Warning: I strongly believe that E-collar training should never be taught without in-person coaching. Therefore, nothing I share regarding E-collars is intended to be used as a D.I.Y. training program. It is only intended to be food for thought or supplementary to in-person training with Thriving Canine.
Prerequisite: Before reading this, or any other article that I share on E-collars, please watch this video to get a foundational idea of my E-collar philosophy.
Question:
My dog is super sweet but he is really big and he jumps on me and other people all the time and it’s very frustrating. I’ve tried ignoring him but when I turn away he jumps on my back. He’s a big dog and it hurts and my back has scratches all over. I’ve tried saying “no” with a hard stare but he just keeps jumping. I tried scattering treats on the floor. I tried teaching him to sit. I tried teaching him the place command. I tried using a timeout in the crate. I tried holding his front paws. I’ve tried everything!
A friend came over last weekend and my dog was terrible, it was so embarrassing.
My friend suggested I use a shock collar. He said it worked with his dog but I don’t know. It feels extreme and I don’t want to be cruel but I’m desperate.
Do you think it would be ok to use a shock collar to stop my dog from jumping?
The Short Answer:
Based on the information provided, I would not recommend using an e-collar to stop this dog from jumping.
That being said, I am not against e-collars. There is a time and place for e-collar training and, yes, it can stop a dog from jumping on people. BUT, and this is a really big BUT, the dog should be fluent in the language of the e-collar as a pager as well as responding appropriately to the e-collar as a non-social punishment, such as “Leave it” with inanimate objects. These things should be well established long before using the e-collar when the dog is interacting with other dogs or people. Please don’t underestimate the value of what I just said, it’s very important. Or, just forget about it because you really shouldn’t need an e-collar to teach dogs to stop jumping on people.
So, the short answer is that, for a dog with no previous e-collar training, I would not risk the potential for negative e-collar side effects.
The Long Answer:
Yes, I know, the e-collar worked for your friend and it’s tempting as a potential quick fix. I totally get it and I’ll admit that sometimes it works just fine. However, shocking a dog for jumping on people can backfire and have negative side effects, especially for dogs who are less resilient to strange, painful, stressful things like that.
A better correction for jumping up would be a mild to medium leash correction or leash “pop” as it is often called. I say mild to medium because we are not aggressively saying, “Never go near that person again!!!” We are casually saying, “Ah-ah, keep your feet down.” So it should be just sharp enough to get your point across without causing fear or intimidation.
The use of leash corrections would avoid the stress and confusion that can come from an e-collar. Even just standing on the leash so that it stops the dog from jumping works very well in many cases.
Note: If you are not familiar with “popping” the leash, then I would start there and consider it prerequisite training before using an e-collar.
Three Concerns with Using the E-collar for Jumping
- It’s very easy to use too high of a level. You would never accidentally jerk the leash as hard as you possibly can but you might accidentally have the e-collar set on a high level.
- Even really low levels can freak some dogs out because they don’t know what the heck is happening. It can feel “creepy” without being painful. Believe it or not, even the vibration setting can be terrifying for some dogs.
- The dog can develop superstitious beliefs, such as that the shock came from the person. This can make the dog afraid of that person or cause a generalized fear of people. It could also trigger some dogs to defensively bite or attack the person.
Using the E-collar Appropriately
The e-collar can be a very amazing tool, especially when it comes to giving dogs the most off-leash freedom possible. And, it can be used to effectively and safely stop dogs from jumping on people without any of the negative fallout mentioned previously…IF you take the time to use it appropriately.
Instead of using the e-collar as a shortcut, I would highly recommend taking the time to properly condition the dog to the e-collar waaaaaay before using it to stop the dog from jumping on people. After, and only after, a dog has been very well conditioned to being paged with the e-collar as well as being taught “Leave It” with the e-collar, would I consider using it for jumping on people. The truth of the matter is that you really shouldn’t need an e-collar to stop jumping, there are many other options for that.
“Yes, but I’ve already tried everything else.”
Have You Really Tried Everything???
Ok, let’s get real for a second. I’ve heard it a million times but I have yet to meet the person who has truly tried everything. They may have tried a lot of things but certainly not everything. Not only that, they usually have not been doing the things they have “tried” properly or consistently. Sorry, I mean no offense, I’m just stating the facts.
So, as we go forward, let’s assume that you have not actually tried everything. Let’s also assume that “trying” translates to dabbling, which is a far cry from mastering.
“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
Dabbling in “everything” will almost certainly translate to doing a bunch of conflicting things and doing them incorrectly. Dabbling is the road that leads to a Mediocre Town.
