Before we even approach use of an electronic collar for training, let’s make certain everyone knows that the stimulation a dog receives is much like the shock you get when touching a door after dragging your feed on the carpet. A mild stimulation that is unpleasant, but certainly not harmful or inhumane.
My advice: put the collar on your arm and test it! If you think it is too much of a jolt, then adjust it or don’t use it. Those of us who have the safety of our pet in mind and must find an effective way to change behavior that can cause our dog harm or even death, realize that a little mild correction from an eCollar is certainly not inhumane. The alternative is far worse!
Also, find the level of effective stimulation for your dog, then set the collar to that level for training. I believe the lowest level the dog reacts to is effective enough – not the highest level the dog can tolerate.
Using an eCollar as a tool for “positive punishment-negative reinforcement” can be highly effective. If used properly, a dog associates an unpleasant correction as the result of his behavior – instead of punishment from his owner. For example, if a dog that gets in trashcans, the owner often isn’t around when it happens. Therefore, the dog does not know this is bad behavior. No matter what you believe, the fact is he does not realize he has been bad when you find the mess and start reprimanding him. Yes, I know he “looks guilty” – but that is because you are yelling at him, NOT because he understands getting in the trash was bad on his part.
If the owner puts an electronic collar on the dog, allows him (from afar) to approach the trashcan, then gives a correction using a remote control at just the right time, the dog learns that approaching the trashcan results in an unpleasant experience. He will stop going near the trashcan because he believes his action is causing the correction.
Same with a dog that chases cars – a dangerous behavior that can result in death of a beloved pet. If the dog receives a strong correction when he starts to chase a car (positive punishment), he learns that chasing the car leads to a bad experience for him – no matter how far he is from his owner. When he breaks off the chase and the correction stimulation STOPS (negative reinforcement), he realizes what he must do to avoid that bad experience. Consistent training in this manner will eliminate the behavior with or without the presence of the owner because the dog associates the correction with his actions. Chase car – get a correction. Stop chasing the car – correction stops. No involvement of the owner as far as the dog is concerned.
The eCollar is an effective tool if used properly and time is taken to train the dog. There is an excellent video and training article, The Three-Action Introduction, that explains how to train a dog with an eCollar. There are several brands of electronic collars on the market, but the one I have used and recommend is the PetBehave Sonic Collar with Remote Control. Not only can this collar be used alone for training, but it is configured to work with the PetBehave Sonic Fence for outdoor use, and the Sonic Door Stop for indoor use. Once your dog is trained with this collar, the possibilities for keeping it safely contained are extensive.
