Why Prong Collars and E-Collars Don’t Teach Better Behaviour
Why “I Tried It on Myself” Doesn’t Prove a Prong or E-Collar Doesn’t Hurt
Have you ever been talking to someone about dog training who recommended using a prong collar or e-collar? If so, you’ve probably heard the phrase:
“It doesn’t hurt them. I’ve tried it on myself.”
Unfortunately, that isn’t an accurate comparison.
These tools work by creating discomfort, pain, or fear to stop a behaviour. They don’t teach the dog what to do. Instead, they teach the dog what not to do by adding an unpleasant consequence.
Why Trying It on Yourself Isn’t the Same
There are two major reasons this comparison doesn’t work.
1. Human skin is much thicker than a dog’s.
A dog’s epidermis is only 3–5 cells thick, while a human’s is approximately 10–15 cells thick.
That means the exact same level of stimulation can feel very different to a dog than it does to a person.
2. You have control. Your dog doesn’t.
When you test an e-collar on yourself, you know when it’s coming. You also know you can remove it whenever you want.
Dogs don’t have that choice.
They don’t know when the next correction is coming, why it’s happening, or how to make it stop. That lack of control can create stress, anxiety, and fear.
Suppressing Behaviour Isn’t Solving the Problem
Corrections don’t address the reason why a behaviour is happening.
For example, if your dog barks and lunges at another dog, a leash correction or shock may stop the barking in that moment. However, it doesn’t change how the dog feels.
In many cases, the dog begins to associate the pain or discomfort with seeing another dog. Instead of improving the behaviour, this can actually make the emotional response stronger over time.
Your goal shouldn’t simply be to stop the behaviour.
Your goal should be to teach your dog what to do instead while changing how they feel about the situation.
“You’re Just Using It Wrong”
Another common argument is that shock collars don’t hurt when they’re used “correctly.”
This simply isn’t true.
Shock collars are designed to create an unpleasant sensation so the dog avoids a behaviour or responds to a cue. If the sensation wasn’t uncomfortable, it wouldn’t work as a punishment.
Some people even increase the intensity when they feel the dog “isn’t listening.”
What often gets overlooked is why the dog isn’t responding.
Maybe the environment is overwhelming. Maybe they’re frightened, excited, or distracted. Those emotions don’t disappear because of a correction.
Some dogs also learn not to outwardly react to corrections. That doesn’t mean they aren’t experiencing stress. Instead, they may show much more subtle signs of discomfort that are easily missed or misunderstood.
There Is Another Way
Positive reinforcement focuses on teaching dogs what to do instead of punishing what they shouldn’t do.
At Wag With Me, we meet you where you are without judgment. Whether you’ve used different training methods in the past or you’re just getting started, we’ll work together to create a plan that helps both you and your dog succeed—pawsitively.
Please reach out to contactwagwithme@gmail.com.