Veterinarian’s Dog Training Opinion

It seems the greatest concern with remote collar training is the fear that it is either harmful or painful to the dog. Where I’m sure there is occasional discomfort evoked by the collar, my overall impression is that it is not only less painful than other traditional methods of training, but much safer.

The choke chain can, and has caused a variety of health problems that I have seen repeatedly in my practice. Tugging or snapping back on a choke chain can cause injury to the neck and trachea. This, of course, is exasperated when the chain with prongs are used. If a choke chain is left on, even for brief amount of time, a dog can get hung-up on it and suffocate. Also, I have had to surgically remove more than one chain that had imbedded into the dog’s flesh to the point that the neck tissue actually grew around the chain. This, of course, is only in cases of obvious neglect.

By using the remote collar, one can redirect or correct their dog and get an immediate response. I have found that if the dog is confused or unsure of what he should be doing, he will more likely vocalize when responding to the collar. The same dog, however, when not confused, will show no reaction at all at that same level. Additionally, I know of no study that shows the collar to be medically dangerous, including in cases of epilepsy.  In fact, I am personally aware of am epileptic dog that uses the remote collar with no problems or side-effects.

To suggest that remote collar training is cruel, is ridiculous. In fact, I believe quite the opposite. A choke chain can be not only physically and emotionally challenging for the owner to manage, but is clearly difficult and often confusing for the dog as well. The remote collar is a quick and stress-free method of getting a dog to quickly learn what is expected of him. In my opinion, this is what all dogs ultimately need, and once accomplished, they tend to be much more relaxed and content.

Kathryn Allen, DVM
Indian Bend Animal Hospital, Phoenix, AZ