apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I've never had a dog that this thing wouldn't confuse and make neurotic. Maybe yuhz guys all have more sophisticated dogs.

Also, I don't need to crate at home, and on trips this kind of thing offers less security than actual walls if there's any real temptation/excitement going on. I also doubt it counts as a secure container for hotels and whatnot.

In closing, I vote: Nay.

Would you shock your child? What if someone shocked you? No way is this okay and of course it is not a good idea.

There's absolutely no need for that. Awful.

i couldn't image voluntarily shocking my pup - it makes me wonder about the makers of the mat...

People who feel the need to do something like this don't need pets.

Good god there is NO NEED for this! The purpose of a crate is not only to restrain the dog but so the dog will have a safe, den-like space of its own (my dog routinely goes and sleeps in her crate with the door open).

This mat would do nothing but confuse and hurt the dog. I can just IMAGINE the kind of person that would not mind shocking their dog in front of friends, relatives or even strangers. Ugh.

And yes, most crates are portable. Not the huge, plastic dog house sized ones for larger dogs, but the black wire crates fold down, and the smaller plastic crates can go right into a car.

Savvy pet owners know that not all pet products are designed with fresh, clean lines in mind. At what price does good design come for folks that would buy something like this? Shock-based training devices should only be used in extreme cases, or if you have a dog the size of a goat (or larger). Seriously - having a requires (on some level) sacrifice and compromise. Looks should never be placed above the welfare of a living being.

Ummm, that should read "having a PET requires..."

Ahem. There goes my credibility. :)

And shock training is not recommended for many large breeds, either, Jaimie, so the whole contraption is pretty pointless. And cruel.

There is no controversy - this is just flat-out cruel. Anyone with an ounce of sense can see that!

the person who "needs" this needs to not have a pet.

Eww, creepy. While you're at it, why don't you just break all your dog's legs so he can never run away? I mean, really, this is sick. Is it for real?!

LilybethDC:
"is it for real?!" my thought exactly, which is why i was motivated to post about it. i was just so confused as to why this existed and why the other news coverage and blog reports have been so matter of fact about it. sorry to be such a downer during pet month, everyone! but this is one of those things worth drawing attention to, especially since we can't believe that "it's for real."

thanks for all your comments!

WRONG WRONG WRONG. This product is for LAZY pet owners.

Firstly, you can train a dog to stay on a specific mat if you're dead set on it without shocking the dog.

Secondly, you're right, crates are portable. My God, if folks don't like the animal being 'caged' they sure as hell don't like the animal being 'shocked'

Thirdly, the whole invisible fence idea will only work on certain breeds. Some dogs (normally hounds)just blast through the shock (--has to do with the amount of extra skin around the neck, and the draw of 'the scent').

Loathsome product. Deterent training like this should ONLY be used in extreme cases and ONLY FOR A VERY BRIEF training period.

I have a co-worker I'd like to use this on. I could line her cubicle with this stuff...

They should just call this mat "Guantanamo"

UMMMM- try positive reinforcement. I have a "mat"- I have a dog. She stays on the mat cause I TRAINED her - with POSITIVE reinforcement..... a clicker and food. Human, kind, and no shocking involved.

(Humane that is)