Electronic dog collars are a very effective way to discipline your dog.  No matter the size of your dog, they provide long-lasting training, whether it be a 2-pound Chihuahua or a 200-pound Great Dane.  Despite what some people may think, they are very humane in the way they work.

There are three basic types of electronic collars:

• Anti-Bark
• Perimeter Control
• Field Training
• Anti-Bark Collars

The most common collar that dog owners look for is one that will train their dog to not bark when it's inappropriate.  These collars are designed to teach your dog that barking is not appropriate behaviour.  These collars are very technologically advanced they sense only your dog barking, and not other dogs who may be around them.   Many models allow dog owners and trainers to control the length of time that your dog will be 'warned' as well as the intensity of the warning. There are built in safety features to ensure the dog does not get hurt during use.  The theory behind the collar is simple: teach the dog that barking is a negative and generally, dogs learn this very quickly and the habit of inappropriate barking is stopped very quickly.

Perimeter Control and Electronic Fencing

If you want to allow your dog some freedom in your yard, this could be the type of electronic collar that you need.  These collars are designed to work from a controller – signal emitters or even underground wiring – that allows your dog to “travel” a preset area without putting up an unsightly fence on your property.  If your dog “strays” from the perimeter that is pre-set, then he'll get a short, static shock that will remind him he's out-of-bounds. Returning to  an appropriate area will stop this shock.  Many dog owners find that after a dog is fully trained the dog will not likely stray out of the pre-designated area even when there is no collar or charge.  These collars also have safety features that prevent your dog from coming to any harm when you adjust the level of correction.  Not only are these collars safe for your dog, they are extremely effective in helping you keep your dog safe.

Field Training Collars

A very popular and highly effective use of electronic training collars is in the field for hunting or working dogs.  In this instance, the collars work in conjunction with a hand-held transmitter that the owner or trainer carries.  The trainer can use the collar to interrupt bad behaviour or to send warning beeps or vibrations when bad behaviour is beginning.  As with the other types of collar, these are controllable by the person using it and have a long range, allowing for distance field training (like retrieving, herding, etc.) without the use of cumbersome long leashes.  They are water/weather proof and very durable and end the frustration of distance training without this valuable tool.

New Developments

Like his sense of smell, a dog's hearing is extremely sensitive.  Because there is debate over whether the electrostatic charges are humane, new devices that use ultrasonic sounds have been developed.  The devices work the same way by using a warning system first, but the correction comes in the form of ultrasonic sounds instead of electrostatic charges.  Testing shows these are equally as effective when used correctly.

There are many electronic dog collars out on the market ranging from training collars to bark collars to tracking collars. Some great collars are the SportDOG Field Trainer and the SportDOG 2400. Look into them and see which one is best for you