Many people believe that using a Shock Collar to modify a dog’s behavior is appropriate and doesn’t cause him any real or lasting harm. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In reality, these training devices, which direct remotely-controlled shocks to his neck area, do inflict pain, and that’s why they work. Shock collars operate on the basis of deterrence–if your dog associates something he does with something unpleasant, he generally won’t want to do it again. Still, while a shock Collar can be effective, it is unkind and unnecessary. Who would want to hurt a creature they care about?

Other risks

In fact, a shock collar can make a situation worse. If a noisy dog, for example, is zapped in an effort to keep him quiet, he may bark out of surprise when he feels the shock, or carry on yelping out of fear or pain. This can set off a potentially dangerous chain reaction: the collar shocks, the dog barks in reaction, the collar goes off again, and so on.

These sorts of devices may also make your dog more wary and anxious than he might otherwise be. If he doesn’t understand why he is being punished or who is behind it, he may become agitated or aggressive. In fact, if your little one makes the connection between you and the collar–which a smart dog may well do–it could lead him to be less friendly toward humans more generally.

Thankfully, there are better ways to deter your dog from engaging in annoying behavior than resorting to hurting him. Many of the more humane alternatives can be just as effective, if not more so, than a shock collar. They also reduce the risk that the cure will be worse than the disease, so to speak. Below is an overview of what’s available:

• Training. Before resorting to using any sort of behavior modification device, you may want to consider another option first. For most dogs–and other animals, for that matter–old-fashioned training is often the most effective way to modify their behavior. While it can be time-consuming and frustrating, it also creates a bond of trust and love between you and your pet. If you don’t have much luck on your own, you may want to consult with a professional dog behaviorist.

• Citronella collars. Many owners have found a citronella collar to be a viable and effective alternative to the shock-inducing kind. Rather than emitting electrically-charged impulses, these collars release a quick spray of citronella oil when he engages in unwanted barking. Although relatively safe, the substance has a noticeably strong smell that many canines find particularly offensive.

• Air collars. As with the citronella emitters, these devices are activated when your dog starts to bark. But instead of spraying a foul-smelling oil, they spritz his face and neck with a burst of air. While the upside is that air collars are virtually harmless, they may not be as effective for stubborn or insensitive dogs as the alternatives.

• Canned air spray. The burst of air doesn’t necessarily have to come from a collar, however. There are products on the market that discharge a dose of it at the push of a button. More often than not, it’s the unsettling sound of the air whooshing out of the can that gets their attention, rather than the pulse of pressurized air streaming onto their faces.

• Squirt gun. It may not be ideal if your dog is home alone, but startling him with a shot of cool or cold water is sometimes enough to help him see the error of his ways. Like humans, your dog won’t like the idea of being sprayed in the face, and he should stop yapping the moment you squeeze the trigger. If you’re lucky, he’ll figure out soon enough that this is a deterrent best used sparingly.

• Shake can. Another method that is often successful in quieting a noisy dog is simpler than the rest; in fact, it’s a deterrent you can easily make at home. First, place pennies or other small, hard objects in a container and seal it shut. When your dog barks, shake it vigorously for a moment and the banging in the can will startle him. Over time, he’ll hopefully get the message that his barking is the trigger for an unpleasantly scary sound.

• Containment. If you’re thinking about using an electrified collar to keep your dog in the yard, you should be aware that there are other options available. For the most part, “electric fence”-type containment methods are for human convenience, and don’t really accomplish much in terms of training or teaching your dog the ropes.

  For the sake of your pet and his wellbeing, an real fence is likely a better alternative. If you are not in a position to keep your dog contained in this way, however, then you might want to consider not letting him off leash in the yard.

  In fact, it is possible that employing a shock collar in this way could have unintended consequences. Many dogs may quickly come to realize that if they cross the boundary, the pain they experience only lasts a few seconds. They may figure out that once they leave the yard, their troubles are over, and conclude that a moment of pain is a small price to pay for their freedom.

The fact is, while a shock collar might seem like a convenient option, especially if you’re at wit’s end with your dog’s behavior, it isn’t really worth the physical and psychological repercussions. While it is easy to think that punishing him for doing the wrong thing is the way to make him act differently, the various things that can go wrong from using such painful methods are not worth the risk.

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