The prong collar controversy is real! Not sure about the vibrating collar, but the Ultrasonic Bark collar seems like it might work. These cruel devices physically hurt animals and can cause severe psychological problems as well. Prong and Shock Collars and Electric (‘Invisible’) Fences Cruel “training” devices such as anti-barking shock collars, electric (“invisible”) fences, and prong collars rely on painful punishment and negative reinforcement. I have wanted to know how these work. Innocent children may mistakenly harm their dogs and bad-natured people may use it intentionally to cause harm. Any one who uses it on his/her pet doesn’t love the dog. The term shock collar was publicly used to attempt to deter consumers from using the collar. I am very glad you have written this post. All of the following problem behaviors have been found to increase when dog owners rely on punishment in dog training: Thank you. 'Cruel' electric shock pet training collars to be banned in England. It can be frustrating if your dog barks too often, but it’s no excuse for traumatizing or potentially injuring them. Electronic fences and shock collars electrically shock dogs when they cross an invisible line, bark, or don’t respond to a command. Great post! And of course, it could be an adult or even other dogs. I wish more people would do their research before getting one. I was desperate, so much of what I had already tried hadn’t helped. It turned more into a whimper than a bark. Do you regret the day you decided to get a dog? Besides, there are so many side effects, including anxiety, cancer, pain, behavioral issues, and malfunction. The devices are usually controlled via a remote control. Any excessive barking dog needs treatment or training but no shock collars. I think it’s the lazy way out of trying to train your dog by shocking them. Most people have no idea of the long term repercussions of shock collars, Matiss. The shock collars I always had didnt feel that powerful but maybe to a dog they were extra senstive to the shock. If a dog sees a toddler past the electric fence, a friendly dog may want to walk over to greet the child but instead gets a shock. We have a Pomeranian now with very thick fur who really likes to bark at everything when he is outside. Shock collars are not intended as a punishment but more as a deterrent to negative or unsafe behavior. Shock collars are particularly cruel if you’re using them to keep your dog from barking. This is beneficial because owners can administer corrections without the pet realizing that it was the owner who delivered the pain. Why would you want to risk or cause pain or maybe non-stop shocks on a pet you love!! Ultrasonic bark control is a much humane alternative. You are right – the person who buys them doesn’t think of the welfare of the animal, Hi thanks for sharing this review,dogs are wonderful and playful,using shock collar on them is supposed to be safe but I personally don’t like it because it might make them live in fear and it might have it’s side effects.these devices can make a dog live in fear of being electrocuted.so I don’t think it’s advisable to use shock collars on dogs. I have never used such a device with my dogs but have looked at the possibility several times. I used to think shock collars were fine. I Only Use Positive Training Techniques" This isn't so much a myth … Many pet owners would rather use positive reinforcement … Hello there! Given the nature of shock collars, owners can also be confident that the dog receives important correction even when the owner is not personally there. Our neighbors are complete back woods assholes and they have chickens and my boyfriend and I are afraid that if our dog goes into their yard with their chickens that our neighbors will shoot our dog. As humans, we have no right to do this to animals. Besides the fact that he is a major drama king, I just did not like the results or the method. For me, time-out is the best training method for a dog. I’ve always wanted to know whether it’s best to train a dog using a shock collars. Thanks for commenting, I think it’s a shame that a lot of people take a dog without really thinking about what it entails afterwards. In addition, it can have a number of adverse effects on the animal?s mental health. Hi,  So true what you’re saying here. These are 15 really good reasons not to use shock collars! Think we will go with the fence option so they can have a yard without getting shocked. I did not know that shock collars give such high volts of shock. Dogs bark to communicate, and if you suppress that, it means they’re unable to tell you whatever they’re trying to tell you. God. 'Cruel' electric shock pet training collars to be banned in England. My thoughts anyways. Often, these collars are used to deter behavior such as barking or leaving the property, or to teach the dog to stay away from potentially dangerous situations or creatures, such as snakes. The suffering that animals go through is unthinkable. On the one hand, discipline is the intended outcome when it comes to a shock collar. Using shock collar on a pet is cruel. You’ve confirmed what I was already thinking. It is useful for me. Whether you’re planning to purchase a remote training collar, a bark collar, or the dog containment system which sends electrical impulses through the collar, we’re talking about the so-called “shock collars.” Shock collars are banned in Wales, but with the help of a new proposal, the cruel devices may be banned in all of England, thanks to a campaign by local animal welfare organizations.