Remote Training Collars

For dogs, remote training collars represent pain and annoyance. A remote training collar allows you, the trainer, to exact punishment for a negative behavior. You can do this from a distance of several feet to several hundreds or thousands of feet. Ultimately, the power to teach your dog rests in your hands, and that's a literal statement. The collar has a set of collar-attached electrical probes that are electronically connected to a receiver on the collar. Your remote control will send a signal to activate the probes, and the dog will feel pain. Most dog owners describe it as distracting and hard to ignore. Your dog can be taught not to do an irksome behavior.

People have tested the remote training collars on their own necks, and many report it's quite similar to a static shock, and that's not harmful. Most trainers find that a modicum of stimulation is plenty to control the dog's behavior. Other trainers are adept at training, and they find that a simple vibration or audible message can do the trick. Some collars only have electrical stimulation, however.

Veterinarians and handlers advise against the high stimulatin setting unless it's absolutely necessary. Most trainers find that the lowest level emits the satisfactory electrical impulse to get a twitch or response. A squeal, howl, or yelp means that you've got the device set too high. Different collars have different ways of sending the impulses. Some send a continuous throng of impulses until a threshold of time is reached. Others do a sting or something more akin to an insect bite in a split second.

A cautionary message to would-be trainers that need to train in water while the dog is swimming or you are boating is that some remote training collars are not waterproof. This is an important facet if your dog will be at the lakehouse with you over vacation. Make sure the collar is not too loose and is never left on overnight or for several hours per day. The dog's skin can become irritated. Collars with rechargable batteries are usually waterproof. The lowest level of stimulation should be used while the dog is in the water because the pain of the shock will be more intense. NiMH batteries last a lot longer than the NiCad batteries in remote training collars.