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.
Could you recommend a trainer for the e-collar close to San Martin, CA zip 95046.
Here is a list of the trainers who have come through my program.
https://thatsmydog.com/dog-behavior-specialists/e-cademy-graduates
If you can not locate anyone close enough, you might consider my dvd’s and some coaching sessions with me.
https://robinmacfarlane.com/wordpress2021/product-category/educational/
I have a 5.5 month old Golden Retriever. We have been through basic puppy training class and he did well. He does great with most commands – still working on drop it, leave it and come. He is showing major aggression with some treats – nyla bone that you insert a treat into. He also has some aggression with his food bowl. We are feeding him by hand now and it is going well. But last night I thought I would try the treat (nyla bone with treat) again. And he was growling because I was sitting in a chair near him. When I got up he lunged at me and bit me on my stomach – not breaking skin, but you can see teeth marks and a giant bruise. Will an e-collar help this type of aggression? He is otherwise a very sweet and loving puppy – no aggression with toys or items that he is not supposed to have. I need some major help!!!
Hi Cindy,
E-collar training can help create more reliable obedience which can be used to manage the behavior. For instance you can teach the dog to relinquish (drop) items when told or to come (recall) away from items that he may be guarding. But that doesn’t change his perception of having someone come near his “valuable” items. For that you need to modify his mind about someone coming into what he perceives is his space when he has something.
Take a look at this article for a few ideas of what I mean:
https://robinmacfarlane.com/wordpress2021/possessive-behavior-in-dogs-can-be-prevented
Because he has already bit you I would suggest you find a professional who can help with this if possible. He is still young so I suspect you can resolve the behavior if you get some coaching on what steps to take.
If you can’t find anyone near you, let me know and we can discuss some long distance coaching calls or skype sessions.
Good luck,
Robin
I realize this is an older thread, but I am hoping you can help with a recommendation or a leash reactive dog in the New Hampshire area? thank you!
Touch base with Julia & Rick http://www.fortunatek9.com
Hi Robin’
Could you recommend an e-collar trainer for a super aggressive dog in Baltimore, MD?
Justin,
First person that comes to mind in MD is George Cockrell. If he’s not interested, he should know a lot more folks out that way than I do.
http://www.companionsdogtraining.com/
Hi Robin,
I have a 10 month old English bulldog, Lucy. She is a wonderful loving dog, except, when she has something she shouldn’t have. She turns into a “demon dog”. If one of the kids leaves the bathroom door open and she gets a empty roll of toilet paper. She will defend that roll and will not let you take it away. She growls, snaps and bites. She has severe aggressive possession issues. She has tons of toys to chew on and we can take those away from her no problem. But she just seems to know what she can’t have and goes insane if we try to take it away. I have been bit many many times, as well as the kids when trying to take something away. I sent a short video to the breeder and she said we need a shock collar. So, I bought one. Now reading your article I don’t know how to use it and when to use it. Please help!!
Hi Jen,
You don’t just put it on and use it when there is a problem (her being possessive of something) In order to use the e-collar to assist in solving the problem you first use the collar to develop better obedience to simple things like Come, Sit/stay or go to Place etc. Once the dog is what we consider “e-collar literate” you can use those skills around sources of distraction. For instance having her Come away from something she is sniffing, before she grabs it and takes possession. By developing better obedience you begin to get control of the behavior. But that is only part of the solution. You also need to work on teaching her to drop things, you start with things she is not possessive of and work up to more coveted items. The e-collar can be used for this AND should be used in combination with positive reinforcement (treats, toys etc) for giving up objects. I teach the dogs to let go of one thing in exchange for another. I also teach them to let go of something and then they may get it back (this helps diminish the possessiveness because it keeps the dog from thinking you are constantly trying to “special” things from them.
At this point it sounds like you have a pretty severe situation so I would suggest you find a competent trainer in your area to help you. It may be a chore to find someone with good e-collar experience. Not all trainers use the tool the same way unfortunately and some use it only as a punishment. You can check my other website. ThatsMyDog.com and look under the Trainers School for a list of graduates to see if there is someone in your area.
If you can’t find anyone, I do sell Dvd’s that can get you started with the basics of using the e-collar and can do long distance coaching sessions to help you with the rest also.
Good luck,
Robin
Could you recommend an e-collar trainer for a reactive/aggressive dog in San Diego?
Brian Callin
Whos Walking Who Dog training
Hemet, CA
Phone : 951-663-6345
Email : callink9@gmail.com
my yorkie like to beat up on my other dog molly is the yorkie she is very aggressive to daffy and if she get something in her mouth she will bite hard
do you think a spray collar will work she is only 5 or 6lbs I love my dogs and don’t want anything to hurt them but miss molly needs to start being nicer
Hi Dawn,
you can find collars small enough to fit a 5/6 pound dog. However,please be aware that the best course of action is to establish rules and structure in the household. Start with obedience and teach the dogs basics like come when called, go to a place & stay, drop things from their mouths etc. Once they understand a few of these basic things you will be able to control their interactions better. A remote collar can help you to teach these things and give you that control without need for a leash or drag line in the house. If you use the collar only to correct when/if Molly when she goes after Daffy it may make matters worse. It is important to do the foundation training of obedience first and then manage by using those skills to monitor and control their interactions.
