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Is E-Collar Bad for Dogs?

E-collar in action on the dog
Written by Mark Braeden

Training is an essential part of making sure you and your dog live a healthy and comfortable life together. There are plenty of dog training tools and techniques that can work for your pet but one of the most controversial training tools is the e-collar, for example, Halo Collar, Patpet, Garmin collars and many more. There has been a lot of misconceptions about e-collars that confuse dog owners if they should get one or not. 

Now, let’s discuss those misconceptions in detail.

E-Collars Will Not Hurt

Most people think that dog e-collars send painful shocks to their pets. That is a myth. E-collars create stimulation by sending a static shock to your dog. It is surprising, shocking, but not painful. It is specially designed to get your dog’s attention and not to hurt them. More importantly, it will not burn their neck and cause major problems.

The training collars offer different level of stimulations and choose one which gets the attention of your dog. The collars are designed with safety mechanisms to prevent prolonged or harmful static shock. Furthermore, it can also use vibrations or audible tones instead of static shock. It will not be harmful if used correctly and in the right setting.

Training Collars Will Not Create Fear

Dog owners fear that their pets will be scared of their presence. But that’s not the case with dogs. They are pack animals who desire the need to have a pack leader. Training collars send them a clear signal of who’s the leader and instruct them to quickly correct any unwanted behavior.

When your dog feels that you lead him well, it creates an even stronger bond to your relationship. Using e-collars is for the purpose of inflicting fear or punishment. With the right combination of tools and positive reinforcement, you’ll have a dog respecting and treating you as their pack leader.

Electronic Collars Are For All Dog Types

Another myth that many fur parents believe is that electronic collars are only meant to control hunting dogs. Again, that is not true. Your indoor pet or backyard canine can learn a lot from e-collar training. One of its features is remotely controlling the device even when you’re not near your dog. You can send them a reminder when they do things they are not supposed to do.

Using E-Collars Is Easy

Like any other dog training tool, you need to learn how to use it first. When used correctly, it is very effective and highly rewarding to both you and your pet. It is no different from other training methods. Some people even testify that they see faster results when using e-collars. The correction is done immediately and no longer creates confusion about what your dog did wrong.

These misconceptions cause people to avoid trying out electronic dog collars when, in fact, it is a great tool to train your dog effectively. This training tool is safe and designed to get your dog’s attention while sending alerts when they do any unwanted behavior.

It is best to match e-collar training with the techniques that dog trainers teach and ask you to do at home. Ultimately, it falls in your hands to show your dog what is right or wrong.

Author

  • Mark Braeden

    Mark is a Boston University graduate and former electrical engineer. In 2017, he decided to combine his tech knowledge with his love for dogs. He spent a year familiarizing himself with the latest GPS tracking collars, invisible fences, and other hot pet gadgets before he wrote his first product review. After selling Technobark, Mark remained a writer and consultant but spends more time on his other passion now: raising and training his growing family of dogs.

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