Aggression in Dogs: Can an E-Collar Help?
Robin,
I was wondering if you use e collars in dealing with aggression in dogs? If so I was wondering if you can shed some light on the subject. I also wanted to take a minute to say thank you. Your information has really changed the entire way that I go about e collar training. I can not thank you enough!
Thanks,
Tony
The question above came to me a couple of days ago, and I thought it a great topic to bring to The Truth About Shock Collars blog.
The answer is yes. I use remote collars as part of the training program when dealing with aggressive dogs. Using the electronic collar as a way to redirect the dog’s attention is a large part of the success in how I go about rehabilitating dogs with aggression issues.
I realize that answer is in contrast to much of the information circulating on the internet. Warnings about NOT using a shock collar to deal with aggression in dogs abound. My guess is those warnings come from people who don’t use the tool on a regular basis and therefore have rather limited knowledge of how to do so properly.
Let me point out right off the bat that I don’t advocate putting a shock collar on the dog, waiting for him/her to display aggressive behaviors, and then pushing the button to punish for those actions. As in “That’ll teach Fido not to chase after other dogs!” Sorry, but that thought process belongs in the idiot’s guide to dog training 101.
Unfortunately, it is what some people do. And then, when the aggressive behavior gets worse or the dog yelps and runs away, those same people blame the tool rather than accepting the responsibility that they did not know what they were doing in the first place.
Seriously folks, if I go to the auto parts store, buy the best wrench set on the shelves, come home and lift the hood of my new Honda Element and start tinkering with the engine…..do I get to blame the wrench manufacturer when my car doesn’t run properly anymore? I’d say I was the problem, not the tool.
So let’s discuss the highlights of how to incorporate the use of a remote collar when working with dogs displaying aggression problems.
The first and most important step is to lay a proper foundation of obedience training with the remote collar. The purpose of the obedience is to give the dog “something else to focus on” (ie. a job) when presented with situations that normally evoke aggressive responses. The dog should be introduced to the collar through the foundation and attention exercises of learning to follow on a leash, come when called, and stay in one place. I also typically teach dogs dealing with aggression a *look* or *watch* command. In this way, we can create higher attentiveness to the owner/handler when the dog is faced with situations where we do not want to allow him/her to focus on the trigger. This initial training should be started in situations that do not trigger aggressive responses in the dog. It would not be fair for the dog to be learning something brand new when under the duress of those situations.
Once the dog has a solid understanding of obedience, we can begin to expose him/her to the triggers. The collar is used for obedience commands while the dog is in those situations that previously brought on an aggressive response. It is important to note that the collar is NOT being used to punish the dog for any aggressive response (barking, growling, lunging, etc) Rather, the collar is used to prompt and enforce an obedience command. The obedience is used PROACTIVELY before the dog reacts improperly. In this way we are redirecting the dogs attention away from the source of tension and back to the handler and the *job* the dog is being asked to perform.
Example: with a dog that is highly reactive to other dogs (growling, lunging, barking etc) I use the collar to enforce a Heel command and teach the dog he/she must simply walk politely near, around, and past other dogs. There is no punishment for being reactive. The e-collar is used to prompt attentiveness to the handler and the Heel command.
NOTE: This is a process that is incremental and advances in the level of challenge with respect to how quickly the dog is grasping the concept and being successful. If the dog can’t walk politely past a dog who is 15 feet away, don’t push him to walk within 5 feet. The goal is to keep the dog BELOW threshold and give him/her success at walking politely in the presence of other dogs.
One of the tremendous advantages of training with a remote collar when dealing with aggression in dogs is that it is far less subject to human emotion getting in the way and further escalating the problems. The handler can remain much more neutral in body language than when using other training collars or halters that require physical force.
The remote collar also has the advantage of being useful at a distance. Being able to enforce a Down command from 50 yards away or recall a dog who is on a sprint to chase a jogger is much more achievable to the average dog owner than through any other training method I know of
So the role that the e-collar has in dealing with aggression issues is that of the attention getter. The collar is used to prompt attention and hold the dog attentive to command even in the midst of those *distractions* (Other dogs, people, etc) that cause the dog to react with barking, lunging, snapping, etc.
I want to point out there are many other considerations when working with aggressive dogs, and I don’t suggest the average pet owner go it alone. Find a professional who has hands-on experience and a solid track record of success to help you.
In my years of dealing with aggression cases, I have seen many things influence the outcome of the cases. Possible health issues (thyroid, structure problems, ear infections, deafness, and sight problems, to name a few) should be ruled out by a veterinarian.
