If you are not familiar with dog training you might have never heard of the e-collar as a training tool, but if you have done just a little research you will read and hear many different opinions regarding this equipment. In this post I will explain all aspects of training with the e-collar and why it became such a hot topic for discussions all over the world.

The e-collar is usually known as a remote collar, electric collar, even shock collar and many other names. The reality is the e-collar is a simple muscle stimulator device used as a marker to train dogs. The e-collar is not a new tool. In fact the first e-collar was created almost fifty years ago and throughout the years the technology has improved to make it lighter, softer and with much more capabilities in terms of range, sizes and models for all kinds of dogs.

To understand the role of the e-collar in the training process you have to understand the concept of teaching and educating dogs. Training is nothing more than domestication and the art adjusting the responses of the animal to our everyday fair demands. Dogs are a big part of our lives and in order for them to enjoy our urban world they have to understand what to do and how to act in different scenarios. They have to understand the clear difference between right and wrong, and the concept of reward and punishment.

Dogs, like many other species, learn by association. If the act is followed by a reward or no punishment, the act is considered acceptable and prone to repetition. If the act is followed by a punishment the act is considered not welcomed and tend to not surface again. It’s a simple association that we all understand because it’s purely action and reaction driven, creating and tailoring behavior in a very simple way. Please notice that we are talking about adjusting and modifying animal behavior, therefore everything has to be done very objectively. The objectivity in dog training practices do not exclude the care and love we have for or dogs, in fact, it only solidifies this concept since training is the way to a more inclusive lifestyle for a dog.

Many families struggle with training concepts because they deem some practices as cruel and uncaring but that is just personal perception and projections. The better trained the dog is the more he gets to enjoy a social and domestic life. A well trained dog is usually part of most of the family’s activities. That dog can go out more, accompany the family in different endeavors, travel more and be a true pleasure to be around. Basically a well trained dog can have more freedom and a more fulfilled life than other any other dog, but in order to achieve that the owners have to understand the value of the work that is put in throughout the training process and the lifetime maintenance of the dog’s education.

Once we understand that, it’s time to explore the possibilities that we have when it comes to tools, and that is where the e-collar comes in. Implementing the training means making it happen on a practical level through daily exercises with the dog, and having the right tool to communicate with the animal makes all the difference in the world. Remember, training is all about communication and we need to be able to show the dog what we want from it. The e-collar paired with verbal commands and guidance can put the dog in a path of success fairly fast but the owners have to understand the concept of training with markers and the required timing for every moment of teaching. That is why we never recommend the use of an e-collar by an unexperienced person. The tool is marvelous once you know the basics of training in general, and not just any training, but real life training. We are not talking about tricks or quick responses of a dog. We are working on building solid responses for different domestic and social situations that will be required from the dog long term.

The e-collar used in this manner will be the best tool to keep the communication sharp and clear throughout the life of the dog. But what makes the e-collar stand out as such a wonderful tool, and so superior to others? The technology, the range, the 100 different levels and the durability. We are talking about the best we have in terms of technology that can be implemented into dog training to this day. It’s gentle, precise, accurate and the most effective tool to communicate with dogs through training.

So why did it become such a hot topic for controversies lately? Well, it’s quite simple to explain. The dog training world is very much divided into segments and philosophies. There are groups that use dog training in a very manipulated fashion to make money and keep owners in the dark about the true nature of dog ownership. Many people will absolutely mix emotions and perceptions with their own vision of how the dog should live and that is how we came to have such a huge problem with dog behavior today. The issue of perceptions and emotions, and how people can become easy targets of the wrong faction of dog training, is a subject for another post all together but, in short, it’s a narrative that puts owners in guilty mode and stops them from implementing the type of training that will save their relationship with their dogs. It’s never about the e-collar or any other tool, it’s about a concept and how emotions can drive people into their own demise, along with their dogs.

If you want to know more about how dogs are trained with the e-collar and how they respond to that kind of training, please watch some of my videos and series with all dogs being trained, from start to finish, with the e-collar. Don’t buy into the narrative, see for yourself!