Champion of My HeartA real-time memoir about life with a fearful border collie, by Roxanne Hawn

This week’s topic in our Never Shock a Puppy campaign is how to teach loose leash walking. Because it’s completely aggravating to have a dog who is terrible on leash, it is no surprise that so many people turn to shock collars, choke collars, or pinch collars to feel like they have some control. I disagree with those tools and methods, of course.

But, in the interest of full disclosure, there was a time when I used a choke collar on my Dalmatian. It’s not something I’m proud of, but there you go.

• It was 1990.
• I was 22.
• She was my first dog as an adult.
• She was a wild monkey of a girl.
• I didn’t know boo about dog training.
• When the dog obedience instructor at the big box store told me to use a choke chain. I used a choke chain.

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This second week in our Never Shock a Puppy campaign, we’re talking about the Top  5 Reasons People Turn to Shock Collars. It’s the last of our foundation posts before we begin addressing each situation in turn and offering alternative training ideas.

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Today, we officially launch our Be the Change campaign and service project over at Never Shock a Puppy. Each Wednesday, between Sept 1 and Oct 20, we’ll be blogging here and over there on the the topic of the week. For the big kickoff, let’s start with the big picture — the philosophy, the mindset — behind our Never Shock a Puppy efforts.

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Voting for the DogTime Best Dog Blog Award ends tomorrow, Friday, Aug 20, so if you haven’t voted for us (using every email address you have), could you make time to do that today? Please? For extra credit, ask everyone you know to do the same. We’d be forever grateful.

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It’s official. The girls of Champion of My Heart, along with several members of our blogging coalition, will launch our Be the Change effort September 1. You can read all about it on our new microsite called … Never Shock a Puppy.

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