Why Use an Electric Dog Collar?

Question

Why is it that so many people at this site are so quick to answer, try the zapping dog collar." How would you like it if I attached a collor around your neck and I had the control to send electric shocks into you anytime I pleased? Don't you think there are more humane ways of doing things?

Answer 1

i completely agree. i couldnt do that to my dog. dogs dont generally live too long, and my dog is my son, so i want to enjoy the time i have with him, not shock the hell out of him the whole time he's alive.

Answer 2

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance --- that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert Spencer

quote
"Don't you think there are more humane ways of doing things?"

Actually no,
Most people think of getting a "Shock Collar" and immediately seeing how bad they can shock their dog. That is not using the collar, that is abusing the collar.
There isn't a single training device made that can't be abused if you wish to do so, including the e-collar.

The e-collar is absolutely nothing but a one mile long leash, and is meant to be used exactly like any other leash.
The very first thing that should be done with an e-collar is put your normal training collar (choke chain, whatever you use) around your forearm and make a correction exactly like you would if it was on your dog. Then put the e-collar on your forearm and MATCH the intensity of the two. The idea is that the correction from the two should have exactly the same meaning.

I am one of those "old coggers" that has been around forever, and I trained a lot of dogs before the e-collar was even invented. For a fact,,, the e-collar came into existence because a dog trainer felt that there had to be a more HUMANE way to train a dog.

Almost all advanced forms of training are done remotlly, with training Retrievers often as much as a quarter mile away. So there is no alternative that works as well as that one mile long lead,,,,,, the e-collar.

Answer 3

There are three types of electronic training collars for dogs. There is the remote controlled collar. The dog wears a collar with a radio receiver and the handler has a hand held transmitter. When the dog ignores a command, the handler can push a button on the transmitter and the dog will get a quick zap. These are often used for hunting dogs where its necessary to control the dog at distances beyond voice control. They can also be programmed to beep when the button is pressed allowing the dog to be called in from beyond voice range. The second type of electronic trainer is the hidden dog fence. The dog wears a collar with a receiver similar to the remote trainers. Instead of a hand held remote the transmitter antenna is a wire buried around the perimeter of the yard. The transmitter is low powered with a range of about 10 feet from the antenna wire. When the dog approaches the perimeter wire the collar will give a warning beep. If the dog continues toward the buried wire the collar gives a static shock. With training the dog learns the boundaries and will stay in the yard to avoid getting shocked. The third type of training collar is a bark control collar. These collars do not use a radio receiver. The correction is activated by a sensor that recognizes vibrations from the dog's vocal chords. When the dog barks the collar gives a shock correction. After giving the correction the collar shuts off for a few seconds. It does this in case the dog yelps in reaction to the shock. By shutting off the dog won't receive continuous correction for reacting. All of these trainers have adjustments for correction strength. They are humane when properly used for most dogs. A few dogs will overreact to the correction. No electronic collar should be used on those dogs. There is a wide range of quality and price between brands, You will get what you pay for in terms of quality. A low quality trainer can either not work when it should or can shock the dog at random times when it shouldn't. I don't know about the UK or the rest of North America but they are legal in the US.

Answer 4

I know people that have been forced to use an electric shock collar on their dogs by the animal control because of complaining neighbors. If the choice is kill the dog or have it wear a collar, I say have it wear a collar a few hours a day rather than ending it's life or having animal control confiscate the dog, or having the neighbor poison it!

Answer 5

I agree there are more humane ways to train a dog than electric collars. Hurting the dog is not the way to him/her to listen.

Answer 6

Yes. There are other ways of doing things, but many people just don't have the time and commitment that they should have in training their dogs. It is better to use a short sharp shock in training than to have a dog injure itself or someone else because of poor training. If it keeps the dog out of a rescue kennel then it's got to be a good thing.

Answer 7

I have not seen anyone on this site that likes shock collars. They can be cruel and turn a normally nice dog into a mean machine.

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

"Why use an Electric Dog Collar?"

Answer: Because people are lazy and stupid. When the dog doesn't train itself, bad owners resort to painful stimuli.

Answer 10

Hooray! Thank you!!!
The misuse of these collars is responsible for more unhappy dogs than I think any of us would care to imagine.

Answer 11

You're passing judgement on an effective training tool (when used properly) without knowing much about it.
An E collar used incorrectly is inhumane. An E collar used correctly is an effective training tool.