Do you have anyone trainers in the state of Delaware that you could recommend for an aggressive / reactive 3 year old male (altered) Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Lori Leornard
Dog’s and Their Companions, Inc.
Millsbore, Delaware
Phone : 302-228-2107
Email : dogsandtheircompanions@gmail.com
I have a 15 month old Tibetan terrier who is great with people and most dogs but will go after dogs that show up less than confident or young dogs. To my knowledge, he has never hurt another dog but it sounds as if he might and it scares the other dog and all the owners, as well. I can’t take the risk that he might hurt another dog. We play with sometimes 30 other dogs at the dog park every weekend and one or two others everyday and he’s fine with his dog friends but about 1 out of every 10 dogs he meets is one that he immediately goes after and is aggressive with. It’s scary. He knows basic commands such as sit, stay, come, down, leave it but doesn’t respond on his own 100% of the time. I try to follow through and enforce the command. He is smart and headstrong. I can see when his attention focuses on a dog he is about to go after and think if I can keep his focus on the command (stay, leave it, etc), it may prevent the escalation of a dog attack. I think an e-collar will help this and keep things positive. I would prefer to train him to the e-collar with a local, private trainer but live in Anchorage and I haven’t found a trainer here who works with e-collars and is a recommended trainer. Do you work with anyone here in Anchorage, AK?
Hi Barbara,
No, I’ve asked around with colleagues and I don’t know anyone up there. I do agree with the idea of using better attention to obedience as a way to decrease these problems. That would be my approach to utilizing an e-collar with him. By you creating a more reliable response you can decide who he can and can not interact with and this should lessen the problems of him going after/picking on the weaker dogs.
I have a three year old poodle/ chihuahua mix that is a great dog. However, within the last several months, she has been randomly attacking our other two dogs (cocker spaniel and a yorkie) for no apparent reason (although I’m starting to recognize when she doesn’t want the other dogs to have my attention or if she has something she doesn’t want taken away she has gone on the attack). I don’t know what started this attitude, but we have been popping her, picking her up out of the fight and crating her until she no longer barks or whines. We ignore her when she is being crated for this behavior and she seems automatically remorseful once she has calmed down. I have been thinking about getting a shock collar for her because of this behavior and reading your article was very helpful in how to use a shock collar successfully. Until I purchase one, how should I be handling these attacks? She usually plays well with the yorkie and she has only attacked him once, but she has attacked the cocker 3 times and seems to want to intimidate her all the time. I will be moving soon and will be taking the poodle/chihuahua with me (I live with family and my dog was purchased after I had lived with the cocker. The yorkie came about 3 years after I got my dog) so I won’t have the constant alert anymore, but I still don’t want this behavior to continue.
Hi Stephanie,
Before you go out and purchase an e-collar I would suggest you do two things. One I would take the dog to a vet and have a complete exam and blood profile done including thyroid testing. If this is a sudden change of behavior it is possible there is an underlying medical reason. Google Jean Dodds DVM and read some of her work on the subject.
I would also consult with a trainer who has experience resolving dog to dog aggression issues. It is very possible this is a due to lack of proper structure and leadership in the house but you need someone to assess that and help you get on track. For the time being I would suggest you keep a light leash attached to the dog and begin to institute some rules around the house. The leash gives you some control and helps you to enforce follow through. Increase obedience by making the dog earn privileges and resources (food/toys/affection) and interrupt (or better yet – prevent) the poodle mix from bullying the cocker.
Hi,
I have a 16 month old Siberian Husky who is having issues with jumping up and nipping people. A little bit of history: I got her at 13 weeks and I’m not completely sure about how much time she spent with mom before she was 8 weeks of age. I know mom teaches them about bite inhibition. She goes to the dog park every day for at least an hour because I know huskies have a lot of energy.
But when guests come over (especially with men, and sometimes with me) she tries to get their attention by mouthing and jumping. The pressure she applies when she mouths is not enough to break skin, but it is definitely not soft either.
I have gone through obedience training with her and when she does this to guests I try to re direct her to come to me and lay down or sit. She is incredibly persistent and will stay by me for a little bit, but then returns to her bad behavior. Sometimes when she gets all riled up and starts the mouting, she thinks it’s a game when I tell her “no” and gets more excited and nippy.
I wanted to know what you thought about using shock collar training for my dog. I need her to “get the point” that she CANNOT jump or put her teeth on ANYONE, EVER. Re directing her with positive reinforcement and tons of treats does not seem to be working on its own.
Thanks!
Hi Devora,
I think the remote collar is a very versatile tool for a number of uses. In your situation it can be used to help direct to and maintain more positive behaviors. For instance, having your dog remain on a Place (dog bed, mat) when visitors arrive. It can also be used to interrupt undesirable behavior such as the jumping up and mouthing.
However, I do strongly encourage you to find professional help if you chose to utilize this tool. A few lessons with a skilled trainer knowledgeable about remote collars and you’ll be not only on your way toward resolving this problem but also likely to gain off leash reliability with your Husky. (something that many find challenging with Nordic breeds)
Check out our list of trainers to see if there is someone near you.
http://www.truthaboutshockcollars.com/training-help-supplies/
all the best,
Robin