Myth #1: E-Collars Hurt Dogs

Used incorrectly, yes, e-collars can hurt your dog.

But so can a flat buckle collar.

So can your hand.

So can a leash.

Think about your kitchen knife, a tool you probably use every day, multiple times a day.

Have you ever used that same knife to kill someone? I sure hope not.

When used correctly, a sharp knife can create delicious meals for your family. Used incorrectly, it can be a murder weapon.

Catch the drift?

Any tool can be misused. When an e-collar is used correctly, under the guidance of a professional trainer, then it is a useful tool that makes life safer for your dog and gives them more freedom.

Hold up. Safer? More freedom?

Yes.

What if you could have100% confidence that your dog will respond when you recall him back to you? Yes, even if there is a squirrel, a dog, something tasty, a bear, you name it. You can call him off anything because of the e-collar.

What this means is that you can give your dog more freedom when you hike, with full confidence that he will obey commands.

Low quality, cheap collars and poor training methods are often used to demonstrate the abusive side of the tool. 

Myth #2: E-Collars are for Lazy People

If e-collars are for lazy people, then we’ve been doing this all wrong.

No matter what training methods and tools you choose, you should be working with your dog on a daily basis. We often hear that people work harder once they start working with a trainer and have homework on a regular basis.

Those who oppose e-collars claim that having to use a tool equals laziness. What they don’t seem to recognize is that the following items are also tools:

  • Collars
  • Leashes
  • Harnesses
  • Halti’s/Gentle Leader
  • Food

Everything mentioned above is a tool. Everything mentioned above are tools that most trainers use.

Efficiency does not Equal Laziness

What some claim as “lazy,” can be called efficient. E-collars allow you to communicate with your dog in a way that they understand. They learn more quickly because the tool is more effective.

Let’s use another kitchen example.

Let’s say you’re making a lemon meringue pie. You can use a whisk and whip those egg whites for 20-30 minutes by hand, or, you can use an electric mixer for 5 minutes and save your arm strength.

Does it make you lazy to use an electric mixer over a whisk? Nope. It makes you efficient. Now, you have an extra 15-25 minutes of your life back, your arm isn’t wiped out, and you’ve got perfect peaks.

E-Collar Training Goes an Extra Step

E-collar training actually requires an extra step, reinforcing behavior, than positive only. 

First, you teach a dog a command using food and marker words. Once the dog knows that command, you introduce the e-collar, pairing it with the food and marker words.

Only after a dog understands a command is the e-collar used to both reinforce behavior or correct for non-compliance.

Myth #3: E-Collars Cause Confusion in Dogs

You may find the exact opposite to be true once you begin using tools like prong collars and e-collars.

When relying on treats alone, you’re only as valuable as the treats you have or you end up using them as a bribe. At some point, it doesn’t matter how much you squeal, play, or walk back and forth along the same street, if you’re not constantly shoveling food down your dog’s throat, your dog will always find something else more enticing.

 

Good trainers don’t just slap an e-collar on a dog and start pushing buttons, believing that it will magically change a dog’s behavior. An e-collar won’t be introduced until a dog is fluent in a command, as explained above in #2.

What does cause confusion in dogs is asking for commands before they understand what it means, and then getting mad at them for not doing as they’re told. 

Myth #4: E-Collars are Used to Punish Dogs

E-collars are used to both reinforce behaviors the dog already knows, and correct when the dog does not obey or engages in an undesirable behavior using low level/annoying stimulation.

By first teaching the dog the commands, you can then use the e-collar to get the dog’s attention, similar to your phone’s vibration when someone is calling you.

You do know that positive-only training uses punishment as well, right? 

What? It can’t be true!

Indeed, my friends.

  • Ignoring a dog that jumps on you is negative punishment. 
  • Withholding a treat for breaking or not performing a command is negative punishment.
  • Removing access to your dog’s favorite window spot because they bark at everything that goes by is negative punishment.

But, that has the word “negative” in it! That can’t be right!

Negative doesn’t mean “good” or “bad.” Negative means “the removal of something” to discourage a behavior.

Myth #5: You Can’t Use E-Collars on Small Dogs

And why not?

Professional trainers use e-collars with all kinds of dogs, ranging from chihuahuas and dachshunds to Great Pyrenese. Smaller dogs require more delicacy and size-appropriate tools, but there’s no reason one can’t use an e-collar on a small dog.

In fact, e-collars are great tools for highly reactive small dogs who don’t handle leash correction well. The e-collar lets them know that the behavior is not appropriate.

Myth #6: E-Collars Will Make Your Dog Afraid of You

The misconception is that e-collars use intimidation tactics in order to get the dog to perform a behavior, but that is incorrect.

Used incorrectly, sure. So can any tool!  A regular leash can become an object of intimidation, used incorrectly.

Improper use of any tool can make your dog afraid of you.

With proper conditioning, e-collars are wonderful tools that teach dogs how to make decisions and control the stimulation they receive.

Myth #7: E-Collars Burn Your Dog’s Neck

If you’ve ever read an article discussing the abusive traits of e-collars, then surely you’ve come across horrific images of dogs with “burn marks” on their necks.

These aren’t burn marks. They’re caused by allergies and improper use. Some dogs have allergies to nickel, the metal used in the contact points on my e-collar. The manufacturer may suggest you switch to hypo-allergenic titanium or plastic contact points.

The second reason you see photos of “burn marks” is a result of leaving the collar on for too long or not rotating the position with each use. The e-collar position must be switched every 2-4 hours, otherwise pressure sores will occur (just as humans experience bed sores when they’re stuck in bed for long periods of time). A properly-fitted collar that is rotated regularly will prevent these sores.

Myth #8: E-Collars Should only be used as a Last Resort

What would you say if you learned of a tool that expedited the learning process, bridged the bond between you and your dog, built confidence in your dog, and provided off leash reliability, would you wait to try everything else before using this tool?  We doubt it!

We get it, sometimes it seems like a last ditch effort because you want to try positive reinforcement to see if it will work. Truth be told, not all dogs need to use an e-collar. It depends on your dog’s personality and your lifestyle.

 

If you enjoy having your dog hang out in the yard off leash, hiking, walking your dog and other adventures with your dog, then why wait until you’re frustrated and can’t stand your dog’s behavior?

Think of it like this:

You always wear your seatbelt in the car.

You purchase car, health, and home insurance, just in case.

You can choose to not use an e-collar, possibly resulting in both of you being miserable and frustrated and missing out on fun experiences and memories.  Or you can choose to use it right away be able to enjoy your time together nearly every day, since day one!

Do you use an e-collar right now? What is your experience using an e-collar?

Did you once believe some of the myths in this article?

We’d love to show you the right way to use an e-collar with your dog.  Book private lessons with one of our trainers or talk to us about Stay & Train to begin building a foundation of freedom and obedience you’ve always dreamed of having with your dog.