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Bark VA Article
Should You Leave a Shock Collar on a Puppy?
You have the essentials–a crate, doggy bed, food, and more. Perhaps you’ve started the potty training phase. Now you want to know if you can train your puppy with an electric fence collar.
He’s just a little guy, so is it safe to leave a shock collar on him and for how long? It is safe for a puppy to wear a shock collar for up to 4 hours without harm and up to 12 hours if checked periodically for comfort of fit.
The name “shock collar” may be alarming, but rest assured, a computer collar, as it is also called, is not meant as a form of punishment but as a training tool by the most caring of doggy parents. Read on to find out how to use a computer collar safely.
How Long Should You Leave a Shock Collar on a Dog?
A shock collar is not meant to be worn 24/7. If you readjust the neck strap and placement of the prongs every 4 hours you should be good to go for most of the day.
With proper adjustment of the collar your dog should be able to wear a shock collar for up to 12 hours before possibly developing pressure sores. Pressure sores contain the following symptoms:
- Bloodstained fur
- Callused skin
- Bald spots
- Open wound
- Pain
You should not leave a shock collar on your puppy without adjusting it and checking that the prongs are not cutting into his neck, if so, it’s too tight. There should be about a finger’s width of space between your dog’s neck and the prongs on the collar.
Should I Use a Shock Collar on my Puppy?
Yes. As long as you are careful of the age of your puppy and how many hours in the day he wears the collar (no more than 12 hours), it’s perfectly safe to put a shock collar on your puppy.
So when can a puppy start wearing a shock collar?
- Some say as early as 10 weeks, but that’s if you have a well-behaved puppy that no longer needs frequent reminders to obey. If your puppy has not yet formed a habit of obeying then he may be confused or even traumatized by early training.
- Most agree a puppy should be at least 3 ½ to 6 months old before training with an invisible fence collar , or shock collar.
- It’s recommended to use a shock collar only after your dog knows basic commands, such as come, heel, shake, etc. Only then is he ready to learn the new command to stay within his yard.
A puppy has a short attention span, and just as you would train a child, he has to be reminded to have good behavior. If he’s still ripping up Dad’s favorite recliner then he is probably not ready for a shock collar.
How to Train your Puppy
Now you are ready to train your puppy. Following are the steps to training your puppy with an electric dog fence shock collar.
- Adjusting the Shock Collar
- Finding the Collar Setting that is Best for your Puppy
- Adjusting the Invisible Fence Boundary
- Reinforcing Good Behavior through Traditional Forms of Training
Adjusting the Shock Collar
- To set the shock collar, or computer collar , press the button on the receiver collar. It should beep or light up. This means the collar is turned on.
- Next, press the button again within 5 seconds to see on which level the collar is set. If it beeps or flashes 2 times then it is set on level 2. If it beeps or flashes 3 times then it is set on level 3, and so on.
- If you press the button again within 5 seconds the level will increase.
- Once you get to the highest level pressing the button again will set it back on level one.
Finding the Collar Setting that is Best for your Puppy
- To set the level of the invisible fence collar take your puppy to the fence boundary with the collar on his neck at the lowest setting.
- If your puppy continues through the fence line without pausing, increase the setting.
- You will know you have found the right setting when your dog tilts his head inquisitively or stands at attention and follows through with obedience.
Keep in mind that your goal is to get your dog’s attention before he feels any type of sensation, and he is never meant to feel pain.
If your pup cowers or even yaps when shocked by the collar then it is set too high. Consistently using a shock collar on a puppy at too high a level can lead to a fretful worrisome pet.
Adjusting the Invisible Fence Boundary
After setting the strength of the shock collar you will set the distance between the alarm sounding, and your puppy being shocked by the collar.
You can adjust the signal at the transmitter box. Keep in mind the fence should have at least two feet of space for your dog before he hears an alarm. The more space the better, if you want to avoid his being shocked.
Check out the video below for details on how to set your fence boundary.
Reinforcing Good Behavior through Traditional Forms of Training
A shock collar is not meant to be used as the one and only form of training. As mentioned earlier, you should see that your puppy is consistently obeying basic commands before introducing a training collar.
Your puppy should know first of all by the tone of your voice whether he is being a good boy.
There are a number of dog behavior resources . Try these:
- Reading books
- Talking to your vet
- Take an online training course
- Watch videos
For those peskier puppy behaviors try reading online forums about a specific training issue your puppy has.
The way to reinforce good behavior is to give your dog a reward when he uses a desired behavior. If the way to your dog’s heart is through his stomach (as it is with most dogs), then give him a treat when he obeys.
Other forms of reward would be words of praise, a pat on the head, or even playing together with his favorite toy.
Look out for reinforcing bad behavior with a reward. An example of this would be tossing a treat when he barks or feeding her when she begs. Such actions will undo the hard work of collar training.