Dogs that display fear and aggressive issues need confidence-building and desensitization exercises as part of their program. Knowing how to properly time reward markers and use food is important to help build confidence and better behavior with these dogs. The long-term goal is to change their emotional response to their triggers.
And there are cases where genetics play a significant influence.
The most crucial consideration in determining the likelihood of success is the owner. No tool is magic and will solve all the problems. And there are no absolutes in training. Each case is different. It takes consistency and dedication to help dogs struggling with aggression. The underlying cause should be understood, the triggers identified, and then a treatment plan determined.
The e-collar can be a large part of the process by effectively re-directing the dog’s attention. Personally, I would no longer want to work with aggression cases if I could not use the e-collar to help with the process. In my time specializing in this training, I have found that the dogs learn much faster, there is FAR less stress on the dog and on the handler, and total rehabilitation is much more likely due to those factors.
If you are considering ecollar training, This series, E-collar Basic Obedience is the best place to start.
Please note: Comments on this post have been disabled due to the volume of people asking for help with their dog’s aggressive behavior. I simply cannot keep up with the volume and dispense personalized advice to deal with complex situations.
If you are seeking help:
1. Implement leadership structures into your daily routine immediately. You can access my leadership guide here.
2. Find an experienced and successful local trainer who deals with cases similar to what you are dealing with. If you can not find a local resource I may be able to help you through a series of virtual lessons.
3. Be prepared to put in significant time and effort. There is no quick fix. Training is a process and requires you to be committed to it.
I have a 90 lb chocolate lab who becomes very aggressive around food. At any other time he is a very sweet dog. Recently he got into my trash can, and I started yelling at him to come here and get out of it. I popped him on his rear end a few times, not hard. He turned around and came at me. I fell to the floor and blocked myself with my hands and arms and he would not stop biting me. I have bruises, gashes, scratches, bite marks, and a deep puncture wound that I had to go see a nurse about. He only stopped when I managed to stand up and scream at the top of my lungs. I expected him to growl and maybe even snap at me, but I never thought he would attack me like he did.
I have a shock collar and have used it before with him for general training, though it has been a year or so. I want to start using it, specifically to deal with his food aggression, but I am very afraid he will attack me again. For exmple, if he is in the trashcan and I tell him to come here and nick him with a shock, will he come to me or will he attack me? And if he does come will he let me pick up the food or will he try to guard it and get aggressive?
And I don’t even know where to begin with his food bowl, or if I should even bother. I have to tip toe around him while he eats.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Lindsey,
The first thing I would advise is to find an professional trainer who is experienced with this sort of problem and get help.
Secondly, Don’t wait till the dog is in the trash and then use the e-collar to try and call him away etc. This is a problem is going to take a multi-level approach.
First understand that unless taught from a young age to accept others around their food/things, many dogs will behave possessively and with aggressive behavior. Ideally we teach dogs from the time they are pups and enter our household that it is ok for humans to be near their food/take their food etc.
At this point you have a dangerous situation, so it needs to be approached systematically and carefully. Again, I suggest you find a professional to help you, but here are a few tips.
1. I would hand feed your dog for a couple weeks. Absolutely NO free access to a bowl of food. I’d use the kibble as a reward in exchange for the dog doing “things” Those things can be any command/cue or trick you request. Sit, Down, shake or whatever, but a few kibble for each behavior until the meal is done. If the dog doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t eat. A healthy dog won’t starve himself so if he skips a feeding for a day or two, I wouldn’t not worry about that. By feeding his meals this way he begins to understand you are in control of one of the most coveted resources in his life..his food.
Secondly, for the time being, secure the garbage so he can’t get into it and you find yourself in a difficult situation again.
Third, Keep a leash or light line on him (5 – 6 feet long) at all times (unless he is crated or you are away) for a few weeks. This gives you a handle to take hold of if you need to move him away from something, rather than physically touching him. He can wear his e-collar around the house too (approx 8 hours/day) and you can use that to assist with the obedience as well (assuming he has been collar conditioned) BUT keep the line on as well.
Fourth, Begin an obedience routine using the combination of the e-collar & leash. Polish up his recall, sit/stays, down/stays etc. THEN after a getting him back in a better obedience routine, practice around food. For instance a couple small pieces of kibble on the sidewalk that you make him heel past or sit within a few feet. As he is successful you release him to go get the kibble as a reward. He is learning to listen and that the food will be allowed to him with good behavior. (Rather than you just trying to take away coveted resources)
Have a trainer work with you on “trade” games, starting with less coveted items and working up to things of higher value. For instance I am able to take raw bones from my dogs but this does not happen without a history of the right kind of practice.
Also teach an “out” or “drop” command (the e-collar can be helpful for this) again starting with less value items and working toward higher value.
