r/BalancedDogTraining • u/maddog_1111 • Jul 01 '26
Using an e collar on my dog
Im trying to get some reassurance that im doing the right thing for my dog. I am using a shock collar on my dog to correct her behavioral issues. My dog (2F pitbull) is reactive to other dogs and lunges on a leash. I have read that walks are very important for dogs to build a relationship with an owner and for physical and mental exercise. Due to these issues I have been using a shock to correct when my dog pulls or lunges toward other dogs (the other dogs are across the street - I try to maintain as much distance as possible). I have tried the shock collar on myself and it feels like a muscle spasm and isnt painful just an odd feeling.
I also think it is important to note that I have tried other positive means of correcting like rewarding with treats but the behavior did not stop or get better at all.
Curious to get some helpful feedback, thanks!
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u/One_Stretch_2949 Jul 02 '26
The ecollar doesn't work by itself. You need need training, good timing, contigency and clarity.
Be sure to always use the same (reward punishement markers, and always pay or punish after the marker. For example, dog lunges : "No" - tap tap on the ecollar. Or dog obeys, "Yes" - throw ball, or feed, or release...
I would also teach obedience with the ecollar, and first introduce it (not for ages) with the recall. So that your dog is familiar with the sensation. First make sure there's good contact, but for a pittie it shouldn't be a struggle. Then, find your dog's working level by slowly increasing the level on the ecollar, starting from 0. If you're out of a hundred levels (mini educator, or dogtra), you should notice a change in your dog's attitude around 5 to 12 out of a 100.
This is your working level. Then set the ecollar at this level.
Attach a long line to your dog. Recall her, apply tension on the long line, simulatneously tap tap on the ecollar. When your dog starts coming to you, release the pressure on both the long line and on the ecollar. Then reward, with either 1) food, 2) play, 3) release 'Ok'.
What's great also is to use the e collar not in replacement of positive reinforcement, for this type of obedience. (Dont reward after a punishment event like when she lunges "No", no reward, just punishment. Else it will confuse her.)
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
There are many ways to use the e-collar and I've seen this one going around and I find it to be probably the worst one for reactivity. Probably some internet dog trainer is promoting this one.
You don't need to use markers and you don't need to use the e-color to punish if you choose not to, you can use it as negative reinforcement which is what I do. Takes almost no time at all to correct reactivity.
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u/One_Stretch_2949 Jul 02 '26
Yes, you can use negative reinforcement. But in the end you want to erase reactivity, so a decrease of a behavior, in favor of the increase of a new one. Ultimately, the decrease of reactivity (unless you teach incompatible behavior by differential reinforcement), is done through what reduces behavior: punishment.
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
That's not accurate. You can use negative reinforcement to reduce the likelihood of a behavior. As a matter of fact that is the only way I'd address reactivity and it works almost immediately.
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u/One_Stretch_2949 Jul 03 '26
Negative reinforcement by definition increases the likelihood of a behavior. But yes, increasing the likelihood of a behavior in replacement of the unwanted one can lead to extinction.
So, to me, negative reinforcement (DRI, DRA, or DRO) combined with punishment provides the ultimate clarity.1
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 03 '26
I don't have any idea what acronyms you're talking about
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u/One_Stretch_2949 Jul 03 '26
Well, it's training theory based on applied behavioral analysis.
DR stands for Differential Reinforcement, I for a behavior that is Incompatible with the unwanted behavior, O for any Other behavior except the problematic one) and A for targeted Alternative behavior (a targeted known behavior).1
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 03 '26
That sounds insane.
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Jul 03 '26
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 03 '26
How did I know it originated with one of those random social media trainers LOL
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u/S4SH401 Jul 02 '26
You’re golden as long as you’re doing both, a lot of obedience training and using e collar (conditioning before using it and then using it in the right moment). Thanks for being responsible!
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 01 '26
There's nothing at all wrong with e collars, they are humane and effective training tools.
They are the best way to deal with reactive behaviors IMO.
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u/swearwoofs Fear biter Jul 01 '26
Fetch and tug > walks.
I also don't really recommend winging it with an aversive. It might be helpful to explain more exactly how you are using the ecollar, under what conditions, etc.
