Dog training collars, tips and tricks | The Dog Whisperer and Training Collars
Dog Training Collars
The Dog Whisperer and Training Collars
It is often mentioned here and on other sites that various collars are barbaric, out dated relics of a period in dog training when we leaned on dominance in lieu of understanding. Yet, for all of that, on an episode of the Dog Whisperer today I watched Cesar Millan use both a choke collar and a shock collar to aid in conditioning dogs with behavior problems.
Folks, the debate will never end. Collars of this nature have been alternately condemned or praised depending on which side of the fence you might find yourself, but Cesar Millan’s use of such dog training collars will, I hope, give opponents pause.
First, Cesar is a professional. This is what he does for a living and his methods are successful. I don’t doubt his clients would gladly attest to his effective use of both dog psychology AND training collars in successfully curing problem behavior. Victoria Stilwell of It’s Me or the Dog fame strikes me as one person who might cringe at the use of such training devices. Victoria relies heavily on canine psychology in her training. Her techniques are unquestionably sound and proven, but then so are Cesar’s.
The fact that many trainers do use choke, prong and shock collars in their training, in my opinion, serves as at least an endorsement of their reliability. But as stated in my previous post on choke collars, a professional’s skill and experience are what limits the potential for psychological or physical harm. What you have to decide as an owner is if you can emulate their technique and master the same level of patience Victoria manages before using one of these dog training devices.
When I mention emulating the pros, I want you to focus on quick, timely correction followed by quick, timely neutrality followed, ultimately, by praise and reward. In the case of choke and prong collars, your objective is a quick, sharp snap of the lead, NOT a brutal jerk on the leash. This is the correction element and it should happen the moment your dog initiates the unwanted behavior.
Learn to recognize the triggers that lead to the bad behavior and anticipate that you may time the correction well. Aggressive posturing, tension of the body or rigid dominance stances are just some of the clues you are looking for. The instant you see such behavior, snap the lead and include a verbal queue. Cesar makes a short, sharp hiss like “HSSST!” Victoria’s audible queue of choice as a loud, clipped “AH AH!” Both help enforce the physical correction of the collar and will help you gradually transition away from a dog training collar as your voice alone will serve as an effective correction.
Next, regardless what type of collar you use, immediately stop the correction when the behavior has been modified. Don’t depend on a long pull on the leash or drag your dog away. Focus on short, sharp corrections. If the behavior continues, give another short, sharp correction. Keep doing so until you see the behavior you desire.
Finally, when your dog begins to show signs he’s “getting it,” be sure to reward. Some will argue the benefits of food rewards vs. affection rewards but it’s entirely up to you and either is fine depending on your dog’s response. I, for example, own two rescues. One loves praise and affection. The other is much more staid and, while appreciative of affection when we’re playing, responds far better to food rewards when we are training. Use what works, just remember the sequence; Correct, neutrally observe for improved behavior, reward.
To paraphrase the Dog Whisperer, in a dog’s world there are either leaders or followers. Nobody is a neutral party. If you aren’t assuming the role of a leader then you are your dog’s follower (in his eyes). It is your job to be your dog’s leader and give him the rules to follow. If you fail to do this you risk your happiness, your dog’s happiness, your family’s happiness and very well might lose the dog should he ever bite somebody. You can be pals when it’s play time. The rest of the time, remember who the boss HAS to be.
Comments
I think the most overused piece of training equipment is the e-collars i don’t think they should be apart of basic training
My dog, (miniature jack russell), has no respect for the road. If he ever breaks loose from me, off to the road he goes. I’m so afraid that one of those times, he is going to get hit. Please tell me what I can do.
Jen - I agree. I feel they can have their place, but would prefer they be left to qualified trainers under only very specific conditions. Even then I’m hesitant.
Dixie - Jacks are nothing short of little forces of nature. I can understand your concern. If you’re using a standard buckle collar, ensure it fits. No more than two fingers should slip under the collar.
A better, safer alternative would be to use a body harness. Your Jack can lunge all he wants, he won’t get out of it.
Also remember there’s a loop at the other end of that leash for a reason. Use it. Don’t hold the leash casually. Ensure your hand is through the wrist loop at all times.
There’s no reason to be a tense owner. The tension just translates straight through to the dog. Simply accept that you own a stubborn little tasmanian devil in Jack Russell costume and use the right tools for the job. Once you adapt to the required precautions and embrace them, you’ll find your walks much less stressful.
Once you have the right tools and the right attitude, begin real obedience training. We often pamper our pets obscenely, forgetting that these are animals, not children. But like children, they require structure, discipline and a respect for your authority and for consequences. If you love your pet too much to teach it obedience, particularly to stop and return on command, you run the risk of literally loving your pet to death.
yeah, my 2 dogs are sisters and everytime they see eachother on the leash, they pull really hard to try to get to eachother.
