Stop the Shock!

We still get emails from people wondering why shock collars don’t work with their dogs. Received just last week in our general inbox(!!!):

Hi, I just got in from rounding up my dog. He has a sound/buzz/ shock collar that used to work. It doesn’t anymore. I take him to the dog park three times a week. He has three acres to run but refuses to come back when it’s time. Tonight and many other nights he runs up to the roadway and won’t come back. I got him to come back by tricking him with treats into the house after four hours. I can’t keep him or afford obedience lessons. He is seven-months old and neutered. May you take him please?

A Desperate Owner

We were flabbergasted. We get lots of requests to take dogs but this problem seems easy to solve-—stop using the shock collar and put your dog on a leash. Your dog may not be happy about it but your dog will be safe. We’re not the only ones who are confused by people’s inability to grasp that shock collars are a bad thing. Coincidentally, trainer Roman Gottfried addressed this same topic in his Facebook blog reprinted below. Roman is an international holistic dog behavior consultant and speaker, who specializes in guardian breeds, separation anxiety, aggression, emotional trauma recovery,

We shared this information with the person who wrote to us above about the ineffectiveness of their collar and they were extremely grateful. Roman says:

“I’m puzzled as to why we’re still having this discussion.

Regardless of what the industry terms it—educator, remote training collar, e-collar, shock collar, electric stimulation device—the underlying principles of its operation remain consistent. A dog receives an unpleasant stimulus, either a brief shock or continuous sensation, aimed at modifying their behavior to suit the handler’s preferences or needs. This occurs without the dog’s informed consent, leaving them powerless over the outcome, which hinges on various factors: electric current, skin moisture, skin alkalinity, the handler’s timing, accuracy, reasoning, device quality, and the dog’s level of arousal.

It’s fundamentally impossible to administer two identical “shocks” for the same behavior in different instances.

So, why do trainers endorse and utilize it?

1. Aversion works! The sequence is simple: a dog acts, receives a shock, dislikes the pain, and thus avoids repeating the action. Yet, nobody questions why the dog behaved that way, whether it had any alternative, or if its action was justified. No, the dog is shocked for a behavior whose root cause the handler doesn’t understand.

2. It doesn’t require much expertise to harm a dog—merely press a button in response to an undesired behavior.

3. People crave immediate results, overlooking potential long-term repercussions.

Nonetheless, there’s a straightforward force-free solution.

Understanding the reason behind a behavior nearly solves the problem. Once a dog’s needs are addressed—ensuring they feel safe, understood, and properly guided—the problematic behavior vanishes, and the relationship with their caregiver improves. Yes, it demands time and effort, but it spares the dog from suffering.”

To learn more about shock collars and why they don’t work, visit Roman’s blog at https://www.holisticdogtraining.org/blog/the-truth-about-aversive-training-collars.