A remote shock collar for training is an accessory that helps to painlessly, quickly and effectively train all dogs, starting with a tiny chihuahua and ending with a large Caucasian shepherd. An adjustable, safe level of electrical stimulation makes it easy to learn new commands and get rid of bad habits.
In this article we offer the ultimate guide concerning everything you want to know about electronic dog collars, how to train a dog with a shock collar as well as the list of the best dog training collar universal sets with comfortable straps, a wide range of current stimulation, moisture-proof properties, and a different reception range depending on the radius of use.
Educator E-Collar
Editor’s Choice
Remote-controlled electronic collar ET-300 Mini, manufactured by the American company E-Collar Technologies Inc., is intended for training, monitoring the behavior of the dog. It is effective in teaching a dog new commands, reinforcing acquaintances, prohibiting unwanted actions, and limiting aggression.
The dog shock collar ET-300 Mini is absolutely safe. New technology has been applied in production, which uses static stress that does not harm the animal. Thanks to the use of a wide, not narrow, impulse, the effect is only on the muscles, without affecting the nerve cells of the body.
The muscles are slightly compressed, while the dog feels a slight tingling, tickling, patting or discomfort, but not pain. The cells are not damaged, the psyche of the pet is not injured. The energy level that the device emits is very limited and is comparable to the static stimulation obtained by touching a metal object, passing through the carpet.
Pros
- Can not harm the muscles or cervical vertebrae of the animal
- Effective for any size of a dog
- Up to 100 levels of stimulation are supported, which provides flexibility in setting and the ability to effectively apply to almost any temperament and size of the dog, from tiny to large and stubborn.
Cons
- Needs constant charging
- Manual may be too complicated for newbies
Runpettee Dog Training Collar
Best Budget Pick
The kit consists of a training collar with a box fixed on it, in which there is a device for influencing the dog and remote control in the form of a walkie-talkie. To influence the dog, two methods are used: short-term electrical impulses and vibration.
This kit is used to train and teach dogs new commands, to improve the performance of commands familiar to the dog, to correct unwanted behavior (reduce aggression, eliminate disobedience, barking, capture unwanted objects and attempt to escape), to control the dog’s behavior at a distance of up to 330 yards. The shock collar is made of a high-quality nylon belt with a plastic latch, a double-slot buckle to adjust the length. The receiver of the collar is water-resistant.
Pros
- Water resistance
- Easy to use
- Suitable for different size of dogs
Cons
- It doesn’t automatically turn on
- It doesn’t have the hair release button
SportDOG Brand 425 Remote Trainers
Best Waterproof
The SportDog Sporttrainer shock collar for dogs designed for remote training has proven to be a safe, convenient and effective tool for use on all dogs weighing over 8 pounds. With appropriate and proper use, this product allows you to consolidate commands and correct improper dog behavior from a distance of up to 500 yards (for maximum distance, you must hold the remote transmitter in an upright position, extending your hand above your head and moving it away from the body).
The maximum range of the system is affected by the terrain, weather conditions, vegetation, signals from other radio devices and other factors.
The dog training collar receiver is designed to transmit four types of stimulation: continuous static, instant static, sound signal and vibration. At the same time, up to 8 levels of stimulation are supported (using a remote transmitter).
Pros
- The approximate working time on a single charge is 40-60 hours
- Transmitter is smaller than was expecting based on photo
Cons
- A little stiff and we’d prefer it be a little softer or nicer for the dog’s neck
Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle
Best Training Collar With GPS
Garmin Alpha 100 is equipped with a 3-inch touchscreen display, making it easy to control and give commands to your pet. Buttons for giving commands are conveniently located on the device and do not provide the opportunity to get confused. The command and training process is the supply of long and short pulses to the TT15 GPS small dog shock collar.
Garmin Alpha 100 has an important feature. It allows you to monitor 20 dogs simultaneously, even at those moments when they are at a considerable distance. The device has pre-installed maps, thereby providing the opportunity always to know your exact location and use it as a tourist GPS navigator. An additional plus is that the device has the support of the BirdsEye Satellite Imagery mapping service, providing the ability to download satellite terrain of interest squares.
Pros
- The top-notch system you’ll like from the first walk.
- The user interface and button layout is on another level
Cons
- The levels of stimulation are hard to be switched quickly
- The antennae are easy to get scratched/nicked immediately
Dogtra Edge Dog Remote Trainer
Best for Multiple Dogs
Dogtra EDGE professional pet trainer shock collar is a fully customizable and expandable up to 4 dogs in the system model, designed for professionals and serious lovers. This model of the best dog shock collar implements a set of advanced features: step-by-step and smooth adjustment of the power level of electrical stimulation, a fully waterproof kit and built-in powerful LEDs (strobes) in the receiver, the color of which matches the color of the strap.