“Training a dog with an electric shock collar causes physical and psychological harm and is never acceptable, especially given the vast array of positive training methods available. With dog shock collar training, owners or trainers use special collars on dogs that deliver shocks to the animal when it starts engaging in undesirable behavior. Are Shock Collars For Dogs Cruel? Thanks for commenting, David. I understand that people want to train their dogs but torturing them in such ways like this, that’s just inhumane. I would never use this type of product, I assume that if I don’t use this product on myself, I don’t have to use it on anyone (animal or human). I went ahead and researched on no-shock collars instead, those that vibrates (which is also covered in your article) and I prefer that over these shock collars! Poor dogs indeed. I must say for some stubborn dogs it is but it’s not meant to be used on our pet dogs as the effect of this collars that you list are really really bad and we wouldn’t want something like cancer to find it way it the life of our precious pet…..for me I think it cruel and should only be used on difficult dogs. Do people actually use these on their dogs?” Because Dogs are regarded as man’s best friends. There are other alternative which may be used to train a dog in a humane way. My neighbor had one and my observations were that it appeared to be a cruel way in which to train a dog. Are Shock Collars For Dogs Cruel? P. S. I would not put shock collars on my kids to discipline them!!! Sorry for making you cry, Stephanie. You’re right –  it’s a shame too many people blindly use shock collars without doing enough research. The devices are usually controlled via a remote control. There are better ways to train animals that do not harm them psychologically and the owner too (I think there is something wrong with people that would use these). The Polsky study found that dogs trained in this manner tended to show more aggression towards humans. Thanks for commenting. Animal activists have expressed their concern regarding e-collars and conveniently use the word shock to scare people away from the products. When did they start making no-shock collars? Their names are don and daniel. Dogs really are man’s best friend and I look forward to reading more. It’s really no surprise that they’re banned in so many places. Yes they are and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Thank you, Anthony. I’m still glad I learnt something important from your article. Thanks for commenting. Cancer, Cardiac Fibrillation, or thyroid problems – not in a million years. They are very nice and loyal. In fact, these inhumane devices are banned in many countries namely Australia, Slovenia, Quebec(Canada), Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, Wales, and Scotland. Based on your description, I put this on hold for a while and I am going to do more research and try to find something no harm to my dog. According to Peta.org, these devices can make a dog live in fear of being electrocuted. Thank you. We have a really big front yard that does not have a fence and our dog loves being outside. Avoiding shock collars and opting for kinder means of effective training and discipline would likely allow pet owners to achieve their objectives without unintentionally harming their pets. Adequately training a dog to ensure that it acts as a happy, healthy member of the family is essential. We tried it once on a very barky miniature poodle. Thank you so much for sharing this article. The idea behind dog shock collar training is that the shock will surprise the dog and feel uncomfortable enough to encourage the dog to cease its behavior. I have been doing that with my puppy and it has been working perfectly – except for when she’s extremely energetic – collars and products like you described will only make your dog live with a life-long trauma over the device and even yourself because they might even see you as a threat. My boyfriend wants to buy a shock collar for our dog. I did not know that. When it comes to dog shock collar training, a?considerable debate rages among owners, trainers, and veterinarians. You’re right – it’s not worth taking the risk on your beloved pet. What would you think as a better choice for a small dog with very thick fur? Shock collars are used to train dogs to stay in or out of a certain area, as in electric fencing; or to dissuade them from certain unwanted behaviors. I agree, pain causes fear which can lead to aggression. However, studies have shown that this is not the most effective way to teach a dog proper behavior. With these collars, your dog will receive an uncomfortable vibration when it barks. Hundreds of years ago, when Christian Humanist and scholar, Desiderius Erasmus penned the phrase “Man’s mind is so formed that it is far more susceptible to falsehood than to truth,” I am sure he wasn’t contemplating the future opinions of dog owners, dog trainers, veterinarians, and all other so-called behavioral experts about the use of “shock” collars for training dogs. I didn’t know about the invisible fence. The pain and anxiety that dogs feel can turn a friendly dog into an aggressive and fearful one. Now, even I don’t like to hear continuous barking or people continuously talking, the best solution is to stop them and make them understand through expert training. Companies are not required to disclose any information so there is no way of knowing how many incidents have occurred already. After a few times, the dog may then associate the shock with the child. The theory is that your dog will associate the unwanted behavior with a slightly uncomfortable jolt and stop doing it until they no longer require the reminder. E-collar or a remote collar consists of a battery, a wireless remote and a small box with two prongs.These collars give a vibration or a static shock to your hound to stop something undesirable by it.. You are absolutely correct – it’s no excuse to hurt or traumatize them. I think that it finally falls upon us, to make sure we do our best in order to return the favor and protect the ones who protect us. This leads many owners to inquire about the best dog training collar, and whether or not they should consider an electronic bark collar to improve behavior. Because trainers can use settings to ensure that just the right amount of correction