked about other options we were given a choice between the Indian Restaurant across the other side of the dual carriageway and, oh I forgot, there was no other choice. We had a nice stroll to the eating place via the seductively lit, urine drenched underpass which although unpleasant did mask the smell of diesel.

On reaching the restaurant we were quite concerned, we were starving and it was Saturday night in Birmingham the curry centre of the UK. Would they have a table for us? We were lucky, they did have a table for us, in fact they had all the tables for us. The place was empty but no problem, that meant we'd get served quickly before the late night rush came in, wrong again. Still looking on the bright side the wait must mean that our meal is being lovingly prepared, the herbs and spices being hand crafted by ancient 'spice gurus'. If you can't get a good curry in Birmingham where can you? I don't know, I just know that you can't in this particular one. The meal when it arrived was awful. I've seen better looking fatal accidents and it tasted dreadful. The only saving grace was that the portions were small. When we left we still the only customers hmmmm, I wonder why!

Sunday arrived, the big day and we had an early start. We strode into the hotel carpark and I pressed the remote unlocking button on my car keys and nothing happened. After trying several more times I realised that the battery in the key must need replacing, strange as it's a fairly new car. After opening the car manually we found that it would not start. It was at this stage that I lost the will to live but, undeterred, I did a thorough, in depth mechanical evaluation and discovered that someone (I have no idea who) had left the lights on all night. Luckily a good Samaritan came to our aid with a magic battery booster and all was well. Nobody ever need know unless my wife reads this blog, Doh!!!

On our arrival at the NEC we found ourselves in carpark North 10B which seemed to be even further away than Saturdays North 12. at least we knew where we were going this time and were able to get straight to work. We spent the day moving between the NEC and Hilton Hotel, working with those nominees that wanted help or assistance of any sort as well as making sure that people were in the right place at the right time and in the right frame of mind. This was made a little difficult when while escorting the nominees to a suite where a buffet and recption had been arranged for them we were denied access by security who were utterley unconcerned that these people had passes and most had mobility problems. I even pointed out that these people had their pictures and stories across several pages of the official programme and were being shown nightly on BBC tv. After a lot of flared nostrils and intervention from the highest level of the Kennel Club our party was allowed through. It did solve one mystery, if you ever wonder what happened to the Krankies now that they are no longer on tv I can tell you. They are working as security guards at the NEC.

When the big moment came all the dogs went into the arena and behaved beautifully. Just prior to their entrance Pen and Lisa were in the holding area doing some exercises with Nowzad and Tali designed to focus the dogs attention on them and disregard the noise and lights in the arena. At this stage some complete moron, a member of a 'Dog Training' club complete with heavily logoed polo shirt tried to stare Nowzad out. A stupid move for anyone, but for a man who was so full of his own wind and importance about how 'good' he was with dogs it was criminal. he took an aggressive stance like a nightclub doorman and kept moving so that he could maintain eye contact which as all real dog people know is a challenge when done in that manner. Caroline told Pen to keep turning away from the threat and keep his pulse rate down so that Nowzad was not stressed. Both Caroline and I asked this man to desist but he ignored us, Pen was remarkably restrained which was great because had he reacted Nowzad would have lost the plot. I on the other hand was probably a bit more 'proactive' and had a full and frank exchange of opinions with this man, I'd had my fill of fools for that day.

Once the presentation was over we were ready for home. We even managed to get a shuttle bus to the carpark and find my car. Would it start? Yes!! We weren't even fazed when as on the previous night the gates had all been locked, we knew where to go. We arrived home very tired, it had been a hectic couple of days but we both felt that we had achieved something really worthwhile. We hope to build on the advances and contacts we made.

Radio Interview for Cruel Gadget Campaign

I did a short bit on Fred Marden's breakfast show on BBC Southern Counties Radio on the 27th April to raise awareness of my campaign for IDOD.

Listen here.

The quality is not great but it gives a flavour of what we are attempting to do.

How To Use A Shock Collar

Still on the trail of people who think it's alright to be cruel to animals just to bend them to their wills I had a chance to view a training video for an electric shock collar.

I always thought that to sell a product or to train people you had to at least be able to pretend that you had some belief in the product. The salesman/instructor in this video brought a new meaning to the term wooden. It was like watching one of Harry Enfield's skits of the wartime public information films except it was not intentionally funny.

I did learn several things about this 'kind' way of training. The equipment is apparantly so 'kind' and 'stress free' that you are advised to have your dog thoroughly checked by a vet before you use it. But I thought this equipment was harmless, so why do we need a vets visit?

