A total Ban is needed
Its cruel

I was going to write a long answer to this, I've written about 5 different versions now, but so much has been said before on here and on other threads that it seems pointless to reiterate it all.

I think these collars should be banned.
Why?
To be honest, because I think that anything or anyone who inflicts pain on any animal, even in the name of 'training' is a cruel, sadistic, bully.
There is abslutely no need for these things, they just show how society now demands 'quick fixes'.
I feel sorry for those dog owners that use them as they will never know how it feels to have their dogs trust them and the relationship and bond that that brings with it.
I feel worse for the dogs though...to have something around your neck hurting you and have no way of escaping it and no real idea of why it's happening? Just how cruel is that?

Total ban please.

Total Ban
Watching the look of total love and trust coming from Cassie to myself and OH is the best feeling in the world. She's not perfect and we work at training every day...positive training. I couldn't bear to do anything to cause her pain EVER! for any reason.
Enough said.

I would like to see e-collars banned.

I believe they are intrinsically cruel and therefore liable to be mis-used by busy people looking for a "quick fix" or used indiscriminantly; used as a punishment by a well-intentioned, but cross owner and even by vicious people who want to bully and abuse their dog into submission.

Rather than save dogs from being placed in rescue centres and put to sleep I feel use of e-collars will only make things worse as they could result in severely injured, stressed, depressed, resentful or aggressive dogs.

I am concerned about the psychological, stressful and physical effects electric shock collars have on the dog which can continue even after the shock is applied. I understand that determining the desired setting is often initially arbitrary and involves a trial and error process which can result in stressing and shocking the dog and give rise to the negative effect of having the dog wrongly perceiving the reason it's been shocked. The dog may have been doing, or about to do, something completely innocent and find itself shocked. I am also concerned that these collars will be used on dogs that have health conditions which may be adversely affected by the application of an electric shock. Some conditions may not yet be apparent to the owner, who then begins to shock the dog in the name of training. Furthermore, the equipment has the potential to malfunction and cause injury to the animal, if injury hasn't already happened.

I believe there is never any reason to use shock collars and that there are better, more humane ways to alter undesirable behaviour in a dog, including situations where the dog's behaviour is deemed so unacceptable that he is at risk of being put to sleep. E-collars do not deal with underlying behavioural issues. Does a dog with behavioural or temperament problems - even those that threaten its life - deserve to be persecuted and tortured into submission? We expect dogs to live in almost intolerable circumstances - they must not chase prey even if they are prey-driven, they must not exhibit normal dominant behaviour towards other dogs, they must not bark when they are upset, frightened, stressed or lonely lest they upset us or our neighbours, they must tolerate being left alone for long periods at a time - even though they are pack animals who love company, they are bred for certain characteristics but then not allowed to exhibit them because of the lifestyles we impinge upon them, they must not poo in the street ... why should they be punished in order to be allowed to live in our society when we are the ones who place restrictions on their natural traits?

Applying a shock to a trained dog may save his life in certain situations but so will many other, kinder measures, so I can not see a need for them at all. Furthermore the dog has to be trained with an e-collar in the first place in order for it to work in that situation, so it wouldn't just be about saving a life; it would also be about using a shock collar to train a dog.

Kinder, humane methods may take longer but it is worth it in the end and these training methods provide an enjoyable way to activate, mentally stimulate and motivate the dog and enable it to spend quality time with its owner, for example in activities such as problem finding and searching - all of which require the dog to be trained. These can be achieved in a kind and humane way and result in a feeling of achievement for the dog - and of course there is the FUN factor. The dog can be rewarded with a treat, a toy, a game, or just a touch and the sound and tone of its owner's voice (eg happy, lavish praising, etc.), rather than subjected to the punishment, dread and fear of an e-collar.

Finally, a dog is meant to be a companion, a best friend. Why on earth would anybody want to use a method - the e-collar - based on punishment, pain and fear - with all its inherent risks - to inflict upon their friend in order to get them to comply?

Please think carefully about this and support a ban in the use of e-collars.

Thank you.

I don't have much knowledge on these things, nor do I pretend I have. But I feel that your dog should not obey you through fear... but through respect and understanding. Long road for some to train "difficult" dogs I know but very rewarding too. Also, we've all seen pictures and videos of mistreated animals, how much damage could these devices do in the wrong hands?

Sorry... just one other short question...... would you use this same method to control your child?????

No....... didn't think so

Total Ban

I shall not repeat what others have said but suffice to say I agree with them on the points they make for banning these.

Total BAN but at least use them on the sickos that buy them for a few days first and see how they like them .Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

To be honest I thought they weren`t legal any way, shows how much I know. Looking at it from a human point of view just how easy would it be to turn one into an offensive weapon ? That for me would be enough reason to ban them, can`t believe anybody actually uses them in these enlightened
times !

Total Ban.

And for anyone that agrees with them they should have one put on their necks and be shocked until they want a total Ban.

i agree with patch there is enough animals bein cruely treated with using electric shocks as well