This model, due to its design features, is designed to control the dog at a great distance. It is indispensable in sports, as well as hunting without a beeper with a pack. The Dogtra EDGE shock collars for dogs combine the latest developments of the company with the highest reliability.
The best shock collar has an increased radius of action, which qualitatively distinguishes it from other models (including varieties for professionals).
Pros
- 2-hour fast charge of Lithium Polymer batteries
- Expandable to two, three or four dogs in the system
Cons
- Flimsy materials
- Complicated manual
How to choose the Best Dog Training Collar?
What is a Dog Training Collar?
Many methods of animal training consist in the development in the psyche of the animal of certain stable reactions (conditioned reflexes) to one or another stimulus. One of the most popular ways to train and control the behavior of an animal is using dog training collars, controlled using a remote control.
The collar with an electric shock for dogs is one of the most humane methods of training, as evidenced by the numerous reviews of dog breeders. Using electric impulses of various strengths, you can gently generate a reaction in a dog and teach it how to execute commands, thereby disabling an unpleasant irritant. The electric collar for dogs has the ability to control the strength and frequency of the pulses, which is suitable for training dogs with various types of temperament.
How do Dog Training Collars Work?
The electric collar has metal contacts that allow an electrical impulse to pass through a short section of your pet’s neck to let the dog understand its mistakes.
Each dog is individual and therefore, for each dog, the current must be selected individually. The normal reaction of the dog to the current is when he, after stimulation, looked to the side, ducked, jerked or twisted his head.
Also, the electric collar has the functions of vibration and sound. In most cases, after the dog senses an electrical impulse several times on, it will suffice to feel only the sound or vibration in his neck to understand who the owner is. In practice, it is better to use the vibration mode, keeping the sound mode in reserve, so that for the dog it is something new and incomprehensible so that he does not get used to it.
Benefits of Dog Shock Collars
As lovers of our dogs, the last thing we want to do for them is to hurt. It goes without saying that when we give current stimulation to our favorites, we make ourselves nervous. Today we have nothing to worry about since all modern electronic collars have a stimulation time lock system that automatically disables the static impulse after a certain period of time, usually 10-20 seconds depending on the model.
This ensures that during this period of time, your dog will not be harmed. Also, most models have a low battery warning, which will help you to know for sure that the battery is low so that you never go outside with a dog with a collar that does not work.
Thus, you can buy an electric collar in an online store without any doubt about the safety of this solution. And this is the main thing for every owner of the animal.
The use of an electronic collar has a number of indisputable advantages:
- Immediate reaction – in case of disobedience, a delinquent pet immediately feels the effect of an irritant;
- Ease and convenience of use – in most cases, you just need to press one or a couple of buttons on the remote control;
- Manageability – you will cease to be faced with the fact that your dog allegedly does not hear the commands that you are giving;
- Getting rid of unwanted actions – the animal will quickly understand that punishment is inevitable in any case;
- Preservation of trust – in most cases, the dog does not connect the impact of the electronic collar with the actions of its owner, accepting it, as a punishment from the outside, “out of nowhere”.
Types of Dog Shock Collars
- Collars for training – are used to more efficiently train commands or correct behavior. Such an electric collar is not intended for continuous wear. It is only a temporary means.
- Glowing collars – for lovers of walking with a dog in the dark.
- Collars with navigation – are an indispensable thing for hunters. The collar is equipped with a radio or GPS, which sends a signal about the location of the dog to the communicator screen or a special application.
- Bark Control Collars – are activated when the dog begins to bark. Putting it on, especially at night, is especially relevant if, in addition to the “talkative” dog, the lady has small children.
- Electronic fence – controls the radius of the animal. If the dog leaves the designated area, the specified warning is automatically triggered on the collar.
Features to consider
Signaling modes
Sound signal
The weakest way of exposure. Using this function, you can indicate the mistake to your pet made by him by giving a sound signal.
Vibration
The animal learns of an unacceptable action by vibrating the collar. As practice shows, most often vibration modes are sufficient to ensure dog obedience, but in some cases, it is necessary to stop the dog by a stronger effect.