Just as an aside they mention that the equipment should not be used on a dog that is in anyway nervous. But the equipment is 'stress free' surely that's just the sort of thing you need for a nervous dog? Or am I missing something here? I would hope that a vet with an ounce of integrity would have a full and frank exchange of views with any owner who asked if his dog was fit to be subjected to random electric shocks.


Of course the sales team would argue that the system comes with full instructions and indeed it does.

1) Call the dog in a normal way. If he does not respond at once

2) Tell him again in a STERN VOICE!!! If no instant response we get to the highly trained technical bit

3) Shout OI!!! And shock him.

Well, if he wasn't in need of a vet's care or nervous before this 'kind' training session I bet he will be now.

These items are being sold as a quick fix. The cheapest one that I could find cost well over £100 and I've found some costing around £550. Add to that the cost of the vets visit before the training session (and very possibly after) and you're talking big money. They also offer the services of an instructor, specially trained in the use of the equipment. If you have trouble traumatising your dog then they 'Know a Man Who Can'. I have no idea how much you would be charged for the use of that service.

Just think of how much real stress free help that money would buy. You'd have money left over, a clear conscience and a happy dog.

Cruel Gadgets, Electric Shock Collar Arrives

As promised by a dog owner and mentioned in an earlier post I was sent an electric shock collar which they had bought on advice to deal with a behavioural problem. It arrived with me earlier this week and as a result I am able to share the delights of this piece of equipment with you.

First of all you may want to know, 'Did it work?' Well, if I tell you that the donor paid £195.00 for it, has now decided that it is not the way to go and has sent it to me free of charge, that might be an indication of its training value. They could have easily sold this on ebay and recouped some of their money but had more integrity than to perpetuate the use of such cruel equipment.

So if this equipment is so bad why do people some of whom are obviously dog lovers buy it? Because they are at the end of their tether. They hit a problem that they can't seem to resolve, maybe they go to the usual 'Dog Training Club' for 'Obedience Training' and that doesn't work so they look for other options and, if they are very unlucky they will either find a 'Trainer' who will take the dog away for a period of time (at vast expense) and return it 'Trained' often by the use of such equipment as the shock collar or spiked collar plus of course a bit of brute force and bloody ignorance. You can usually spot this type pretty quickly because they won't want you anywhere near the training venue. They will tell you that your presence will distract the dog. The truth is it would seriously disturb the owner. Ask yourself 'What have they got to hide?' The owner might also see this equipment on the the internet or be sold it by a 'Dog Training Expert' as a quick and easy fix.

The manufacturers of this sort of equipment are very coy in the description of their products. The one that I've been sent is described as a 'Remote Trainer'. Of course it's a bit of a giveaway when you open the packing and see the control unit has two buttons marked 'Trigger' and a power button which turns almost 360 degrees marked 'Intensity'. When I was a Police Officer we used to call things like that 'Clues'!

Let's open the packing. First of all the control unit, an innocuous piece of equipment until you read the control instructions. Slightly larger than a mobile phone with a rechargeable battery. It of course has a charger unit supplied.

Next we have the 'Dummy'collar. The manufacturers recommend the dog wear this for four or five days before starting remedial training. The collar is worn so that the box is held against the dogs throat with the electrodes making contact with the skin. If you have a hairy dog you are advised to trim the hair around the contact points to ensure better flow of power. Why don't we throw a bucket of water over the dog at the same time? That would really ensure a good contact. Of course the dummy is inert and only designed to get the dog used to having two lumps of metal sticking into their throat all the time. I like the use of the word 'only' don't you?

Now we get to the action part, the live collar. When you are ready to start 'remedial training' then you remove the dummy collar and replace with the real thing. Hey! What's this? Another dial on the collar itself! it's marked 1-5 what fun we're going to have trying out varying shock levels! Once the live collar is in place training commences. If the dog does anything that you don't like Zap!

Of course the instruction book gives no guidance how the equipment should be used. It does tell you that you can correct (give him an electric shock against his throat) a dog up to one mile away. How you can see what the dog is doing at that distance is something I've not been able to workout. The blurb also says 'The natural choice for sporting dog enthusiasts who need deep penetration of woodland or undergrowth'. In both scenarios if the dog is unsighted, even leaving aside the obvious cruelty issues. How can you correct an animal without knowing what he's doing? He might even be on his way back to you when you shock him. A good move?

There have been instances with this equipment where exactly the opposite result to that desired occurs e.g. Using it to 'cure' poor recall. Dog doesn't recall at once, trigger pressed, dog shocked and panics, runs away. Or even less successful when being used to deal with chasing behaviour. When shocked the dog can interpret the cause of the pain to be the jogger, cyclist or other object of interest and attack their perceived tormentor. There have also been cases where the dog realises that the trainer is the cause of all the trauma and then..... Can I have a new trainer please? I've split this one.

