The Ugly Truth Behind Shock Collars for Dogs

Shock collars, also known as e-collars, remote training collars or bark collars are often used for dog training through negative reinforcement. These collars feature two metal prongs that are in contact with the dog’s skin and they deliver electric shocks when the dog barks, when they cross a boundary, or when a remote control is used — usually when they display some form of ‘bad’ behaviour.

Whether they are used for teaching tricks, or to get a dog to stop a certain behavior (barking, lunging at others, or snarling), in my opinion, shock collars are simply reprehensible.

They are effective because dogs do NOT want to be shocked and they will do what they must to avoid it. However, it’s not a solution that addresses the underlying emotional reasons for a specific behavior, or their motivational state.

And that’s before we even begin on the cruelty side of things.

Typically, electronic collars do a lot more harm than good.

Sure, they “work” because positive reinforcement and negative punishment are effective, but they produce a scared dog that is no longer comfortable expressing emotions and that can be very dangerous. In some countries, shock collars are illegal… and quite rightly so.

In this story, I want to discuss the ugly truth behind these collars and provide all the information you need to understand that aversive techniques are simply not the way to go when it comes to training your dog. There’s nothing wrong with training our dogs, and they deserve good training — it’s very helpful for both them, and for us — but not when it’s at the expense of their wellbeing.

Not a Training Tool, But a Form of Punishment

Punishment is not a difficult concept to understand and we’re all familiar with it in one way or another. When you associate a certain behavior with something unpleasant, that behavior will decrease and eventually stop. Any device can become aversive when it’s used incorrectly, such as leashes or even something as mundane as a shoe.

Trainers who use shock collars often ‘sell’ them as a training tool, but gloss over the fact that they are a form of punishment. As such, they are detrimental to your dog because they cause discomfort and even pain, which leads to stress.

Often, dogs look “calm” when shock collars are used and for the untrained eye it doesn’t seem like it’s that bad. But they’re actually tense and unhappy, which is evidenced by yawning, the worry wrinkles on their face, and their deflated tail.

Punishment-based training needs to be constant for it to work — it is not a one of sharp shock solution (if you’ll excuse the pun.) By using shock collars you are essentially subjecting your dog to pain, stress, and frustration for a prolonged period of time.

That’s the fallout from using punishment for dog training instead of positive reinforcement.

Common Misconceptions of Shock Collars for Dogs

When people talk about shock collars, whether it’s trainers or dog owners, they often rely on misconceptions that are repeated over and over until they seem like they are the truth.

But they’re not the truth.

Here are some of the most common misconceptions and why they are simply incorrect:

1. “It’s only a tap”

This is by far the most common thing people say about the electric shock delivered by shock collars. However, it’s not just a tap. If it was, the method would be ineffective and it wouldn’t change the dog’s behavior at all.

It’s a shock — a sharp, painful shock.

2. “It’s a gentle vibration”

Trainers often say this and they compare the electric shock to a vibrating phone. However, phones don’t shock you when they vibrate — and if they did, we wouldn’t use them for one second.

Once the dog has been conditioned, it’s true that using only vibration can work as a warning. But that wouldn’t be effective if the dog hadn’t learned that vibrations are followed by an electric shock, which means pain and discomfort.

3. “It’s only a form of stimulation”

Stimulation is associated with positive things, which is why trainers and people who support the use of shock collars often use this word. However, shock collars are a form of punishment.

It doesn’t matter if the electric shocks are delivered at a low frequency or for a short time, they still hurt and it’s what makes this method works.

So, no, it’s not stimulating.

4. “It improves muscle memory”

Muscle memory is when you repeat a movement so much that it becomes second nature and you’re able to produce that movement without having to think about it. This is an odd thing to say about shock collars because I really don’t see how it relates.

And anyway, if punishment was the only way to improve muscle memory, why do many trainers get the same results without these devices?

Because these are simply not needed to stop unwanted behavior in dogs.

5. “It’s a form of communication”

We communicate with our dogs verbally, through body language and hand signals. They communicate with us through barking, behavior, and body language as well.

We are all good at communicating, and shock collars are not at all necessary for that purpose. They are simply a blunt, cruel tool.

Electric shocks are not more effective than words, gestures, and body language. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Cons of Shock Collars for Dogs

The only “good” thing I can say about shock collars is that they can work. But at what cost?

When you consider the way the results are achieved, I don’t count this as being a plus.

On the other hand, I have plenty of bad things to say about these aversive devices.

1. They Can Malfunction

Shock collars are not a perfect product, which means they can malfunction — and this can lead to electrical burns. These kind of burns are awful, and they cause a lot of physical and emotional pain for the dog.

