DC PAWS Rescue is committed to supporting the physical and behavioral health of animals in our care, and supporting adopters, fosters, volunteers, and educating the general public about animal behavior and humane training resources. All this is part of an effort to keep more animals out of shelters and in their forever homes.

We are deeply committed to promoting and educating on the benefits of science-based, force-free training and behavior modification and developing positive dog-human relationships. Our foster parents and volunteers are trained to understand the principles of how animals learn, how to teach and reinforce desirable behaviors, how to read and respond to dog body language, and implementation of safe management.

DC PAWS strongly opposes and recommends against the use of harsh, compulsion-based training methods and equipment. These may cause pain and create fear and aggression issues in pets, and include the use of choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, and training practices which apply physical force and dominance hierarchy theory.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior notes that “research shows that dogs do not need to be physically punished to learn how to behave, and there are significant risks associated with using punishment (such as inhibiting learning, increasing fear, and/or stimulating aggressive events). Therefore, trainers who routinely use choke collars, pinch collars, shock collars, and other methods of physical punishment as a primary training method should be avoided.”

We have made every effort to ensure the principles and practices of trainers and veterinary behaviorists listed in our referral network are in alignment with our own, and strive to keep our trainer directory up to date for the benefit of pets and the people who care for them.