Electric Dog Training Collar Lie- It Burns Your Dog’s Skin
I’m not afraid to admit that I’m an advocate of using an electric dog training collar in my training programs. There are many dog trainers today who use them but attempt to hide the fact. As a matter of point, I’ve even seen a very famous dog trainer (not naming names) with a television show use them but hide them by putting bandanas around the dog’s neck.
The reason I like them is that I believe in what I call a ‘stabilized approach’ to dog training. That means that I do use correction but I stabilize it with praise and motivation. I believe that today’s trainers that only use treats or only use motivation are doing a disservice to dogs.
Having said that, I believe that if I’m going to give a correction, I want it to be leveraged. In other words, I want to use the least amount of correction, the most humane correction, to get the best results. When used properly, an electric dog training collar fits the bill as we can use no more than a little tickle with most dogs. About 90% of the dogs I work with are trained on levels that most people have a hard time feeling. The dog only experiences a tiny little tickle, vibration, or stimulation. It definitely falls under the category of humane.
Unfortunately, there are many lies out there about e-collars. One of those lies is that it will ‘burn your dog’s skin’ and must be avoided. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Electric Dog Training Collar Lie- It’s Actually The Friction
Let me first admit, I’ve seen ‘burned’ skin on dog’s necks numerous times after the usage of an electric collar. This isn’t terribly common but it does happen.
When you research these collars online, though, the opponents will attempt to make you believe that the burned skin comes from zapping the heck out of your dog with an evil ‘shock collar’. This isn’t the case, though. It’s actually IMPOSSIBLE for a dog’s skin to be burned by the tiny current that passes through the e-collar.
What is actually happening when you see burned skin is the dog has had the collar on too tight or too loose or too long. Too loose means the contact points rub back and forth all day long. Too tight means the contact points can dig in and create heat from friction under the skin. Too long means that the dog’s skin is exposed to friction for too long a period. Any of these conditions can create too much heat from which a hot spot or sore can appear. I’ve actually seen the same sores on a dog’s neck when they get a burr trapped underneath a regular collar, I’ve seen the same sore’s on my daughter’s feet when they walk around too long with sandals that cause friction on their feet.
The bottom line is that when you are doing your research online about e-collars, it’s important to note that those who claim that they burn skin are either misinformed or are lying.
Electric Dog Training Collar- You Need Experience To Use It
As much as I’m telling you how much I like e-collars it’s also important to note that they are the quickest way to make mistakes and screw up your dog. You need to have proper training techniques and understand the skills behind this style of training.
For our clients we’ve put together a program for electric dog training collar skills and techniques. Done right, this is the fastest and most humane way to train a dog.
