What is TCDOA opinion of training collars

I was asked, as a dog trainer, of my personal opinion of various types of collars and their use in training.  Specifically choke, shock, and prong collars, and have included head collars and the leg harness.

Shock/e Collars and Prong/Pinch Collars are widely used and many trainers find them useful when all that is wanted is an immediate result.  What I mean is these collars are often used when patience, time, and opportunity do not otherwise lend themselves to trainers or owners to correct serious unwanted behaviors, or when they are dealing with difficult to train dogs.  There are many dog training professionals, and owners, who put the end result ahead of the well-being of the dog, and use these tools with abrupt certainty to get the results they want.   To be fair, there are also many trainers and owners who use these tools with care, and justify their usage as necessary for the physical safety of both the owner and dog where immediate results are required and expected.

My personal opinion of the two collars – I don’t use or recommend them to my clients.   They are not on my list of training options because a shock or sharp stabs in the neck to discourage unwanted behavior(s) takes away from the wholesome relationship I encourage through positive training.  Some will argue that used correctly, the prong collar will only slightly pinch the dog’s neck, and the shock collar will only cause mild vibrations.   Two key words here:  USED CORRECTLY.  It takes time and repetition to learn to use the right shock level, and we can never accurately determine how hard the pinch around his throat is going to be – until he jumps, lunges or pulls.  If it is going to take time and repetition to learn to use these potentially abusive tools (did I say that?), I say why not take the time to learn NOT to use them through positive technique, reward based training.

Electric fencing.   He’s running along, having a great time then WHAAPP!! What lesson did he really learn?

I am not opposed to the choke (slip) collar and prefer to use a wide nylon type, or the similar Martingale collar, instead of the metal chain collar.   I’ve used regular buckle leather collars, and snap on nylon collars and have had a couple of dogs slip their heads out, getting away from me or their owner during training sessions.  With a slip collar that cannot happen.  As they pull, the collar tightens so the amount of pressure experienced is based on the dog’s own actions – not mine.   I don’t know of a dog yet committed to performing suicide from self-suffication while on a leash with his handler.  From my “trainer’s perspective”, none of the pressure the dog experiences is directly related to me at the other end of the leash.   Using positive techniques, I ignore or redirect the unwanted behavior, recognizing only the actions and behaviors that I want from him.  Therefore, from his perspective, I have nothing to do with the pressure (hmm). 

Head collar types that encircle a dog’s face under his eyes and across his nose, pull his head to the side to keep him from moving forward – how annoying and irritating is that? I’ve seen scars on many a dog’s face from those type collars.   Walks should be pleasant experiences for both dog and owner.  What if dogs were able to wrap something around our face to pull our head forward so we’d move faster?  Sounds like fun right?  Then, there is the leg harness that restricts a dog’s leg movements.   Who comes up with this stuff?  It’s unnatural and in my opinion, handicaps the dog.  All because the owner didn’t invest the time necessary for training.   I’d say more times than not, these owners did not select the “right dog” either. Examples:  A low energy person with a high energy sighthound; a couch potato with a large working breed, etc.  Why punish the dog?  In addition to dogs meeting our requirements, owners, you need to meet the needs and requirements of the dog you live with, and that could very well mean getting yourselves into training and getting him out of his “straight-jacket”.

I was asked for my personal opinion, and that I have given freely with no offense intended.   TCDOA recognizes and respects that no two people are alike, and no two dogs are either, which is why I customize training for each client. 

If you have a new puppy or dog ready for training, or are having difficulty controlling your dog, contact me, Judith Joseph, D.O.I., Professional Dog Trainer at Total Control Dog Owner Assistance (TCDOA).