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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I have an almost 3 yr old black lab that was socialized well and we had no issues with him and other dogs, recently though he does fine and is excited UNTIL the other dog starts to sniff him, he will stand still head turned into dog and start to growl, we remove him immediately because we don’t know if he would actually bite. What should be we do to correct this?
Hi Michelle,
As a general rule these issues are best handled through more socialization. However, when I say that, I Do NOT mean more on leash interactions with strange dogs. That is a situation that can and does put many dogs on defense.
Being on leash, with no option to move away, and being “forced” to tolerate the intrusion of personal space by strange dogs is not a technique I recommend. Ideally find a trainer in your area that is doing some large field socialization or similar social classes that are well supervised and managed. That can help many dogs to develop better communication skills and greater tolerance.
If you cannot find that, then I would ask yourself, Why does my dog have to tolerate strange dogs getting into his personal space? I think this is a common misnomer in pet ownership…that every dog has to be an outgoing personality that wants to meet and greet every other dog. I personally don’t see it this way. I don’t mind hugging and intrusion of close personal space with people I know and trust…but I would be deeply disturbed by a stranger coming up and getting within 12 inches of me, wanting to touch my hair, sniff my perfume or take hold of my arm.
Be an advocate for your dog and when others want their dog to “say hi” evaluate if your dog looks interested or not. If not, then don’t do it, politely say no. If your dog initiates contact and wants to sniff the other dog, then keep loose leashes so they can move more freely and each dog go around to the tail end for a brief sniff. If the sniffing last longer than 2 seconds…simply move BOTH dogs on past each other in order to shorten the prolonged sniff that often makes a dog uncomfortable (similar to the way a prolonged handshake is uncomfortable and often considered a threat or act of intimidation) It is important we learn to understand things from a dog’s point of view and not force things that are unnatural in their world.
I have a two year old English Springer spaniel who is very vocal. She growls when she’s happy, playing but she also growls when she doesn’t want to do something. I think it’s dominance behavior and sometimes when she is growling you can see in her eyes she doesn’t know how to get out of it. Some growling is just that, some she shows her teeth. We can ask her top come, sit, shake, and she will but I hoping to train her to not growl in the first place so I’m hoping an e-collar will stop it completely. Outside she is fantastic, comes with a whistle, knows all basic commands except maybe heal but she does “wait”. She is very food motivated and will do almost anything for a treat. I just want to help her and if it’s me and my husband then I want to learn how to control her dark side. We have been bitten or scratched but always with a growl warning first. It’s inside that we see the most growling and mostly when the three of us are together. One on one she is so much better but I think she tries to be pack leader when we are all together.
Hi Stephanie,
I would recommend you find a professional to work with rather than trying to fix this yourself. It is important to have a clear understanding of why she is growling. Simply correcting her for growling does not change the underlying emotional state. If there are fear or anxiety issues that are the root of her feeling the need to growl then you will need to address those root issues and build tolerance to them rather than simply suppress the growl.
Unfortunately I can’t diagnose something this complex over the internet, so I would really encourage you to find someone to work with locally that can see these issues in person. That will help to get a better handle on what is going on and then develop the steps to work on to help resolve the issues.
If you struggle to find someone in your area, then reach out to me and we can set up some coaching calls to discuss things in detail and come up with a plan.
warm regards,
Robin
Hi Robin,
I have a 4 month old Doberman puppy. I got him at 3 months but this month he’s been with me has felt like years. He is extremely aggressive. He bites constantly and not like puppy play biting it’s very hard intentional biting. I’ve tried time outs, holding him by the scruff of his neck firmly & saying “no biting” I’ve tried redirecting with toys or commands he knows & nothing holds. He is relentless. He may stop for 5 or 10 seconds max then goes right back to it. I can’t even pet him without getting bit. It is constant & he has broken skin & drawn blood a few times. He’s very good with commands, he’s not food aggressive or possessive of his toys but for some reason he won’t stop biting me. I can be sitting near by & he’ll be on his bed with a toy then he’ll come over to bark, snarl, snap & bite me. I’ve enrolled him in some private training but should I consider an e collar too? I’m at a loss. Thank you.
