Dog Training

Shock collars are controversial, but are they actually dangerous? Many people who have used them indicate that they are not. They say they are safe and a truly effective way of modifying their pets’ worst behaviors.

You should still take a long hard look at how to use these tools.

The shock collar works by administering a small electric jolt to an animal’s neck whenever it senses a high rate of vibration from the animal’s vocal chords. The level and intensity of the shock is minimal and only meant to dissuade a continued behavior.

People compare the feeling of the shock to the shock one gets from static electricity or from a small battery. It is fairly uncomfortable, but advocates insist it isn’t actually painful and it is very short term.

You should know what size of collar to buy before you buy it. Use a tape measure to get an accurate measurement of your animal’s neck. If you don’t have one of those, get a string or ribbon and wrap it once around the animal’s neck. Then measure that length with a ruler. Collars generally come in three sizes: Small, medium and large.

Always begin with the lowest setting on your pet’s new collar. Most collars do come with a range of settings that allows you to modify the level of shock that will be administered to your animal. If you start at the lowest level, you can increase it as you go depending on your needs.

Don’t consider the shock collar to be a permanent accessory for your pet. Use it only as long as it is necessary, that is, until your pet behaves the way you want.

Once your pet has been trained, it should always associate the unpleasant behaviors with the unpleasant effects of the shock collar. If your pet backtracks into bad behavior, you can reinstate use.

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