The most important facts about shock collars in brief
- A training collar can be used for the education of your dog or cat. The purpose of such a collar is to prevent undesirable behavior.
- You can choose a training collar with shock, spray, water, spikes or vibration.
- Important purchase criteria, such as size, weight and range and the problem to be treated should be considered when choosing a training collar.
Questions to consider before buying a training collar
What a training collar is suitable for?
All pets show undesirable behavior. Cats spread their litter around the house, small dogs bark too much, big dogs jump at strangers. These types of behavior can be prevented with the training collar:
- The dog does not come when you call him
- The dog bites other dogs / humans
- The dog barks constantly without reason
- The dog has strong hunting instinct
- The dog eats unwanted things
- The dog is peeing in the apartment
- The dog destroys furniture
Does my pet need a training collar?
Depending on a problem with your pet, you should choose the best shock collar for pitbull. A large dog that pulls on a leash needs a spiked collar. But a small dog can also benefit from training with a vibrating collar if he barks too much.
Some people even want to use a training collar for their cats. It can be used for example when your pet randomly spreads litter around the house by scratching.
Which training collar is good for what case?
The collar is generally used against unwanted behavior. It can be used against barking, scratching or even biting, jumping up or disobedience. Each function on a collar has a specific purpose.
The following will give you a brief overview:
| Problem | Training Collar Type |
| Pulling on a leash | Spiked collar |
| Unwanted barking | Training collar with spray or vibrating bark-control collar |
| Hunting instinct | Vibration or Shock Collar |
If you push the button too late, training collars will not help
What types of training collars are there and which one is right for you?
Basically there are five different types of training collars:
- with E-shock (electric influence)
- with spray
- with water
- with spikes
- with vibration
With each of these collars, the mechanism of influence on the animal is slightly different. This has individual advantages and disadvantages.
Depending on what you expect from a training collar, one or the other type of collar will suit you. In the following section, we will introduce the different types of training collars and help you decide which one is right for you.
Generally, a Training Collar or Anti-Bark Collar works by conditioning your dog. While a dog is positively conditioned with treats and rewards, if all else fails and the dog disobeys, you can use an E-Collar.
This helps with negative reinforcement, which means that if the dog has done something wrong, he will be punished for it even from a distance and will try to avoid this behavior in the future. However, before using a Training Collar, it is advisable to train the dog against certain behavior in the Dog Training Center.
- In case of aggression
- Unwanted hunting instinct
- With increased barking
- For high jumping on humans
- When running away and disobedience
How does a training shock collar work?
Thicker than the normal dog collar, an E-collar for the dog or for the cat comes together with a remote control, over which the owner can activate a regulated electric stimulation. When the button on the remote control is pressed, the collar’s power is activated. This can be used to teach the animal if it has done something wrong or to punish the behavior, for example, if the dog barks.
The dog collar is also used as a so-called invisible fence with electricity. One indicates a certain range, within which the animal may move. If the dog leaves this area or moves beyond it, the electric shock is activated. This collar works without a remote control, for example, within property boundaries.
Unfortunately, it cannot be excluded that the owners of the animal use such an electric collar completely wrong. Often punishments with electric shocks lead to dog’s tolerance to shock, and wrong usage may lead to neurotic behavior. The inexperience of the owners can hurt thus the animal unnecessarily. Consult a specialist before you start using it.
How does a training collar with spray work?
You can easily put the collar with spray on your dog. It is no bigger than a normal collar. A small capsule with spray is attached to it. The remote control supplied with the collar allows you to activate the training collar in case of undesirable behavior.
When the Spray Collar is activated, it emits a small cloud of spray to scare the dog. The dog may also be frightened by the sound of the spray. There are also different types of sprays, such as those with lemon scent, which can be deterrent.
The spray is odourless for humans or has a pleasant scent.
How does a training collar with water work?
Water on the collar is an effective training aid for your pet. You can prevent unwanted behavior just by pushing a button. Use a remote control to give an acoustic signal or to spray the water, which will correct the unwanted behavior at just the right moment. The important thing is to give your dog the opportunity to get used to this training collar.
How does a training collar with spikes work (spikes on the inside of the collar)?
The spiked collar is made of metal or chromed steel. It is especially suitable for animals that pull on the leash. The spiked training collar fits snugly around the dog’s neck. If he moves too much from your side or pulls in the wrong direction, the spikes will make him realize that this is not right and prick him in the neck.
The spiky collar is also called a prong collar or choke pinch collar. By pulling on the leash, the dog inflicts pain on itself with the spikes. Therefore this training collar is forbidden in some countries. New prong collars have protection tips for spikes to hurt the dog less.
The spiked collar can also be used if your dog is often attacked by other animals. Just put it on the dog the other way round so that the spikes are facing outwards. This way it protects your dog from attackers and keeps them away from your dog’s neck.
How does a training collar with vibration work?
With this training collar, vibrations alert the dog to its misbehavior.
The Training Collar is again supplied with a remote control. The vibrations that the animal feels are not as painful as for example the electric shocks or spikes. The vibration just attracts the dog’s attention and stimulates him.
Weight of the training collar
Depending on whether you have a larger or smaller dog, the weight of your training collar will play a role. A Chihuahua does not necessarily want to have a training collar with a total weight of the dog itself.
That is why we have sorted the training collars by weight. So you can find a light but solid collar among our recommendations, which you and your dog will enjoy equally.
If you are worried that the weight of your chosen training collar might be too much for your dog, you can also check the “Dog’s Weight” section to see what your dog’s body weight should be so that this collar is recommended for him.
