how do you feel about shock collars?

I've used two kinds of shock collars in the past with varied results. The biggest thing to me is if it's being used as a tool or as an answer.

The first was an invisible fence collar for my dogs. One would try to dig out the other would jump the fence. It worked, but the dogs were so quick to figure out when the batteries were out and would capitalize on it. A few years ago, a tree limb fell and broke the wire and I've never fixed it. I simply don't leave the dogs locked outside any longer. The digger has stopped her efforts. The jumper still jumps on occasion, but only goes to the front porch, so I don't worry much about it. Plus, next year I'll be getting a privacy fence so it won't be an issue any longer. The second was a bark collar. I had a foster dog who barked non-stop when crated (not a nervous or scared bark, just a consistent bark every minute or two), but the rule for the rescue group was crating at night and when not home (makes transition to new home easier when adopted). Well, I had this dog for a while and I couldn't sleep with the barking. The group loaned me a bark collar. I only used it at night when that dog was the only one in the room (didn't want others to set it off). It took about 15 minutes and that was the last bark I heard at night. I worked with the dog for several months to train away the other incessant barking and after a few months, the collar wasn't needed at night any more.

I believe there is a place for shock collars if they are implemented correctly and appropriately. We have used one for our beagle who was impossible to keep in our yard.

It does interest me that the dog owner wants to leave the collar on the dog while you are hosting it in your home, and makes me wonder about its use.

I always prefer positive training methods and NILF training. I wouldn't ever feel comfortable using them on a client. I have never needed one for my dogs, as they are pretty well trained.

That being said, in the hands of somebody who is trained in their usage, using the right collar, and uses the lowest possible "pressure" (shock level) I think they are ok as a last resort. It's really a slippery slope. One person could over use the shock feature out of frustration (or inexperience), while another could improve the quality of life for that dog (think: being able to have a dog trained on a shock collar so they can be off leash, whereas the dog would bolt and never come back before)

IF I hypothetically were to use a shock collar (never with any dog that wasn't my own) it would be a last resort, to protect the dog from something worse than a small static shock. (Like the dog getting hit by a car from digging out of the yard or jumping the fence) I never plan to train with a shock collar, but it's comes down to a matter of handler experience, personal preference, the unwanted behaviour,and the individual dog. Most behaviours can be fixed or prevented with exercise and positive reinforcement training. Some dog breeds are prone to certain behaviour problems, so researching a breed before you buy is a good step when becoming a dog owner :)

I don't use any aversive methods, including shock or prong collars. Even if I believed they had a place in training, I am not trained in their use so I am not going to try and use them. A handler using tools they are not trained to use is dangerous, even if the tools themselves can be implemented safely. I believe they can do far more harm than good, and the good they can do can also be achieved using more humane methods. I've cared for dogs whose owners use prong and shock collars, and I have politely declined to use them. If an owner were to insist they be used during the dog's stay, I would decline the stay and refer them to Rover support.

There's nothing wrong with the use of a shock collar if you know how to use it . There is a big difference between an invisible fence collar , a bark collar and an e collar. You should not be taking a dog that needs an E collar into your care unless you're properly trained on how to use it- The owner explaining it to you does not count. Using it for when the dogs life is in danger is ridiculous. If the dog is not been trained in its use prior to that and you hit the dog with an electrical shock when they are running at something they may try to run further to get away from the shock . As far as aggressive dogs., The collars are an extremely useful tool along with the muzzle and behavior modification training. For example If I have a dog aggressive client that understands basic commands a put a muzzle on the dog I put the dog in a down along with an E collar on it . ( prior to this we have already done some other work to get the dog used to the muzzle and some white stem with the E collar to get the dog used to what the color does along with pairing it along with the leash with commands the dog A prior to this we have already done some other work to get the dog used to the muzzle and some low levelwith the E collar to get the dog used to what the collar does along with pairing it along with the leash with commands the dog already knows.The dog is then put in a down stay along with a long line on it and a muzzle told to stay .mind you the dog must understand and know what down and stay means prior to this. Once they understand there's another dog can be brought into the picture and they are getting corrected for getting up out of the down which is a command already know and believe me they know why they're getting corrected. I am just giving you a brief overview and this is by all means not all-inclusive nor is it something unless you're a professional trainer that you should be trying at home . If used correctly it does not create more aggression . Please pardon any brevity are typos sent from my iPhone

I've had client who used bark collars and asked me to use them too. I didn't instead I watched the dog closely and when they would bark I would spray them with a water bottle. It surprises them and shows them it's an unwanted behavior, in a humans and easy way.

As a novice trainer, I'm mostly opposed to them. They create negative associations, and as trainers/owners we can't be 100% sure what the dog will form the negative association with. For example, take a dog that reacts "aggressively" to other dogs out of fear/anxiety. If we utilize a shock collar, and pulse him every time he reacts, we're actually doing more harm than good. The dog doesn't understand that it's the behavior only that we're addressing: he will associate the shock with any number of things in the environment including the other dog. So we wind up with a dog that learns that every time the other dog (something he was already unsure about) appears, he experiences pain. The reactivity will probably actually get worse because now he really wants the scary and painful thing to stay away: he wants to avoid the pain.

Having said that, I'm not necessarily opposed to them when the dog's life is in danger (as in cases of livestock or car chasing). However, I've never personally handled a case like that, so my opinion might change with further study and experience. I also believe they should only be used by someone who knows what they're doing because you can do a whole lot of damage.

I had a day care client that was away from home 12 hours a day and had neighbors watch her dog for free. The real cost was that her adult dog suddenly started becoming a barker, so she got a shock collar and used it intermittently. The next time I cared for her dog, we discussed the situation, and she told me if the dog wasn't barking she was fine with it not being used. We started off with a bark-free, shock-collar-free walk. While in my care, I'd like to credit my dog role modeling and my complete attention to the dogs resulting in him not barking at all. So, I returned it her never having used it. In my opinion, it shows that there are better solutions to many problems, by first identifying the real cause/trigger point. The dog's mom was really happy with the instantaneous improvement.