Top 10 Reasons to Avoid a Shock Collar for Your Dog
It Hurts:A common myth for the advocacy of shock collars is that they don’t hurt dogs. Some people even go so far as to test the collars on themselves.
It Can Disrupt the Dog’s Relationship with Their Owner:Dogs depend on their owners for everything. Whether it’s having their basic needs met, receiving mental stimulation, or feeling safe and loved, they look to their owners to provide it for them.
Shock Collar Training Can Make Behavioral Problems Worse:The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has stated that extensive research clearly shows that shock collar training is not conducive to stopping negative behaviors.
It Can Increase Aggressive Behavior:Even if the shock collar training is being used to stop a behavior other than aggression in dogs, a long-term side effect may still be increased aggression.
It Can Cause Emotional Pain for Dogs:Shock collars deliver a jolt of pain. When shocked over and over again, dogs become fearful. They begin to feel helpless in not being able to escape the pain.
It Lowers the Level of Engagement in Other Activities:Dogs who are subjected to shock collar training may become depressed. They may also lose interest in playing with their toys, spending time with other dogs, and even spending time with their owners.
It Takes More Time to Train:Erica Feurbacher who is a professor of Companion Animal Welfare and Behavior at Virginia Tech pointed out that the former study showed that those dogs trained with shock collars took .
It Does Not Change Behaviors Long Term:Shock collars may seem like a good solution, especially if you notice your dog immediately stopping the behaviors as soon as they’re shocked. However, they don’t really understand that the behavior is bad.
It Can Reinforce Negative Behaviors:Studies have shown that dogs trained with shock collars often have a higher frequency of the very behaviors their owners are trying to eliminate.
Shock Collars Can Malfunction:Shock collars, even “high-quality” ones, can malfunction. Many dogs have received severe burns from wearing a defective shock collar.