Let’s just say I really thought my older kids were beyond this type of stuff…

Imagine a new set of shock collars for the dogs….We bought these as a humane way to gently remind our very large twin Great Pyrenees 10 month old puppies how to behave. They are lovey and fun, and beautiful. They fit in with our family very well. They are amazingly smart dogs, whose main trait is protector of what is HIS….his people, his animals, his house, his yard, down to the tiniest detail…his bone, his toy, his blanket. Anything that might be approaching his things, he WILL let you know. They could be two streets over, but if he thinks they are coming, he is on it. We are working on the household items, and they are making progress.

The collars can give a beep sound, a vibration, or a shock. The first few hours, we only used the beep. It was enough to divert their attention to try to figure out what that sound was. Then they gave up. Next, Jaq would not give up something that was harmful to him. He chose to call it his. So we tried the vibration. Immediately, he started looking around like “who did that”. It took a few times, but he did give up the item he should not have. Keep in mind we have everything set on the lowest setting for now. They are adjustable and have far to go before reaching maximum levels. We have only used the shock once when they were fighting in the house, and it was getting too aggressive. That still was on the low level.

We take the collars off at night when they are in their crates. The main reason is that Jaq will eat his. Jaq has already eaten/destroyed 2 collars and 3 harnesses.

That brings us to this past weekend. This will take a little imagination.

Two of my children, #2 (age 21) and child #3 (age 16) are in living room conversing about how well the collars work…

Bribery with pop tarts is involved…

Child #3 puts a collar on his leg…. (at this point Child #4 comes to my room to tell us that #2 and #3 are playing with the collars.)

From my room, I hear a loud Ooowwwlllllll coming from the living room….

Somehow, I just know what they have done….

I call them both….

They both come in laughing and saying…
#3’s leg just flew out from under him…

Still laughing, #3 proudly proclaims, “It hurt, but it was worth it for the pop tarts!”

Lessons:

Teen boys will do stupid things for food.

Older sisters will take advantage of this.

At least they were not fighting, and they were having fun.