Rescue Pit is launching a campaign to target outdated and inhumane training methods.
The "Force-Free Pledge" is asking shelters, dog owners and training businesses in the area to commit to ethical training practices, without the use of pain, fear or dominance.
The pledge is also against the use of shock collars, choke chains, and prong collars.
President of Rescue Pit Stephen DeVay says these methods often spark more aggression in dogs, and suggests using a reward based training system as an alternative. These methods pair everything you want a dog to do, such as sit or stay, with a treat.
“This is kind of like us getting paid to do our jobs. We all wouldn’t go to work if we weren’t getting our paycheck, and the dogs getting their treats is kind of like their paycheck."
DeVay says they hope the pledge not only helps area dogs get trained in more ethical ways, but that it also debunk myths surrounding pit bulls, and the idea that they need stricter training methods.
He said after seeing cities like Montreal pass pit bull bans, the organization thought it was important to open the conversation about training, since many times discussions about aggression and training focus on breeds.
Rescue Pit was started in 2015 focusing on serving pit bulls and their owners and increasing awareness about the breed.