Why is everyone so against electric collars?

General
1

Hello,

I know promoting e-collars is not allowed, but I am curious why so many people are against them. For context, I have a lot of experience with dogs: I have raised my own puppy since 9 weeks old, fostered two dogs (one with severe resource guarding), trained friends’ dogs, volunteered at shelters, and been attacked by dogs (each incident is a long story).

I have an 8.5-month-old pit mix who I adore. I use an e-collar on my dog.

I just don’t get why everyone is so against e-collars.

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Using something that might hurt your dog to make it pay attention seems mean and not needed.

I don’t think a shock collar is just a gentle way to get its attention, like you say. It’s making the dog listen by scaring it with the idea of pain if it doesn’t obey.

I don’t think hurting a dog to train it is necessary.

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You’re not alone with e-collars! Trainers often prefer positive reinforcement (rewarding good behavior) to build a stronger bond with your dog. E-collars can be misused and timing is tricky. Positive methods like clicker training can be just as effective and more enjoyable for you and your pup.

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Using an electric collar on your dog might force it to develop tendencies such as fear, anxiety and aggression towards you or other animals.

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That is just plain torture. Why would you own a dog then decide to shock it just to keep it in check?

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I think dogs are capable of staying in line when properly trained and taken care of by their owners. The idea of using electric collars on them is just sadistic and might cause the dog to be more aggressive even to its owner.