Dog Training Collars: Are They Worth It? By Emily Curtis

It certainly goes without saying that some dogs can be quite the handful during the training process for a variety of reasons, including lower breed intelligence, psychological makeup, and environmental factors as well. Owners in the past who have tried to get a stubborn pup to fall in line can sometimes be tempted to take the easy way out rather than spending the time to utilize positive reinforcements via command repetition, which has in the past created the unnecessary and counterintuitive usage of products such as electroshock collars. Abuse of these products usually created more harm than good. With this kind of history, and the sensitivity we all bear toward abused dogs, its no wonder that we’re seeing a substantial debate about the moral and practical effects of the latest generation of remote training collars. The truth of the matter is, some of the electric dog collars on the market today are designed not to punish dogs but as a device to bring them to attention, making them drastically different from "shock collars". Instead of utilizing a powerful jolt, these devices are capable of emitting a slight buzz and have adjustable levels. And they are easy enough to use so that regular dog owners can utilize them. However, even the safest collars won’t work for every dog and every situation, and in fact most dogs won’t even need them, so if you are thinking of purchasing a collar, please consider the following factors:
Does Your Dog Even Need a Remote Training Collar?
This is obviously the big question. Training collars are unnecessary for many of the more intelligent and mild-mannered breeds (such as Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs) as these dogs can respond to and memorize basic commands quickly. But if you happen to own or purchase a dog that ranks much lower on the Coren Dog Intelligence Scale, you may want to consider using a collar. Dogs that are lower-ranked aren’t necessarily unintelligent or unfriendly but may display more of a stubborn streak than their higher-ranked counterparts and may be more prone to behavioral issues if raised improperly.
Automatic vs. Manual

There are basically three types of electric dog collars. The manual type comes with a remote control, giving the owner the ability to control when it should be used. The other two types are automatic collars; one type is activated when the dog barks, the other type is set up so that it goes off when the dog crosses over a prescribed boundary, primarily acting as an “invisible fence”. Barking collars are not recommended, especially since its accuracy has been questioned and has even been known to accidentally pick up nearby barking not associated with the dog it is being used on. Boundary collars on the other hand can be effective but should only be used on a new dog, as they can cause a lot of confusion among dogs who suddenly find their familiar romping space suddenly restricted.
How Often Should it Be Used?
Manual collars should only be used during specific intervals as mild form of aversion training if your dog seems to be having a lot of trouble dealing with oral commands. They should not be used as a punishment device, and it certainly shouldn’t be used to rouse your pup out of its pet bed every morning! And even during training sessions it is necessary to use positive reinforcement as the dominant technique. This is probably the most important aspect of using a remote collar. The biggest mistake that people make when purchasing them to think of it as a shortcut and that it can be used in lieu of other dog obedience tactics, but this is not the case. Using a remote collar as the sole method of training will inevitably do more harm than good.
So, the most important thing to remember is that while dog training collars are easier to use and are much less painful than previous incarnations, they still should only be used in select cases and most importantly should not be seen as a cure-all for a disobedient dog. And if you find yourself unsure of whether or not collars would work best, make sure to consult with a dog trainer first!

Emily Curtis is a pet product specialist for AllPetFurniture, a part of CSN Stores. With a BA in English from Colby College, Emily currently resides in Brookline Massachusetts with her pet spaniel Porkchop and Henry, a five-year old Siamese cat.