Electrical stimulation
Despite the frightening name, the effect of the electric discharge of the electronic collar on the dog can be compared with the sensations during physiotherapy: with the right level of exposure, the animal feels only vibration or slight muscle contraction. For electrical stimulation, weak currents are used, the impact force of which is individually regulated, taking into account the sensitivity of the dog.
Stimulation level
As for the number of levels of stimulation, we recommend that the collar has from 5 to 20 different levels. This will help you to more easily determine the level of stimulation you need, to which the dog responds well and problem-free. A large number of stimulation levels does not affect the power of the electric neck.
Watch out for the choice of the optimal level of exposure: too weak will not have the proper effect on the dog, and an overstated one will scare the animal and can cause significant harm.
Range
To choose a model that suits you, you need to consider the range. For hunting dogs, the most important criterion is the range and protection against water. There should always be a margin of range; in such cases, we recommend a range of 400 yards.
Waterproof
As for retrievers or other diving or just water-loving dogs, the range takes the back seat in terms of functionality and versatility. For these dogs, the collar must be waterproof, and the range is not so important. During field trials of Labradors, 95% of them will run no further than 150 meters.
FAQ
This issue is now being actively discussed, and there is still no evidence of their harm to the dog’s body. But for us, the most important evidence of their safety is their own use and experience of people who actually use an electric collar. And after we heard a large number of customer reviews, we can definitely tell you that the vast majority of people say that the electric collar is a safe and effective way to keep your dog safe.
We want to add from ourselves that the electric collar works at a high voltage of the order of 10,000 volts, and at a very low current. And since harm to the body is not caused by tension, but by the strength of the current, we are not afraid of anything. Also, in all modern models, there is a system of self-protection from harming pets, the system itself turns off when you hold the button on the remote control for a long time. Well and most importantly, all the collars that are in the range on our website have passed the certification of the European ROHS directive.
Today’s companies spend a lot of time and effort, convincing us that their collars are safe. To do this, they developed their electric collars with these key features:
Lower levels of electrical stimulation. Several decades ago, only the accessible three levels of stimulation were available, high, very high and painfully high. Studies conducted by leading companies over the past few decades have shown that most dogs respond well to lower levels of electrical stimulation and this knowledge has been incorporated into today’s electric collars.
A wide variety of levels of stimulation. Most electric dog collars on the market today have 4-10 levels of a static shock to choose from, and this allows you to find the mode that suits your pet, and there are also models with 100 levels of adjustment.
There is also an audio signal and vibration that completely replace current stimulation. In modern collars, current stimulation is needed only in extreme cases; for example, your dog runs after the car or picks up trash from the floor when walking.
Constant barking can drive you and your neighbors crazy! To prevent this, there are anti-bark collars, they themselves are able to control your dog’s barking. The principle of operation depends on their type.
In general, the collar is able to detect barking by measuring the vibrations in the dog’s vocal cords. When the dog barks, the vibrating dog collar provides an incentive for the dog, warning him that this is the result of barking.
If the dog continues to bark, it will receive the next stimulation with great power and continues until the last time. If there are large pauses between barking, the device will start working the first time.
Usually, dogs rarely reach their maximum, but if this happens, the device turns off for a certain time. The type of stimulation depends on the type of vibrating dog collars. It can be current, sound, vibration. Modern vibrating dog collars work not only on barking but also on howling.
There is no clear answer to this question, but you have to be aware that there are recommendations in your collar’s manual concerning the longevity of constant using of the product.
This number can change depending on your dog’s size and breed.
Most of the modern shock collars are waterproof. This enables your pet to swim freely without a thought of collars damaging and hurting your friend.
However, whether you aren’t sure that your collar is water-resistant better contact your manufacturer.
Today, the electric collar is designed to provide maximum results with a minimum amount of stimulation. Most people say that their dogs had to experience an electrical impulse once or twice, and only in the initial training period, and then they simply use vibration or sound.
The dog experiences a slight tingling sensation that surprises and interrupts abnormal behavior. Since the dog is a very intelligent creature, it will not take much time, and she will understand that it is precisely the wrong behavior that leads to a feeling of discomfort.
This unexpected effect is often underestimated, and therefore it is rumored that the electric collar harms our dogs.
Having said all this, we want you to know about some situations where the electronic collar should not be used or where there is extreme caution:
– You can not use electrical stimulation on young dogs under the age of 6 months since they themselves are in this return and don’t understand what they are doing and they just want to play and they need to be understood.
– Do not use an electric collar on aggressive dogs to increase their level of aggression.
– It is undesirable to use on pregnant, elderly or sick dogs.