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Can Aggression in Dogs Be Fixed with an E-Collar?

Can Aggression in Dogs Be Fixed with an E-Collar?

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.

Here is a link to one of the many success stories we have in using an e-collar while dealing with aggression in dogs.

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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Comments

257 comments

  • Hello Robin,

    My Dog is a 2 year old Lab-Husky Mix.
    I believe she is a fearful dog who is relying on aggression (biting, growling lunging) to protect herself. She has bitten everyone in the household, and growls and barks at strangers that come to our house, to the extent we have to keep her away in a another room.
    Trying to correct her behavior by saying no and telling her to move to sit in a specific area is only making things worse. I am unsure if my voice is the actually trigger since we are a loud and large family. My last hope is to use a shock collar to try and correct this behavior or I am afraid we are going to have to put her down as a last resort.
    The bite have also become unpredictable and directed at all family members.
    Please advise.

    • Hi Sarah,

      At this point I would not advise you to simply use a remote collar to try and address the situation. You need to consult with an experience professional to help you. This is not as simple as correcting the behavior. While a remote collar can help with gaining control, it alone will not address or fix a fearful mindset (if in fact that is what you are dealing with) I suggest you do some research and find someone skilled to work closely with to address these problems.
      best regards,
      Robin

  • Hello Robin, I have a 15 month 50 lb goldendoodle with a history of resource guarding and biting us, his family. I have used trainers, one specifically who works with dogs who are not adoptable. I took him to the vet and had his blood and stool analyzed; came out fine. He is neutered.

    His bites were usually centered on guarding, but now have become unpredictable. We could be petting him and he might bite.

    Are eCollars ever used to help dogs learn to not bite and not guard?
    Thank you!

    • Hi Shelley,

      I use e-collars as one of the tools when working with resource guarding issues. Their purpose is to improve overall obedience. Often with resource guarding behavior the dog is not good with recalling away from coveted items or spaces, so the collar can be useful for those type purposes. Or for learning to drop items.
      However, the collar should not be used to punish the dog for guarding behavior. That thought process can typically backfire. In addition to improving the obedience training, I use a lot of counter-conditioning exercises to build trust in the dog’s mind about people approaching coveted spaces/items.
      There is a lot that goes into my protocol for resource guarding that can’t be described in a few quick sentences. If you are interested in some coaching, please send an email to Robin@RobinMacFarlane.com and we can chat more.
      best regards,
      Robin

  • Hello! Thanks for this information–unfortunately we are currently considering putting our aggressive dog down, but haven’t yet tried shock collars and are wondering if perhaps they might help. We have a 4.5-year old 90-lb. Leonberger-Belgian Malinois mix, who we adopted a year and a half ago at age 3. She was not socialized as a pup, and when we adopted her she had been at the shelter for 3+ months. She is terrifyingly aggressive to people she isn’t familiar with, but after about 48 hours of exposure one is on her ‘safe’ list and she’s a giant, gentle baby.

    We live on 20 acres in the country and have few visitors, but no fence. She has bitten two visitors since adopting her, and we have since completely isolated her whenever people come over–but our fear is that she will corner/bite one of our two neighbors when she’s roaming the property. (We try to prevent her from roaming, but she sometimes runs off on walks, and she just wouldn’t get enough exercise if we had her on a leash anytime she was outside.) Would a shock collar assist in this situation, either in terms of getting her comfortable enough with strangers that she won’t lunge/bite or making sure she sticks with us on walks and doesn’t roam?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
    Thank you,
    Natalie

    • Hello Natalie,

      I’m sorry to hear of the challenges you’re having with your dog, but pleased you’re considering all options before making the decision on euthanasia.
      Training with a remote collar can provide you more control. It will not automatically make your dog feel at ease with strangers, but it can provide you greater control, even in those times you have visitors. It will help you achieve off leash reliability during your walks and give you a stronger recall.
      In terms of dealing with her behavior with people, the e-collar plays a role in helping her maintain obedience around distractions (even the distraction of people coming on your property) She can learn to follow your directives of commands (whether that is Sit, Down, Come, Place, etc) rather than charging toward anyone or running off. However, getting her to trust people more readily is something that takes additional work such as counter-conditioning exercises. Personally, I do that through the use of food and play, gradually working in the “strangers” to be the ones treating and playing with the dog. This is not a simple task or training problem for a pet owner to do on their own, so I strongly encourage you to find an experienced professional to assist you.

