New Zealand Dog News

Reviewing the dog news in New Zealand with editors comments. Someone needs to keep reviewing how our dogs are doing in society.

November 29, 2006

Dogs get zapped, but all in a good cause

Man's best friend was being taught to be the kiwi's best friend at the weekend.

The Taranaki Kiwi Trust organised a two-day kiwi aversion dog training course at Lake Mangamahoe. The training was for farmers, hunters, recreational dog owners and those who took their dogs into areas where kiwi lived. I wish I could have attended !

Kiwi scent, a kiwi dummy and an electric shock collar were used to train dogs not to chase the endangered birds. This would have been a great opportunity to see how they use the e-collar... as you know, it should NOT be used by the untrained person.

The programme was run by National Park hunter-contractor and approved assessor Jim Pottinger. About 60 dogs took part in the training, which certified them as safe to be taken into forest parks.

Mr Pottinger said any dog taken into the bush needed to be certified.

"We introduce them to the scent of a kiwi as a negative scent so it doesn't encourage them to hunt the scent," he said. Dogs were given an electric shock if they showed interest in kiwi scent.
The voltage was increased each time. Yicks!.. but necessary as Kiwis are our national heritage and too many dogs have destroyed them.

The training was run for the first time last year and Mr Pottinger said some dogs had come along for a refresher course. "There were only two out of 20 that needed to be reminded."

Mr Pottinger said there were more responsible dog owners than irresponsible ones.

"A lot of guys want to prove that they are responsible. They don't want to be seen as the source of kiwi decline," he said.

Trust technical adviser Kris Grabow said she had received good feedback from the training.
"It helps the hunters. Dogs can then focus on the scent they're intending to hunt, whether it be deer, pigs or goats," Miss Grabow said.

There were more dog owners interested in doing the training and the trust hoped to run up to four programmes next year, she said. I will need to remind them to send a notice to doglinks.co.nz!!

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