Are e-collars humane?
It depends on how the collar is used, and qualified people disagree. A modern e-collar has adjustable stimulation levels, and many models also offer a tone or vibration. Some veterinary behavior organizations, including the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, recommend reward-based training and advise against electronic collars. Many professional trainers, including ours, use a modern e-collar as a communication tool: introduced properly, worked mostly at low levels, and handed to an owner who has been taught how to use it. You deserve both sides and a clear explanation of our method, so here it is.
What an E-Collar Is, and What It Isn't
An e-collar, also called a remote training collar, is a small receiver worn on the collar and a handheld remote the handler carries. The handler chooses the level and the moment. It is not an invisible-fence collar, which triggers on its own at a boundary line, and it is not a bark collar, which reacts to barking by itself.
How We Use the E-Collar
- As a communication tool. We use it with the commands that make off-leash life safe, like Recall, Place and off-leash Heel.
- At low levels. Modern e-collars have adjustable levels, and most of the work happens at levels many people can barely feel.
- Introduced properly and humanely. The collar is part of a training plan for your dog, never just strapped on and switched on.
- Taught to you. In board and train, a 2-hour turnover session shows you how to use the collar correctly before your dog comes home.
- Included. The e-collar is included in both the 1-week ($1,600) and 2-week ($2,800) board and train.
Why Do-It-Yourself E-Collar Training Often Goes Wrong
Timing and level are the whole skill. Without them, a dog can learn the wrong lesson. One Jacksonville family tried it first with their 8-month-old Weimaraner:
"We purchased the e-collar and attempted to train her ourselves. Soon afterwards we knew we were in over our heads."
Kristen L., Google review, August 2019. After a two-week board and train: "we have control over her and our house."
What Off-Leash Training Makes Possible
Full off-leash Recall and off-leash Heeling are part of our 2-week board and train. Families tell us what that changes:
"We can even sit on our front porch and let him roam freely in the front yard without fear of him running off."
Lauren M., Google review, March 2020
Before you go off leash anywhere public, check the local leash rules for that park, beach or base.
E-Collar Questions
Does an e-collar hurt my dog?
An e-collar delivers an electrical stimulation, and at high levels that is unpleasant, which is why level and method matter so much. We work mostly at low levels, introduce the collar properly, and teach you to do the same.
Is an e-collar the same as a shock collar?
Many people use the two names for the same tool. What matters more than the name is how it is used: at what level, with what timing, and whether the dog was taught what the stimulation means.
Is the e-collar included in the price?
Yes. Both board and train programs include the e-collar: $1,600 for one week and $2,800 for two weeks.
What's the difference between an e-collar and an invisible fence?
With an e-collar, a person decides when to use it and at what level, as part of training a command. An invisible-fence collar reacts automatically at a boundary line, with no handler involved.
Where can I let my dog off leash around Jacksonville?
Only where the local rules allow it. Leash rules differ between the city, the county, the beaches and the base, so check the rules for the place you're going before you unclip.
E-Collar Included
$2,800
2-Week Board & Train: off-leash Recall and Heel, e-collar, 2-hour turnover, lifetime refresher*
$1,600
1-Week Board & Train: foundation commands and e-collar
*Refresher and results terms are on our guarantees page.
Related Programs and Guides
Questions About the E-Collar? Ask Us.
We'll explain exactly how we would use it with your dog, or whether a different program fits better. Phone consultations are free.
Call (910) 622-7987