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.
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Hi Robin,
I have a mini sheepadoodle that is about 3 years old and 2 jack russell terriors about 12 years old. The sheepadoodle has attacked the older dogs multiple times but, they are all normally friendly around eachother otherwise. She occasionally growls at the older dogs when she has a bone or doesn’t want her near them but sometimes she attacks them (including other neighborhood dogs). I think she might be asserting dominance but she has put both of my older dogs in the animal hospital because of a “out of nowhere” fight. We are not sure how to go about fixing these random attacks because she is normally a very friendly and obedient dog. Do you have any suggestions?
While it may seem that these fights are out of nowhere, there are very likely signs that you are not seeing. Find a professional in your area to work with and in the meantime, you must find a way to manage the household so that there is no further opportunity for the sheepadoodle to harm the other dogs.
Hi. I have a six month old Parson Russell Terrier. I got him when he was eight weeks. I also have a cat. I thought that if my puppy grew up with the cat, he would be okay with her. This does not seem to be the case. He wants to chase her and jump on her every chance he gets. So far he has not hurt her but I worry that it is only a matter of time. I am working with a trainer who suggested Single Event Learning with an e collar. What do you think about this idea?
I’m generally not a fan. There are some situations like snake avoidance where it is valuable. I’m more likely to teach a behavioral response to commands like “leave it” or improve the dog’s impulse control through behaviors such as Place, or Down/Sit/Stays. Since he has to live with the cat on a daily basis, I suspect it will take some level of maintenance so developing that (eventual) verbal control over the problem would be my approach to it.
Hi Robin,
I have 17 month gooldendoodle and most recently he has been displaying some aggression. He takes items that may have been accidently dropped, like my kids drop a toy, when I go to get it back he growls and when I attempt to take it he snaps. He knows the “drop it” command because he does it when we play fetch. It’s when he knows he is not going to get something back he guards it. Would your ecollar training help with this issue?
Thanks,
Kristine
Hi Kristine,
The ecollar helps with obedience training so teaching things like sit, place etc are the first focus. You can teach drop with an ecollar, however, that skill, on it’s own, will not change the underlying desire to be possessive of items. Working on possession issues requires building trust. An ecollar can be part of that, but it is a very nuanced skill and I would suggest you find an experienced trainer to help you with that.
Hi,
I have a 6 month old shiba inu male puppy. He’s great at everything (friendly with every dog, every person etc.), pretty obedient in following commands etc, however, when he finds a chicken bone/dead animal on the street (can be more frequent then you’d think living in the city), he turns into a whole different dog. He refuses to give it, and if you stick your hand in there you’ll pay the price. We’ve tried ‘drop’ it and ‘leave’ it commands and nothing has really resonated. Plus the whole incident is over in a second so there are minimal training opportunities. He has no issues eating food while i hold it. He chews a bone out of my hand. However, some bones, he won’t share. I don’t want to use an e-collar to punish him for this behavior, but i’m running out of options and continuously risking my fiance and I’s safety. Any advice helps. Thanks, Dave
Being caught off guard is never a good way to train through a problem situation. By the time you are aware of the problem, it is usually too late and the dog is fully committed. You aren’t in a position to get the behavior you want at that point.
That is why creating “set ups” is so valuable for long term success. Set up specific practice sessions to teach the dog what to do in these type circumstances. I would bait a practice area with enticing things but make is so that the dog can’t actually get a hold of them (I often put food into bird suet cages, the dog can smell it but can’t get to it) and then practice your various training skills. Teach the dog to heel past things, to Down near them and not break the Down, teach what leave it means with these higher value items around, etc. Lots of practice. It takes far more repetition that most people realize in order to get a really reliable dog.
If you do decide to add an ecollar to your training mix, don’t just use it to punish the dog for this. Take the time to do the conditioning and use the collar to enforce the obedience behaviors and strengthen the reliability. My online ecollar training videos can help you get started.