      Let me know if I can be of further help.
      Good luck,
      Robin

  • Hi Robin! I have a basset hound/ mixed with something else 54lbs dog. Sweetest dog to me. I got him around 6 months of age from a kid on craigslist that could not take care of him. At that time I already had a 3 year old rescue dog named daisy 25lbs. They got along instantly and daisy does put Duke in his place when needed. He’s never shown aggression towards her or anyone when I first got him. Loved everyone he met including strangers and even the vet. When he was about a year old I wanted a third dog and adopted another dog, a puggle named Bucky 22lbs Duke and him were a little weary of one another at first but then they loved playing. I had Bucky about 3 months when the aggression began. We had a fenced in yard and I’d leave all 3 dogs outside to play and one day Bucky wasn’t coming inside so I had went out to find him and found him lying in the grass with blood all over him. I thought he had been shot. We had a crazy neighbor that never liked our dogs because they barked a lot. Well I rushed him to the er vet and the vet said it wasn’t a gunshot wound but a dog bite. And let me remind you they never showed aggression until that day Duke turned on him and attacked his leg. So from then on they have been separated at first with a baby gate until the aggression got worse and a baby gate wasn’t enough. I moved back home and my mom had 4 dogs of her own that Duke used to love and not anymore. He hates any new dogs including my mothers, and my dog Bucky. The only dog he loves now is my female daisy he has still to this day never shown aggression towards her. And his actions toward people changed as well. He hates anyone new he remembers my 13 year old nephew, me, my parent and my two brothers and still wags his tail and wants to love on them. But my boyfriend is in the marine corps and had not met Duke until he was on leave. Duke hated him. Snarled, barked so loud, growled and looked as if he would attack if I wasn’t holding his harness. So he came home on leave a second time 6 months later and Duke still wasn’t having it. Tyler would just look at him and Duke would make eye contact and go crazy. Until Tyler started making friends as far as giving him treats, lunch meats or cheese and I think Duke saw he meant no harm. He still growled and looked at him side eyed but it finally got to the point that he would lay by Tyler and actually let him pet him at one point. Now he hasn’t seen him for 7 months and probably won’t for another 4 months and that will be the real test if he remembers him. But he has never actually bit anyone but if I’m holding my youngest nephew who’s 3 Duke will look at him side eyed and growl, bark and act like he would attack. The only thing he has ever attacked was bucky. Which they live In the house but Duke lives full time in the basement with me and bucky is full time on the main level. They cannot see one another, go on walks together or car rides. It’s a very stressful situation. I love all three and I will NEVER rehome any of my animals. No one understands Duke like me. My question is will a collar help. I took him one time to a dog trainer 2 hours away and he barked growled snarled and she said it would take a year or longer to help with the issues if they were even able to help. I didn’t have the money or time to continue that. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!

    • Hi Cara,

      It sounds as though you have a very complex case. Unfortunately, there is no simple fix that I can provide with a few email sentences.
      An e-collar can be a great aid for improving obedience and control of a dog, but it can not magically change him so that he will like and get along with other dogs or people. Helping him become more trustworthy and less defensive requires additional training and you should hire an experienced trainer to help.

  • Hi Robin,

    I have a 3.5 year old Pekingese and Pomeranian mix who is extremely aggressive. I first noticed it when he was about 3 months old and he was showing signs of resource guarding. I don’t know how to train him against the aggression because there is no set rule as to what he responds to. One day he might accept a behavior from my family and the next day it will upset him and he gets feral and attacks. He used to go after my Mother for no reason and now he does the same with my Dad. He just starts attacking by jumping up on them and bitting and won’t stop. His latest action is he will go up to a person and paw them to pat him and when they do, he attacks. I have a local dog trainer that apparently has worked under the Dog Whisperer and his advice was that my dog was a ticking time bomb and I should put him down. I cannot trust my dog at all and he is kept away from people. I can’t pat him or love him or pick him up anymore without the fear of being bitten. I must say in his defense that when he’s behaving, he’s the sweetest, funniest little guy that is full of life and I cannot (will not) bring myself to put him down. Any suggestions?

    Thanks
    Valerie

    • Hi Valerie,
      It concerns me that you say he has had problems since 3 months old. Even though resource guarding is not that uncommon or abnormal (from the dog’s point of view) it should of been something easily fixed at that young age (assuming you had coaching and learned how to fix it) If I see serious aggression issues in a dog that young I speculate that it may be genetic. That said, I can’t give an educated opinion on his particular case without seeing him.
      I would say that if you are not ready to make the decision to put him down, you could do a thorough medical work up to make sure physical causes like thyroid disease or structural issues are not present plus consider a second opinion from another trainer or behaviorist.
      Good luck,
      Robin

  • Hi! Thanks for this article. I have a 2 year old Mexican rescue. She is very sociable and playful, gets along great with our two kids (ages 9 months and 2.5 years), and plays well (if a bit too crazy) with other dogs. The problem is that when other dogs come close to our kids on a walk, she gets aggressive. At first it seemed like she was just a bit protective, but it seems to be getting worse and she is going after dogs just on the path if the kids are there. I’m not sure what to do, but was thinking that an ecollar may help? Any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Emily,
      Using an e-collar to help you maintain control of her behavior could be helpful. It won’t be a cure all but may be a good start. Without seeing the behavior I am only guessing, but it sounds like she may be demonstrating “possessive” behavior around the kids. Meaning her message is “these guys are mine, stay away”. Typically behavior like this works (from the dog’s point of view) because people and dogs typically back away from displays of aggressive behavior. From our standpoint, as dog owners, it is embarrassing, and we often make it worse by being overly emotional in how we try to handle it. (ie, yelling, pulling back on the leash or trying to pet, calm and convince the dog that “it’s ok”)
      Training the dog to do a behavior like sitting, laying down or just continuing to walk nicely in place of the barking/lunging gives you a way to have control over it. This is where the e-collar could help. It makes it easier to maintain the dog’s attention to command which then provides opportunity to reward the dog for performing the calmer behavior.
      If you chose to get an e-collar the main thing is to realize you should do some e-collar conditioning and training with it BEFORE you begin to use it on your walks and in these encounters with other people and dogs. Once your dog understands her job is to pay attention and listen you to, rather than focus on others approaching and go into this defensive behavior, you’ll have more control and more enjoyable walks.
      Try to find a trainer in your area that is experienced in the use of e-collar to help you if at all possible.
      Robin

