Shock Collars.

So I have a dog, a pitbull/rottweiler dog. And Ive had him for over 5 monthes now, and Ive been training it. But lately it hasnt been listening, and he's a 1yr pup (I found him when he was a stray).Im thinking of buying a shock collar to get the message across to him to not jump on people, especially little kids like my nephew. I let him outside the yard to take a piss, and then I call him and he doesnt come inside. He just runs away from me.

I just dont like the idea of letting him outside even on the leash because last month on valentines day he "some how" got off the leash while I was gone.Got out of the yard and ran in front of a truck and badly injured his back leg, and could've possibly died. Aside from all of this, I think he's a really cool dog, pretty smart to. His name is Elvis .

So what do you guys think of Shock Collars? Is it animal cruelty?

It is cruel. try getting an animal trainer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UltimateSpamGrover

It is cruel. try getting an animal trainer.

---

Animal trainers just seem to expensive for the moment, shock collars cost rather cheap. And like Ive said, Ive been training it for 5 monthes now and I can train it myself, the shock collar would just be assisting me on the dog training. Its not going to be permanent, but just temporarily.

It's hard to train dogs when they aren't puppies... just hit him on the nose whenever he does something bad. Dogs HATE that! Also, talk to him in a FIRM voice, that should get your point across!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noname

I can train it myself

---

Hmmm. Seems to me the opposite. ;)

But I'd check out all the other options before doing this; I really don't think this is necessary. Although if the dog starts hurting people, more drastic measures nee to be taken.

So if you haven't already, then look up some other options, or wait for better advice then mine.


:D

There's something called a citronella collar that is much less cruel. It's a collar with a box that sprays a harmless mist on the dogs face that has a smell they don't like. You use a remote control to activate it. I used it once on my dog who kept having issues with the chicken pen and it worked wonders. She wouldn't go near the pen for a long time. It also has an optional noise you can have it make along with the spray, although I've never used the noise part before.

My dog(golden retreiver) had one... not for discipline, it was one of those invisible fence things. After awhile (probablly when he was 1 1/2 or so) we just turned the system off, went back to a normal collar, and that was that, never crossed the line without permission after that. Now, we had to train him to respect that boundries, and he's from an intelligent breed, so your mileage may vary.

Also, keep in mind that if he grows up to look like one of the breeds you said he's a mix of, people WILL be afraid of him, and if he escapes, and you're LUCKY, animal control would come get him. More likely someone would spray him with mace, or even just shoot him, if you're in an area where people tend to have guns. You need to make sure he's under control.

EDIT: Oh, to answer the question - it's not that bad of a shock, and it's not cruel.

keeping pets is cruel. :D

No, they aren't cruel. Calling them "shock collars" makes them sound way more horrible than they actually are. As a former police K-9 trainer, I have worked extensively with these collars, and can tell you they are not in any way cruel unless USED in such a manner. You should definitely find a trainer to work on it with you first. Just strapping an e-collar on a dog and going at it isn't the best way to do things.

Don't listen to anyone who says that your dog is too old to train now. Not so. Also, the citronella collars are crap.

If you don't use a shock collar it will just be something else. I think shock collars are quite possibly among the least cruel methods of operantly conditioning a dog. Although, I could never push myself to do it to an animal, because I'm one of those weird PETA-ish people who thinks animals have feelings too.

But yeah, if it doesn't pain you to do so, go ahead.

"So I have a dog, a pitbull/rottweiler dog. And Ive had him for over 5 monthes now, and Ive been training it. But lately it hasnt been listening, and he's a 1yr pup (I found him when he was a stray).Im thinking of buying a shock collar to get the message across to him to not jump on people, especially little kids like my nephew. I let him outside the yard to take a piss, and then I call him and he doesnt come inside. He just runs away from me."

He's only a year old. He's not going to start listening instantly. give it time.

"I just dont like the idea of letting him outside even on the leash because last month on valentines day he "some how" got off the leash while I was gone."

"While I was gone"? I REALLY wouldn't recommend leaving a puppy outside when you're not around. Treat him like a child.

"Animal trainers just seem to expensive for the moment, shock collars cost rather cheap."

You're looking at about $100 dollars. I've worked with animals all my life, and have taken courses in dog training and animal behaviour, and I consider them overly harsh and unnecessary.