Conclusion
It takes patience and trust on both sides of the relationship to train your puppy. With a kind but firm hand you can lead him to grow in understanding of expected behavior, and over time he will experience the freedom that comes with a safe and happy life.
Bark VA Article 2
Can a Shock Collar Cause Seizures in Dogs?
Are you on the fence about invisible fences? Is your mind racing with thoughts of whether or not a shock collar is safe for your dog?
You may be asking, “Will it cause my dog to have a seizure?” When used correctly a shock collar is an effective training tool, but in the wrong hands it could cause a dog to have a seizure. It should never be used on a dog with epilepsy.
Are you anxious that you may not know how to use the shock collar properly? Read on to discover how to use a shock collar properly in order not to cause a seizure in your dog.
When Does a Shock Collar Cause a Dog to Have a Seizure?
Some dogs that are more prone to seizures are aggressive dogs, temperamental or timid dogs, and puppies.
However, just as an accident is sometimes caused by a drunk driver, when it comes to a shock collar, a seizure is most likely caused by the inappropriate handling of the user. We should not blame the gadget but the operator.
As a loving pet owner, it is unlikely that you will cause your dog to have a seizure from a shock collar.
Is a Shock Collar Safe for a Dog with Epilepsy?
Whether your dog has had seizures or not, we need to offer this as a precaution.
Never use a shock collar on a dog with epilepsy. A dog with epilepsy suffers from irregularly electric static in his brain. Introducing additional shock waves to his brain will only worsen the epileptic seizures.
In some cases, the extra electrical shock to the brain could lead to abnormal breathing and eventually lead to death.
If your dog has ever had a seizure talk to a vet before using a shock collar.
How to Prevent a Seizure in a Dog from the Use of a Shock Collar
Inappropriate use of a shock collar could cause a seizure, even if your dog doesn’t have epilepsy.
It is unlikely your dog will have a seizure if the collar is not set too high. So how high is too high?
If your dog yelps or jumps from the shock of the collar it is set too high. The trick is to get your dog’s attention without causing him anxiety or pain.
Later we will explain how to find the right setting on the collar, but first, can a shock collar cause any sort of side effects?
Shock Collar Side Effects
There are possible physical and psychological side effects to using a shock collar in a manner not designed by the manufacturer.
Physical side effects include, rashes, sores, and burns around the neck. To ensure your dog doesn’t get these side effects, reposition the collar around your dog’s neck every four hours, and have your dog wear the collar no longer than twelve hours at a time.
Other physical side effects would include damage to the vocal cords and gastrointestinal issues, but these side effects are unlikely if the device is used appropriately.
As far as psychological side effects, a shock collar can cause a dog to become anxious and stressed, and can even lead to aggression toward his owner, other people, and other dogs.
However, as explained earlier, with proper training it’s unlikely that your dog will get any of these side effects.
Shock Collar Nerve Damage
It’s not proven scientifically that shock collars can cause nerve damage in a dog. However, in more sensitive canine types there are other physical and psychological side effects, such as mentioned above.
Before using a shock collar talk to a professional, such as a professional trainer or your own vet. They can help you determine if your dog is a good candidate for a shock collar or whether your dog may be a bit too delicate or too aggressive for this type of training.
Below are the most common causes of a seizure in a dog.
What Causes a Dog to Have a Seizure?
A seizure can be caused in an otherwise healthy brain when there are other physical problems present. A seizure can even be helpful in diagnosing health problems unrelated to epilepsy.
Has your dog ever had a seizure? A seizure is a single episode. Epilepsy is a chronic condition marked by two or more seizures more than 24 hours apart. Two seizures within 24 hours is not necessarily epilepsy.
The most common causes of seizures are as follows:
- Epilepsy
- Low or high blood sugar
- Ingesting poison, such as caffeine or chocolate
- Heat exhaustion
- Infectious disease, such as rabies
- Heartworms
- Diabetes
- Tumors
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Head injury
- Brain Cancer
This is not an exhaustive list. If your dog has had a seizure, talk to your vet about the possibility that your dog may have epilepsy. Then he can move on to other possible problems.
If your dog has ever had a seizure it is best to not use a shock collar for training purposes.
What are the Signs of a Seizure in a Dog?
A dog may show signs of confusion, not be able to walk straight, or seem dazed if a seizure is on its way. To know if your dog is having a seizure look for these signs:
- Muscle twitching, stiffening, or jerking
- Biting, chewing tongue
- Drooling, foaming at the mouth
- Losing control of bladder or defecating
- Falling down and making paddling motion as if running or swimming
- Losing consciousness
After the seizure he may be disoriented, maybe run in circles. He may be unsure on his feet, even bumping into things. He may even be temporarily blind.
