As a training coach for reactive dogs, I meet many guardians who are feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. They love their dogs, but struggle with challenges such as pulling on leash, barking at strangers, or lunging at other dogs.
In search of answers, some turn to shock collars or prong collars. At first, these devices can look like they’re working. The pulling stops, the barking pauses, the lunging lessens. But often what’s really happening is not improvement—it’s suppression.
The dog may stop showing those behaviours on the outside, but their true feelings of stress, frustration, or fear remain, only to resurface in other more troubling ways.
These tools don’t actually teach dogs how to behave. Instead, they rely on pain, fear, or discomfort to suppress behaviour in the moment. A shock collar delivers an electric current to a dog’s neck, while a prong collar digs into their skin with every pull. The goal is to make the behaviour unpleasant enough that the dog avoids repeating it.
But dogs don’t learn the way we might expect. They don’t understand why they’re being punished. More often, they begin to associate the pain with what’s happening around them—another dog, a stranger, or even their own guardian holding the leash.
This is where problems escalate. Instead of calmly walking past another dog, the dog may start to fear other dogs entirely, anticipating pain whenever one appears. Some dogs even turn their fear onto their guardian, associating them with unpredictable discomfort. What began as a simple effort to stop pulling or barking can spiral into full-blown reactivity, aggression, or deep anxiety.
Science backs up what I see in practice. Studies show that dogs trained with aversive methods display higher stress levels, increased anxiety, and more behaviour problems compared to dogs trained with positive reinforcement.
Leading organizations—including the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the British Veterinary Association, the RSPCA, and the Pet Professional Guild—have all condemned the use of shock and prong collars. Many European countries have even banned shock collars entirely.
In my own work, I see the fallout regularly. Guardians tell me their dog seemed better for a short while, only to become more reactive or fearful with time.
When we remove the aversive tools and instead focus on positive reinforcement, the transformation can be remarkable. Dogs begin to relax. They learn alternative behaviours—such as focusing on their guardian when another dog approaches or walking calmly at their side instead of pulling.
The tension between guardian and dog softens, replaced with trust and cooperation. Guardians often remark not only on their dog’s improved behaviour, but also on their overall happiness and confidence.
Positive reinforcement works because it teaches dogs what to do rather than punishing unwanted behaviour. By rewarding calm walking, focused attention, or a reliable recall, we give our dogs reasons to repeat the behaviours we want. Training becomes a partnership, not a power struggle.
Shock collars and prong collars may promise quick fixes, but they don’t address the root of behavioural challenges. At best, they mask problems; at worst, they create new ones.
Our dogs are not machines to control with pain—they are companions who rely on us for guidance and safety. By choosing humane methods, we not only change behaviour, we also nurture confidence, strengthen bonds, and help our dogs feel safe and loved. That is the foundation of every well-behaved companion.