These are some of the things a trainer can work with you on. If at all possible, don’t go it alone on this one. You dog obviously has a high degree of confidence in charging you and biting when it comes to defending what he believes is “his”.
There may be other routines a trainer will ask you to impliment depending on your lifestyle with him that will help establish you in a better leadership role and help him feel less defensive around food.
good luck.
Thank you for your advice and quick reply. I am starting right away. Right now he is quietly sitting next to me with his ecollar and leash on. He is very smart and knows sit, stay, here, and lay down very well. We have practiced those commands today. I tried taking him outside to practice, but he just runs around not caring about the zaps he receives. Next time we are outside I will use a leash too. Anyway I am going to keep working with him and slowly build up to food situations like you suggested. Again thank you!
Hi my name is Etienne. I have a 2 year old female spayed healthly black lab mix who is very aggressive with other dogs. She was a rescue and started showing signs of aggression after the shelter with dogs. I have a feeling that it is a genetic problem. The problem occurs on initial contact with other dogs, no barking just biting 99% of the time. It happens on the leash and off. The other problem is that I live over seas. Most trainers I have met are far from professional. I have an e collar but I don’t really know how to use it and I am afraid I will make the problem worse. If you could give me any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank You
Etienne de Ligenza
Hello Etienne,
It would be best to get professional help with this, but I do understand the difficulty in finding a balanced trainer who also has good e-collar skills…My dvd’s can get you started with the e-collar conditioning and basic obedience. That will be a foundation for you and should be done without the distraction of other dogs around first…then After some good conditioning skills and better behavior begin to do more around distractions including other dogs who are under control and at a distance. Then you can then begin a process of desensitizing and counter-conditioning your dog around other dogs and adding closer proximity. IF there is a trainer who is experienced working with a stable pack to help you socialize you may be able to fix the problem. However, without that additional help the best you might hope for is having greater control and therefore being able to keep everyone safer. My dvd’s can be found here http://www.thatsmydogstore.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=5
Good luck and let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Robin
Hi Emma,
I use the e-collar/remote collar very effectively with aggression cases. Probably at least 80% of my business is working with reactive dogs. As Robin said, I use the remote collar to teach the obedience foundation exercises so your dog has very reliable obedience and you can later interrupt your dog’s behavior when they become reactive in the presence of triggers. Along with that, I use desentization and counter-conditioning to teach the dog to relax in the presence of triggers as well as look to the handler so that they are not as concerned by their environment.
I’d highly recommend Robin’s DVDs as a starting point and then make it a point to travel to one of her seminars at her location or where she is speaking or if that’s not possible then consult with a trainer that has graduated from her program.
is use of the e-collar for reactivity to all moving objects helpful, or does it only encourage aggression? he is reactive to every triggor–dogs (esp those who are off leash who yap and run at him), mounted horses, bikes on road, cars and trucks. please help–any advice?
our adopted 1yr old dog was apparently never socialized by his behavior, and its uncertain how much leash time he had. we had one report by transient owners of him being allowed to fight with another dog, but no reported aggression. they thought it was “playful fighting” but they were uninformed.
Hi Emma,
Whether or not use of the e-collar will help or make things worse depends entirely on HOW it is used. If a person straps the e-collar on the dog, waits for the dog to be reactive and then pushes the button as a way to punish the reactive-ness, it is hard to say what the outcome will be. It is possible that the reactive-ness would get increase if the collar was used this way.
However, if the e-collar is used as a training tool first to teach attention and obedience in non trigger situations and then later used to maintain attention and reinforce the obedience in the presence of the triggers (keeping proximity in mind to keep the dog successful and not over threashold) there is a high level of success that can be achieved relatively quickly.
If you decide to pursue it I would suggest either getting some help from a professional with good e-collar skills or consider getting my dvd set to help guide you.
Robin
When my Mother passed away, I inherited her nine year old German Shepherd, Chad. When I say inherited, I mean that I took the dog because I cared about him and wanted him to enjoy living out the rest of his life. He hasn’t been neutered, and is head strong. I never have “trouble” until the situation occurs where I drop something, or there is an object the dog wants to “get”. Then if you verbally scould him, or raise your voice to imply you aren’t happy with his actions, he will growl and has shown agressive behavior as in coming towards me. He has never bitten me, yet, and I think I need to fix this problem NOW. My only hope is with the ecollar. Any suggestions or comments are welcome. I have no intentions of giving this dog away, so I have to correct the problem somehow. My husband is not happy with the situation, and I am afraid he might be more prone to hurt Chad than me. You simply cannot have a dog biting the hand that feeds it. Thanks for this information, and for listening to me. I am planning on buying the PetSafe big dog ecollar. I hope it does the trick!
