Remote "Shock" Collar

[andrea shayegani]

has anyone used one that they could recommend? I am looking for something simple and inexpensive that vibrates with an adjustable "shock". Trying very diligently to curb the counter surfing and cushion chewing and think this could do the trick. There are so many available I don't know which to choose. THX! 

[Kaitlin and Ludo]

This doesn't answer your question about shock collars, but Ludo was a counter surfer and we implemented "it's yer choice" and while it took about 4-6 weeks to really stop it, he hasn't surfed in a couple of months and we did it with positive reinforcement. 

The goal with "it's yer choice" is to teach them self control.  Once he understood the game (it took him about 5 minutes to get it and we had practiced it for a few weeks before counter surfing started, so give your pup some time to learn/understand what you want), we started implementing it with counter surfing. The other trick is to handsomely reward the times that they DON'T counter surf-- anytime they resist temptation and show self-control. You also have to praise outside of the kitchen... Ludo has a "spot" when I'm in the kitchen he's sitting right at the entrance, and he knows that if he stays there, he'll get rewarded. 

Consider looking into the "it's yer choice" game or ask a trainer for help implementing it and I think it should help with both counter surfing AND cushion chewing.  Good luck!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

How old is your puppy, and what training have you already done with him? Are you working with a trainer? 

I'm not a fan of any type of "shock" devices for dogs, and especially indoors. There are better options. Keeping counters free of food, of course, but also supervising the dog at all times and keeping him confined when you can't watch him will usually stop the counter surfing, as well as the pillow chewing. Teaching "leave it". Teaching "go to your place" and "stay" when you are working with food in the kitchen. Catching him in the act of chewing a cushion so that you can correct him. I'm no training expert, but most of us live with dogs, counters, and cushions in our homes and don't have to resort to shocking a dog to stop unwanted behaviors. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

A vibrating one on a low setting is one thing, but the shock part is mean, and abusive in my opinion. Have you ever felt the shock from one of those things? They hurt even on a low setting. I am a reward with good behavior and a time out for unwanted behavior kind of mommy. I think with a shock collar all you will succeed in doing is making them afraid. If you decide to get one, I would get it without the shock option. I think it would be too easy to have it go to the wrong mode and hurt your dog accidentally . Kind of like pocket dial.

When they sit there on good behavior give them a treat or head rub along with a good boy or girl. When up on the counter, lead them to their time out area for a few minutes. Keep doing it until the unwanted behavior stops. Good Luck

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's the thing. If a dog can be taught to sniff out bombs or lead a blind person through city traffic, a dog can be taught to leave household items alone. They're smart, smart animals, and all they really want to do is please us. They thrive on leadership, structure, rules, consistency, exercise, attention, and praise. They look to us for guidance. All we need to do is learn to communicate with them, show them what we want and don't want of them. Training teaches us how to do that. It helps you build a relationship of mutual trust, respect, and affection with your dog. IMO, electric shocks have no place in that kind of relationship, and isn't that kind of relationship what all us of really want with our dogs? 

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

I have a fairly high end sport dog e-collar but have never taken the time to do the training. I bought it for my rescue dog to help her with recall at the beach. We haven’t trained on it yet so we don’t take her to the beach. You need to be very committed to train with it properly. There are a lot of sport dogs in my family and they do amazingly well with the sport dog e-collar training. It isn’t cruel when it’s done properly. If you think about a bird dog being 500 yards away looking for a bird, they need to have a signal for when to give up and come back to the owner. A fairly low vibration or sound is all they need when they are properly trained. And there is a 120 pound doodle in the family that needed to be properly trained around young foster babies. The sport e-collar worked amazingly. He is so conditioned that he doesn’t even have to wear his e-collar. All you have to do is hold a TV remote or cell phone and give the command and he quietly goes to his bed. So don’t let people tell you that you are cruel for wanting to do this. It can be a very effective training method without inducing any pain or fear. I know all of those dogs and they are funny and playful and not fearful, yet extremely obedient because they need to be when out hunting and when around young kids.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

 Regardless of whether you think electric shocking your dog for any reason is appropriate, and I personally do not, a dog being recalled from 500 yards away in a field is a far cry from a dog being in your kitchen or living room when you are home.  

There are millions of dogs who are extremely obedient when out hunting or around young kids, including hundreds right here on DK, who don't need to be shocked to be taught appropriate behavior. Teaching a dog to go to his bed with a simple one word command certainly doesn't require electric shocks, or even holding a remote control, lol. It's one of the easiest things to train. 

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

As I said, I haven't had to use one for around the  house or yard.  Mine are very obedient with one word commands.  If I see a need for long distance recall, then I will train her with it.  My point of my response was to tell her to not feel the shame that so many people here on DK tend to put on people who choose to train with an e-collar.  Some dogs require other techniques than what we have been so lucky to be able to accomplish with simple one and two word commands.  

I just get very tired of the shaming that goes on by so many regarding e-collars.  There are several people I personally know on DK who use an e-collar for excessive barking, but they won't mention it on here due to the shaming.  I just want to be inclusive of those who truly have tried everything and need another alternative.  E-collars can be very effective without being cruel or painful. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't think expressing an opinion against the use of a particular tool or technique equates to "shaming". People ask if they should use a particular product, tool, medication, food, etc all day long here. Often, someone advises against it, and states the reason for their opinion. That's the case in this discussion. How is anyone being shamed?

Anyone who feels they are being "shamed" when someone expresses an opinion contrary to theirs probably shouldn't be participating in on-line forum discussions. 

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

Nor should the person doing the majority of the shaming.  I haven't felt shamed.  I have only felt compassion for those that come in here to seek advice and then are shamed for even considering certain methods.  There are kind ways of expressing a dissenting opinion. I have received private messages from people thanking me for my kindness after they have felt shamed by certain people.  I prefer to help people feel safe asking questions. I'm not sure what your particular issue is with me since we've never even met in person, but I will continue to support those people who are looking for support during difficult times. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have no particular issue with you. Nobody is talking about you, nor about any other individual. We're talking about shock collars here, and offering alternative ideas. It's not personal, or at least it wasn't until you made this last comment. 

[BG and Gavin]

That's the thing about Internet discussions, they lack both tone and context so things can get taken the wrong way. I did not see any shaming in this discussion and I have to say on the whole DK is a very respectful community. There will always be hot button discussions around training methods, prong collars, breeding practices and they always bring about spirited discussions. I was contributing to a discussion on a FB therapy dog group (supposedly full of people who volunteer their time to help others) the other day and one of the members said "huh, doodles..don't get me started, some of the worst dogs I have ever met were doodles." Now that was offensive lol.

[Amy and Annabelle]

The very first puppy class I took Annabelle to the trainer was bad mouthing goldendoodles. He should have known Annabelle was one, it was on her info sheet. He said they were one the dumbest dogs he had ever met. Then the whole class started laughing. That was offensive.I got my money back and never returned. The next class I put her in I said she was a poodle mix. I regretted that later, because I am not ashamed of my dog. It was fueled with emotion as is most things regarding our dogs.