Some who are new to the dog training field, usually amateurs or those who have not worked with many dogs, can confuse the idea of training dogs with controlling dogs. In any relationship between a dog and his owner, the owner usually feels the need to gain control over the animal. While this is not always a problem, sometimes the owner can abuse the idea of gaining control of this or her pet.
Training dog collars are a way of exerting control over an animal. The goal of these devices is good- it is to remove an unwanted but natural behavior that a dog displays. The problem is that the method is incorrect and abuses the weaknesses of an animal and is not well suited to the needs of the dog.
Things That Should Be Kept In Mind
As humans, we forget that dogs have individual personalities too. Some are amusing and give us love and laughter, while some are aggressive and difficult to handle, and others are simply too laid back to undergo any type of training, while the easiest to teach are naturally fast learners. Training dog collars can bring out the worst in any of these temperaments and make any dog a slower learner.
Training dog collars were created to gain just enough control over an animal to break an unwanted habit or to gain an animal’s attention. However, some trainers fail to adhere to the basic principle of this type of tool. For example chain and choke collars were one of the first type of training collars invented, but they are also one of the most often misused. There are some dog handlers who have used choke and chain collars so abusively that they have caused neck injuries and permanent scarring to their animals. Some dogs have even been killed, making this type of dog training collar dangerous or at the least counterproductive.
Having The Right Knowledge Is Essential
On the other hand, some handlers simply lack the knowledge it takes to use effectively the type of training dog collars that would work with the specific animal they are working with. For example, electronic shocking dog collars that use remote access even when the owner is not around have become a popular choice for many owners since they allow training to continue even when the owner is not right there. While this may seem to offer a great many advantages, there are some disadvantages that many people have not considered before they make a purchase.
There are some very fundamental reasons why this type of collar could work against an owner’s training goals. For example, some owners don’t take the time to check the fit of the collar. An ill-fitting collar can pinch the skin or scratch causing spots that leave painful burns.This type of burn is much like painful skin lesions is to a human, and must be avoided at all costs. The proper fit for any collar is to make sure there is room for two to three fingers between the fastened collar and the dog’s skin.
Another disadvantage to this type of training dog collars is that they work on the principle of pain, and do not really teach discipline. Electronic training collars send a painful shock to the dog or send an unpleasant sound to discourage a dog from whatever behavior it shouldn’t be doing. Even when it is successful in discoursing the behavior, the system works only when the device is on. If the batteries run low or the dog forgets or loses the collar, the device is no longer effective. On the other hand, training works always, even when there is no owner or collar in sight.
To help rid your dog of unpleasant behaviors, consider training, not collars, as a permanent solution to a pesky problem.
In case you didn’t see it: Here’s an online dog training program that can STOP your dog unwanted behaviors!
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