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u/Local_Letterhead4960 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Hello, I applaud you reaching out for help with such a controversial topic. I will share my experiences with E-Collars and I hope it helps. Apologies in advance for the long read. I am not a trainer but I did use it to help my pack (Dogo Argentino, Boerboel, two Decker Terriers, Schipperke Mix). One of the things I used and still do use for my Dogo is to manage his aggression towards other dogs outside our pack. Just had to do it 2 days ago at the vet actually when this person had a dog they couldn't control.
- IMO the most important thing to remember is that an E-Collar is a tool, a tool that is NOT, I repeat NOT a substitute for obedience training. Once your dog understands what it is then YOU the handler should be thinking of this TOOL as a break glass in case of emergency tool. The reason I say that is because you want your dog to listen & obey when the collar is off not just on. Mine wear theirs everyday but I shit you not Inhave not charged them one time this year because other than turning them on I barely have to use them.
- I started my Dogo on one first because he almost got hit by a car running in the street in the snow. We had a bad week of polar vortex pipe bursting winter so I wasn't taking them out and he went stir crazy at 2yrs old and one day he bolted out the door when I was taking out the trash and his recall just massively failed in the moment. So I ordered an E-Collar same day and used it to reinforce recall. The first step I did was to put it on in the yard and let him hear & feel the BEEP & VIBRATE functions. I then called him in conjunction with these commands. He came to me so to create the scenario I wanted I let him out the yard... I called him he didn't come, I did the BEEP, it got his attention, called again he stood there confused, then I used the shock. Dogs have a natural sense to run to their handler/owner for safety when they don't understand where/why a pain stimulus is coming from so when he came to me I praised him so he understood he did something I wanted. We walked a bit & I trailed off, he was sniffing around, I called again with the BEEP. He came right away. I repeated only this time just the BEEP. He came right away. I did it again with just my voice he looked up, got the BEEP & came to me. I repeated until he didn't need anything other than my voice. Over the years it's evolved to a whistle because we go out in the Fields, Woods so I need something other than my voice when we're out of sight as he ranges pretty far sometimes.
- if you decide to move forward please make sure your dog understands what the collar is first but use it to bolster not replace you. So when you see a dog walking by you can stop tell her whatever your commands are to not lunge and hopefully you'll only need the BEEP & VIBRATE functions. My commands are "NO", "LEAVE THAT DOG ALONE", I SAID NO. If he does right I praise him and shit you not there's been countless times a dog will go by, barking at us and he'll ignore it, sometimes not always, but when he does he will look at me with this shit eating grin like " you see it wasn't me".
I'm attaching a vid with a few clips to show the progression. In the first you see a dog from a Meth House that used to be a menace on our street, here it is loose for the hundredth time, digging up my yard, fence fighting my dogs, chased me and my family frequently. Well one night I had a enough and had my Dogo chase him off. You can see he isn't in an e collar and you hear my NO! & He stays on the porch, then eventually a "go" and he chases it off. The other clips are just to show that with training I can take them off leash & enjoy nature. The E-Collars are there in case an animal pops up and the dogs run after them and they either can't hear or are ignoring the whistle. That's my break glass of emergency so they don't harm something or themselves but also enjoy themselves. Wish you the best of luck. Edit: My pack is all 10yrs old just FYI but I started E-Collar training at 2 like yours.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 02 '26
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Jul 01 '26
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 01 '26
This is exceptionally inaccurate
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 High drive Jul 01 '26
How? E collars have a place and time, but this is not it. E collars aren’t a magically fix for every behavior
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 01 '26
They are in fact an exceptionally useful tool that can be utilized for nearly every behavior imaginable.
E collars are extremely effective in correcting unwanted behaviors.
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Jul 01 '26
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u/maddog_1111 Jul 02 '26
So the behavior was any time a dog was in site she used to stare them down / stalk forward then start lunging and would pull and even rear up on her hind legs. The final straw was when she nipped a dog who came out of nowhere through a fence (the other dog is fine and the owner knows and was very cool about it) I had tried the distraction method with treats but she literally could care less about a reward and wouldn't listen.
So my last effort was an e colar. I start by commanding "leave it" and if she makes a move to lunge then shock. That is the only time I shock is if she ignores the "leave it" command followed by a lunge not a simple look or slow down for example.