“Dabbling is the road that leads to Mediocre Town.” – Chad Culp
For Example: People often say they “tried” ignoring the dog by turning away when he jumps on them. This is a conflicting statement because turning away is NOT ignoring the dog. Turning away is acknowledging the dog. It’s like you’re playing a game of Keep Away with your attention. So, it should come as no surprise if the dog gets even more excited and either comes around to the front or jumps on your back. It’s almost guaranteed.
“But…”
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, someone out there told you that turning away worked for them and that’s great. I’m happy for them. Some dogs will get the message but those are usually the milder, more cooperative ones or the ones that simply do not like to play Keep Away. More commonly, however, dogs LOVE the keep away game, which leads to questions like, “Should I use a shock collar to stop my dog from jumping?”
How about this? Instead of “trying everything”, let’s try doing one thing at a time, and actually doing it correctly and consistently. How about we stick with that for a minute, before pingponging from one idea to the next?
Note: Hiring a professional dog trainer might not be a bad idea either. You would be surprised at how many people claim to have “tried everything” but have never hired a dog trainer. I get it, you don’t want to spend the money, plus the internet knows everything, but the internet can’t coach you and let you know if you’re getting it right or not. It is often the very small, subtle tweaks that make all the difference in the world. If you want personal coaching, we are here for you. Click here to request an appointment
Is it Possible to Stop Jumping Without Punishment?
Yes, for sure, sometimes it is possible to stop jumping without punishment BUT let me ask you a question:
Is it possible for you to stop “trying” to ignore the dog and actually commit to it 100%?
Don’t flinch, don’t turn away, don’t look at the dog, don’t say anything, just literally act as if you don’t notice that the dog is there. Can you do that?
“Yes, I can do it.”
Great! Then, yes, it is very likely that the dog will stop jumping on you without the use of punishment.
However, and I say this with nothing but love, the odds are that you actually can’t do it.
Here’s a simple test: If the dog is still jumping on you, then it’s a good sign that you are not doing it.
“No, you’re wrong! I’m ignoring him and he just won’t give up, he still jumps on me!”
I hear you but, with nothing but love, I have to respectfully suggest that you probably are not ignoring the dog as well as you think. It must be 100%.
After working with thousands and thousands of clients, I can assure you that most people simply cannot properly ignore a dog, especially a dog that is jumping on them. They will swear up and down that they have been doing it and exclaim that “It just isn’t working!” They are not lying, of course, they 100% believe what they are saying to be true. They will get very frustrated with me when I suggest that they are actually not ignoring the dog. But, it’s my job to be honest with people and, without fail, they are indeed flinching or holding their arms in a defensive position or looking at the dog or doing something that is not 100% ignoring the dog.
Know Thyself
“Know Thyself.” – Socrates
What I have come to realize is that most people have very little self awareness, particularly when it comes to their unconscious movements and body language. They have even less control over their eye balls. Most people simply can’t stop looking at the dog…and they don’t even realize it. I commonly have to say “You’re looking at him” multiple times during a session and it will startle them out of their gaze because they literally have no control over it. It may sound far fetched but, I swear to you, this exact scenario plays out at least once every single week of my life.
“That’s interesting but it’s not about me. I can totally do it.”
Awesome! Then just ignore the dog until he calms down and isn’t trying to get your attention, then call him to you and he will be way less likely to jump on you.
Piece of cake, no need for punishment, no need for e-collar. You’re welcome!
But What About Everyone Else?
That’s a great question! Just because the dog stops jumping on you doesn’t mean he will stop jumping on everyone else.
In an attempt to avoid using punishment, you can ask people to ignore the dog but I wouldn’t count on everyone listening to you. Yes, some people will cooperate with you but it is very unlikely to happen consistently. Like I said, most people have very little self awareness, others have no impulse control, others simply don’t care to listen to you and others think they know better than you. Some will say “It’s okay, I don’t mind” while petting the dog that’s jumping up on them. Humans, they can be a problem.
These well-meaning dog lovers may cause us to need to use punishment in the midst of conflicting signals in order to stop the dog from jumping on people. It’s unfair but sometimes it’s the only thing that will work.
In Closing
While punishment may be needed to stop dogs from jumping, I’d still argue that it can usually be mild and it is highly unusual to “need” an e-collar because leash pops tend to get the job done. AND, if you can be 100% committed and diligent in not letting other people mess things up, you just might be able to get the job done with no punishment at all.
All of that being said, if you choose to go the e-collar route, please, please, please educate yourself and proceed with caution.
Chad Culp – Certified Dog Trainer, Canine Behavior Consultant and Owner of Thriving Canine.
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Related Topics
E-collar: History, Evolution and Controversy
Tails From The Field: Anti E-collar Email
Q & A: How To Stop Puppy from Jumping, Nipping, Barking and Digging?
