Shock collars for dogs are an invention to help train your dog and keep them in yards or safe areas. They are collars attached to a small box containing electrical components and a battery. There are two blunt metal probes sticking out on the bottom side of the collar that make contact with the thick skin on the neck of the dog.
Shock Dog Collars
A boundary is set, generally around the perimeter of a yard, and if the collar is taken to the edge of the boundary a warning tone is emitted from the collar alerting the dog that they are at the end of the yard and should go no further. If the dog continues and walks through the boundary a static electric shock is emitted through the two blunt metal probes. Some collars also come with a remote control that the trainer can hold and shock the dog when it is misbehaving. The question is, is this a good way to train your pet?
Dog Collars – Only Small Shocks
The shock administered by the collar is not a large shock; however, it is bigger than the jolt you get by dragging your feet on the carpet and getting a static shock. Shock collars for dogs deliver a painful jolt that leads dogs to jolt and run in fear because of the pain. Your dog may also get confused and associate anything they see in front of them when receiving the shock and the reason for the shock, causing them to be aggressive and afraid of random things or people. If a dog were to run towards its owner outside the boundary area and receive a shock when it got near its owner it may then associate its owner with the painful shock causing them to fear that person or become highly aggressive towards them.
You can adjust the level of shock administered by the collar. It is recommended that the level be set according to how willing to train your dog is. There are, however, a few things to keep in mind. If you are using a shock collar for dogs that live outside they will be outside in rain and snow which will cause any shock to be larger and much more painful. Even on the lowest setting they can elevate the shock to a terrible and sometimes unbearable level of pain.
There are many ways to train a dog besides shock collars. It has been proven that reward-based training generally produces much better results. Many new techniques for training dogs have come around in the last decade and the use of shock collars for dogs has begun to fade in popularity. In fact, it has been banned by the Armed Services, Police and Prison Services for use in training dogs for work. So think carefully if you are considering using a shock collar to train your dog, and imagine yourself in their paws, would you enjoy or respond well to this form of training?