The e-collar is only for lazy dog trainers and dog owners right?
I am sure you’ve either heard that one before or perhaps you’ve thought it. After all, if all you have to do is push a button and your dog behaves, there isn’t much need for commitment to the process of teaching and training. Right?
Yeah, I wish it was that easy. Seriously, if that was the case, who wouldn’t want to put an e-collar on their dog? Hell, I’d even say “Abra- kadabra” when I pushed the button!
And if it worked, I’d try the same technique when I turned on my Kitchen Aid K45SS “Abra-kadabra, I want a chocolate cake!”
Alas, the process of creating something good means using a recipe of the right ingredients, with the right tools plus some time, talent and effort. The e-collar vs other tools is more akin to the electric mixer vs a spoon. There is still work to be done, but the mixer allows you to do it with less physical exertion and gives you a smoother outcome in a shorter amount of time.
No amount of technology replaces the need for for other ingredients plus the work needed to cook it up. The technology just aids us in getting to the result with greater ease. It is why we send e-mail to communicate rapidly or why most of us go cross country by flight rather than horse and wagon.
When an e-collar magically produces a perfect dog and KitchenAid magically produces a cake…I’ll buy stock in both companies! Until then I’ll keep training dogs and buy my baked goods from someone who is a wizard at their craft.
Thanks Sue for pointing that out in your words below. Congrats on mixing up a great relationship with Otto!
When inquiring at our local veterinarian about a training class for our Giant Schnauzer, “Otto”, I was given the name of Sharon Larson at Canine Coach. When I found out it was an electronic training class, my first inclination was to say “NO WAY!”. I felt the e-collar was a substitution for the lazy dog owners who didn’t want to spend time working with their pet. and I was very much against that. I did however decide to talk to Sharon @ Canine Coach, and decided to try this training method. I was pleasantly surprised at the positive training approach used. This e-collar training is not a one class instruction on pushing a button and shocking your dog. The class teaches you respect, trust and in return you get a happier,more balanced pet. Every one wins. Your pet gets the added freedom of more time with his family and that’s what we wanted for our pet. I strongly urge pet owners to check out remote collar training. Be sure you find a qualified trainer like Canine Coach and notice the confidence & trust both you and your dog will enjoy! We need to remove the negative stigma associated with electronic collar training.
Jim, Sue, & Otto
Invest some time in learning before applying to the mix. The e-collar is an awesome tool but not magic.
Hi Robin,
As always, your article is right on. I had a fellow officer tell me once that e-collar training was a lazy way to train (he only believed in using it as a last ditch effort and set at a high level…which of course is the wrong way to use it. He believes in training with a choke training collar).
My response to him was, “So what I hear you saying is that you would rather use heavy handed corrections via a choke chain which makes you the “bad guy” that the corrections are coming from and it requires timing that is difficult to always get right dependent upon the handler’s skill level and the dog’s ability to avoid the correction? Whereas, the remote collar can be used at low levels that doesn’t hurt the dog, the handler isn’t seen as the “bad guy” but instead the safe person to come to in all situations, the timing of the e-collar taps can be more accurately delivered by most anyone and it can be utilized while the dog is off leash. I wouldn’t call that “lazy training but smart training.”