After training for almost 8 years now and using a variety of training tools, I have found that the e-collar has been the tool that has provided my clients and their dogs with the fastest, most reliable results in obedience training. It is quite possibly the most flexible training tool I have ever used. I have been able to train dogs who have very sensitive personalities to the most stubborn personalities. Even though e-collar training has come a long way from its roots in being used primarily for hunting dogs, there are still misconceptions about what it actually is, how it feels, and how it’s used in overall obedience training.
Dog-Gone Capable’s dogs showing off their e-collar obedience skills near Ashland, Ohio
What Is An E-Collar and How Does It Feel?
An e-collar is an electronic system that sends an electrical stimulation to a receiver collar that the dog wears from a transmitter remote that the owner controls. A lot of people call them shock collars but in the training world we prefer calling them e-collars because the word “Shock” insinuates that the collar shocks the dog in the same way that someone might feel in putting something inappropriate in an electrical socket. It does not feel that way at all but rather feels like a tens unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) that is used to send small electrical pulses to the body and often used for a pain management solution over prescription drugs for people recovering from an injury. The electrical stimulation that the dog feels is controlled by the owner and when the owner presses the button that’s exactly when the dog feels the stimulation pulse.
How Is The E-Collar Used In Obedience Training?
The way that I use an e-collar is as a communication tool. I want the dog to know that when they feel the stimulation that’s when I’m talking to them. If a dog is highly distracted when I’m trying to communicate to them, the e-collar has many levels of stimulation that allows me to interrupt the distraction without having to yell, or use physical touch of any kind. It’s important to understand that anyone can go out and get one of these collars, put it on their dog and say, “I’ll teach my dog to stop____________________ (fill in the blank).” But unless you understand and go through the proper training techniques with this tool, you will only accomplish scaring your dog into submission and quite possibly creating more behavior issues in doing so. Any training tool used in the wrong way can hurt your dog.
When I start training with an e-collar, I start out with making a positive association with getting the dog used to wearing the collar. I do this by using “high reward treats” which is just a treat that they would normally not get on a regular basis and one that they love the taste of. I prefer peanut butter or real beef or chicken (not any processed meats). You should use small amounts of these treats and every time you go to put the collar on the dog, you praise your dog and give the treat. Next, we begin the conditioning exercises which help us indicate when the dog is feeling the stimulation. We start at the beginning with the level of stimulation at the very lowest number it has, and keep going up one at a time until we get the first indication that the dog feels something. When the dog feels the stimulation for the first time, we stop at that number and begin teaching the dog what the stimulation means. We again use our praise, food, and really anything the dog likes, to reward and make a positive association with the stimulation. We are teaching at this stage to pay attention to us and they will be given a reward.
After we have taught the dog to pay attention, we begin teaching what action we want to go with that stimulation, along with a simple command word like “sit” and “down” and this is done on leash with a bit of leash pressure to guide the dog into the action. Once we know the dog understands the action, then we pair the stimulation and they learn that when they feel the stimulation and hear the command, that’s what they’re to do. I often refer to the e-collar as the gentlest tool you can use to teach your dog commands because it takes all physicality out of the work; plus we are working on the lowest stimulation possible that will get the dog’s attention when we need it. The number always matches the level of intensity the dog is displaying while they are distracted but the dog does not feel it any differently then if they were under very little distraction. This is why training is needed. It is during this training process that we find the exact numbers for high distractions and low distractions but we aren’t having to yank, pull, or snap a collar to get that attention, nor are we having to find a treat every time we want our dog’s attention! One other huge reason I love using e-collars is because most of my clients want the ability to have their dogs off leash, and not only off leash at their home but other places as well. Through training, the e-collar can give this freedom to them and faster than any other training tool used. The ability to get your dog’s attention from a distance and have a reliable recall is priceless!
Obedience training bridges the gap between how dogs communicate and how humans communicate. It is a new language that dog and owner learn in order to live more peacefully together. The different training tools used in this process vary but in the end it’s always about making the relationship better!
