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Electric Shock Training?
Thinking of buying an Invisible fence or Training Collar for your dog? Think again.

The following organisations condemn the use of these collars and products:
  • Dogs Trust
  • RSPCA
  • Association of Pet Behaviour Councillors
  • Association of Pet Dog Trainers
  • The Kennel Club UK
  • The British Veterinary Association
Establishments that have already banned electric shock collars, include the Association of Chief Police Officers, the armed forces, and the two largest German Shepherd Dog clubs in the UK..

Dog Training Ireland also condemns the use of electric collars and products in any form.

Electric collars and products include the following:
  • Shock collars also referred to as training collars, e-collars, bark collars, anti-bark collars, remote electronic collars, pet safety collars, good dog bark collars
  • Containment systems also referred to as invisible fences, freedom fences, underground fences, electric fences, training fences, hidden fences
  • Electric Shock Mats of which there are two types: one is known as a ‘wireless crate’ and emits electric shocks to the dog when it steps off the mat and the other is called a ‘scat mat’ and emits an electric shock to the dog when it steps on the mat.
  • Electric shock leads emit electric shocks to a dog if it exerts more pressure on the lead than is considered ‘normal’ for its size.
Manufacturers market these products as being safe, effective, fast, reliable. The products use an electric shock as a punisher for behaviours such as barking or passing an invisible boundary and the remote control collars can be used to shock the dog for any behaviour. Manufacturers describe the shock as a 'correction', ' mild correction', 'sensation', 'unpleasant feeling', 'static' but they will never say that your dog receives an electric shock. The electric shock is delivered to the dogs neck via prongs that protrude and press on the dogs neck. Some manufacturers advise shaving the hair from the dogs neck and using a conductive gel to get a better 'connection'.

Studies such as the 'Training dogs with help of the shock collar, Department of Clinical Science of Companion Animals, University of Utrecht, Netherlands shows that the behavioural effects of the use of the shock collar resulted in dogs displaying avoidance, high pitched yelps, excessive lip licking, barks and squeals, avoidance, redirected aggression, tongue flicking all of which suggest fear and stress. The conclusions of the study are, that being trained is stressful, that receiving shocks is a painful experience to dogs, and that the dogs evidently have learned that the presence of their owner (or their commands) announces reception of shocks, even outside of the normal training context. This suggests that the welfare of these shocked dogs is at stake, at least in the presence of their owner. (Matthijs B.H. Schilder and Joanne A.M. van der Borg, was published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science Journal)

The Association of Pet Behaviour Councillors say "A dog experiencing an unpleasant shock to the neck 'out of the blue' will associate the sensation with whatever the dog happens to be focusing on at the time. Used incorrectly, this could be an area, object, another dog, the owner or even a child"

The UK Kennel Club say "Electric shock collars are used on dogs by some people to give an electric shock when the dog is deemed to be behaving incorrectly. This leads to pain and confusion for the dog, affecting it physically and mentally"

In our opinion shock collars fail to address the underlying behavioural problem and are more likely to cause other serious behavioural problems such as aggression, fear, stress, urination without control, lack of ability to cope, depression, anxiety, pain and other physical problems. The use of Shock collars cause confusion to the dog as to where the shock came from and the dog is more likely to associate the shock with the presence of the owner or anything in the dogs immediate vicinity at the time the shock occurs.
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