Hi Ann,
I would strongly suggest you find a professional to help you with this situation. If the dog is 9 years old he has probably had quite a bit of practice being successful with this behavior. Which means when you attempt to change it you are at risk of getting bit. You need someone to guide you through the proper steps of teaching him to move away from things and to relinquish items (drop) if he does get them.
You SHOULD NOT put the e-collar on and immediately use it in these challenging situations, that would set both of you up for failure. In using the e-collar to help you train to overcome this behavior you FIRST need to do the e-collar conditioning exercises so that Chad understands how to properly respond to stimulation and command. This means you need to teach him to come when called, go to a place and remain stationary/stay (commonly called a 3 Action introduction) BEFORE you start subjecting him to relinquishing and not guarding objects.
Once he understands these things you can then use them to redirect his behavior when something drops on the floor. For instance when something drops you call him to come to you (rather than immediately going to retrieve the object) then you have him sit/stay or go to a place so that you can safely go get the object. The goal is to move him away from the object rather than allowing him to remain in proximity and begin to resource guard.
A good trainer can help you with these things. They can also teach you how to “trade” so that he can learn to drop what he has in exchange for something you give him (treat/toy). This can change his mind about the need to guard resources also. But as I said, I am concerned about someone taking on this type of training without guidance of a pro who has had a number of successes under their belt doing it with other dogs. This is best done with an experienced trainer who can help you remain safe.
One thing I would suggest immediately is you keep a light leash (drag line) on the dog around the house. In this way you can pick up the end of the leash and move him away from items rather than trying to reach in close to his mouth to take things away.
Let me know if I can be of further assistance. Also check my website ThatsMyDog.com to see if there is a trainer in your area who can help.
all the best,
Robin
Thanks Robin! Very good advice. Chad is, and always has been an outside dog and has pretty much had his way until now. He would just be a wonderful dog if he had had professional training years ago. He has always been able to run inside a very large chain link fence, and has never been around other animals. He thinks HE is “the man”. I bought the ecollar today because I felt like I needed to do something quick, before my husband took things into his own hands. Actually, I was a little apprehensive about using it, as I thought it might make him even more aggressive towards me. However, after the first little zap, Chad obeyed my command of “NO” and walked over to me and put his head against me. Now, how could you not love that? Thank you for your input which I think is very good advice. Best regards… Gail
Hello and thanks for the article. I was searching for more on lessons with the ecollar but found your article informative to say the least. I was compelled to write because I just purchased an ecollar and in regards to looking for brands I’ll name mine it’s a Petsafe ecollar, purchased at our local Petsmart pet store chain around here. I have a two year old German shephard and have gone through all the training with her as well as a personal trainer that gave us 6 private and 4 group lessons. Sasha is a smart dog but she seemed to only listen on leash or with a treat and performed all basic commands with ease. But take the leash off and she would have a mind of her own. Not to mention our biggest problem was her aggression towards other dogs. Still haven’t corrected that but only because we’ve only had the collar a couple days. But in regards to any questions about the ecollar and if you should use it. I can’t say how pleased I am with the one I bought for like $179.00 I have learned through expereince that the ecollar is more humain than any choke or pinch collar. I’ve used both and I hated the agression and force that had to be used at times when raising and training our dog. With the ecollar it’s a gentle static charge that gets thier attention real fast. You leave the setting on such so the dog does not yipe. if the dog yipes it’s set to high. We used to have to keep Sasha penned up in the Kitchen because she would just get into everything if left unattended. 3 days with the ecollar and she is a completely new dog and it’s just the beginning. I highly recommend using an ecollar for any training. I wish I did this day one! What a lot of wasted aggravation not using it all this time.
Hi there,
It’s great to see an article offering useful advise on how to use these collars. Would you be able to give me a couple of good brands of shock collars?
Thanks!
Amy-Ontario
My dog is a 3 year old black lab mix, we think it is some kind of terrier but we are unsure. We had a trainer come over to our house to train him but it has only helped with some of his issues. He has gotten a little better about letting people into our house, but he will bark and growl when there is someone at the door and when we go camping he will lunge, bark, and growl at other dogs who walk by our campsite or our beach blanket. He does ok with people, for the most part, but he has lunged and barked at people if he doesn’t know them and they come to close to whoever is walking him.
Our vet had said that he is protective of the family and that we have to teach him that we are in charge, but it only works when there aren’t any dogs or new people around. When our dog gets going there is nothing we can do. When he starts barking he doesn’t listen to a thing we say. I’m not ready to get rid of my dog, when he is home he is the best dog in the world he listens and is really sweet. But when other people and dogs come into the picture he just ignores everything we say.