Hi Irene,
You may want to add an e-collar to the mix of his training at some point in the next couple months. It can help by giving him more off leash freedom, which in turn reduces frustration and pent up energy. Plus it is an easy way to interrupt play biting. However, it sounds like you may have a problem with the foundation of the relationship and that needs to be addressed through leadership and a good crating schedule. Too often puppies and young dogs are not getting nearly enough uninterrupted time in a crate where they learn to self calm and get enough rest for a quickly growing body and mind.
I would also recommend you keep a leash attached to his collar and allow him to drag it around the house. That way you have a handle to take hold of any time you need to move him or regain control. Additionally, take away access to the bed and furniture for now. It is better to dramatically limit these liberties now while he is young and gradually introduce them later when he more mature and has learned they are only allowed with your permission.
Feel free to download this PDF for additional tips on Leadership.
Robin
Hi Robin,
First, thank you for this post! Giving me some hope.
We have a 4yo, neutered, golden retriever. Who has aggression issues in certain situations. He’s an awesome dog 95% of the time, but when he’s not, he’s really bad. The biggest out lashes usually happen about every 2-3mo, and usually involve a ball, toy or even me (I’m thinking). For example, today we got to the park we he was greeted by two male dogs. My dog started postering himself and making whimpering and small growling noises. I’m usually not concerned as he’ll do that when he’s really excited, but at this point, it usually goes one of two ways. This behavior warned off one of the dogs, but the other one was adamant about him. We found another end of the park, but the curious Pointer ran back over as my guy had his sick. The pointer comes running up and my dog immediately starts running along side and then totally lights into the Pointer. The Pointer is happy to return gnashing so then they’re reacting to each other. He’s also chased cars and bikers to which we have called him off several times, but sometimes he’s too far gone.
You referenced having the foundation of attention and I feel that we do. And there have been numerous times I see a situation coming, and it’s totally avoided by me giving him a job. However, when he gets to the chase point, it’s too late. We’ve never used an e-collar on him before, but wondering if this is an option here? Would sincerely appreciate any insight or feedback! Thank you in advance!
Hi Sarah,
Personally, I’m not a fan of any situation where a strange dog can charge up to me and my dogs and intrude uninvited, which I why I’m not a fan of dog parks. Some dogs are ok with those intrusions, but more often than not, the violation of personal space or possessions creates conflict and can lead to a fight.
It is one thing to play fetch or similar games in a group of dogs that know one another and can be managed safely but unfortunately no one was managing the Pointer and calling him away to leave you and your dog to play without intrusion.
As far at an e-collar goes, it can greatly improve a dog’s recall, so that is where you’d find the greatest value and peace of mind..in gaining reliability and training him to come off of a chase. Having a strong recall allows me to take my dogs off leash with far less worry so I can find open, unfenced areas to run my dogs that are less populated. That allows me more freedom to play with out the interruption or worry about over zealous canines that want in on our games.
Hi! I have a one-year-old dutchie that is reactive to bigger or other aggressive dogs, and some people. I have tried using the e-collar to get his attention but the stimulus seems to ‘make him’ react to whatever he sees rather than return his attention to me. The e-collar worked for some time at the beginning (he had e-collar stress, too), but now it just seems to ignite his reaction rather than subdue it. He redirects sometimes (a snap at the knee, jumping up to grab our arms, snarling at whoever is walking him), and it’s almost like he thinks that whatever he sees elicits a stimulus that makes him explode. We’ve used prong corrections when he reacts, and it does seem to snap him out of it, but only sometimes. Do you have any suggestions? Also, we live in the Toronto area, do you have any trainers that you could recommend? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, Thank you for reaching out. A few thoughts: 1) your Dutchie is still relatively young. It may simply be frustration of wanting to greet/play that started the behavior in the first place. I’d suggest finding a play group so that he can learn to interact with other dogs in an appropriate manner. 2) Learning to walk nicely despite any distractions (in this case, other dogs) is accomplished by assisting the dog proactively in “what to do” rather than reactively about “what to stop doing” (so regardless of the tool you are using you need to help him “heel” Before he fires up) Once he is already reacting to the other dogs it is generally too late to to make good progress and, yes, he may become more reactive due to his building frustration that you won’t let him do what he wants to do. If you have not seen this article about proactive intervention, give it a look.
Finally, check out the International Association of Canine Professionals and see if there is someone in the Toronto area that can assist you. If so, let them know you need help reading some body language about when/how to intervene Before he reacts, (plus reward for that behavior) And ideally see if they hold supervised social groups so he can learn more polite behavior around other dogs and alleviate frustration by being allowed to play in the right settings.
