I recently posted a request for cover photos on our
I Love My e-collar and so Does My Dog! Facebook page. Whenever we post these requests there is a good response and often stories accompany the photos.
Such is the case with Oliver and his owner Kimberley. I appreciate being able to share these stories because I think it is so critical that dog owners understand there are options for tools and methods for training dogs. That concept really needs to be driven home in regards to dogs that need special behavioral assistance finding a forever home.
Kimberly is right on when she speaks of rescues not being able to take dogs that have issues. It is a common problem because they generally are not equipped to deal with behavioral problems. However, it is an issue I feel would be less problematic…
IF more rescues and shelters knew of the possibilities that e-collar training can provide.
Stories and myths seem to abound about e-collars causing behavioral problems. Many rescues and shelters have a policy eschewing anything other than a flat buckle collar and a bag of treats as the behavioral remedy that fits all. The reality is, e-collar training solves far more behavior problems than it causes. There are rescue organizations who know that truth and some who will work with e-training…but public perception keeps them silent about it and believing they need to “keep it quiet”. For those folks I say “we need you to speak up on behalf of the dogs, come on out of the closet!”
I firmly believe if more people understood the proper techniques for e-collar conditioning and how to use the tool as an informational training system…there would be fewer dog IN rescue and shelters to begin with.
So thank you to Kimberley for sharing Ollie’s story and offering some inspiration to others in similar situations:
“This is our newest addition, Ollie (Oliver). He’s the fourth in our pack and the 3rd dog to be trained using an e-collar.
We saw Ollie’s picture and story circulating on FB. His owner was moving and couldn’t take him with her and because of some serious issues that he displayed she was having trouble rehoming him. Most local rescues only take in dog friendly, child friendly dogs,…and Ollie was neither of those things. If nobody took him in, he was going to be euthanized the next weekend. Fast forward….(two months later) thanks to his e-collar training he’s now a happy and social dog that loves going to the park and meeting new canine friends to play with. We can’t imagine not having him in our lives and he impresses everyone that he meets. They find it hard to believe that he was once labelled aggressive. He went to his first group class this weekend and impressed everyone. He even stayed after class to play with two boxers he met in class that day. We’re so proud of his progress,…he’s come a long way.”
This is a photo of Ollie practicing “place” in our local offleash dog park.
Kimberley
Halifax, N.S.
* If you have a story about e-collar training you’d like to share, please send the dog’s photo and story to Robin@ThatsMyDog.com
I use a dogtra and also a petsafe e-collar on my german shepherds. my 6 year old female was displaying such extreme aggression to strange dogs that I was scared she might get put down. the e-collar was a last resort. my vet complimented me on my dog’s improved behavior but when I mentioned on a forum online that I use a shock collar while she is off leash, I had lots of people saying I was being inhumane and torturing my dogs…..I hate judgemental people. training has been so successful that I rarely use the dogtra shock, because they respond so well to the vibrate setting.
Great article. I have been using ecollars as a training tool for 10 years with great success. While not the tool for all dogs I have NEVER seen them create any issues and they have literally saved the lives of some. Here is one of my success stories
https://www.facebook.com/francis.john.330/posts/445462218855580?comment_id=3546493¬if_t=share_reply