You may wonder if there is something you can do to help your dog when he is having a seizure. While it’s very unpleasant to watch, your dog will most likely not hurt himself during a seizure. To be sure, it is a good idea to remove furniture out of his way.
A seizure in your dog can be traumatic for you as a pet owner, but they are fairly common without leaving lasting effects.
There are three types of seizures in dogs.
- Focal Seizure
This type of seizure is localized to one side of the body, sometimes one limb and can last only a few seconds or lead to a generalized seizure.
- Generalized or Grand Mal Seizure
This is the most common seizure. It affects both sides of the brain. It can last a few seconds or several minutes.
Many times it leads to loss of consciousness, and it affects the whole body. Although the most intense type of seizure it does not usually harm the dog in the long term.
- Psychomotor Seizure
This can appear as a dog exhibiting odd behavior, such as chasing his tail. It signals a seizure if the dog behaves the same way each time it happens.
Are There Certain Breeds of Dogs that are More Likely to Have a Seizure?
Seizures are in most part due to genetics. Some popular large breeds of dogs that are most susceptible to seizures are the Saint Bernard, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, and the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Some small to midsize breeds would include the Beagle, Poodle, Shetland Sheepdog, and Keeshond.
If you are unsure if your breed of dog is prone to seizures talk to a breeder or refer to the American Kennel Club.
Just as with humans, seizures can be treated with medication.
Are you still uncomfortable about the idea of using a shock collar? Below we will show you step by step training for your dog, and ensure he does not have a seizure.
How to Train a Dog with a Shock Collar
Shock collars, also known as e-collars or computer collars, have a number of settings, ranging from a tingle to a painful shock.
Shock collars were first used in the 1960s for training hunting dogs, and they had one setting–painful, but shock collars have come a long way since then.
The aim is to find the setting that best gets your dog’s attention without causing him fear or pain.
Be Sure your Dog Knows Basic Commands
Before training your dog with an invisible fence collar or training collar he must know the fundamentals, such as sit, stay, come, heel, etc.
If he does not understand basic commands he may be confused, and the training process could prove long and grueling.
Let your Dog Get Accustomed to the Collar
It may take time for your dog to get used to the collar, and it may feel uncomfortable at first. This is especially true with puppies.
Let him wear the collar when he is not training, around the house or out for a walk. If you add new commands before he is ready for them you and he both may get frustrated.
Use the Correct Setting on the Collar
Show your dog the fence boundary or give him a desired command. Starting at the bottom setting, work your way up. Stop at the very moment you get your dog’s attention.
He could stare straight ahead, cock his head, perk his ears. You will most likely know when he is listening.
Praise your Dog
When he first stays in his boundary or obeys a command be sure to tell him he’s a good boy or toss him a treat. Reward him each time he gets it right. Soon you may be able to only give him a command and he will obey without prompting.
Here’s a thorough video to take you through the process and training for an Underground Fence:
Final Thoughts
Seizures are fairly common in dogs, but shock collars are unlikely to cause seizures. Has your dog had a seizure, or do you own a breed of dog that is prone to seizures? If so, due to the risk, you may instead opt for a traditional fence or other form of training.
Trump 47’s Accomplishments
Southern Border
-President Trump closed the USA’s southern border which resulted in…
…stopping much of the fentanyl that was entering our country, saving thousands of lives.
…beginning to find the 300,000 children who were lost into our country, some enslaved because they could not afford to get to the USA without help.
…violent crime plummeting.
-Safe detention centers (which provide food and shelter) are being used for criminal illegals waiting for deportation–criminals which include murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and kidnappers.
Economy
-Through tariff talks Trump was able to lessen tariffs on our goods going into other countries, while putting reciprocal tariffs on foreign goods from those countries that were not paying their fair share, thus resulting in more money in US coffers (10’s of billions of dollars).
-Trump’s team brokered agreements with NATO members to match the USA’s fair share.
-Under Trump, inflation is lower than it has been in the last four years.
-President Trump opened up more federal land to oil and gas drilling, increasing our energy dominance.
-President Trump’s policies are turning on the lights in American factories, after decades of companies shutting down, following the passing of NAFTA.
-Trump is increasingly making deals with foreign countries, who are investing in our country. One for example, is Japan, which is investing to the tune of 500 billion dollars.
The Big Beautiful Bill
-Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” signed on July 4, 2025, …
…ends taxes on tips, overtime, and–for most Americans–taxes on Social Security.
…makes tax cuts permanent, from the temporary cuts set during the president’s previous administration.
…helps to save family farms for future generations, because of elimination of estate/death tax.
…shows the Trump administration’s priority of clean energy, like nuclear energy in SMRs (Small Modular Reactors), which are cleaner (Both traditional and SMRs reactors have 0% emissions; SMRs have a smaller amount of waste) and cheaper to build, than conventional reactors. Both traditional and SMR reactors are safe.