Hi there,
I own a 3 year old purebred American Pitbull. I got him as a rescue at 13 weeks (found him near a dumpster left for dead) My husband and I spent nearly 3000$ in vet bills to get him up to par. He is fixed, and very well exersized. We used to do a monthly trip to the dog park for social interaction, and he played well with all dogs. 1 year ago we were walking in an area close to our neighborhood, and we were both attacked by a stray dog. The dog had bit my right leg, and after “kicking” him off me he latched onto Blue. I had Blue by his leash, and didnt let him go to “defend” or bite back. A passer by came to our aid, and helped up literally strike this dog several times until he released Blue and ran off. It was horrifying, I was covered in blood, Blue was covered, and even worse his eye was bleeding and I thought he was going to lose it. after 1500$ in vet bills, police and animal control interigation, he was fine, but now… if he sees another dog, doesnt matter alpha or not, small or big, he is in attack mode, and nothing I do will snap him out of this “red zone” he is a strong breed… and he knows this, when we are at home, he is the most amazing dog, and when we are walking he is great too.. wonderful with people, but once a dog comes into his vision its like hes a different animal. I cant say I have tried everything because that would be a lie, but as a puppy he went thru obidience and agility training, than as he matured (after 1 year) he did his phase 2 in obidience and agility. He is very well trained, but all those commands and work is thrown out the window when he sees a dog. I reside in Calgary, Canada, and even hired a “personal” training for Blue, with little success, and lots of money. I am wondering if the e-collar is going to be my last hope to have that wonderful balanced dog I used to have….. Its unfortunate already as it is, as he is discriminated against alot (pitbull)…. I truly enjoyed your artical and hope that there is some more insight you can give me inregards to helping Blue and myself with e-collar, or know of anyone local. Thank you for listening and reading my story!
Shaimaa and Blue – Calgary, AB Canada
I am afraid I do not know of anyone in Calgary. I know some people in the Vancouver area and in Toronto area.
If you send me an e-mail through the contact form on my business website ThatsMyDog! I’ll see if I can find someone.
If you can not find anyone close enough consider my DVD’s “Just Right Training”. They are also on my website. Let’s see if we can find you help for this problem. I do think an e-collar with proper training would make a considerable difference for you and Blue
Have you considered Tyson Hainsworth at Dog Squad? He’s a little north of the city, but well versed in ecollars and training.
I am in Joliet, IL and I am at the end I bought a training collar and I am just waiting for it to come in. My dog has brought me to the ground and has gone after other dogs and I need help. Is there someone that anyone knows that would be able to help with her and that is not expensive?
Hi Stephanie,
You can check the “find a trainer” link here on the blog site to see if there is anyone near you. Expense is relative, so I am not sure what you are or are not willing to spend to get some professional help. You might consider my Just Right Dvd set if you want some guidance on doing the collar conditioning and basic obedience on your own.
i would love help in finding someone in my area (Enon, Ohio) who has experience working with dogs with aggression problems and the e collar. We have had a pet behaviourist who could do nothing with him, he responds well to our trainer at the local pet store but she does not believe in shock collars. He is aggressive towards all people (will not let anyone into our house = has bitten all family members (no one else because we keep a very close eye on him when out ) = he can be aggressive towards other dogs and honestly we are ready to put him down if we cannot find something that works.
I am interested in trying the ecollar because we cannot distract him once his “teapot starts to boil”
There are actually quite a few really skilled people in OH, including Bill who is linked in the blog post. Also take a look here for a list of those who have been through my trainers program.
http://www.thatsmydog.com/trainers-school/graduates
I would love to find someone in my area that can provide this training as well. My dog is 80 lbs. and an American Pitbull Terrier/ English Staffordshire/ American Bull terrier mix. He is a sweet dog with lots of love yet and protective. He does have aggression issues with other people and animals though. He is great with his puppy “brother” (weighs about 15 lbs) but barks aggressively at neighbors and neighbor animals. We can’t take him for walks, and we can’t take him to dog parks. He is extremely hyper and when excited does not listen to anything you say! I have a three month old baby and he is very difficult to live with sometimes as he will run to the window and bark and jump at it aggressively at the sight of any animal or person. I need help. I live in Vancouver, Washington and I’m about 15 minutes from Portland, Oregon. Is there a trainer in my area you could recommend?
Hi Jennifer. The only person I know of in WA is Kate at Fast Pup Dog Training
even if it is a bit of a drive I would give her a call. She’s been using e-collars for a long time and I suspect could help you out.
good luck,
Robin