10 Find The Best Electronic Dog Training Collar

Find The Best Electronic Dog Training Collar in 2023

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Electronic Collars for Dogs and Horses

Electronic "shock" collars are well known for dogs - but horses? They're often toted as cruel and in need of banning - but also often misidentified and misused.

A couple in an RV park had a red chow mix dog who would bark incessantly only when they were gone. This disturbed other people and they were at the point of having to give the dog away to be destroyed - as a last resort they tried an electronic collar designed to deliver a reprimand for excessive barking. A woof or two wouldn't do anything - repetitive barking would give a small shock. The dog was not injured but quickly learned just because the owners were gone didn't mean they could do as he pleased.

Then was the case of a horse - which was the subject of a trial for an equine collar. Cheetah was a very destructive horse at times in the stall. When he determined it was time for food he would begin grating his teeth on the bars, kicking, pawing and trying to attack the neighboring horse. The walls of his stall showed indentations of hoof nicks and large curved digs from his teeth on the wood. Worse - he would kick so hard he was at risk of seriously injuring himself. Handlers, including one who lived in the barn and was awaken by his 5 a.m. tirades would sneak down and reprimand him...but he would hear them coming and stop temporarily. He then wasn't punished because timing is everything - no correcting an animal that isn't doing anything AT THE TIME. It'd last until she'd get back in bed. A fully charged collar was put on Cheetah at night and when he started up in the morning she slightly opened one door, said nothing and gave him a shock, about equal to touching an electric fence. He jumped in surprise, snorted and this was repeated one time. After that he figured out it was connected to his behavior of kicking and he'd stand quietly, no longer kicking and biting. Not only did this make the barn quieter, less stress on his neighbor (who actually had developed ulcers) but it helped Cheetah. As a gelding jumper injury to those legs meant a serious consequence to him.

Any tool or training aid can be abused. Slip collars, snaffle bits, hackamores and other aids can be just enough to correct an animal or do injury to an animal depending on the trainer using it. The dog who refuses to come is also in danger - if headed towards a road or other potentially fatal situation. A long rope can turn the tide for many dogs, enabling people to recall and pull the dog in from 20 to 30 feet. Some dogs figure if they're out of range for that they don't have to listen. A small shock is preferable to disappearing. Proper understanding of timing is key.

The technology for anti-bark, GPS and remote training collars have many different options. Anti-bark collars are often represented as only shock collars which is untrue. There are anti-bark collars available with an unpleasant tone and that prays a small amount of a citronella spray instead of a shock. The disadvantage to these collars - if the dog is barking for a reason he's punished for doing his job. Unlike a person it doesn't have the ability to discern timing in correcting the dog.

GPS collars, as noted, can be invaluable in finding hunting dogs if they get ahead of the handler or if a young dog wanders from the trail. Never remove a collar from a dog you find - it could be his lifeline.

Remote collars deliver a small tingle at negative behavior. It allows correction of the dog for the BEHAVIOR not associated with people. It's not unheard of for a dog to behave as long as you're watching - but misbehaves when unwatched. Typically the collars have from 8 to as much as 16 levels of stimulation. This allows for a small correction for very sensitive dogs and a bit stronger correction from those dogs who are a little more independent. It does NOT serve as a substitute for other training methods but is a last resort option. As with Cheetah timing is essential - waiting until a full blown tantrum or misbehavior is in motion is too late. It takes keen observation and KNOWING your animal.

For example, a mishandled stallion had indications before he'd become combative. He'd raise his head high, tilt his head as if looking down at you (which he WAS - this action is saying "I'm better than you") and put his ears back. If that was not corrected he'd try nipping. That would usually be greeted with trying to swing something at him - which he'd respond with rearing, pawing, lunging at you or spinning and kicking. He would seriously have killed a timid handler. Battling him with correction after he was at the point of pawing and biting was too late - at that point it was reacting to him. A correction collar could have done one important thing - at the FIRST indication - with the raised head and pinned ears - it would allow being able to correct him without moving. It wouldn't be coming at him aggressively and equally wouldn't be retreating (which enboldened him to further aggression). Of course once he comes up and drops his head in a submissive aggreeable gesture he must also be praised.

The PRAISE of the animal is often missed. Correction is easy to dole out with these (and most have an automatic shut off to prevent extended abuse of the collar). Praise must always be immediate. If the dog is running out of control to attack something, ignores your "NO" and is getting a shock with a "NO" most will interrupt their flight. If you IMMEDIATELY call him and he responds at all - looks at you, takes steps towards you, etc - PRAISE HIM.

There's also the electronic collars connected with invisible fencing - buried cable or a central point allows the dog to go to certain areas but delivers a shock if they get too far from the base or beyond a certain point in the yard. Like other forms, this takes training. Usually these aren't as criticized although they are just as consistent and unforgiving. They also are not failproof - there's far too many dogs that disappear wearing these collars.

The collars are a last resort tool. It's up to the handler to understand animal behavior enough to properly time the correction and the praise. Critics point to the cruelty of misusing these collars. They say handlers using them are lazy and don't train the animals but just punish them. This isn't always true. They aren't a forever measure - it's to teach the dog or horse a specific thing then go on to other things. It can't be emphasized enough to understand dog and horse behavior before using them and learning to read body language. This might give an option to prevent it by other means but if you do use it allows for proper timing of it. This is crucial to teaching.

Remember these are a temporary tool - not to be relied on permanently especially in the case of remote collars. If within a short period the behavior isn't corrected chances are you're mistiming the correction. Praise for good behavior is very much an important thing.