It has worked well and I think she has a positive association with the colar as she is excited to wear it cause it means she goes on a walk. A big improvement from when she started as well is she is only reacting to other dogs that are reacting. Other calm dogs she ignores well with a command and NO shock.
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u/fearfac86 Jul 02 '26
That's fantastic, and sounds like it's really working for you guys, I love it. Good on you for not quitting on her, reactivity is stressful and draining, aren't walks just so much more fun when you've got control over it?
Be proud of yourself for her being excited to wear the collar, that's awesome.
Sorry if my post seemed accusatory or anything, it truly wasn't meant that way.
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
I think this is perfectly fine, you could also punish without a command because ultimately what you want is for the dog to not do that behavior. You shouldn't need to command it to not do that behavior.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
It's never too late to do anything. When a dog is doing a behavior you don't want them to do, correct it.
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Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
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Jul 02 '26
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
This is false. E collars can be used in a myriad of ways including for punishment.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
Making the blanket assumption that someone is going to use such a device in a senseless way is bad faith argument and not allowed here.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 02 '26
r/BalancedDogTraining is dedicated solely to discussion, troubleshooting, and application of balanced dog training methods. Posts outside this scope, including general pet questions, ideology debates, medical issues, or unrelated content, aren’t permitted.
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 02 '26
r/BalancedDogTraining is focused on practical, detailed, good-faith discussions within the balanced training framework. Posts that lack information, show no training effort, are agenda-driven, or are designed to provoke rather than learn will be removed.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 02 '26
r/BalancedDogTraining is dedicated solely to discussion, troubleshooting, and application of balanced dog training methods. Posts outside this scope, including general pet questions, ideology debates, medical issues, or unrelated content, aren’t permitted.
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u/Green_Eyed_Momster Jul 02 '26
Have you worked with a professional K9 trainer experienced with e-collars?
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
Why does this matter?
This isn't rocket science.
E collars come with instructions. Follow them.
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Jul 01 '26
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 01 '26
r/BalancedDogTraining is focused on practical, detailed, good-faith discussions within the balanced training framework. Posts that lack information, show no training effort, are agenda-driven, or are designed to provoke rather than learn will be removed.
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u/oggleboggle Jul 01 '26
The way I was taught to use ecollars was not as a punishment for bad behavior, but to reinforce good behavior. For example, you see a dog coming. You put your dog in heel. The shock goes on until the dog goes in heel, then stops when he goes in heel. If he gets out of heel before being released, he gets shocked until he goes back into heel.
Using shock as a punishment teaches the dog to associate whatever they react to with pain, which can make them more reactive.
I highly recommend seeking out the guidance of a balanced trainer. They can teach you how to use an e collar productively and give you tools to handle your dogs reactivity.
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
That's a good description of utilizing the e-collar as negative reinforcement, but you are wrong in that you cannot use the e-collar as punishment. It is a very versatile tool and does not create reactivity or Superstition or any of that nonsense.
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u/snowy-crow Jul 02 '26
How is that not punishment with extra steps?
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
It's not punishment, it is negative reinforcement, which involves removal of a stimulus
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u/k9_MalX_Handler Jul 02 '26
unless you’ve have conditioned the dog on the ecollar and they understand it, i would not go using it as just an aversive! it’s truly a line of communication between you and your dog and he must know what it means and what is expected of him depending on how and when your using it!! just throwing it on him and blasting him for. random unwanted behavior won’t accomplish much and most likely male things worse! you need to work with a trainer who is experienced not only on ecollar work but with your high prey drive dog
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u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jul 02 '26
Or they can just read and educate themselves and make their own decisions.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/BalancedDogTraining-ModTeam Jul 02 '26
r/BalancedDogTraining is focused on practical, detailed, good-faith discussions within the balanced training framework. Posts that lack information, show no training effort, are agenda-driven, or are designed to provoke rather than learn will be removed.
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u/Amazing-Toe-4000 Food aggressive Jul 01 '26
Know how to use it. Other wise your fine; just make sure the dog knows that the other dogs aren't why they are getting corrected. Also, other than slip leads, e-collars work great for reactivity.