Animal experts divided about Barnaby Joyce's TV dog discipline

A recent television appearance by Australian politician Barnaby Joyce has sparked a debate among animal experts regarding appropriate dog discipline. During an interview on the ABC's 7.30 program, Joyce's dog, Stella, began barking, interrupting the conversation. Joyce responded by telling the dog, in what he described as "farm language," to be quieter.

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After getting to a point where I couldn't really think straight, I had to tell her, in farm language, to be quieter. That's how it works on the land.

This reaction drew varied responses from animal behavior specialists. Kersti Seksel, a veterinarian and animal behavior specialist, expressed concern that yelling does not effectively communicate with dogs. She recommended quieter methods, such as diverting the dog's attention with a treat or a task, suggesting that dogs primarily understand "canine" and not necessarily human commands delivered loudly.

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But my next response was, 'I wish he hadn't yelled at the dog' because I don't think the dog understands what he was trying to convey. Really yelling, making a lot of noise, really doesn't help.

However, Peter Hogan, who has 35 years of experience training working dogs in the New England region, offered a different perspective. He stated that Stella would likely be unaffected by the incident, as "farm dogs are used to being spoken to gruffly." Hogan believes that changing voice tone is sufficient to convey displeasure and that dogs look for leadership, which doesn't require "baby tones."

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Dogs speak canine, they don't speak human. It's our perception that we need to speak loudly and firmly to dogs.

Joyce himself defended his actions, suggesting that Stella would likely enjoy the attention and that country living should be understood and accepted. He characterized working dogs as colleagues who understand their owners well. The differing opinions highlight the ongoing discussion about how best to communicate with and manage dogs, particularly in high-pressure situations.

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Farm dogs are used to being spoken to gruffly. That is how it's handled on the farm. If we want him to understand that we're cranky, we'll change our voice tone.