How to Train a Dog With a Shock Collar

Quick Summary

• When training a dog with a shock collar, it is best to start with the lowest setting first and associate the correction with a verbal cue.
• Positive reinforcement dog training is still the best way to train dogs. Inexperienced dog owners are also not advised to use shock collars.
• When used incorrectly, shock collars can be inhumane and may cause harm to dogs. It is very important to learn about the tool first and understand how to use it properly.

When it comes to how to train a dog with a shock collar, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there. I will dispel the myths about shock collars and discuss how to use them effectively in order to train your dog.

For the record, in general, the best way to train a puppy to do the things that you want them to do is through positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement includes using clicker training your pet or using “marker” words and a lot of treats to teach a dog a new command or behavior. Teaching a puppy to sit, to stay, and to lie down are all basic commands I highly recommend that you teach through “normal” training techniques that focus on positive reinforcement.

Obedience training:

Do you have a hunting dog that needs some obedience training? Or maybe you just want to make sure your dog stays within the boundaries of your property. Shock collars, such as the PetSpy M686, can also be very effective tools if used appropriately and correctly. Originally used to train hunting dogs, an e-collar can also be a useful tool for teaching new behaviors or remembering old ones. Many professional dog trainers use shock collars, also called a remote training collar, to teach more advanced commands with a combination of positive and negative reinforcement.

As a general rule, using a shock collar to train your dog can be a positive and safe experience for you and your pet. Doing your research, finding an experienced professional dog trainer. And following the advice in this article are all great ways to make sure shock collar training is an effective method for training your dog. 

Understand The Negatives

In most articles, we would start with the positives of each style of training and work our way down to the negatives. Using a shock collar is a little different both because of the perception of this type of training from some dog lovers and because this type of training can be “mean” or inhumane if done incorrectly. These are two pretty big negatives.

Negative behavior

In general, shock collars are harmless and can be very effective tools to correct negative behaviors or for experienced trainers to teach dogs important critical skills. Here are some ways that shock collars can be used in negative ways:

• If you turn the electric shock level up too high and harm your dog.
• When the negative reinforcement of the shock collar is used to replace the positive reinforcement that should be present in every puppy’s life.
• If your puppy is too young to benefit from the shock collar.
• When inexperienced owners try to use shock collars with little or no training beforehand.
• If you use a shock collar out of frustration rather than a desire to teach your dog.

How to Train a Dog With a Shock Collar to Come

While we have mentioned this before, it is important to highlight the importance of using this tool with kindness. Training collars, another name for a dog shock collar, can be terrific training tools in the hands of the right person [1]. However, when a person is unaware, impatient, and more worried about results than their dog a shock collar can be dangerous. A shock collar can be frightening and painful for your dog in a time. When all they want to do is spend time with you and love you. Make sure that you follow these steps and consult a professional if you are unsure.  

A High-Quality Collar Is Key

At this point in America, we do research on almost every purchase that we make. From buying the right pair of running shoes to the best toys for our toddlers, research is easy now. You can easily find the best dog GPS trackers, the best bark collars, best dog leashes, and more within almost any budget by spending a little time online, reading reviews, and making sure the features that you want are present in the collar that you purchase. A good collar will make your, and even more importantly, and your dog’s experience more enjoyable and more effective. Some of the features that you may look for include:

• Comfort. Different types of dog training collars provide different levels of comfort, but there is no reason that a shock collar cannot be comfortable while providing the training techniques that it does.
• A vibrate option.
• Different levels of shock power.
• How far away the transmitter can be from the collar to work.
• Cost.
• Ease of which it can be used with different leashes.

Begin With Basics- Dog training

Do not try to teach your puppy everything with a shock collar. As mentioned above, use positive reinforcement first and a training collar when/if it is needed. You should not take a 10-week old puppy and try to teach them to sit with a shock collar. It will not work and it will not be a good experience either for you or your dog. Do the basics the right way and work up to a shock collar to help instill those basic behaviors into your puppy or to teach them more advanced commands and behaviors.

