Whether you just adopted a puppy or have an older dog, training your dog is an important step to developing a healthy life-long relationship with your canine companion. There are many methods of dog training, but one is particularly poorly understood: electronic dog training using an e-collar. Here are 5 common myths about electronic training.
Myth #1: An e-collar will hurt your dog
The stimulation provided by an e-collar is a static shock, similar to what you have probably experienced yourself on a dry winter day. It is annoying but not painful, and it is designed to get your dog’s attention, it will not hurt your dog.
There are many different levels of stimulation to choose from, and you should use the lowest one to which your dog responds. Modern e-collars are equipped with safety mechanisms to protect your dog from a prolonged or dangerous shock.
You can also use audible tones and vibrations instead of the static shock setting. Used correctly, an e-collar will not hurt your dog.
Myth #2: The e-collar will burn his neck
An e-collar will not burn your dog. This myth perpetuates because when used incorrectly, the e-collar may cause pressure sores on your dog’s neck.
It’s important to be sure the collar is fitted correctly, and it is taken off periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. This will prevent any injuries from occurring due to the collar.
Myth #3: E-collar training will make your dog fearful of you
Dogs are pack animals who appreciate a strong leader. E-collars provide immediate and clear feedback to your dog, which allows them to quickly correct their behavior.
This leads to a stronger relationship with your dog. E-collars are not intended to be used as punishment or to invoke fear. You can also combine e-collar training with positive reinforcement such as treats.
When your dog is well-trained, they will respect you as a leader, not fear you.
Myth #4: Electronic training is only for hunting dogs
While this method is excellent for hunting dogs, even your backyard canine can benefit from electronic dog training collars. E-collar training works at a distance, helping to cement his skills even if you are not directly beside him.
If your dog is going to be off-leash, e-collar training can help keep him safe by allowing you to correct him even if he does not see or hear you.
Myth #5: Electronic training is hard to do
As with any dog training program, you must learn how to do it properly for it to be effective. However, using an e-collar is no more difficult than other methods. In fact, many owners find the e-collar training progresses much more quickly than other training methods.
This is because the corrections provided by the e-collar are immediate and clear, leading to less confusion for your dog.
Electronic dog training collars are prone to many misconceptions, making many people avoid it as a training method. However, e-collar training is an effective and safe way to correct your dog’s behavior and train them to follow both basic and complex commands.
While no one method is going to be right for every dog, the bottom line is that e-collar training will not hurt your dog and can help you enjoy many years with your well-trained dog.
Recommended System
ET-300 Mini
Our most popular system the ET-300 is an easy to use, versatile Remote Training Collar which can be expanded upto 2 dogs. If you are looking to get started with Remote Training & your dog has a soft to normal temprament, we would recommend the E-Collar Technologies ET-300.
How can we decide between for a Soft/Normal Temperament collar vs. Normal/Stubborn? Our dog is 9 months old & 45 lbs and has a very sweet disposition but jumps up on people and surfaces and tries to eat everything in sight. He is a big baby in terms of any slight pain so we don’t want to overdo any stimulation but don’t want to get the lower stimulation and have it not be effective. Advice?
Hi Allison,
If the dog has a soft disposition the Normal/Stubborn is going to be overkill. Those systems are recommended for super tough/high-drive dogs. Like police dogs. I would go with the low-medium power ET-300 Mini Educator. Its our best seller and will work just fine for your dog’s temperament 😉
Thanks!