What is the Difference Between Shock Collars and eCollars?

One of the things we most routinely go over with prospective clients during their consultation process is helping them understand the tools we use, how and why we use them, and what to expect from incorporating them into a balanced dog training program. Unfortunately, that often means having to address a lot of myths and misconceptions about those tools, and helping clients un-learn a lot of the shame-based training practices that got them and their dog where they are in the first place.

One of those stubborn myths is that all “shock collars” are made the same. Let me put it simply: this could not be farther from the truth.

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that remote collars are one aspect of our dog training programs. We rave about remote collars. They let you communicate with your dog in a way that scales with the situation, they give you a means to follow-through on set boundaries and standards, they let you speak to your dog whether they are right by your side or a mile away, and they are generally incredibly kind tools in dog training.

This, and many other myths, contribute in a very regrettable way to the demonization of these awesome tools. This article will help to redefine and draw the line on the difference between a high-end remote collar and a generic shock collar.

What is the Difference Between a Shock Collar and an eCollar (Remote Collar)

Understanding the difference between a “shock collar” and a “remote collar” ultimately comes down to definition. Admittedly, there’s no absolute definition for either; you can’t look these phrases up in a dictionary and come to one resolute meaning. If someone were to come along to yell at me that remote collars and shock collars are the same thing, they’d be just about as correct as I am in saying that they are not.

That said, there is a huge difference between the two in our eyes and in the eyes of most trainers who utilize them, but getting on the same page about what each phrase means is really important in order to have a constructive conversation about dog training tools. For the purpose of working with us at Lugaru K9 Training, and for the purpose of this article, this is how we define these tools.

What is a shock collar?

A shock collar is any tool that uses electrical stimulation to apply a correction, or an undesirable stimulus intended to reduce a behavior. When we talk about shock collars at Lugaru K9 Training, we are specifically referring to generic and low-quality correction tools that use this base technology, commonly found online and in big-box pet stores.

Because we do not use “shock collars” by this definition, when we talk about them it is usually to deter existing and prospective clients from using them because of the poor quality that results in an inconsistent, unreliable, and potentially disproportionately uncomfortable experience for the dog. While to my knowledge the technology is technically similar to high-quality remote collars, generic shock collars tend to be inferior, potentially inhumane, and essentially impossible to condition properly.

What is a remote collar?

When we refer to “remote collars,” or “ecollars” we are specifically speaking about the high-quality versions of the same technology, which includes a very small collection of reputable brands. Remote collars tend to be much pricier, typically around $200 and up; they can be a few hundred dollars for models with more levels for high drive or “hard” dogs or multi-dog functionality with more than one receiver. But this price point always pays off because proper remote collars are sensitive enough to find more appropriate levels, condition properly, and create appropriate responses.

You may hear others online refer to high-end collars as “ecollars,” which is a common brandnomer, or a single brand name that has come to be applied to a group of similar products (think “hand me a kleenex” vs “hand me a tissue”). eCollar Technologies does happen to be the brand we use and recommend for pet dog training, but we choose to use the phrase “remote collar” to include other high-end and appropriate brands.

How are shock collars and remote collars different?

Shock collars differ from remote collars in a number of ways, some of which I’ve already touched on, like price point and general quality. But it’s incredibly important for dog owners and prospective buyers to understand these differences in order to open minds to quality tool use and deter use of collars that can potentially cause undue hurt to dogs and create a poor training experience with shoddy results.

Price Point

As touched on earlier, there is a considerable price difference between a generic shock collar and a quality remote collar. Where a shock collar is going to run $25-$50 online and as much as $150 for brands like Petsafe in big box pet stores, a remote collar is going to cost just short of $200, but can run much higher for multi-dog units or ecollar units build for high drive dogs. For context, though, most of our client dogs use the mini educator from ecollar technologies.

While the price point for a quality remote collar is usually (but not always) much higher than that of a shock collar, it should be noted that the quality for that price is actually much better. A remote collar may cost $100 more than a generic shock collar, but as I’ll touch on more very soon, a remote collar is simply built to last. You’ll also find that a remote collar from one of the reputable brands is going to come with a warranty, and the companies will provide customer support should you get a faulty product.

What’s more is that, for many factors it is simply a far superior training tool and much more humane to the dog. When the sum of all these parts is taken into consideration, a quality remote collar is worth so much more than the $100 price difference; for the quality, that price point is comparatively a steal.

Stim Levels

In dog training, the “stim” refers to the muscle electrical stimulation emitted by the remote collar receiver. When the stim function on the collar is applied, electricity causes the muscle to contract. At low levels, this doesn’t cause any movement or any discomfort for the wearer, and at higher levels it can become a tickly, prickly feeling on the skin and cause the muscle to contract more fully. In bully breeds and other muscular dogs with short coats, you can sometimes see the twitch in the muscle when the stim is applied.