When it comes to using the collar, it is better to start off using the vibrate function and to work into the electric stimuli. Never turn the collar to full strength unless there is a life-threatening event happening like your dog is about to run into traffic or into something else dangerous. The highest level is too painful for most dogs and will do nothing but scare your puppy. Begin with the basic levels and fundamental commands so that your dog learns without incurring any penalties.

Getting Used To The Collar

There are a lot of different collars from which to choose, and with any dog collar, comfort and familiarity are key. Shock collars are usually pretty simple in terms of design and comfort. But it is still important for your dog to grow accustomed to how it feels prior to beginning training. If your dog has previously worn a collar, and most dogs do, a shock collar does feel distinct enough to require acclimation. The electronics inside make them slightly heavier and also bulkier in certain parts. Give your dog a chance to love its collar before you start training with it.

Teaching Proper Behavior

Just like in any relationship you will ever have, communication is key for your relationship with your dog. That applies even more so when you use a training collar. You can’t expect your dog to know what you want without having been taught. You must model the behavior for your dog. Use treats, praise, and other positive reinforcement to teach your dog the behavior you want and freely offer that reinforcement especially in the beginning. When using a shock collar, you should have the patience to wait until your dog understands what you want and has to choose to disobey rather than disobeying out of ignorance. 

Use Other Techniques In Tandem

If you only train your dog with a shock collar, you will never see optimal results. In fact, if that shock collar is not present, it is quite likely that your dog will revert back to the old behavior as soon as the shock collar comes off. On the other hand, if you use positive reinforcement training, clicker training, and other methods in tandem with shock-collar training to train your dog, it is much more likely that your dog will learn and be able to repeat the behaviors you desire.

The Goal Is Vibrate Or No Shock Collar At All

The end goal of dog shock training is to not need to use the shock collar at all. The shock collar, like the training wheels, is there to assist your puppy adjust to specific actions. So that once they have repeated them over and over again you can take the collar off and those behaviors will remain.

It is very important to question your motive for purchasing and using a shock collar if your goal is something other than to train your dog to the point where they do not need it anymore. It is hard work and it takes other forms of training and techniques to get there, but dogs have a natural desire to please their owner and to make you happy and a shock collar should be one of many techniques that you use to help your dog achieve that desire.

Ask For Help When Needed

This is as important as any other step in the process. There are experts out there who can help you achieve your goals. And they can do it without the negative consequences that can sometimes be associated with shock collar training. Some dog owner may have a tendency to turn the shock level up or to get frustrated with their dog when shock collar training does not work. It is vital that you fight these urges and swallow your pride and get help. Most owners come to a shock collar only after trying other means that have not worked, so do not let these things make this training time a negative experience for your dog.

Training your dog with a shock collar:

FAQ

Are shock collars good for training dogs?

There are so many different forms of dog training out there that finding the right method for your dog can be a challenge. A shock collar may just be the exact tool that you need to take the next step in your dog training adventure as long as you know what you are getting into. If you have not yet taught your dog simple commands like “sit,” “stay,” or “lie down” with positive reinforcement techniques, then you are not ready for a shock collar. On the other hand, if you want to help your dog better understand those commands, remember commands that he may have forgotten, or teach your dog trickier and more difficult behaviors then a shock collar may be the perfect addition to your dog training portfolio.

How do you train a dog with a shock collar?

You train your dog with a shock collar by being patient, using other training techniques in tandem with the collar, and understanding that a shock collar is not a permanent solution but rather a good training tool. There are so many things that a shock collar can help you train your dog to do including but not limited to hunting, off-leash walking, less barking, agility training, and specialty jobs. The key is to use a shock collar appropriately and not as the primary or only technique to train your dog.

When should you start dog shock collar training?

A shock collar for dogs should only be used after other forms of training using positive reinforcement have been successful. You should also wait until a puppy is old enough to understand negative consequences. So that they are not just feeling the shock for, in their mind, no reason at all. Shock collars can be very effective under the right circumstances, but if you start before a puppy is at least 12 weeks old, and after positive reinforcement techniques have been used, you will not see the potential positives effects. When a puppy does not understand the concept of negative reinforcement the only thing that you will give your dog is a sense of fear and pain. When you wait until your dog is ready, on the other hand, a shock collar can be exactly what you needed to change your dog’s behavior quickly and for the better.