Are E-collars Safe and Proven for Training Dogs?

Why does your dog go crazy every time the postman walks by the house? The sound of the ice cream truck is hard enough to bear, but when it’s accompanied by your furry friend howling their lungs out – it’s downright annoying.

Dogs bark (it’s what they do) but what happens when their behavior gets out of control, and they become “serial barkers?” Your neighbors start complaining, and the block patrol shows up at your house asking you to control your animal.

Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t speak English. So, it’s not like you can sit them down and have a chat about improving their behavior.

Training your dog is a great idea, but what if you adopted a stray from the shelter that had no training? What if you didn’t get around to taking your canine companion to a training class when they were young?

Fortunately, there are training tools available to help you stop their bad barking habits.

E-collars often have a bad rap. The words “shock collar” imply that you’ll be dosing your dog with a high voltage electrical current that makes their fur stand on end. However, shock collars are nothing of the sort.

Sure, these collars emit a minor electrical discharge, but it’s far from any charge that does a dog harm or causes pain. To use the device, all you need to do is secure it to their neck like you would with any other collar.

The collar senses when your dog barks, releasing a minor electrical charge that disrupts their vocal cords, stopping them from going into an uncontrollable barking frenzy. Your pooch experiences a tickling sensation in their throat that will prevent them from barking. Other e-collars come with remotes, so you can alert your dog when their behavior is becoming problematic. Many collars will have different modes (e.g., nick, continuous, vibration, or sound) and adjustable intensities so that you can adjust the correction to your dog’s size and behavior.

Dog shock collars have multiple training uses. Teach your dog their boundaries and install sensors around the perimeter of your home. Should your dog attempt an escape, the sensor activates the collar as soon as they come in proximity to the boundary, keeping them in your property. If you own a problem pooch that doesn’t get along with other dogs, a shock collar is an invaluable tool to help you stop them fighting with one another. When your dogs go at it, you have the option to use a remote control to activate the dog collar. Upon shock treatment, the dog will withdraw from battle immediately.

Want to stop your dog from digging up the garden? Do they continually ignore your commands to get off the bed or furniture? A shock collar provides a reinforcement tool to your instructions. When you tell them to stop digging, and they refuse, use the shock collar to back up your authority.

Shock collars are a temporary solution to alter your dog’s behavior and improve their relationship with your dominance in the hierarchy of your home. If you let your dog exert their dominance, by permitting them to sleep on the bed against your will, for example, then they’re likely to carry this behavior into every other area of their life.

A shock collar is an effective way to attract their attention and control your dog’s actions. Trainers and veterinarians recommend shock collars for disciplining your dog when all else fails. Purchasing a collar rated for your dog is essential. For example, Poodles have different collar requirements to a Mastiff’s due to their size, and they don’t require the same amount of shock to change their attitude.

When you first start training your dog with the shock collar, it’s critical that you establish that the collar is shocking them for poor behavior. Some dogs learn quicker than others, and it may take your dog a few days to realize they need to get in line when they hear a beep or feel the shock. They’ll eventually figure it out and recognize behavior that causes them to get a shock. If done correctly, training with an e-collar can effectively change your dog’s behavior and help them become more obedient.