Special Features
For the different types of training collars the manufacturers always come up with something new to make the collar special. For example, for a training collar with spray, you can choose between different odors, or equipped with LED so that you can easily find your animal in the dark.
The remote control that comes with the collar can also have special features. For example, you set different levels or it may have its own integrated lighting, different distance range of influence, IPX, safety lock to prevent unwanted activation etc.
Range
With larger dogs, the range of the training collar plays a decisive role. After all, a large dog can move away more quickly and so one must pay close attention to the distance range a Training Collar can be used. If your dog moves beyond the range of the Training Collar, the Training Collar cannot be used properly. Therefore, make sure you are always close enough to your dog during any actions you want to prohibit.
It is best to stand right next to him so that you can put the collar in place in a timely manner. If you punish him too late, the dog will not associate the spray or vibration with the problem action.
Collar fitting
Surely you must pay attention to a good seat of the collar. That is why the circumference of your dog’s neck is a decisive criterion when buying a collar. Use a manufacturer’s sizing chart.
You can distinguish between different types of collars. Some are adjustable with a buckle, others work with a flexible, stretchable elastic band. If you have a very small dog, you can also benefit from a collar that can be customized.
If you don’t know which collar is right for your dog, try measuring his neck. This criterion already eliminates some training collars that may not be available in the right size for your pet.
Tip: The neck size also tells you whether a training collar is suitable for a cat or another pet.
Weight of the dog
The weight of the dog plays a certain role too. You should not put on a very heavy collar a very light dog. Conversely, a large, heavy dog can of course carry a larger collar with spray function well.
How to use a bark control training collar?
The Anti-Bark collar can be easily put on and attached to the animal like a normal collar. It comes without a remote control. It is activated by a continuous dog’s neck vibration while barking, and starts to vibrate itself preventing the dog from barking.
How is the training collar cleaned?
The easiest way to clean the training Collar is with lukewarm water and a little cleaner. You should not use scratchy sponges or abrasive solutions. If the collar is very dirty, you can soak most training Collars in lukewarm water in a sink.
Attention, under no circumstances should you use harsh cleaning agents on the collars, as these can damage the training collar. For example, in the case of spray collars, they can penetrate the spray container or, in the case of spiked collars, they can cause corrosion of the chrome-plated areas, they will rust.
Can the dog wear the training collar and the normal collar together?
Since the training collar usually has no attachment ring, you should always put on a normal collar additionally on your pet. The training collar is not intended to be used to attach a leash. With spray collars, even the spray container could be damaged in this case and the collar loses its purpose.
It is therefore advisable to always put the training collar on your dog with the basic dog collar so that he can be safely led on a leash. The exception is the spiked collar, which only pulls in conjunction with the leash.
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All About W.H.E.
Our namesake, Willy, was an absolutely INCREDIBLE 12+ year old pointer who was found in a construction site chained to a fence being brutalized by a pack of stray dogs and with SEVERE arthritis. After seeing his posts on facebook, and a little push from a friend, I decided to go adopt him. I drove to Cheatham County Animal Control (2 hours away) and brought my man home. He was your typical grumpy old dog, under socialized and painful enough that he would nip if manipulated too much. He had X-rays on day 2 which showed over a dozen bone fractures throughout his entire body that were at different stages of healing. This poor dog had suffered YEARS of literally bone shattering abuse at the hands of his former guardians. Over about a months’ time, Willy received several medications, chiropractic work, homeopathic care, and high quality holistic kibble/home cooking. Willy shocked us all by learning to TRULY LOVE. He only ever really bonded with me, but with me he was a smiling, kissing, wagging, cuddly lovebug of a furkid who was just a joy to be around. One day, while playing in the yard with his brothers and sister, he came over to where I was sitting on the ground, laid in my lap, and passed quietly in his sleep. I was so honored that he had chosen to come to me for his last moments. That a dog previously unable to connect with a human, had made such a deep connection as to share his last breath with me. I was so blessed to have had my time with him, he TRULY changed my life.
Willy’s Happy Endings started as a 1-2 dog sanctuary program for super-seniors, those expected to live no more than a few months, who had been abandoned at shelters in terrible condition, suffering, and having never known love. I wanted to do something to honor Willy’s memory and saving more of those just like him seemed like just the thing to do it. We started the foster program in August 2012 and it has been a whirlwind climb to where we are today.
Our rescue is now dedicated to both sanctuary AND finding loving homes for senior and special needs dogs who, in a recent survey by Petfinder of rescues and shelter groups, were determined to be the most difficult to place demographic of homeless dogs.
We embrace QUALITY over QUANTITY, meaning that we do not treat conservatively in order to save more animals. When we pull a dog, we commit entirely to that animal no matter the cost financial, emotional, or otherwise. This means the BEST in veterinary care, physical therapy (including underwater treadmill, laser, MOBs) chiropractic, holistic or home cooked diet.
We are so proud to be NO-KILL, until our vet tells us it is time to help a dog cross the bridge in peace, no animal will be euthanized.
As you can imagine, our work is incredibly time consuming and financially draining and ALL of our staff and foster homes (including myself) are unpaid volunteers. WHE could not do ANY of this without your support! Please visit the ‘You Can Help’ tab in the menu along the top of the page for donation options, volunteer opportunities, and more information on becoming a foster family. Please share us and our adoptable dogs, as networking really does save lives!
Thank you SO much for your support of our mission to save those most often left behind!
As always, WHE LOVE YOU!
Rafaela Johnson
Founder/Director, Willy’s Happy Endings
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