Shadow Boxer
May I just enquire - what are the problem behaviours which necessitate the use of an electric collar, and which cannot be overcome by other means?
Trouble 21
so again specifically what behaviour would be corrected that can not be corrected by other means?
Clob
Fair questions but one I don’t have time for a detailed and lengthy reply and I know a lot of people ( including me if I were exposed to it for the first time ) would not understand a simple reply. Maybe the best way to answer it is over a few posts so what you don’t understand you can ask step by step, instead of all the pointless ramblings going on, also it brings the posts back on topic, which is OC theory.
1]
There are 2
categories of e-collars, limited use and e-training collars, I use e-training collars. Limited use collars have below 16 levels generally but there is an intermediate collar which has 12 levels and I find it’s an excellent collar which could be used as a full training aid rather than for some limited uses.
The misconception about modern e-collars is inherent in the question(s) above, modern e-collars are not just for problem solving, that generation of collars is obsolete since 1998, 8 years ago.
2]
The problems which have been inherent in formal obedience training been since dogs became domesticated are that behaviour was not shaped properly in the formal obedience training stage, if it had been there is still one problem left in all mammals, that of sensory narrowing.
The other problem specifically to dogs is that anyone teaching a pet dog owner must have a method which that individual pet owner and that individual dog will be able to successfully apply.
The combination of failing to shape behaviours correctly in the first stage of formal obedience combined with the sensory narrowing activity has killed more animals & people in normal everyday situations than any other two factors.
There are 3 stages of training dogs.
1. Teaching.
2. Teaching corrections.
3. Teaching corrections with distractions.
Quiet dogs which readily comply only need stage one, stage 2 is usually best started at around 7-9 months in many males ( flexibility is needed on this) and after the first season in bitches.
Relevant to the questions asked are these and more factors specifically related to operant theory which most people have rammed into them by some trainers ( to add, I never do that ).
All 4 parts of operant theory can be consistently applied, under all conditions including timing, distance, distractions and everything else in the environment. For the first time in the history of canines with an e-training collar, that has never been possible before and that was an inherent training problem since Neanderthal times, so an e-training collar can provide the following at any point in time
Positive Punishment =
something/anything added = decreases behaviour
Negative Punishment =
something/anything is removed/witheld = decreases behaviour
Positive Reinforcement =
something/anything added = increases behaviour
Negative Reinforcement = a non appetitive stimulus is removed = increases behaviour
As I said, when I was training pet dog owners I never use these terms but looking at the posts here and what I meet in parks etc pet owners are bombarded with the terms at a lot of training classes.
My principle method of use is as a
negative reinforcer which gives a consistent
positive reinforcer, under all circumstances and range every time = 100% consistency in applying a
positive reinforcer and at the same time resolving the problem of sensory narrowing.
Therefor, useing an e-training collar in the formal obedience training stage shapes behaviours correctly in the first place, it is failing to shape the behaviours correctly in the first place which causes problem.
There is only one behaviour you are actually shaping and that is that the dog responds to a command under all circumstances, including distance and any distractions at any point in time. With most of the high drive dogs people will encounter sensory narrowing that is also overcome by useing the collar as a distraction, that in turn opens the senses to your own command stimulus.