Hi there, I have a 13-month-old Chihuahua that has always been overly dominating of other dogs, and unfortunately, I did not socialize her as much as her sister (from the same litter, different owner) did, and her sister is the sweetest dog in the world. My dog, Mina, will growl and lung at strangers (both humans & dogs) who get too close, especially if I’m around. I’m aware that it’s because she wants to protect me, but it’s terrible that I can never bring her around a stranger without her growling & then wanting to attack. Currently, she doesn’t get along with any dog, including the nice Shithzu she grew up with, and her nice sister. What can I do to correct this? I was considering the collar method. PS., She is not fixed, and neither is her sister.
Hi Gabe,
I’d suggest finding a trainer in your area that can help. Obedience will give you some control, but ideally find someone with a diverse skills set that can help the dog learn to tolerate and trust humans plus offers some pack work to integrate with stable dogs. Your dog is still young enough to have a significant turn around if you get started soon.
Good luck,
Robin
Hi Robin, many thanks for the informative article. I took on two stray dogs here in Costa Rica about 2.5 years ago. The female is easy to work with for the most part. However, the male is very dog aggressive (not to people) when we are on walks. He also will run away and not stop if I let him off the leash. I realize that I made matters worse by my own aggressive behavior when he wanted to fight with other dogs. I live in a very isolated area, so we don’t encounter other dogs except maybe once per week. Almost all the dogs are off leash and friendly. I have an ecollar, but am hesitant to use it yet. I am watching videos, but would like help. I would be willing to send someone down here, as I have yet to find a trainer that I trust. I feel as if to be successful, it would be helpful for ME to receive some training, especially with the ecollar.
Do you have any suggestions as to how to proceed?
Thank you, Thomas
I have a 6 year old 70 pound pit mix. He is very strong. I’m 68 & have some physical problems.
When he sees another dog he starts pulling & I either have to let go or fall down. I have spent a lot of money on a good trainer. She is recognized, certified, etc. my dog & I have a much stronger bond, but I cannot control his reactive actions. He bit a dog – it was really a nip but the owner blew it up, animal control came & put him in quarantine for 10 days. I had to buy insurance for any damage or injuries he may cause. He must wear a muzzle when I’m walking him. I have tried every collar, halter you name it. I just purchased a shock collar today. I’m afraid if I can’t get him to behave he will need to be put down. It’s breaking my heart & I am at loss of what to do. The collar has sound, vibrations & different levels of the shock. I don’t know where to begin. He loves treats but goes into a trance like state when he sees other dogs. Other than this one problem he is a very sweet & loving dog. Never aggressive towards me. Please do you have any suggestions
Hi Becky,
I’m very sorry you are having this challenge with your dog, Aggression issues are very detailed and involved to work through. It takes someone experienced, plus you also likely have a genetic component to this behavior as well. I would suggest you either go back to the trainer you have worked with or consider finding another to help you. Given your physical limitations, the dogs intent and strength, this just isn’t something I believe you will be able to fix on your own. This is another resource for seeking professional help that you can check to locate someone in your area.
International Association of Canine Professionals.
I have an American pit bull terrier. She weight about 80lbs and she is the best dog until I want to have company over. She is so very protective and territorial that I am scared she is going to bite someone so I put her up when people come over. I have tried to let her know that there is no threat and she will sniff some and act ok till that person tries to make a step or move. I don’t know what to do or if a collar will even help.
Hi Tangie,
Thank you for reaching out. An ecollar will not help your dog build confidence or “trust” someone. It is used to improve reliability for obedience. So for instance, having her come to you, lay down or go to a place. The work of improving her comfort level with people is different and it can be a slow process.
Depending on what exactly is going on, it may also be wise to have a thorough physical done (including blood chem panel, CBC, thyroid test, plus a gait analysis to see if there are pain issues) Additionally if her level of intent is serious, you may need to acclimate her to a muzzle.
This takes a level of expertise so I would suggest you find a trainer that is experienced in behavior modification. I’d start with a search here to see if you can find someone local.