is administered, they can be sure that the pain level is not set so light that the dog gets used to the corrections and fails to notice them. 1. If somebody has got the pet in the first place it is down to them. While they are designed to control and train dogs and cats, they have been attacked as cruel for giving animals an electric shock when they misbehave. I would love to collab with you sometime whether it’s thru interviewing you on my Youtube channel or guest posting on my blog Thanks for sharing your knowledge…we don’t need pain to train! However, I find that he sometimes is a nuisance barker and I would like to train him in a way to know when is a good time to bark and when is not. more than 1,000 people seek emergency treatment, Dog Training for Aggressive Dogs: How to Manage Your Pet’s Aggression. It will help more in making purchasing decisions. I certainly would not recommend using one and after reading your article I would not do the fencing either. This annoying sound will naturally teach your dog to stop barking. Your graphic description was more than enough to convince me not to ever use one on my dog! My dog always barks at passersby. Thundershirt for Dogs – Do They Really Work? I love animals in general, I can’t wait to read your next article . So it is just not right to give them shocks. Let’s see in the future. Just the sound of it sounds terrifying in itself. But making them go through the pain for our own whims is just outright sadistic. 28 May. As a dog owner this concerns me greatly. Thanks for commenting! Thank you for your in-depth article on the cruelty of shock collars.Maybe people will read and some dogs will be spared this torment! Hi Fran, I hope your friends find this article useful. At K9 Electronics we promote the “Tapping” method at extremely low levels of static shock and will not cause your dog any pain. For me, I think if you teach them what to do, with time, they will adapt to it other than exposing the pet to other risk like cancer. I think I should include that on the list! Is Dog Training with Shock Collars Cruel? Shock training can be a very hot topic within the dog community. I really need to show him this post so he can see the pain he is making them go through. Are Prong Collars Cruel? The next time the friendly dog sees any child, it may turn aggressive and try to scare the child away in fear of getting shocked again. Pain causes stress which leads to aggression. I will try to give my dogs humane training as much as possible and try not to hurt them. The Truth About Dog Training With Shock Collars. Thank you for pointing out the dangers of this. Pets are like people’s children and should be cared for with similar displays of affection, love and care. I totally agree – we don’t need pain to train! On the contrary, electric collars used in the context of remote training and pet containment have afforded our pet’s safety, freedom, and independence that they may not have had otherwise since 1972. At the moment, I have to pass. I am sure he didn’t do his right before getting them those things. “They are inhumane because they are suppressing the animal from communicating something they feel the need to communicate,” Dr. Spano explained. You are absolutely right. People who use shock collars like the fact that the collars give objective, consistent standards of correction. I think an actual fence is the best way to go I agree, but in the case where that is not financially feasible, then an electric fence is preferred over the shock collar. E-Collars. Through barking of course, and giving them electric shocks through shock collars is actually killing their rights to talk. However, studies have shown that this is not the most effective way to … In our view, this is completely missing the point. It may not work when activated or deliver. It is also a lazy way to do so and has not enhanced my opinion of that particular neighbor. Plus the person who buys them and uses them is not truly thinking of the welfare of their pet in my opinion. It seems to be a product created for good reasons, it’s good that you show us the consequences it can have . But we all need to know the truth about prong collars before passing judgment. Insane! Studies show that in a daily basis, we experience static electric "shocks" between 20, 000 and 25, 000 volts or 3.20 to 4.05 joules from the static impulses we get from common nerve-stimulating machines. This device is disgusting and should be banned everywhere! I mean, does that not suggest that they’re completely ineffective? Learn to deal with your pets behaviour differently and if you have to resort to hurting your dog with a shock collar, you should be instead re-evaluating the well-being of your pet or if you should find a new owner. You are most likely reading this because your dog pulls on the leash, is leash reactive or you can’t control your dog on leash, right? The pet dogs are like your family members who make noise when they smell or sense something wrong to alert you. Ask yourself – would you use shock collars to discipline your children? But we quit using one very early on with our dog. And yes, your pet may see you in a negative light. This article brought tears to my eyes! Dogs that were trained using shock collars have also demonstrated higher stress levels in studies conducted by Schalke et al., particularly when they were unable to predict when they would receive the shocks. However, these collars have a number of drawbacks that owners should consider before deciding whether to use them. Wow! This can cause the dog to ignore the stimulus or become fearful and stressed. I would never want to hurt my two little boys. For example, although the remote nature of the collar helps prevent the dog from associating its owner with pain, it may lead the dog to associate random things in its environment — such as other dogs and animals or even people — with the discomfort. Good thing they haven’t invented shock collars for kids!