COMPANION Statement: Application of PPG Global Guidelines to the Australia Post Citronella Policy

The Pet Professional Guild Australia (PPGA) reaffirms our alignment with the global Pet Professional Guild (PPG) guidelines regarding the use of aversive devices—including citronella spray—and wishes to clarify how this applies to the current policy shift by Australia Post.

PPG clearly states that:

“PPG does not recommend any pet correction devices or aversive stimuli intended for pet care, management, or training by eliciting a startle response and/or an alarm reaction.”

Citronella spray falls squarely within this definition. It functions by leveraging the startle reflex, often paired with a strong aversive scent, and is specifically designed to interrupt behaviour through discomfort, fear, or confusion. According to Lang, Bradley, and Cuthbert (1990), the startle response is enhanced during a fear state—meaning dogs already in a state of heightened arousal or anxiety are even more vulnerable to negative behavioural fallout.

The statement can be found here.

Why Citronella Spray Is Inappropriate as a Training Tool

In alignment with PPG’s position, PPGA maintains that citronella spray should never be used as a training tool for the following reasons:

1.    It relies on fear to suppress behaviour rather than teach new, desirable behaviours.
2.    It does not address the underlying cause of the behaviour (e.g., fear, frustration, territorial guarding).
3.    It risks escalation or redirected aggression, particularly when a dog is already highly aroused or fearful.
4.    It may result in global suppression or learned helplessness, in which a dog becomes emotionally shut down but not truly “trained.”
5.    It can suppress warning signals, such as barking or growling, which are essential to safe and transparent communication.

These outcomes are not theoretical risks—they are well-documented side effects of aversive methods (O’Heare, 2005; 2011).

Why PPGA Acknowledges This Use as Emergency Self-Defence—Not Training

PPGA recognises a distinction between the use of citronella spray as a deliberate training method (which we oppose) and its use in the context of personal safety when:

• A dog is actively attacking a person (not merely approaching).
• All efforts to de-escalate or avoid the interaction have failed.
• The situation constitutes a genuine emergency requiring immediate action.

We accept that workers such as Australia Post delivery staff deserve to be safe in the workplace. When a dog attack is in progress and cannot be prevented or de-escalated, the use of an aversive to end the attack is a last resort—one that protects human safety but should never be confused with behavioural management or pet guardianship practice.

In this context, the spray is not being used to “train” the dog, but to interrupt dangerous behaviour already in motion. This is defensive action, not behaviour modification.

The Deeper Issue: Why Are We Here?

That such a policy has become necessary is not a success—it’s a sign of systemic failure in how our communities manage companion animals.

The high rate of dog attacks on postal and delivery workers reflects:

• A lack of public understanding of canine behaviour.
• Gaps in enforcement around fencing, containment, and supervision.
• A failure to support guardians in addressing their dog’s fear, reactivity, or guarding behaviours through humane behaviour support.

This underscores the urgent need for:

• Preventative education campaigns led by qualified professionals.
• Investment in public awareness about safe pet management on private property.
• Council and government partnerships with organisations like the PPGA to build community capacity for humane, science-based dog handling.

In Summary

• PPGA strongly opposes the use of citronella spray and all other aversive tools as training or management methods.
• We recognise that in the context of active, unavoidable dog attacks, the use of such a tool as a self-defence measure may be necessary to preserve human safety.
• This should never be misrepresented as a training strategy, and must not set a precedent for public or private use in routine pet management.
• The broader focus must shift toward prevention, public education, and responsible pet guardianship, to reduce the risk of attacks in the first place.

We call on all stakeholders—including councils, postal services, and legislators—to join us in addressing the root causes of aggression and fear-based behaviours, so that aversive tools are no longer seen as necessary in our communities.

Signed,

Pet Professional Guild Australia

Force-Free Forever. Humane Always. Science Over Suffering.