Robin
Need help with my rescue Yorkie. He has started biting me when I try to hold him when he is trying to do anything I don’t him to do. He does snap at me and does bite me. I am starting to get disconnected as I’m afraid to get bitten and afraid he’ll bite my grandchildren. We’ve had him since May and he had become very loveable and well adjusted. If it is a container that has had food in it he becomes like a rabid dog. You can’t get near the item. We’ve never fed him people food and he doesn’t beg when we eat or even know how to eat our food. I got a shock collar today but want to use it properly. Is there hope of us being able to keep him. I really love him. He’s been doing this for about 6 to 8 weeks. Please lead me in the right direction.
Hi Annette,
It sounds like you have some resource guarding issues going on. Ideally it is best to work with a professional if at all possible. You can check with the International Association of Canine Professionals to see if there is someone in your area to help you.
If you feel you want to go it alone to begin training with the remote collar, you can find my dvd’s through Gun Dog Supply. It will help you get started properly by setting a foundation of good obedience work. Once you build that foundation, you might find that behavior improves over all. And it will also help set the stage to be communicating with him more clearly. You will also need to start some “trade” games to teach him to willingly give up items rather than protect them. It can be a process which is why I would recommend finding someone in your area. If you can’t find anyone though, I do offer coaching calls to share more detailed advice.
warm regards,Robin
Hi! My girlfriend has a 3 year old golden doodle who is trying to assert his dominance over us. He typically goes insane when someone shows up (jumps on them, puts it mouth on them (like he’s fake biting), is super excited, sprints around, and won’t calm down ). Generally the best way to manage that is to take him for a walk where he likes to try and lead the way (Pulls on the leash, isn’t always out front but typically is) – surprisingly he’s really good about other dogs and people and just spins in a circle once or twice. He’s tried humping both of us but it’s mostly me he tries for occasionally. He will snap and growl if you go near his food while he’s eating. He’s not allowed to have toys because he’ll do the same thing if you try to take them, he can’t have a bed outside of his crate because he has growled at my girlfriend when she tried to grab his leash before bed. He can’t play because he gets aggressive. He has been to aggression and obedience training before but it doesn’t seem to stick. He doesn’t get treats. Last weekend I was along trying to get him in his crate, I asked nicely ( he was in the living room I was in the dining room) his tail was wagging, I asked more firmly, I approached and when I was within 3 feet he snapped and was snarling and barking. Which scared the ish out of me since I was not expecting it, I (stupidly – Hindsight is 20/20) reached for the leash and he snarled and barked again with his snout brushing my hand. I got mad and commanded in an authoritative voice to get in the crate, which he did after the 2nd or 3rd command.
Is a shock collar something that can help try to assert our slots as Alpha over him? Can training help?
Hi Andrew, you have a lot going on with your dog and your best course of action is to find an experience, professional trainer to help you. Under their guidance they may suggest using a remote collar as a part of the training but I want to make it clear that a remote collar is not a “magic solution”. Without understanding how to use it to build better communication and improve the relationship with your dog, you won’t be any farther ahead.
I don’t believe your dog is trying to assert dominance over you. You simply have an untrained dog. One that doesn’t know what you want it to do, because it has not been taught. The remote collar can be part of teaching the dog to walk nicely on leash, come when called and go calmly to a Place (dog bed or other item) and remain there when people come to the door.
You will also need assistance working through your dog’s possessive behavior. Your dog is resource guarding space, food and toys and this will get more dangerous without proper intervention. Again, an experienced pro can guide you through steps to teach your dog to willingly yield space and toys to you, but it must be done not through “dominance” but through leadership protocols that build mutual trust. Please seek professional help to assist you.
If you do not know anyone in your area, check the International Association of Canine Professionals for a trainer in your area.
warm regards,
Robin
Hi! I have a 3 and a half year old Great Dane mix who is super sweet to us and is ok after a little while when guests come over but she’s extremely aggressive towards delivery people (to the point of trying to bite them) and we cannot catch her because she just tries to run away and yelling at her to come or stop hasn’t seemed to work. Would you recommend a shock e-collar for her to stop chasing the trucks and lunging to bite the drivers and actually come to us when they are here. She’s in an electric fence already but the driveway is part of it, so I was thinking an e-collar might help train her to come to us instead of attack the delivery people. Thanks!