      • Hi Robin,
        I have a 1 year old Staffordshire bull terrier, when we 1st got her she was 8 week old and was fantastic with our 9 year old English springer spaniel bitch. But the past 2 months she is aggressive and vicious towards the ESS, they can’t be in the same room as 1 another and a stair gate doesn’t protect the ESS either. Would the e collar help with the aggression?
        They’ve always been treated the same it’s just the past few months the little 1s turned on her. She’s brilliant with people of all ages.

        • Hi Rebecca,

          I’m sorry to hear about the challenges you’re having with the two dogs. I would strongly suggest you find a local trainer that has experience working with these types of issues.
          An e-collar is useful for obedience training. It can help with creating more reliable behaviors like Come when called, Sit/stay, Down/Stay etc. So it may help control the situation but still requires a high degree of supervision and management. Ultimately you would like to get to the root of the behavioral issue and that is going to take someone experienced to evaluate what exactly is going on and why. From there, a plan can be created that (hopefully) can greatly improve or resolve the problems.

  • I have a 6 year old shetland sheepdog, he’s always been excited by cars and would occasionally lunge at them along the road, however he recently started freaking out whilst crossing roads and will try and bite anyone near him. He is a very excitable and energetic dog. I’m currently studying and don’t have the time to send him to obedience or aggression classes, what should I do?

    • Hello Ginger,
      I would highly suggest you consult a professional in your area. If your dog is attempting to bite other people you have a liability on your hands and it is simply not an easy matter for me to diagnose and suggest what to do based on this limited exchange of words. A professional that has experience working with aggression can access the situation and provide you with a potential course of action.
      Best wishes,
      Robin

  • Hi I adopted a 3 yr old jack russell mix about a month ago. She has latched to me pretty quickly and to other women in my family but she is having trouble with my husband. I am not sure if a male figure was mean to her in her previous home but she growls, barks and lunges at my husband every time he walks past her or gets close to me. He wants to use an e-collar to stop her from doing this but I am not sure it will work and I don’t want to make it worse. Any opinions on how to stop her from acting this way towards him? I’m afraid if she doesn’t stop he will want to get rid of her. 🙁

    • Hi Nicole,

      The e-collar can be used as part of a comprehensive training program, but it should not be used simply to correct the barking, lunging etc. If your husband wants to fix this behavior he’ll need to invest time building a relationship with the dog. That involves both training (obedience training) AND routine care, play, feeding & management. In order for her to trust and listen to him (regardless of “why” she has a problem with him now) he has to start at the beginning and build a relationship that involves both trust and respect. I’d suggest you find a professional trainer to help you both, put in 6 months of real effort and see where you are at that point before making a decision about rehoming.
      Best regards,
      Robin

  • I have a three year old pitbull. I found her in a trash bag with two dead litter mates. Her eyes were still shut. Flash forward to when she was two. She started having aggression with other dogs. Now she’s three, and is still having dog aggression issues! I am a single mom with a toddler and I am in school (Buying the collar alone, I could not pay for textbooks but thankfully had a perfect toddler who would sit in the library for hours) . I can’t afford to pay a trainer thousands of dollars to work with her, but she’s a ham with people. Any tips on using an ecollar without professional training?

  • I have a 11 month old Pitbull terrier mix that I rescued when he was 7 months old. He is an awesome dog all around. Gets along with other dogs, is sweet with other people. I dont worry about him around children and other kids and adults. The problem, however, is he bites me, my husband and my 2 kids when he is told “off” or “no” or “back”. He has been professionally trained. The trainer is against training collars but i am at my wits end. I don’t want to have to bring him back to the shelter but I cannot be afraid or have my kids afraid of our own dog. He only shows aggression when he is told NOT to do something using those one word phrases. Otherwise he is a super dog. He really is. But, he is also a pitbull terrier rescue with a history we know nothing about. I want to keep him but his biting, lunging and barking at us has to stop. Do you think an e-collar or training collar would help with these commands and a pitbull. My fear is, will it make him more aggressive. Thank you for your time!
    Sincerely
    Lisa

    • Hi Lisa,

      Where do you live? I think the best solution is to try and find you a trainer who is knowledgable and has worked with these sort of issues before. I’m hard pressed to advise what to do or not to do when I can’t personally see the dog. But the fact that he is biting your family is highly concerning.
      If you let me know where you are, I can see if I know of any colleagues in your area to refer you to.

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