There are a lot of reasons someone would need to use an e-collar with their dog that has nothing to do with behavioral issues. Quite a lot of dog owners think that e-collars are just for “bad dogs,” but that’s not true in any respect.
That’s just one in all the numerous myths about e-collar use in dog training.
While e-collars can work wonders for dogs with behavioral problems, what I actually love about them is that they create a transparent and effective communication line between the dog and the human.
7 Reasons to Use an E-Collar for Dog Training
E-collars are widely misunderstood dog training tools which have a nasty rap because of marketing tactics utilized by adversaries.
The reality is, they’re incredibly efficient and effective tools that can assist with behavioral problems, develop fluent obedience, and supply a dog with freedom.
Whether you’re trying to tackle reactivity issues or enjoy stress-free off-leash adventures, listed here are a seven reasons that you just might want to contemplate using an e-collar together with your dog.
Off-leash Recall
Reliable recall is some of the common reasons that owners need to use an e-collar.
Are you able to get reliable recall without an e-collar? Sure, with some dogs.
But, what if you happen to’re mountaineering and a deer crosses your path?
A bear? A mountain lion?
What if there are other dogs and folks ahead of you on the trail? Are you able to recall your dog from those distractions?
When trained accurately, the dog will come without the necessity for a stim from the e-collar, nonetheless, my dog all the time wears one when he’s off-leash. I consider it an insurance policy for a similar reason I wear a seatbelt.
You don’t need to experience that moment whenever you need it and don’t have it.
Provide Clear Communication together with your Dog
The e-collar is some of the effective tools to speak together with your dog, plain and straightforward. Dogs are tactile animals, which implies they impart first through touch, then sight, then sound. That is the other of humans, who rely first on sound, then sight, then touch.
Often, once we communicate with our dogs, we use our primary approach to communication first, which ends up in confusion in our dogs. Further, we’re also communicating in our own language, so now there are two lines of communication that should not fluent for either party.
The e-collar provides a consistent message that your dog can learn to know with fluency. It takes a number of practice and repetitions, but it surely works much more effectively than positive reinforcement alone.
Correct for Non-Compliance with a Command
Like humans, all dogs are individual beings and require different levels of corrections based on temperament or distraction.
There will probably be a time when a distraction is of upper value to a dog than the reward offered by the handler. Often, these moments occur when a dog is off-leash and there’s one other dog, person, animal, or road with cars and the stakes are high for non-compliance with a known command.
In these instances, when it’s pertinent that the dog returns to the owner, they need to learn that there are consequences for ignoring a known command. Repeating commands again and again or ineffective corrections just nag the dog and teach them that they don’t need to listen to the handler.
That is where an e-collar correction is available in. The aim of the correction isn’t to punish a dog for bad behavior, it’s to vary the dog’s behavior.
Speeding tickets are a great example for humans. Let’s say a cop pulls you over for speeding and allows you to off with a warning since it’s the primary instance.
The following day, they catch you again and also you apologize profusely and promise that it won’t occur again, so that they allow you to off over again.
The third day, the cop stops you and this time gives you a ticket. Clearly the message isn’t getting across and something must occur with a view to stop the behavior.
Develop Obedience Commands
The way in which I train dogs involves first teaching them the essential commands using positive reinforcement and leash pressure using the prong collar, then I layer the e-collar over the commands.
This teaches the dog methods to turn the pressure on and off. They learn that through completing the command, the pressure comes off. The longer they take to finish the command, the longer they feel the pressure.
Once the dog is fluent with the commands each with and without pressure, then I can use the e-collar for corrections.
Give Your Dog More Freedom
E-collars allow trained dogs to have more freedom. Combined with structure, leadership, and proper training, an e-collar trained dog will have the ability to have more access in house, within the yard, and on the paths.
I can take my dog to parks without fencing with little worry that he’ll run into the road because I can simply recall him back with the push of a button if vital.
Communicate with Your Dog on or Off Leash
I like that I can silently communicate with my dog with the e-collar, whether he’s on or off leash. If we’re out running and he gets too far ahead of me, I just give him a light-weight tap, tap and he stops in his tracks to return to me. I don’t need to yell to him or say a word, the e-collar does the talking.
I can even do the identical once we’re walking on leash and he starts to react to a dog or truck. I just give him a faucet to get him out of the fight mindset and remind him that I’ve got all the pieces under control.
Help your Dog Get out of a Potentially Dangerous Mindset
Those with reactive dogs can use the e-collar to get their dog out of a fighting mindset with a faucet of the distant. The important thing to managing reactivity is to catch it before it happens.
Let’s say you’re on a walk together with your dog they usually spot one other dog down the road. You notice their ears perk up they usually begin to huff, that’s your cue to offer slightly tap and remind them that their job is to remain in heel, not worry concerning the other dog.
It really works especially well when your dog is off-leash around other dogs and starts to get into that mindset. You’ll be able to prevent a possible fight with a stim paired with “let’s go” or recall.