The people who say it doesn't hurt suddenly find other important things to do when offered the chance to try it out for themselves. Have I tried it on myself? Yes. Will I be trying it again? No! Is it cruel? Of course it is. I find it difficult to understand that such evil equipment is on sale in the 21st century. It has no purpose other than to cause pain, except of course to make someone a lot of money.

I don't know where this equipment comes from but certainly the charger unit comes from Japan and the rest appears to be of identical manufacture. Perhaps I'm wrong but when you look at what happens to contestants in Japanese Game Shows it might explain why it is considered acceptable to inflict cruelty on animals.

There are other factors to be considered in the use of this equipment. The frequencies used in transmitting the 'correction' are shared with all the other owners of similar collars. So, there you are out walking your your dog who is now so worried about being shocked that he is doing nothing (like playing or just enjoying his walk) that might incur your wrath and involve further distress. Suddenly, another owner anywhere upto a mile away decides to 'correct' his dog and your dog gets a jolt as well. For what? He's already doing nothing through fear and he's still being shocked. It's lucky that this is a country of dog lovers. What would happen if we didn't like them?

Having this sort of equipment around the house can lead to tragedy. What happens if very young children get hold of it and use it in 'play'? There was a case of child abuse reported this week from Spokane U.S.A. which resulted in a child's death. One of the favourite tools of abuse used by the offenders was an electric dog training collar.

What can you do if you have a dog problem and you are being encouraged to turn towards gadgets for a resolution? Firstly say No. Ideally contact me or any of the other 'Dog Listeners' using the 'Amichien Bonding' techniques pioneered by Jan Fennell. All of these real Dog Listeners hold the 'Advanced Certificate In Canine Communication' and are authorised by Jan to offer this service. The title Dog Listener is hard earned and jealously guarded and all of us are regularly monitored to ensure quality of service to the client. A full list of Recommended Associate Dog Listeners and Preliminary Dog Listeners who are working to their full accreditation can be found not only for the UK but Worldwide, on Jan's website www,janfennellthedoglistener.com. With a Dog Listener you will know there will be only natural methods used. No stress for you or your dog(s), no gadgets and definitely no cruelty. If you decide not to follow the Amichien route then I urge you to ensure that you are in full control and have the final say on all matters relating to your dog whatever method you choose. When the training is over the trainer will go away. You will have your dog for better or worse for the rest of its life. It's best to get it right first time. Make sure you get the genuine article, there are people claiming to be Dog Listeners who have no right to the title. If their name is not on Jan's list they are bogus.

All of this is building up to seek your support for this years International Day of the Dog on 29th April 2007. Further details can be found on Jan's website. My project is to persuade people not to buy cruel training aids in the first place but, once they have, to hand them in to sites which we hope will be available on the run-up to the event. You can of course contact me direct (anonymously if you wish) and pass the equipment to me for publicity purposes. If you know someone who uses such equipment ask them to visit this site and approach it with an open mind. If they want to discuss any of the points raised I'll be happy to do so.

If you are in any doubt as to what this sort of equipment can do have a look at this clip I found on the internet. The collar being used in this sequence is to prevent a dog from barking and therefore is not as powerful as those used in 'Remedial Training'. I think it's a fair bet that drink had been taken by those in this experiment. Remember the participants are aware of what is going to happen and are doing it of their own free will. That would not apply to a dog. The participants can choose to stop at anytime. Again the same would not apply to a dog. They just have to wait until the 'superior species' chooses to stop torturing them (or not).

Progress on Cruel Training Aids!!

Great news! We are making an early start. As I mentioned in my previous post my intention was to build towards 29th April 2007 The International Day of the Dog (IDOD) to encourage caring dog owners who have been badly advised to hand in the various cruel gadgets they been sold to deal with behavioural issues.

As I've said so many times before THEY DON'T WORK!!! At best they replace one problem with another usually much worse. How do you then deal with that? More pain, more stress, more trauma?

Anyway let's be positive. Since my last post on this subject I have been contacted by two dog owners who have got the campaign off to a good start. One has an electric shock 'Training Collar' which they bought to deal with a particular problem and now realise that it was counter- productive. They are now sending it to me to educate people as to the sheer cruelty of such equipment. When it arrives I will post pictures here. The second owner was advised to buy a riding crop to 'encourage' their dog to sit instantly and to reinforce other obedience exercises. That piece of equipment is now also out of circulation.

Watch this space for updates.

Amnesty For Cruel 'Training Aids'

Recently I did a consultation with a really nice family and their two dogs, one twelve months the other seven months. They were of good temperament and eager to please but very exuberant. They moved around the house like a tornado and climbed all over people, family and visitors alike. Common problems that can be dealt with in a stress free way using Amichien Bonding. That was where I came in.

