What Is Avoidance Training?

Shock collars for dogs are available to address a variety of specific and non-specific problem behaviors in your dog. For example, you can use a remote shock collar to teach your dog not to jump on houseguests or chase the cat. You can use a bark collar to condition your dog to avoid nuisance barking. You can also use shock collars for dog containment with an electric dog fence. In all of these applications the avoidance training principles are the same. Your dog will learn to associate the negative experience of a quick, harmless static shock with the behavior that you want the dog to avoid. After a few training sessions, your dog will begin to understand the correlation and modify his behavior accordingly.

How Do Shock Collars For Dogs Work?

Electric shock collars for dogs are actually very simple. Your dog will wear a special receiver collar. This collar may communicate with a handheld transmitter (in the case of a remote training collar), may respond to a boundary wire or wireless transmitter (as in an invisible fence), or may be triggered automatically by the dog depending on the specific use of the collar. Regardless of the trigger, the receiver collar will issue a harmless but startling static correction (akin to the static shock you may receive when stepping out of a car) when the trigger is activated. This correction teaches your dog to avoid the trigger. Most electric shock collars allow you to control the correction level to ensure the safety and comfort of your dog.

What Are The Benefits Of Shock Collars For Dogs?

Avoidance training is most successful when it is consistent. Consistency applies to both correction level and correction timing. Electric shock collars assure consistency of correction level by eliminating the emotions that most dog owners radiate when training their dog. The shock collar doesn’t care how many times in the past hour it’s had to correct Fido for climbing up on the antique couch, it delivers the exact same correction each time. Likewise, when using an automatic electric shock collar (like an invisible fence, wireless pet barrier, or bark collar) the timing is always right. The collar detects the transgression and corrects it at the exact moment it happens so your dog is never confused about the reason for the correction.  In addition, using an electric shock collar for dog training allows you to remove yourself from the equation. The dog does not connect you to the correction, which can sometimes be the root of fearful or aggressive behavior in a dog.

What Kinds Of Shock Collars Are Available?

Bark Collars: An electric bark collar is one type of shock collar for dogs. The collar band has a small box mounted on it. This box detects your dog’s bark from among other noises and issues a warning tone then a static correction to the behavior. It won’t take long for your dog to learn to cease barking at the sound of the warning tone before she ever receives the correction. Most dog will just stop barking altogether once they firmly associate the undesirable correction with the barking behavior.

Remote Training Collars: Remote training collars work to deliver a correction from a distance. This is particularly helpful when the undesired behavior most often occurs when you are at more than an arm’s length from your dog. Digging, jumping, chasing, and chewing are all good examples of behaviors that can be curbed using a remote training system. Your dog’s remote training collar is outfitted with a small receiver box and you’ll have a handheld remote transmitter. When you observe your dog engaging in the behavior you’d like him to avoid you’ll press a button to manually trigger the warning tone and/or correction on the shock collar. Hunters in the field often use remote shock collars for dogs and some work at considerable distances.  You’ll find combination remote training and invisible fence systems in our online store.

Electric Dog Fence Collars: Avoidance training is the working principle behind invisible fence® systems too. Your dog wears a receiver collar and is free to roam within the boundaries of the electric fence system. If the dog gets too close to the boundary line the collar will be triggered and issue a warning tone followed by a static correction if the dog continues toward the boundary. In associating the boundary line with the tone and correction your dog will quickly learn to stay within the safe zone you have designated. You can find a wide range of electric dog fence systems and extra collars in our online store.