Really, this makes the common phrase “shock” collar something of a misnomer, though just like established earlier in this article, it’s really no use fussing over semantics.

This technology is very similar to the electrical stimulation used in TENS units for muscle stimulation therapy. Personally, I have used both a TENS unit and tested remote collars on myself at one point or another, and the sensation is essentially the same, except that the TENS unit will have pads that cover more surface area than the contact points on the remote collar receiver.

What sets a generic shock collar so far aside from a quality remote collar is the sensitivity of the collar, and the levels available on the device.

A quality remote collar like the ones we use at Lugaru K9 Training will have levels 0-100 and often even more, with the lowest levels being very, very low. Most dogs will not even register the sensation until at least a level 10, and some dogs won’t notice it at all until much higher. However, from experience, a level 10-20 is a fairly typical “working level,” for many pet dogs.

Shock collars do not come with these low, sensitive levels. Level 1 is always quite high, often high enough to be very uncomfortable or even painful for the dog; the kind of levels we would only use for stopping very dire or dangerous behaviors.

In my time training dogs, many clients have surrendered their previously-used shock collars to me after experiencing the difference in levels between the two types of device. They just never want to see their old ones again.

Being that I’ve come across many low-quality shock collars, I also have tested these devices on myself and can attest to the fact that generic shock collars simply can not be used for the wide range of training that a remote collar can.

And really, there is no reason that a level 1 on any stim collar should be uncomfortable at all.

Durability

Shock collars get damaged easily, beat up during daily life, and often need costly replacement parts. They often come with a cheap nylon collar, which on top of doing a sub-par job at keeping the receiver in place, also frays and rips in no time at all. The remote is often either inconveniently bulky and awkward, or very small and flimsy.

Remote collars, on the other hand, are built to stand the test of time. They are waterproof (even in salt water), resistant to dirt and rust and impact damage, and come with a sturdy biothane collar that can take just as much of a beating. Right out of the box, the remote for a high-quality shock collar will just feel higher quality in the hand; it will have some weight to it, have a comfortable grip, a clear display screen, and the intuitive design will have the buttons placed where it will be quick and easy to respond to any situation. Remotes from eCollar Technologies typically come with an added case that adds durability, and can be removed, cleaned, swapped, etc.

In addition, maintenance is extremely easy when it comes to the high-end remote collars. They’re rechargeable with a cable that comes in-box with the system and do not need replacement batteries, and most systems from E-Collar Technologies also have protective cases for remotes that can be removed for cleaning.

Finally, the reputable brands are also going to offer a full manufacture warranty, typically for two years, which is absolutely not going to be the case with generic shock collars.

Range

Depending on the exact unit you buy, the exact range of a remote collar system is going to vary. From E-Collar Technologies, for example, different models are going to range from .5 miles to 1 mile range, meaning you can use the stim, tone, or vibrate function within that range at the same efficacy. The receiver can respond to the remote within that range through most walls and large objects, but very thick obstacles like concrete walls may get in the way especially at a distance.

The general range of common remote collars from E-Collar Technologies is listed below.

E-Collar Model	Range (in miles)
Micro Educator (ME-300)	1/2 miles
Mini Educator (ET-300)	1/2 miles
Educator (ET-400)	3/4 miles
The Boss (ET-800)	1 mile

Generic shock collars are going to provide no such range or efficacy within that range. Walls and common objects can obstruct or otherwise compromise the signal of these collars much more significantly. In addition, range on a generic shock collar is going to be much shorter than the range on a quality remote collar. From a quick browse of shock collars on amazon.com, 1/4 mile seems to be the norm, which is not much space at all, particularly when environmental obstacles are involved.

Contact Points and Accessories

Accessories can really make or break the training experience when it comes to the training experience with remote collars. When I say accessories, I don’t necessarily mean optional-but-fun additional gadgets like lanyards and cases. I mean things like improved or special contact points, controller management, and other add-ons that actually affect the ease of use, efficacy, or results of training.

Bungee collars are on of these add-ons that can drastically improve the contact you get when putting a remote collar on your dog. In essence, these are collars with an added elastic portion which allows the collar to flex with your dog’s movement, respond to normal fluctuations in neck thickness (which can vary throughout the day especially under exercise), and maintain consistent contact the entire time.

Shock collars are not going to be easily switched out to a bungee collar, or really any other collar than the ones they come with, for that matter. That’s especially a shame when you consider that the nylon collars they come with tend to slip and become loose, making contact less consistent.

