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Are Electronic Collars a Proper Canine Training Device?

Posted by Elle Toussi in Inside Wild on March 14, 2013
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Photograph by Schweet Entertainment / Jacob Miguel
Photograph by Schweet Entertainment / Jacob Miguel
Trainer K.C. Licklider prepares for a bite from K9 Chango during exercises at VLK West.

On the next episode of Alpha Dogs, Kenny and the Vohne Liche Kennels gang head to the west coast to check up on the VLK West kennel location that opened up close to a year ago in Banning, California. In order to develop and grow the kennel, Kenny needs to find a supplier of high-quality dogs for the kennel. Without it, VLK West will never flourish.

The first stop is with Tom Tennant, president of Green Dog K9 Sales, who is a breeder of working dogs located in Mexico. Shipping dogs in from Mexico as opposed to Europe will help reduce shipping costs and save VLK a lot of money. But in order for Kenny to recruit his dogs, a high standard must be met in order to make the deal.

Next, Kenny meets with Doug Roller, a trainer that has worked with VLK West. Although he is an outstanding trainer, he uses an E-collar to train his dogs. This device has been noted to be very controversial and Kenny is left with the decision whether this technique will mix well with VLK’s K9 philosophy.

These devices send a vibration or electric stimulus to a dog’s neck through the dog’s collar. These signals can be set either by an electric fence sensor in the ground or by a remote control used by a handler. These came into use in the 1960s and were used to ward off bad behavior. The intensity setting could be compared to a lightning strike, but has since changed and made more effective for trainers to use today. They are now seen as effective in teaching good behavior and comparable to a tug on a leash.

The effectiveness and safety of these e-collars has brought up heated debates since the inception of the device to the public. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), recommends the use of these devices during search and rescue missions. The main concern is proper education is needed on behalf of the handler before this device is used in a practical setting.

Tactical K9 is a company that specializes in the education of proper handling of the collar and is currently working alongside VLK to teach the proper use for their training courses. They are located in Los Angeles, California and offer their services to polices officers and military dog handlers across the country.

Make sure not to miss Alpha Dogs: Growing Pains Friday at 9P and see if Tom is able to provide dogs for VLK West and if Doug can show Kenny that the E-collar can be an effective training device for their K9 philosophy.

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Comments

  1. Pete Stevens
    United States
    March 17, 2:27 pm

    Just like any tool used for K9 training, it can be abused. Having trained dogs both the old school and current methods, I can tell you the Doug Roller is ahead of the game. I’ve seen it used improperly too much, in fact, my initial training with it was just straight compulsion. But now that I’ve trained with Doug Roller from Tactical K9 and Manuel Villanueva from Man K9, I now have a great tool for a handler to communicate with the dog at anytime.

  2. dfhiggins
    March 20, 11:20 am

    I disagree. Look at: http://catlitter.catmeowing.com/electronic-dog-training-collars
    Best regards, Dean

  3. Mason Mund
    Fargo, ND.
    March 26, 11:46 am

    Dean, that article dealt mainly with litter boxes and feline diseases with only a small menntion of e-collars, with extremely low relevance to dogs at all. In other words, that argument has no basis here. E-collars, when used correctly, can be an extremely useful tool to enhance communication between yourself and your dog at a distance without using a long lead as Vohne Liche kennels in Indiana has used since it opened up. If you watch the episode of Alpha Dogs that is now airing disucssing e-collars, you will see how useful of a tool it can truly be. The ability to communicate with your dog at a distance without the hassle of a long lead or choke chain is unrivaled, and in many cases can save a dogs life in extreme cirumstances. That is why the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises the use of this tool. Do more research Dean.

  4. Ian Dogtra UK
    United Kingdom
    April 9, 6:32 am

    The video shows particularly high drive and excitable Belgian Malinois.

    When I trained high drive sdogs such as these my training partners would say that is not a correction it is a minor inconvenience in a dog with such high drive.

    http://www.dogtra-uk.co.uk

  5. Beth Licht
    Michigan
    April 12, 8:37 pm

    I began training in 1973 and have trained everything from basic obedience to Schutzhund III in just about every method. I firmly believe that e-collars are an excellent tool if used properly. Our two newest dogs (personal not client) have been trained almost exclusively with these collars.
    The dogs are both doing great with training and are happy, confident, and social animals.

  6. Danielle
    April 19, 9:58 pm

    Just wanted to point out the ASPCA does NOT recommend an e-collar as anything but an absolute last resort and only then if the dog must absolutely be off-leash to do their job.

  7. Tammy T
    Va
    April 23, 2:34 pm

    My husband and I have trained our last 2 labs with Nick White @ Off Leash K9 in Woodbridge Va. He is an excellent trainer! On our first visit, he placed the e-collar on our hand so we’d know what the stimulus felt like. I’m a nurse and It felt like a TENS unit, doctors prescribe to people for pain control. It was not painful or harmful. I wish everyone would educate themselves on this technique before passing judgement. I personally think the choker chain and prong chain is a harsher form of training. An e-collar will never crush a trachea or cause a skin laceration!!