Dog Shock Collars - Humane or Not?

There are many varieties of shock collars for dogs with various purposes. The question most people wrestle with is, "is it humane to use a shock collar on a dog"? The only person who can answer that would be the person considering the use. Maybe you are thinking about purchasing a shock collar and you are looking for advice. I hope this article will help you decide one way or the other. Sometimes answering a question with a question is a great idea. Ask yourself these questions, "is it humane to let an out-of-control dog run into the street and get injured or killed"? Another good question would be "is it humane to let your dog bark all night and keep your neighbors awake"? Would it be humane to let your dog jump into a dead lake (because you had no control) right after you saw a large alligator go under water?

Because I owned AbesPDQExpress, son of Candlewoods Tanks A Lot, and I trained him to become a Hunting Retriever Champion, I do have some knowledge as to why and how to use shock collars for dogs.

Before we get into training collars, I would like to discuss another type collar and that is the bark collars for dogs. Bark collars are the easiest ways imaginable to stop a dog from barking and it usually does not take more than two or three days to have the barking dog under control. When a dog is left outside, the barking problem tends to be worse because there is no one around at all times to use other methods to stop the barking. If you have ever had to get out of a warm bed at midnight to hush a barking dog, the bark collar sounds better all of the time.

Two things that really annoy me are parents who will ignore and allow their children to misbehave when company is in their home and dog owners who think that everyone else loves their dog like they do. Sometimes is just seems like parents are oblivious as to what their child is doing. Dog owners can be the same way. Any dog owner who would allow their dog to bark all night long, and not consider his neighbor, who has to go to work the next morning, needs a shock collar on their neck!

In my humble but accurate opinion, I think a bark collar is one of the most humane ways to stop a dog from barking (especially if you have exhausted other means) and you owe it to yourself and your neighbors. How long did it take you to learn that touching hot objects wasn't the right thing to do?

Check out this very nice Tri Tronics Bark Limiter XS Collar: Tri Tronics Bark Limiter XS Electronic Dog Collar

Several unique dog collars come with hand-held remotes that can first send an audible warning or a vibrating warning that will get the dog a chance to self-correct before receiving stimulation. Again it does not take very long for the dog to learn how to change his behavior quickly.

The variable stimulation control is a favorite among most professional dog trainers because they can begin training with a very low level of stimulation and then increase the intensity as required. Many dogs learn to obey with a very low amount of stimulation and never require anything more.

The dual control training collar is also very popular because it has two collars that are both controlled by one transmitter. This is so handy when working two dogs at one time. One of the most difficult challenges in a live hunt test for a Labrador Retriever is to sit within 20 feet and honor another dog as it makes retrieves. The honor dog must not break or he is out of the competition. It is almost impossible to train a dog to honor without using an electric shock collar.

Here is the Tri Tronics Sport Basic G3: Tri Tronics Sport Basic G3 Electronic Dog Collar

Many remote shock collars have levels of intensity. Dogs are like people in some ways and pain tolerance is one of those ways. My friend, who is an electrician, can endure shock and it does not bother him like it bothers me. Our tolerance to electricity is definitely different. Having a electronic dog collar with the ability to control the level of power would be a must for myself. This is where the issue of being humane comes in. If a dog can be trained using a low level of intensity it would not be humane to user a higher level. I have seen dogs that would not even flinch at low-level shocks and I have seen other dogs that would definitely respond to low-level shocks.

There are also different methods used to train dogs using shock collars for dogs such as, low-level stimulation just prior to a command and then release once the dog obeys. An example would be to press the low-level stimulation and within two seconds command the dog to sit. Once the dog sits, the button is released and the dog is praised. This teaches the dog to sit quickly and on the first command. On the other hand some had rather teach the dog the sit command other ways and then just enforce the command if the dog does not sit. This method also requires a collar that has continuous stimulation ability.

My method of training was to use the collar as a discipline when he did not obey. Once Abe was taught the meaning of sit, he should then sit on command. If he chose to disobey, he would receive stimulation. I was never comfortable with the method of shocking first and holding until he sat. This method is debated among trainers and again it is what each individual thinks is the best method.

The picture above is for the Tritronics Basic G3 Model which is a great choice. Click here to get all the details on this particular model:
Tri Tronics Sport Basic G3 Electronic Dog Collar

Having trained my dog to the Hunting Retriever Champion level, I know the pros and cons of training with or without a collar. Believe me, once the dog is trained using a dog shock collar, I would never try to train a dog any other way.

My choice of collars was the Tri-Tronics Classic 70 G2 EXP, Single Dog Training Collar because Tri-Tronics collars are one of the highest quality electronic dog collars on the market today. Other features include: Ability to operate a Tri-Tronics Beeper , No-slip grip on transmitter, On/off collar switch, Rugged antenna, Long and short contact points provided, No-stimulation signal tone, Extra straps (red & blue) for dogs 2 and 3 are included with G2 EXP products. For dogs 4-6, order optional pack of orange/green and yellow straps - product # 5410100 2-year manufacture warranty.

This electric collar has the range needed, and it was very quick and easy to make any necessary changes. In most cases I never had to go above the #2 setting to get the desired results I needed.

What most people who disagree with a shock collar will not understand is how little the collar is ever used after the dog is trained using it. Dogs learn by repetition and once they understand the command, they will pretty much obey. It is the consistency that is important in training dogs. They are much like children in this respect.

My suggestion to anyone who is considering buying an electric shock collar would be to purchase this book Tri-Tronic's Retriever Training by Jim and Phyllis Dobbs.

Please visit my blog at Stubborn Dog dot org to see more pictures and to read other articles.