New research published in the journal PLoS One finds that electronic-collar training seriously stresses dogs out. In a British study of 61 dogs, canines who received e-collar training to curb common bad behaviors—like chasing cars, joggers, or wildlife—showed more distress sign,s such as yawning and panting, than dogs that were trained with rewards-based methods. MORE: 4 Ways You’re Driving Your Pet Crazy “In the dog’s mind, e-collars are an ‘act of God’ type of correction since the dog doesn’t know where it came from, versus a pull on a leash that the dog can associate with a handler,” says Andrew Horan, a certified canine training and behavior specialist. Positive reinforcement with rewards, on the other hand, is less taxing because it teaches pups that doing the right thing will earn them stuff they love, like treats, belly rubs, and praise from their favorite people. What’s more, e-collars are all bark and no bite. Though you might think the harsher message would do more to get dogs to fall in line, pooches that received rewards-based training methods improved their behavior just as much as their e-collar trained counterparts. Two training methods that are equally effective, but one leaves Mr. Biscuits feeling happy instead of stressed…the choice sounds pretty doggone simple, don’t you think? MORE: 5 High-Tech Ways To Keep Pets Blissfully Entertained
