Hello and welcome!
Today I’m here to talk about e-collars. I’ll be going over what’s great about e-collars, downfalls and things to watch out for, and myths and misinformation regarding e-collars.
The Good
E-collar which, according to Google, is short for electronic collar is known by many names. Remote collar, remote trainer, hearing-aid, and shock collar are just a few I’ve heard.
These tools have come a long way from the days of yore when they only had a few levels and trainers would push the button until the dog was terrified and compliant.
Today’s quality e-collar is used as a communication tool that can be fine tuned and adjusted for each dog and situation easily and quickly. Notice I said quality e-collar, I’ll get to that in the next section.
Trainers and owners alike are building amazing dogs with the help of e-collars. From reactivity and aggression, fear, and off leash reliable dogs, the sky is the limit when it comes to helping dogs and building stronger relationships.
Imagine being able to go anywhere with your dog and knowing you can communicate with them subtly, without a leash or any verbal communication. Imagine how much bigger your dog’s life could get with that level of security.
The Bad
I can’t count the number of times I’ve had an e-collar referred to as a shock collar and I cringe every. single. time.
Why? Because words matter and shock collar puts an image of a dog getting electrocuted in your brain. Quality e-collars use the same technology as TENS(Trans Electrical Nerve Stimulation) units and should not be used as fear inducing devices or instruments of torture.
There are a lot of e-collars on the market that are unsafe and unreliable. Please DO YOUR RESEARCH before you buy. I like collars from Dogtra and E-collar technologies.
Can e-collars be misused? Yes. I’ve found there are two main causes of misuse.
The first being they just don’t know how to use it. Learning how to use an e-collar isn’t super easy, it’s not just pushing a button and the dog listens. A lot of owners buy a collar and go too high too fast because they had no idea that that subtle ear twitch Fido did at level 3 is where they should’ve started. There are tons of videos on how to properly use an e-collar and tons of trainers who are more than willingto help. Do not strap it on and try to figure it out.
The second is buying a cheap e-collar. This is a scenario where you get what you pay for. If you buy a $30 e-collar it’s likely to glitch. They can fluctuate levels without adjustment and even stimulate the dog randomly without you pushing the button. Timing is everything in dog training so having unclear and unregulated stimulation can really mess up what your trying to teach your dog.
The Shocking
Myths and misinformation on e-collars.
E-collars cause fear and discomfort in dogs.
A properly used e-collar should not cause fear. Discomfort, yes, much like having a rock in your shoe causes you to stop and look in your shoe, the e-collar tells your dog to evaluate their behavior or turn their ears back on and listen.
E-collars cause your dog to distrust you and damage your relationship.
My dogs literally put their necks out to get their e-collars on and the full butt wiggles are a pretty good indication they’re excited for this tool. Their e-collars mean fun things are going to happen, off leash walks/hikes, going to the park, or just doing training in the front yard. I rarely use stimulation anymore but in the event one of them decides to chase a deer or try to sniff the roadkill it’s there to remind them.
Training tools are for lazy people.
Sigh. If you feel this way I hope you walk everywhere. No scooter, bike, moped, or car for you. What? Using something other than your legs is lazy right?
Training tools, like mobility devices, are created so that you can get where you want to go more efficiently when you know how to operate them correctly.
E-collars are for “punishing” dogs.
Yes and no. E-collars can be used to correct or discourage unwanted behavior. This is called positive punishment.
This is not the primary use the majority of trainers today employ the e-collar for, and even when they are employing it in this way it’s not lighting the dog up like Courage the Cowardly Dog. It should be done deliberately and delicately by a professional or someone who is extremely familiar with the tool.
The long and short of it is, punishment works and despite some of the words used by other traners, all trainers use some type of punishment, but I’ll get off my soap box now.
Bonus Information
If you thought this device was only for dogs, think again. I was recommended this Pavlok Shock Clock Wake Up On Time Trainer for Heavy Sleepers
According to the reviews, it works well but seems to still have some bugs.
So, if you read this whole thing, thank you!
If you want to explore e-collar training and you’re near Denver, Colorado Contact Us!