Using an electric collar to fix cat aggression
Comments (3)One of the primal urges and drives of many dogs is to chase, capture, and/or kill prey. In many cases this takes the form of going after the household cat. But how can you fix an urge that is hard wired into the head of a dog? The key is using the proper tools and techniques.
Those that read this blog know that I am a fan of electric collars (sometimes called e-collars, remote trainers, or shock collars) only when they are used properly. This dog training tool should never be used in anger or as a means of ‘getting revenge’ for a dog that is misbehaving. Most of the time this tool should be used on low levels and used as a means of communicating a training principle.
In the case of fixing cat problems I recommend using it a bit differently. In a case like this I recommend using it on medium levels. For most cat chasers the drive to get the cat is so strong. Because the drive is so strong you have to use a higher than normal level to fix the issue. The following are some steps to keep your cat safe.
1- Condition your dog to the e-collar by having the dog wear the collar for several days before using it. No, not several days straight. But for several days put the electric collar on at random times and have your dog wear it for several hours at a time. You don’t want your dog to associate his displeasure with cats with the collar. You want him to believe that cats are inherently negative.
At this point you have to keep your dog separate from cats because it is not time to train yet.
2- Once the dog is accustomed to the collar it is time to start training. Have your dog wearing the collar and on a leash. Keep the collar on a medium level. Allow him to be around a cat. The second he starts to show any interest in the cat at all (looks at the cat, barks, lunges, ears perk up in the direction of the cat, etc.) immediately give a quick stimulation. If the dog continues to show interest in the cat continue giving quick taps on the button. DON’T HOLD THE BUTTON DOWN, simply give a few taps until he starts to look away. Throughout this whole process don’t say anything to the dog. Don’t say “No, bad dog, no cat” or anything of the sort. Continue giving the stimulation until the dog no longer is looking at the cat.
This style of training is called avoidance training. The idea is to form a negative association in the mind of the dog with respect to the cat. For that reason you don’t give a command, you want the dog to believe that cat itself is a negative object. If you give the dog a command to stop going after the dog that means that his obedience is relative to you. Normally that is fine for most behaviors but in this case you want the dog to really dislike paying attention to the cat.
3- When the dog continually looks away from the cat it is time to move on to the next step. Allow the dog off the leash so he is feeling more open and free. Repeat the same step as before. The second the dog even looks at the cat give him a stimulation.
4- At this stage your dog should really dislike even looking at the cat. Your dog is just about fixed of his cat addiction. Now the only step to complete is keeping a close eye on him. You will probably catch him taking quick glances from time to time at the cat. Make sure you can consistently correct him for his interest in the cat and you will soon have a cat-proof dog.
For discounted Dogtra brand Electric Collars click here.
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Posted in: Behavior Problems, Reviews
Tagged: aggression, avoidance, cat, collar, command, e-collar, electric, prey, shock, stimulation, training
The disposable dog
Comments (0)Today I had several dog training appointments. The first one was with a deaf boxer. We made some great progress using an e-collar to communicate with him. I then went to work with a mixed breed dog who had an owner who simply wanted to learn some new obedience training techniques for mental stimulation with her dog. My last training appointment of the day was to be with a five month old Labrador retriever. It was going to be our first training appointment and we were going to work on housebreaking and basic puppy obedience training.
I showed up on time for the appointment and knocked on the door. The husband came to the door, “Oh, I’m sorry. My wife meant to call you but didn’t have your number. The dog was having a few behavior problems and we didn’t feel like getting a crate. We got rid of the dog.”
I was ticked. First of all, I was mad because of the time and money they had cost me. I had set apart that time for them. In making the appointment with them I was not able to make an appointment with someone else. What that means is that I had an afternoon that I could have been earning money for my family but wasn’t able to. I was also pretty upset that they claimed they didn’t have my number even though they were the ones who called me in the first place.
Perhaps what made me the most upset, though, was the callous attitude toward the dog. The dog became inconvenient and their solution was to just get rid of the dog. I can’t believe people do this.