We had the consultation and put in place measures to address all issues raised. During the course of the consultation I was told that they had tried several other 'training' methods including the dogs being sent away for 'residential training' which involved not only the high cost of such techniques but also the sale of 'essential', extra 'specialist 'equipment for continuation training. Some so called trainers take the concern and commitment many owners have for their dogs as a licence to print money.

When the consultation was over the client showed me a piece of equipment he had been sold by one of these trainers. This piece of kit goes under a number of names 'German Collar', 'Pinch Collar' 'Prong Collar' and 'Spiked Collar' to use the most common. The client told the trainer that he didn't want it (he'd already been charged for it). The trainer responded that he wouldn't make progress without it, (so what had been happening at the residential training?). The client told the trainer that he thought such equipment cruel, and would not use it. And then the trainer came out with a real gem, he explained that it is not at all cruel but, 'just replicates the gentle but firm way that a bitch picks up a puppy'!!

I was given this unwanted piece of equipment, to take it out of circulation and to highlight the widespread use of such cruel methods.

For those of you out there lucky enough to have not seen such equipment in action let me explain how it is used. The chain is placed around the dogs neck spikes facing inwards, with a little bit of free play and then attached to a lead. The dog is then taken for a walk or put through training exercises. If at any time the handler feels that the dog needs correction he pulls the lead as quickly and as hard as he can. The chain rapidly tightens around the dogs neck and the spikes (or prongs as the users prefer to call them because "They're not that sharp") not only stick into the neck but at the same time pinch large areas of flesh between the quickly closing spikes (as I prefer to call them). The dog screams and is traumatised.

The end justifies the means say the supporters of this, and other brutal methods of 'training'. "Next time he'll do as he's told" they say. I suppose that I would be obedient if someone tried to rip my head off and dug bits of metal against my spinal column and windpipe. But would I like or respect the person who did it to me? Of course not. Would I work as hard as I could and to the best of my ability for that person? Of course not. Would I, given the opportunity rip that persons heart out and show it to them while it was still beating? You betcha!!

Another means of using this collar is when 'teaching' a dog not to chase. They may run over to see another dog in the park or maybe chase a cyclist or jogger. These are of course behaviours that are unacceptable but there are humane methods of dealing with them. When using the spiked collar to 'cure' this problem you once again put the collar on the dog. instead of a lead you fasten a long, strong rope or nylon line (15/20 yards) which you tie to a tree or metal post. You then set up a situation which sparks the chasing behaviour such as a jogger running close to but just out of range of the limit of the line. The dog runs, and on reaching the end of the line the collar tightens, the spikes dig in and as an added bonus the dog is flipped onto his back. In fairness I have to say this works, I have seen dogs so 'cured' that when anything is placed around their neck they urinate involuntarily and refuse to move in case some wants to 'cure' them of something else! What a way to treat mans best friend.

As you may have read in some of my previous posts there are many other cruel pieces of 'training equipment' out there which really shouldn't exist in a civilised country. Electric collars, mustard sprays, citrus sprays etc etc.

April 29th 2007 is the second International Day of the Dog when Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' and her 'Associate Dog Listeners' try to raise peoples awareness of Canine Welfare in general and the prevention of Cruelty and Bullying in particular, by the use of a variety of events and publicity.

My goal for this years 'IDOD' is to encourage owners using such 'Training Aids' first of all to STOP and THINK and then hopefully STOP USING THEM. Most pet owners are not cruel, they only want the best for their dogs. They hit a problem and get misled by some quick talking salesman or carefully worded advert which tells them that if they buy product X it will solve all their problems in one quick fix. Because they care about their dogs but are panicked by some behaviour problem they find themselves the owner of the latest gadget which generally promises much but delivers little, if anything, to help either dog or owner.

I hope to go a little further than just getting people to stop using this equipment. My intention is to get people to hand in such equipment to such places as Vets Surgeries and Local Authority Dog Wardens rather like the gun and knife amnesties when people can leave weapons in a box at Police Stations, no questions asked. The intent would be the same. To take harmful equipment out of circulation. and to let people make a committment that they will no longer accept the use of such barbaric methods in the name of training.

I am the process of contacting Vets, local papers, radio and other potential interested parties asking for their support. Watch this space. If you have any ideas or can offer support in any way it would be great to hear from you.

Of course you don't have to wait until 29th April to stop using this equipment, you can do it today! If you don't want to make the trip to, or don't have a collection point near you just let me know that you've disposed of your equipment (and what it was) so that we can monitor our progress.

In an ideal world we would see all such equipment discarded but, if on 30th April, only one person has stopped using it then it will mean that at least one dog will not live their life in fear or risk permanent physical or psychological damage. That'll do for a start.