Training collars can be powerful tools when used properly. Many veterinarians, trainers, and animal behaviorists believe positive reinforcement – using verbal markers like “Yes!” or “Good boy!’- and reward-based training are the most successful means of altering unwanted behaviors in dogs. Unfortunately, some prey-driven or disruptive dogs may prove challenging to train using regular collars and leashes alone; shock collars may provide the solution in these instances.
Before using a training collar on your dog, ensure it is fitted correctly and set at its lowest stimulation level. You may wish to test its sensitivity by wearing it yourself and applying electronic pulses starting at level one and gradually increasing in intensity until level four or five are reached. In an ideal world, when responding to electronic stimuli with electronic stimulus collars, your pup should either respond with no response at all, whimper or no reaction at all; otherwise it is too strong and should be adjusted down.
Once your dog has adjusted to his or her new shock collar, begin using it to reinforce commands such as sit and stay. Start at a low setting, gradually increasing stimulation until he or she responds with either an ear twitch or head tilt – these responses should signal that your dog has become comfortable wearing one.