Training a dog can be a long and tough experience without the right equipment. A training collar, also known as a shock collar, is an amazing tool that can help you control the behavior of your furry friend. The word ‘shock’ may make you a little concerned, but don’t worry – the level of shock these collars emit won’t harm your dog in any way. Instead, think of training collars as a firm electronic hand that can help your dog fall in line and obey your commands.
Remote collars are designed to work in different ways, any one of which may or may not be right for you and your dog. Although the best training collar for you and your dog depends partly on your dog training goals and your specific canine, there are certain features and considerations you should keep in mind no matter what.
Your Training Goals
Different shock collars work better for different purposes. There is a shock collar for small dogs and large dogs, yard training dog collars, bark collars, collars to train a working dog and even hunting dog collars. So, look for a model that has been specifically designed to meet your needs.
The Size and Temperament of Your Dog
collars won’t work properly if they don’t fit properly. While most collars are adjustable, you will still want to make sure you buy a shock collar for small dogs if you have a small dog or a shock collar for large dogs if you have a large dog. Know that more stubborn dogs may need more stimulation. However, too much stimulation can actually be counterproductive or even cruel. Read the product description carefully to ensure it offers powerful enough yet still humane stimulation levels for your furry bud.
Reliability and Speed
For your dog training to be effective, your furry friend needs to associate the stimulation from the shock collar with the behaviour you are trying to discourage. This means the stimulation needs to be delivered instantly when you trigger it, which requires a fast, reliable wireless connection between the collar and the transmitter. Low-quality training collars tend to have slow and unreliable connections. High-quality training collars, on the other hand, can survive up to 1.5 kilometres below sea level and can withstand the pressure of up to 5.000 G-force. For added peace of mind, your dog training collar should come with a good warranty.
Range of Effectiveness
Consider how far you want to allow your dog to roam. Generally, a standard range of 1 kilometre is enough, but if that doesn’t work for you, get a collar with a wider range. Remember that too big of a range will never be a problem, but a too small one definitely could be.