"It's hard to train dogs when they aren't puppies... just hit him on the nose whenever he does something bad. Dogs HATE that! Also, talk to him in a FIRM voice, that should get your point across!"

It's no harder to train a dog than a puppy. It's easier sometimes, actually, since puppies are so hyper and inquisitive.

For one thing, don't hit your dog for trivial reasons. Use it as a "last resort", kind of like you would spanking a child. Even then, I'd be wary of using it, as negative reinforcement has been proven time and time again to be inaffective. The negative stimulus MUST happen less than 1 second after the event you want to discourage, or else the dog won't understand exactly what's bad. If you start hitting your dog, say, when you come home and find a mess on the floor, he'll just pair the negative reinforcement with your presense, and start avoiding you. This type of behaviour, sadly, is CONSTANTLY reinforced into dogs by people who think that dogs are like children, and that you can explain with your actions what you want. You can't. The best way to train a dog is through positive reinforcement. I prefer using little crackers, or small pieces of cheese. Dogs have a natural urge to please humans, and it's best to use that.

When he does something you don't like, you have to be very careful how you handle it, or you could end up accidently reinforcing the bad behaviour. Some types of physical punishment/yelling don't actually teach the dog. They see it as a form of attention, and dogs LOVE attention. A stern "No" is enough. When they stop, reward them. If that doesn't work, sometimes the best thing you can do, for example, with annoying barking, is completely ignore the dog. He'll stop, and when he does, you reward him.

"There's something called a citronella collar that is much less cruel. It's a collar with a box that sprays a harmless mist on the dogs face that has a smell they don't like. You use a remote control to activate it."

Although I agree with citronella collars, NEVER EVER try to train your dog with a remote control! For the same reason I said before, these are so easily abused if you don't press the button during that 1 second window.

"I think shock collars are quite possibly among the least cruel methods of operantly conditioning a dog."

... Other than every other method? I mean really, I agree that shock collars aren't that bad, but it's worse than a smack to the butt or nose. It works by physical pain. You can't deny that. If you want to, stap on a collar and speak. :P

I would recommend looking up some advice on the internet, but be careful. Anybody who recommends negative reinforcement before trying EVERYTHING else isn't competant, imo.

And another thing, just because it works, and your dog stopped doesn't mean it's a proper way to train a dog. If you beat a child, they'll stop whatever it is they're doing, but that doesn't make it right.

Emerald Aeris is completely right about positive reinforcement. It is by far the best way to train and the best way to get good results, plus the trust of your dog. However, I will say it again, "shock" collars ARE NOT cruel unless misused. When used on the lowest setting, which you shouldn't have to go above unless your dog is aggressive or putting someone in danger, it isn't even physically painful. It feels like a tingle, and yes, I do know this, because I have felt it, on every level. It was a requirement at my job to feel whatever the animals might feel, which I think was a good requirement.

E-collars are an excellent training aid, but only if you know what you are doing. I still would highly suggest you consult with a qualified trainer before trying to use one. There are a few different models out there, some less quality than others. The ones we used most often were Tri-Tronics, which will set you back a few hundred dollars, and the Dogtra. The Dogtra is about $200 and would more than likely be good enough for what you need. Along with the physical stimulus, it also has a 'pager' feature on it, which can be used for positive reinforcement.

I cannot stress enough that electronic collars are cruel only when misused. You don't have to use one to get the results you need, but you DO have to put time and dedication into your training. Consistence is the key. And what you're trying to teach, the recall, is the most important command the dog will ever learn, so it is VERY important that it is done right. Screw it up, and your dog might not want to ever come when you call. Again, as Emerald said, leaving a dog, especially a young, untrained one, outside on its own isn't good in the first place. Have treats with you every time you call the dog to you, and give him heaps of praise when he comes, so he learns that coming when you call is a very good thing. And NEVER, under any circumstances, EVER yell at or hit the dog when he comes to you. If he did something wrong, don't call him to you to fuss at him, or he'll learn that coming to you is a bad thing.

Nah, it's not cruel. Pfft. My brother had a shock collar on and got shocked and he's still alive.

There is only one tried and true method of determining whether YOU think the shock collar is cruel or not. Put it on yourself, and bark. If, after you have been shocked yourself, you still find it to be an acceptable method of control, than go for it.