Everyone knows (or should know) when they get a dog that it is a big responsibility. Especially when you get a puppy you have to realize that there are shots, medications, training equipment to buy, and quite likely professional training to purchase. It makes me so upset to see people throw away a dog when the dog actually requires work. The ironic thing is that this client, in particular, could have had almost immediate relief to their problems with the methods that I would have shown them.
So here I am on my soap box asking you, pleading with you. If you get a puppy or adult dog make sure you get the dog for the long haul. That means if your dog gets sick you make the sacrifice to pay for vet bills. If your dog develops behavior problems or aggression don’t toss the dog out with the trash. Get professional help to get rid of the problems. Don’t just give up because it isn’t easy.
New website for electric training collars
Comments (0)For those that read this website you may know that I am a big fan of electric dog training collars. Let me qualify that statement; I am a big fan when the e-collar is used properly.
I don’t use electric collars like most dog trainers. I use the electric collar as a tool for communication rather than a tool for punishment. What that means is that I never put the collar on the dog and just use shock treatment to change a behavior. What I do is use the collar on a very low level and teach rather than punish.
The levels that I use on an e-collar are very light. I always have my clients feel the collar before we ever use it with their dog. About half of my clients can’t even feel the collar on the levels I use and the other half can only barely feel it. When used properly the e-collar is a very humane tool because it allows you to teach behavior with just a tiny pulse.
Because I am a fan of electric collars I set up a new website to offer discount electric dog training collars.
Click here to visit a website with discount electric dog training collars, bark collars, and electric dog fences.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Are dog training electric collars torture devices or humane tools?
Comments (0)In my dog training business, CommuniCanine Inc., I meet all sorts of people. Although I meet dog owners from a wide variety of backgrounds there is one underlying factor that unites them all. They all love their dogs and wish to do what is best for them.
As such I am often asked about my stance on dog training electric collars, sometimes called e-collars or remote trainers. Some of my clients are for them, some are indifferent, and others are vehemently against them. I wanted to use this blog post to touch on the truth behind e-collars.
In order to train a dog you need to use proper corrections
There is much debate on the use of corrections for dog training. Some dog trainers are a little nuts and recommend that the firmest you should ever correct a dog is by telling him ‘no’ (pretty silly when you consider dogs don’t understand any word unless you associate an action with it).
Whenever asked about my philosophy on corrections I always reply that my stance is to be ‘firm but fair’. What I mean by that is that I like to use a lot of motivation to get my dog to obey. When it comes to my methods to discourage disobedience, however, I use corrections that are just firm enough to act as a deterrent for misbehavior. Anything firmer than that is not fair and can be classified as abusive. Anything less than that and you wont be able to effectively change behavior for the better.
The same philosophy is used to change human behavior. If the only consequence for you being rude in social settings is a $.05 fine, your behavior is likely to never change. If the consequence, however, is that you no longer get invites to parties and people don’t return your calls, your behavior just may change. That is what I mean by firm but fair, you have to find a level of correction that is just enough, but nothing more.
The use of an electric collar may be the most humane way to give corrections
So I have already established that proper corrections and proper motivation are a necessary tool for molding dog behavior. So what is the most humane way to administer a correction?
Notice in the above heading that I said that using a remote collar may be the most humane way to give a correction. The reason I say that is that in the wrong hands an e-collar is the most in-humane way to train a dog. In the wrong hands this collar is used at high levels and is not used as a tool for teaching, but rather a tool to punish indiscriminately.
In the right hands, however, an electric training collar is the most humane way to give a correction. If used properly the e-collar is used for teaching purposes. I advocate only using this collar on low levels. You would be shocked (pun intended) to know how low the level of stimulation actually is on an e-collar. I always have my clients feel the collar before using it. Most of my clients can’t even feel the collar on the levels I use and their dogs can only barely feel it. In this way the collar acts as a tool for teaching behavior rather than just for punishing.
In order to train like this, however, most people need the aid of a professional trainer that has experience using the collar on low levels. Seek out a good, qualified trainer and you will find that your ability to train humanely and at high levels has no limit.
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Posted in: Behavior Problems, Obedience Training
Tagged: collar, correction, dog, e-collar, electric, humane, professional, punish, remote, trainer, training
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