2. They Can Lead to Abuse

Shock collars can lead to further abuse very easily.

When dog owners buy into shock collars, they set them in a low frequency. When that’s ineffective, they raise the setting over and over, so they expose their dogs to gradually increasing pain. That means that the surprise effect that’s necessary to produce stress is lost, thus making the shocks ineffective.

But it also can lead to a vicious cycle of abuse, where the shock level gets higher and higher.

3. They Can Cause Unwanted Side Effects

As already mentioned, the only reason shock collars work is because they cause pain and when you use pain to train a dog, it will have side effects. This is the fallout I mentioned before, which has been proven by study after study — not to mention by common sense.

Shock collar trained dogs will become unable to express their emotions because they fear retribution and that can lead to many issues, including aggression.

Ironically, this is often one of the unwanted behaviors that the training device is intended to fix.

4. They Cause Stress

Shock collars cause stress, that’s the whole point of them.

A dog that’s constantly exposed to that kind of punishment will eventually shut down and suppress not only the behavior that causes the shocks, but also their emotions. A happy, lively dog can easily become quiet, lethargic, and helpless because they just want to give up and not to anything at all.

If you are looking for help to train your dog, either yourself or by using the services of a dog trainer, and you happen to come across a dog trainer who recommends a shock collar, I encourage you to ignore them.

And if your dog is already wearing a shock collar and you realize this is not what you want for them, please remove it immediately and use different training methods. It’s never too late to train your dog without pain and to make amends by looking for a trainer who cares as much for your dog’s well being as you do.

Shock Collar Q&As

Do Shock Collars Hurt Dogs?

Absolutely.

Trainers who use shock collars will try and convince you that they don’t hurt, they’re just a tap.

But that’s far from the truth. Shock collars hurt because psychological distress is necessary for this method to work.

Apart from being unethical and inhumane, this can lead to an unhealthy heart rate increase, electrical burns, aggression, and fear-based behaviors.

Do Shock Collars Work?

Aversive devices can change your dog’s behavior, so shock collars often do work when you judge it that way.

But with a big cost in terms of your dog’s happiness, and your relationship with your dog.

Positive training that’s based on reward is just as effective, which means there’s absolutely no need to put your dog through pain to achieve the same results.

Are Shock Collars Recommended By Veterinarians?

Absolutely not.

Why?

Because there’s no credible scientific evidence to justify the use of shock collars or aversive methods for training. Science simply doesn’t back these methods and the results can be achieved through other means.

A Better Alternative To Shock Collars

It’s very common for dogs to:

• Bark non-stop at all hours of the day for no reason at all.
• Jump all over you or your guests when you walk through the door.
• Display aggressiveness toward others during your walks.
• Refuse to listen when you ask them to come back after you let them off the leash.
• Chew and destroy your shoes and furniture.

We all want well behaved dogs, but this kind of unwanted behavior is normal and it makes many dog owners despair — particularly new dog owners who did not know what to expect.

If you’re struggling to train your dog and feel out of your depth, if you’re wondering if it is possible at all, I can tell you that this kind of behavior is perfectly normal, and that it CAN be managed and corrected — without any electric shock in sight.

You can get your dog to follow your commands and to listen to you no matter what’s going on around them, you just need the right method.

These collars shouldn’t even be considered — and the truth is that there’s literally no need for them.

Positive Reinforcement

Good dog trainers have always known that you can correct your dog’s behavior without the use of punishment — trainers like Dan Abdelnoor (aka Doggy Dan) with his step-by-step training program will help you turn any dog into a well-behaved, well rounded, happy boy or girl with LOVE, not cruelty.

Rather than inflicting pain on your dog, you can get the same results when you have access to good training programs by trainers who genuinely love their dogs.

The core of his training is the idea of you (as the dog owner) establishing yourself as the ‘Pack Leader’. By doing this, you can easily get your dog to behave in exactly the way you want, simply because he or she will want to please you, NOT because of fear of punishment.

When you train your dog in this sort of positive way, you create good behavior patterns, and establish healthy behavior that will last for a lifetime — and will only get better as your dog matures.

Any bad behavior in dogs almost always has an underlying motivation. It’s very important to understand the root of the issue so it can be addressed effectively. Otherwise, you will be stuck with quick-fixes that only address the symptoms, not the cause.

Understanding this can really transform your relationship with your dog.

A happy, well-behaved dog leads to a happier life, but pain and punishment don’t have to be a part of the process. Shock collars for dogs are simply not the way to go, especially not when these kinds of totally humane, genuinely effective dog training programs are available.

If you would like some help training your dog, watch Dan’s free dog training videos here.

Your dog will be glad you did :)