Hi Megan, I recommend e-collars as part of a balanced approach to training. If I were working with your dog, I would likely use the remote collar to teach a reliable recall (so I could call her back from a chase) I would also teach a Place command so she could learn to go to a spot (dog bed or similar) and calmly remain there when people came to my home. Once I had some foundation built that improved the obedience, I then move on to counter-conditioning and desensitizing (so she can develop more trust being around new people and the delivery trucks would not cause such trigger to the guarding response)
Remote collars are great tools, however if they are used to “zap” a dog as a punishment for unwanted behavior, the results can vary. However, if they are used as tactile cues to interrupt distraction and redirect to more appropriate behavior (negative reinforcement training) they tend to be game changers and many dogs can do dramatic turn arounds in behavior and become much calmer and less anxious as a result of it.
I would suggest you find a professional to assist you, rather than trying to do it yourself. Check the International Association of Canine Professionals to see if there is someone in your area. If you can not find anyone and want to try yourself then please get my instructional materials available from Gun Dog Supply (5 disk set) and if you have any problems reach out and we can set up a coaching call.
Good luck,
Robin
I have two golden doodles and two huskies. I’ve had the doodles for three years and brought the two huskies into my home when they were puppies two and a half years ago(each about 8 wks old). I was going to breed the huskies, but decided I didn’t want to deal with everything that would go into doing that so I had the male husky neutered. He had always gone crazy when Ruby was in heat and acted out toward my male doodle. I thought neutering him would cut down on the aggression. It did seem to work for a while. Recently, I took my doodles to the groomer to get their summer hair cuts. Both huskies reacted aggressively toward them for a day or two, but then things got back to normal. Recently, however, they have both been extremely aggressive towards the doodles, especially the male husky. I started keeping a choker and leash on him so I could have more control of his movements around the house. At first he was more aggressive toward my male doodle, but recently he started attacking my female doodle. Earlier this week, when he attacked my male doodle, I decided to try using the e-collar I had purchased a while back. I only used the shock selection one time. After that all I have to do is use the beeper and the vibrator and he immediately goes into a cower. I hate using this on him, but, I believe it will work. It has to work, it’s my last resort. I don’t want to have to get rid of my little fellow, I really love him. I just need to know how I should go about using it so I can help him get back to the sweet little fellow he was before all of this aggression starting coming to surface. One other thing I forgot to mention, I am going to be having the female husky spayed later this month. I was hoping that might help. Thank you for any suggestions you can give me…
Hello Gary,
The main thing to understand about using a remote collar is that you have to teach your dog how to respond to it. This means working systematically through a process of e-collar conditioning (rather than just putting it on the dog and randomly pushing the buttons or waiting for the dog to do something “bad” and then punishing him for it.
Ideally, you should find a experienced dog trainer to guide you through the process of collar conditioning. And when I say experienced, I mean someone who has significant experience (not limited) with e-collar use AND experience working with dog to dog aggression cases.
If you can not find that in your area, I would suggest you purchase my 5 DVD set from Gun Dog Supply and work through the collar conditioning with that system. I am also available for consultations so if you get stuck and need some assistance we can talk via phone or video chat.
With the proper instruction, hopefully you can get things moving in the right direction.
warm regards,
Robin
Hi, so I have a dog that is a year half lab mix has some pit bull and Rottweiler too. I’ve had her since 4 weeks momma weaned the puppies early at least thats what I was told. But she is now 1 year old and started having small agression bouts toward my kiddos. Its at random usually like goes to them to play and get loves, gives them kisses. But there’s times where they walk by and she will randomly growl at them. One time she actually snapped. I want to work with her as we all love her dearly but I really need to get a handle on this. I keep a close eye on her and when i need to do things around the house kennel her up when i can’t keep a close eye on the situation. I’m just not sure what kind of agression it is, as its at random and usually unprovoked. She has not been aggressive towards me at all. I am at a loss though.
Hi Noel, Yes, you do need to figure out what is going on and work to resolve this issue. It may be a resource guarding issue where she is guarding space. However, I can’t say for sure without a great deal more information. If there is someone in your area you can contact, it is ideal to work with a trainer that is local so they can see the dog and make some first hand assessment of her overall temperament and behavior. However, if you cannot locate someone, feel free to check out my options for distance coaching. I would be happy to help you if I can.
warm regards,
Robin