What Makes an Electronic Collars Humane

With all of the information in circulation today regarding the effectiveness, safety, and humaneness surrounding the use of dog training collars and training methods, it is important to examine the specific features themselves in order to understand the product. Once carefully studied, it will be revealed to anyone who looks at electronic collars objectively that their unique features are indeed humane. Furthermore, they are very useful, and safe for any normal, healthy canine.

Most electronic training collars on the market today have an option available that will allow an audible beep to be issued from the collar. When used with a perimeter or invisible fencing system, this beep is automatically issued from the transmitter, warning the dog that it is in danger of more unpleasant correction. When used as a training collar for in the field or when hunting, the beep can be manually issued by the handheld transmitter. This audible beep can be used to deter a dog from undesired behavior, as it will quickly learn to associate the beeping sound with a behavior correction. Therefore, when the dog hears the beep, he will redirect his behavior in order to avoid a learned sense of impending correction. This method is so effective that the beep alone is often enough to keep the animal under control, and is a temporary, humane correction.

Electronic training collars can also cause the entire collar to vibrate, much the same way as a cell phone or pager does. Although this does not hurt the dog in any way, it is a very surprising occurrence, and will typically cause the attention of the dog to be refocused. In addition, when the vibration follows the above mentioned beeping sound, the dog will come to learn that the vibration is an indicator that more unpleasant and immediate correction is to come if the dog does not adjust its behavior. As with the audible beep, the vibration is automatic on perimeter fence systems, and can be manually controlled by a handheld training unit. Electronic bark collars can also be programmed to issue a simple, harmless vibration in order to deter a dog from barking.

The electronic training collar itself can become its own, inoperative training tool. This means that, after a few training sessions, placing the collar on the dog, or the sight of it alone may curb unwanted or unsafe behaviors. The dog will be humanely conditioned by the beeping and the vibrations, and therefore will also associate the collar itself with those functions, adjusting its behavior when the collar is in its presence. This associative learning is the natural way that a dog relates to its environment: learned responses to direct stimulus.

In the initial stages of training, and with particularly stubborn dogs, sometimes the beeping and the vibration is not enough. In this case, the canine will be correct with a small electrical charge, similar to the static shock one receives after shuffling across a carpet and then touching a metal object. While surprising, this sensation is only mildly uncomfortable, and has absolutely zero lasting effects, other than the associative learning that will occur as a result.

The single most humane aspect of electronic dog collars is that the owner has complete control. This means that the trainer can choose when to issue a beep, a vibration, or static correction. Furthermore, the duration, type, undulation, and intensity of each type of correction can be modified and controlled to be as humane as possible for your dog, while still achieving results.

The features of electronic dog collars are humane enough that most trainers try them out on themselves prior to using them with their dogs. This type of willingness to learn, coupled with education on training methods, will ensure that use of electric collars is not only humane, but fun and practical for both you and your dog.