The big problem with many of the statements being made above about using corrections to “train” a dog is that you are punishing your dog from the beginning, without taking the time to show him what it is you wanted him to do in the first place. Why is this so widely accepted? What would people think if children were given their final exams on the first day of school so that they would all be failed, then told “Well, you better go home and try to figure out what you’re being tested on tomorrow and study, because you’re going to be tested AGAIN!” This IS what’s happening with these OUTDATED methods of physical corrections. Give the dog a few training lessons where he can actually LEARN HOW to achieve success in your eyes, before “correcting” him for knowing nothing of the sort. Use their favorite toys and pieces of their meal as rewards for their figuring out the hand signal for “Sit”–soon, the dog will realize that Sit is a good thing to do, and he will ‘ask’ for things and seek your approval by doing this behavior for you. Another problem with using the leash/collar corrections is that dogs quickly become “leash-wise” and will not perform the same skills unless the collar is on and the leash is in your hand!! In my opinion, a dog that is TRULY TRAINED is one that has learned how to perform their obedience skills through the positive associations they’ve learned through them, and they are able to respond to the verbal CUES and hand signals as they are communicated to them…on AND off leash, and in a variety of environments and situations! Above all, it’s the responsibility of us HUMANS to EDUCATE ourselves the basics of animal learning theory so that we are SMART ENOUGH to not get caught up in the hollywood money-making machines of celebrity dog trainers…and train our dogs beautifully!
OMG!!!!!! who would use a choke collar on a dog. it can ruin a dogs delicate throat/ choke it. he used a shock collar 2?!! shock collars can cause anxiety and all sorts of problems including death. ceser sux!:P he should use a harness or a head collar instead. hes so abusive and i cant belive those people let him do that to their dogs!
Through the years, we have accumulated a pack of four dogs in all sizes from small to quite large. Our problem is that the largest one has become very aggressive with the others in the pack. We are in a terrific bind because we are planning to leave the house and dogs in the care of a friend, and we hate to burden him with having to separate the alpha from the others constantly. Is there a muzzle that can be worn all the time? As much as I hate them, we can think of no other solution under the circumstances. We are scheduled to leave this weekend, and the job will be in the hands of a friend who is house and dog-sitting. What a debacle!
CAdogtrainer - in some respects we already do to our children precisely what you’re saying. They’re called aptitude or placement tests and serve as a foundation from which to build. And you aren’t just sent home to dwell on the results anymore than training a dog stops with the first pull on the leash. So I don’t think that’s the best analogy. To your point, I think it’s like spanking a child the first time he makes a mistake.
I fully agree with your basic premise of positive reinforcement training and have stated that many times before on this blog. Have a whole post devoted to its virtues at http://www.dogtrainingcollarsguide.com/positive-reinforcement-training/
But, it’s naive to think that one method is the exclusive answer to every situation possible. In fact, I think it’s wholly irresponsible to condemn somebody for using a specific type of collar without knowing their circumstances or their level of responsibility in its use. Sorry, gang, but not everybody tries to rip their dog’s heads off with choke collars anymore than everybody who owns a gun goes out and shoots people.
I love the way you wrap up your comment, CA. “…train our dogs beautifully!” If only every dog owner had the patience and didn’t immediately gravitate towards the latest collar trend for a solution. Since they do, though, the best I can hope to do is educate them to use those collars with as much sensitivity, compassion and responsibility possible.
Thanks for the visit!
Carol - There’s no such thing as an all-the-time muzzle. Muzzles should only be worn while an animal is supervised.
My recommendation, if you don’t want to burden your house-sitter, is to kennel your alpha while you’re away. If you’re like me, you dread the thought, but it’s probably the safest solution for all involved.
Try to establish a good relationship with a local boarder, get to know them and spare everybody a big headache. When you get back from vacation, it’s time to work on correcting your pup’s behavior by calling a behaviorist recommended by a trusted trainer in your area.
Best of luck and hope your vacation is full of fun, sun and relaxation!
SjSj - There isn’t a collar on the market without some risk, including the head collar you mentioned which can also cause serious neck damage. A body harness is probably the best of all available options but some dogs (particularly larger breeds) feel so un-motivated by it that they’ll continue right on doing whatever they want despite the harness (and drag their owners face first across the pavement in the process). In other words, the collar isn’t the problem. Neither is the dog. The problem is always the owner (or his patience or available time or willingness to learn how to understand his pet.)
In other words, the problem is in the way collars are used: on the wrong dog, in the wrong way, by an uneducated owner, in an irresponsible manner, etc.
Dog collars are like kitchen knives. In the hands of a psychopath, they kill people. In the hands of a clumsy person, they hurt and kill people. In the hands of a responsible, trained and experienced person, they produce culinary magic. The same applies to collars. If the owner isn’t patient, knowledgeable, experienced and trained, they (the collars) are dangerous. Otherwise, they are just tools (again, the collars).
I have just posted a video about the amazing things you can do without using any type of collar corrections whatsoever. This is a 10 minute documentary style video on a 1 year old pit bull type puppy dog named Jackie Brown. Jackie has been trained to an extraordinary level of offleash control using no leash or shock collar corrections whatsoever. This isn’t to say that corrections are bad. It’s simply an illustration of what can happen when you focus on the most powerful training tool of all. The dog’s mind
check it out
MP