What Are E-Collars and Are They Safe to Use
E-collars are commonly used in balanced dog training methods. Balanced training means that someone uses both positive reinforcement and corrective training. Corrective training gets a bad reputation and is often referred to in a negative way because people think the dog is being harmed. There are all types of corrective training methods. For example, leash popping by firmly pulling back when your dog is pulling is a corrective training method. E-collars are another form of corrective training. Read below on this training tool and why we sometimes utilize it in our training methods.
Are e-collars safe to use on dogs?
Modern electronic collars (e-collars) use TENS technology (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), which delivers a mild pulse that stimulates muscle contraction. It’s the same thing your PT or Chiropractor uses on you when you are in for treatment. The collar allows for someone to remotely signal that mild pulse.
Best practices for training with e-collars?
E-collars are not a replacement for the time it takes to build in a clear understanding of what you are asking your dog to do. You can’t slap an e-collar on your dog then immediately expect it to know what to do if you never trained with your dog before.
Don’t start at the highest setting either. Start low then work your way up. Each dog’s responsiveness can be different.
It’s also important to recognize the difference between a quality e-collar and one that may be cheaper but works less consistently or even more of a shock.
We only use high quality e-collars that utilize TENS technology. We also work slowly and build foundations of trust and understanding during the training process. Our trainers are experts with this tool, and are happy to answer any and all questions to determine if this tool is a good fit for you and your dog.
Can e-collars help my dog?
E-collars are an extension to all the repetitions you already completed using positive reinforcement. E-collars are the perfect tools to ensure that you can communicate with your dog consistently even when they’re experiencing off leash freedom! E-collar training can also be useful when you need to correct a potentially dangerous behavior quickly. This can mean high prey drive, excessive leash pulling, aggression, or even jumping on children or elderly.
Does Big Paws Academy use e-collars in dog training?
Big Paws Academy trainers offer e-collars as one option of balanced dog training. We believe that e-collars are a valuable dog training tool if and when used appropriately. If people want to use e-collars, then we want to help people train their dogs the right way.
Using an e-collar on your dog can unlock new freedom for you and your dog. It also provides a safety button. Dogs are dogs. Old or bad behaviors can creep up. When your dog is wearing an e-collar, you can intervene no matter the circumstances. If you want to talk about e-collar dog training or ask which e-collar is best, book a free consultation with us. All the dog trainers utilize e-collars on their personal dogs and offer training sessions for e-collars.
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