Are police dogs trained with shock collars? Let’s Explore

E-collars are a form of conditioning, not punishment

The fact that an e-collar can be used to “zap” a disobedient dog misses the purpose of its power. An officer could also TASER a dog to the same end – but that would hardly train the dog to willingly obey the human ordering them around.

“The purpose of an e-collar is to use its electric charge to do everything from catch a distracted dog’s attention and get him re-focused, up to re-establishing control over him during high-stress situations when his drive is high,” said Roller. “For this reason, a handler needs to start with the lowest possible stimulation when using an e-collar on a new dog. And they must resist the urge to use it as a form of anger-directed punishment when the dog misbehaves.”

In other words, an e-collar is a K-9 training/control tool; not a cattle prod. Handlers should never use it as such, any more than they should lose their tempers with K-9s and overwhelm them with fear.

Are police dogs trained with shock collars?

Why do the police dogs need to be shocked? In case they can’t be controlled or make an aggressive move, the police officers can hold them or take them back in control by the shock. Moreover, the reason for their shock training can be:

The duty of police dogs and the training they are given make them pose a great strength and control in themselves. So, not to let them act on their own it becomes necessary to have some kind of control over them.

Shock training collars work best when the dog is under high levels of stress. They can be used to calm the dog back and take it under control.

When approaching a suspect, dogs may cause harm to them in a state of stress which may cause further problems and issues following the charge. Police cannot provide harm to the suspect so, they need to protect them as well.

When done right, positive reinforcement can be very effective in teaching police dogs to behave in a certain way. But this can’t be always the case. Some people may find it inappropriate but this is how it goes.

Are shock collars even safe?

Shock collars are safe in the hands of professional trainers and well-aware owners. Shock collars come with multiple features and different intensity levels of stimulation which help trainers adjust the setting according to individual dogs.

But if they are given in the wrong hands, shock collars can be harmful.

Cesar Uses An E-Collar To Train Agressive Boxer | Cesar 911

A police dog wears a collar that has identification tags and a transmitter. The collar is connected to a leash that has a transmitter on the other end. The transmitter sends a signal to a receiver that is attached to the dog’s collar. This signal tells the handler where the dog is at all times.