…cuts off illegals from receiving Medicaid and food stamps.
…gives funding toward hiring more border patrol agents (3,000) and ICE agents (10,000), to be exact, $170 Billion.
…contains seed money for an anti-missile defense system, commonly called the Golden Dome.
…funds statues of our greatest Americans being built, including US presidents.
Social Issues
-Under Trump, Robert Kennedy, Jr., the HHS Secretary, is investigating why the number of Americans diagnosed with Autism has grown from one in 10,000 in the 1970s to now one in 30.
-Funding was ended of NPR and PBS, who were proven to be 90% left-leaning (not fair and balanced). This gives more savings to taxpayers.
-It is official. When it comes to CRT, DEI, and transgenderism…
…CRT, DEI, and transgender indoctrination are not welcome in schools. The focus of the administration, when it comes to education, will be reading, writing, math, and science.
…The official military policy is that there are two genders.
…Trump says, “Keep men out of women’s sports!”
-President Trump has been downsizing the Department of Education, eliminating duplicate departments. This saves taxpayer dollars.
-The 47th President eliminated the mandate of all EVs by 2030, leaving it up to the consumer to choose between electric, hydrogen-powered, or combustion engines.
Military
-Evidence shows that the military is being rebuilt under Trump. Recruitments are up in most branches of service.
-The president reinstated the patriotic military personnel who were expelled for not taking the COVID shot, restoring them to their same ranks with full back pay.
National Security
-The current Commander in Chief has launched a campaign to stop the endless wars (of Bush, Obama, and Biden) by brokering a deal…
…between India and Pakistan, where tensions were building toward war.
…between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had been fighting for 30 years, resulting in 6 million deaths.
…between Iran and Israel, with the obliteration of the Iranian nuclear weapons facilities.
-The US military, under the Command of Donald J. Trump, completely obliterated Iran’s deep nuclear bomb facilities through use of bunker buster bombs, after Israel bombed the country because of its gaining of nuclear weapon capability.
-A Department of Justice Task Force was created under DJT to investigate the previous administration’s politicization and weaponization of government intelligence agencies and law enforcement, with their attacks on people of faith, as well as Donald J. Trump
More to come!
DID YOU KNOW?
- The WHO wants to take over the health care of the world. Socialized Medicine (Universal health coverage) increases the cost of private insurance, while greatly decreasing the level of care. Trump has vowed that he will not let this happen on his watch!
- A number of Tech giants, such as Amazon, Meta, and Google laid off 10K+ US tech workers this year, due to the growth of AI. Soon after, they requested an increase of H-1B and H-2B visas.
- EVs are dangerous and enormously expensive. Many have exploded just while sitting, and the batteries alone can cost $20,000. http://autoevtimes.com
- Use of natural gas and nuclear energy is clean, safe, and more reliable than solar panels or wind farms. Look it up on DC Cook Nuclear Power Plant web address. http://cookinfo.com
- Parents across the nation are in an uproar because of sexually explicit material available to students in the public schools. To learn more about the books approved by our local school boards check this out. momsforliberty.org
- The 1970s had a “global cooling” scare. The 1990s had a “global warming” scare. It is now called “climate change.” Of course, climate changes. Climate has always gone through periods of cooling and warming. Science shows cycles of warming and cooling. Climate Change advocates, stop scaring our kids!
- China is believed by many countries (USA, Canada, the UK, etc.) of committing crimes against humanity to the Uyghurs (Chinese Muslims). The government is sending them to reeducation centers, imprisoning them for their religious practice, performing mass sterilization of the women, and more. They want 100% Communism.
- China is seizing rare earth minerals around the world (used in our EV batteries), controls Hollywood movies, controls pro sports figures, buys our farmland near military structures, produces deadly fentanyl to send to the Mexican cartels, who sell it in the US, (killing nearly 100K of our young people yearly).
- Our inner-city citizens are losing voting power, quality of education, and jobs, due to the massive influx of illegal immigrants (1,000s daily), allowed over our southern border during the Biden administration. Local, state, and federal funds are being used for food, shelter, education, etc., of the mass migration, limiting resources.
- Gun control has not improved the murder rate. Look at the big cities with strict gun control laws. Has the murder rate improved?
- Do you value your first amendment rights? The First Amendment to the US Constitution gives us the right to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, etc. Our government’s job is to protect these rights. Ditch the Constitution? We lose these rights (we may take for granted). No other country in the world has these rights in their constitution, if they have a constitution.
- AI has the same political biases as the humans who control its input. Ask ChatGPT to write a paragraph about President Donald Trump. Now ask it to write a paragraph about President Barack Obama. Do you see a difference?