How does this training work?
When it comes to teaching dogs about kororā, he uses a mix of penguin scents, sights, and sounds using an e-collar around a training course. This course has a mixture of deceased penguins and ‘mock’ penguins, plus real penguin poop and nesting materials. Willy also has a Department of Conservation (DOC) permit to hold deceased kororā for this training, so dogs can directly smell a penguin.
Willy will ‘shock’ the dog whenever it crosses the scent of a penguin but won’t do so in other areas of the course.
He explains that while there is often opposition to the use of e-collars, often they are harmful because they are used by people who do not understand the correct way to use them.
“Many people think that they should use the e-collars to punish their dogs for incorrect behaviours, but they don’t often understand what it means. This can easily result in the dog receiving an excessive number of shocks and think the area or thing they were doing is linked to the collar. The inappropriate use of e-collars can also result in dogs becoming aggressive.
“I understand the learning process for dogs, so I apply minimal shocks, and in most cases with dogs coming to Penguin Avoidance Training I only need to use the vibrate mode.”
The training is based around the concept of giving the dog a fright at exactly the right time, which is when the dog has its brain full of the scent of a penguin. Giving the dog a fright is achieved by the sudden movement of a mock penguin in combination with the vibrate mode (or on some occasions the shock mode) on the e-collar.
The organiser of this training, Ross Gilmour, explains that the training is only about 10 to 15 minutes, but the impact is long-lasting, as seen through the kiwi training.
“It’s common for dogs that have been through the Kiwi Avoidance Training and are returning for a reassessment after one or even two years, and they do not want to enter the course area. Just the smell and sight of the first bird is more than enough for them!
"We recently had around 10 dogs come back who had been through the pilot training course approximately seven months ago to see how well the training lasted, and every one of them stayed well away from the penguins.”
While the kororā training is relatively new, 170 dog owners have participated so far and the response has been positive, says Ross.
“Owners were happy with the training and the way their dog was treated; plus, they felt they learned something new about their dog.”