Contact points are very important, and the ones you need are going to be different for each dog. Finding the right contact points will depend on the dog’s size, coat length and density, allergies, and more. More often than not, a remote collar will come with at least two sets of the most common contact points in the box, but getting a more ideal contact point will give you the most consistent levels and prevent you from unintentionally giving too high or too low of a stim, which can be critical in many situations.

Shock collars do not make it easy to find replacement contact points, and they are not compatible with wing tips and comfort pads, which are types of contact points that can really help with thick-coated dogs and sensitive dogs, respectively.

What’s more, the stock contact points that come with a lot of shock collar tend to be this odd rubberized or silicone material. These generic brands try to market these contact points as more comfortable for the dog, but that rubberized surface actually grips hair and can pull in a very uncomfortable way, as opposed to the clean slip of stainless steel contact points.

Controller holsters and clips are designed to make life easier for you, the handler of the dog. The options will vary depending on the brand and model you get. From E-Collar Technologies, there are belt clips, holsters, retractable line clips, and my personal favorite, the magnet “AnyWear” clip, which I use for the controllers for my personal dogs.

All I can say about generic shock collars in this area is: good luck. You are usually stuck with the lanyard it came with, which can be fine in many situations. But once you’ve had the ease of use from the various add-on holder options from better brands, it’s hard to imagine going back.

Finger trainers are another ease of use product. They are small finger clips worn like a ring that communicate with your remote collar remote, which in turn can trigger the receiver on the dog’s collar. This prevents you from having to fumble for a remote, and also lets you keep your hands open for other things, like handling a leash and giving food rewards, without relinquishing your ability to use the remote collar; the controller can stay in your pocket, and you can tap the finger trainer ring to use the stim, tone, or vibrate.

Finger trainers are sold as a set with a designated system, and can’t be added on to an existing system. I know that Dogtra has had a finger trainer system for the ARC for some time, and E-Collar Technologies also has a finger trainer version for the Mini Educator (ET-330).

I have never seen a shock collar system offer this kind of flexibility and acknowledgement of the need to have your hands available for other things.

Additional Functionality

High-end remote collars usually come with a few extra helpful features.

One of my favorites is the flashlight function, which allows you to keep track of your dog in the dark, help them see their way around, and improve their visibility at night to drivers and more. This feature is easy to turn on and off directly from the remote, so there’s no need to fumble for a switch on the collar itself.

I know that dog owners love those light-up dog safety collars, and while those are perfectly fine or what they are, I can’t help but cringe when people shell out so much money for them; a good remote collar will do that, too, and provide even more value! Plus, the remote collar flashlight is rechargeable with the system, which means no need to pay for replacement batteries! But, I digress.

A designated flashlight function is going to be difficult to find on a shock collar, and really I can’t speak for the reliability of that function if you were to find it; but the one on my personal dogs’ micro educators from E-Collar Tech has been a fantastic function to have access to.

Another added function that sets remote collars aside from shock collars is the expandability to multi-dog use that many models come with. By this, I mean that you can purchase a remote collar for a single dog, and add a second receiver down the line when you get a second or third dog. This feature is going to depend on the model you get, but it can actually save some money down the road and keep your dogs on one remote.

There are certainly benefits to having separate remotes, and having different controllers is what I personally choose to do with my personal dogs, but I also acknowledge the convenience of being able to expand a system when the time is right.

Reliability

Hands-down, remote collars are more reliable. Levels are more consistent (meaning, a level 12 gives out the same level of stimulation each and every time), useable in more environments (such as water and through obstactles), and responsive (hitting the button will mean something, every time).

Sometimes people take for granted exactly what this reliability means. A high-end remote collar is going to come through for you when your dog runs off into the woods. It’s going to deliver exactly the stim level you set, meaning your dog will never be hit with a correction-level stim when you were only trying to initiate focus, and they won’t be underwhelmed when you really need that level to be high like you might in case of an emergency.

This reliability is important for keeping your dog safe in dire situations, and for always being in control of the levels.

Training Application

When we train dogs on remote collars, it is not about blasting them with corrections. Let me repeat that. Remote collar training is not about blasting the dog with corrections. There is a lot of low-level work and work with the tone or vibrate function involved to condition the collar so that dog understands where the sensation comes from, what it means, and how to influence and remove it.

Can a remote collar be used for corrections? Yes, and we do use them for corrections when applicable; they’re very helpful tools in responding with a correction that scales to the severity of a behavior. But that is not most of the work.

This important low-level training is impossible with shock collars. The levels are simply too high; a shock collar can really only be used as an aversive tool, while a remote collar can be used for way more than strong corrections of unwanted behaviors.

At the end of the day, a shock collar is ultimately a version of a remote collar that don’t come through on the best parts of the remote collar: the features like level sensitivity, durability, range, and accessibility that make remote collars helpful and perfectly humane tools.