Hi Robin I have three dogs two eight year old boys, a maltipoo and a Shih Tzu and I now have a little girl she’s over a year she’s a shih tzu (feistiest of all). I’m going to sign up for your e-collar class but my first question is what brand do you recommend most likely will purchase on Amazon. They are dog aggressive out for walks they are very obedient in the house it’s the minute we walk out the door and I have to take them all out together. They feed off of each other’s energy and are fine around people it’s the minute we see another dog in the distance forget it. I’ve created a hands-free dog walking system for the four of us to go out technically it’s the only way I can walk all three at the same time. But I need them to all cooperate so we can enjoy our walk. I currently have them all on a prong collar but it doesn’t seem to help anything I started the watch command and that doesn’t seem to work either. Everything is forgotten the minute we see another animal. I personally feel like a failure as their owner and leader and I want them to feel comfortable and safe with me out on a walk and I don’t know how to do that when other dogs are around. I’ve tried other trainers and it doesn’t seem to work they are protecting me because they never act the same when it comes to someone else training them. I want to enjoy the next 8-10 years with them with this addressed and fixed. I do have to mention my one Shih Tzu when he was two he was attacked when I left him with someone and ever since then that is when the behavior forever changed. I guess it’s what you call the fear aggression towards other animals. Any recommendations would be great I’m going to attack this myself but I would like to know your recommendation on the best ecollar that doesn’t cost $400. I should also note that I will never use the shock part that kind of freaks me out. I’m only looking to use it to snap them out of the minute they start to huff and puff and redirect their attention. Thank you so much
Hi Summer,
I used Dogtra brand collars most often. They have some nice collars in the 200-250 range. That said, I think you should find some professional help to work on this problem. You will need to work with each of them separately for a while before working them as a group. Someone experienced can guide you not only with ecollar techniques but in how to build their focus on you, rather than the other dogs. And it may be possible that integrating them with well socialized dogs (if the trainer offers that option in their training package) would be very helpful.
The other option, I would consider for them might be a head-halter or the Sidekick leash. Having control of the head will make a significant difference.
We have two puppies. A Beagle cross who’s a year old and a large breed mutt who is 6 months old. They’re both males, both neutered. They play very well together 99% of the time but have had fights. Normally one of them decides he’s had enough playing, the other one keeps trying and it results in a fight. The intensity is getting worse as the younger one gets bigger. The Beagle needs to be “boss” and the younger one used to submit and the argument would be over quickly. I could also stop the fight with a loud “ENOUGH”. Now that the younger one has found he’s bigger and stronger than the other dog, he won’t submit and wants to win, just prolonging the fight and making it much worse. We are considering rehoming the 6 month old because it seems unfair to keep them together when they sometimes end up hurting each other. Not to mention, I cannot imagine another 10 years of worrying every day that they’ll have another nasty fight and hurt one of my kids. Any advice?
I would suggest you reach out to an experienced trainer in your area. Get both of the dogs in training so you improve leadership in the home as well as some obedience training so you have better control. Having two pups of similar age is going to bring challenges but with a plan and commitment, it can be successfully done!
Hi, Robin! I have a 5 yr old Pyrenees Golden Retriever mix & I’m currently living with my mom while she’s recovering from several types of cancer. She has a 13yr old min pin & 2 12yr old chihuahuas & my dog will randomly out of nowhere attack one of them & when I pull him back or grab the small dog up from the ground he’ll turn on me. He has bit me once when I pulled him back. He always gets really sad afterwards like he knows he did something wrong & he feels bad for it. He’s my best friend in the world & I feel like I’m failing him, but It’s not fair to my mom’s dog’s to always be in danger. I don’t know what to do?? I’m afraid that he’s gonna kill one of my mom’s dog’s. Should I try using an e collar?
Hello Melissa,
If you are interested in a consultation, I would be happy to chat with you. Information on how to set up an appointment can be found here.