Shock collars, or e-collars, are a device used to punish dogs for barking, and I believe that they should be banned. There are two types: Remote collars and bark collars. Remote collars have a remote control, and a human can shock the dog willingly. Bark collars automatically shock dogs when they bark, without a remote control.
Shock collars are not just used for barking, they are also used to teach dogs to sit and come. But although shock collars are common dog training tools, they are dangerous and should be banned. Shock collars have already been banned in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, parts of Australia and Quebec, and in 2020, Petco stopped selling shock collars over concerns of abuse and mistreatment of animals. This makes sense.
Shock collars cause visible signs of stress in dogs, such as yelping, screaming and lowering ears. Dogs are even known to snap when trained with e-collars. Shock collars can also be traumatic to dogs. One study found that a dog was still fearful despite the fact that it was last shocked one and a half years ago. The same study also showed that dogs trained with shock collars will associate their handlers with getting shocked.
Also, using a shock collar is pointless because there are more effective, more humane training methods, such as positive, reward based training.
Kalen Spitzer Madix (age 12)
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