Shock Collar Reviews | 5 Best Shock Collars for Stubborn Dogs
Although the use of shock collars is sometimes considered controversial, numerous studies have shown that they are a very effective way to train a dog. The very term “shock collar” sounds extreme to some people, but the shock that these collars emit is no more than the static shock that you might feel when you touch a car door. They were originally used to train hunting dogs, but there are now lots of models available for domestic pets as well.
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If you have been searching for the best shock collars, then you will know that, with so many shock collar reviews around, it can be tough to decide just which shock collar will be the best one for your dog. To help you out, we have taken a close look at five of the best value dog shock collars from the leading suppliers and given you our opinions on each one.
I. Reviews of 5 Best Shock Collars
Here are our reviews of five of the best value shock collars for training dog.
1. PetTech Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar
The first of our shock collar reviews, and on of the best shock collar for stubborn dogs, is remote controlled dog training collar from PetTech. This is a rechargeable and waterproof collar and transmitter that is suitable for dogs from 10lbs up to 100lbs. The collar has 100 different levels of shock correction and it has tone and vibration modes too. It can be used to correct excessive barking, for leash training, and for most other types of dog behavioural issues. This model can also be used with two dogs, if you add an extra collar. We particularly liked the easy to use and very clear remote transmitter on this model and it has a good range of 400 yards. You can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the design. It’s definitely one of the best shock collars on the market today.
The PetTech Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar is one of the most popular of training collars on the market and it’s a best-seller on Amazon. As a general purpose dog training collar, this PetTech model would be effective for training a dog not to bark excessively, not to pull on the leash, to come when called, and it could be used to curb aggressive behaviour in a dog too.
The PetTch customer service is outstanding as well. They offer complimentary dog training advice, via email, and this product comes with a lifetime guarantee too. We found the PetTech Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar easy to use, but we do feel that for the benefit those people who have never used a shock collar before, the instructions could do with being a little bit clearer. Having said that, there are some very useful videos on YouTube that will help to teach you how to get the best of this dog training collar. Overall, the PetTech Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar definitely gets the thumbs up from us.
What we liked
- 100 levels of correction
- Waterproof
- 400 yards range
- Can be used with two dogs, if you add an extra collar
- Very clear and easy to use transmitter
Things We Disliked
- The instructions could be clearer
- Automatic shut-off is very sensitive
2. Petrainer PET998DRB Dog Training Collar
The Petrainer PET998DRB is one of the best shock collar for stubborn dogs and a very popular dog training collar that is used by professional trainers and pet owners alike. It’s one of the models that often come highly recommended in shock collar reviews. The Petrainer PET998DRB has a range of 330 yards, it’s water-resistant and the collar will fit dogs with neck sizes from 14 to 23 inches. A nice little touch with this shock collar is that, if you don’t like the look of the collar that it comes with, you can slip the training unit off and use it with your own choice of collar. The Petrainer dog training collar has 100 levels of shock correction, plus beep and vibration modes. We found it to be very effective and easy to use. The price is pretty amazing too, so we are happy to include this one in our shock collars reviews.
The Petrainer PET998DRB Dog Training Collar has all the features of some of the best and more expensive makes of shock collars. It’s water resistant, so it will withstand light rain and damp grass, and it’s rechargeable, so you won’t spend a fortune on batteries. This training collar also comes with a five-year replacement or refund warranty, so you are covered if the product fails for any reason.
One possible drawback with this dog e-collar is that training unit is separate from the collar itself. As we mentioned before, this is great if you wanted to use with a different dog collar of your own, but it also means that, if you don’t fasten it properly, the receiver unit could become detached from the collar. We would also like to have seen separate buttons for the beep and vibrates functions, instead of having to switch modes completely.
None of that, however, detracts from the fact that the Petrainer PET998DRB Dog Training Collar is probably one of the best shock collar in its value.
What we liked
- 330 yard range
- 100 levels of correction plus beep and vibrate
- Fits small, medium and large dogs
- Backlight transmitter for low-light us
Things We Disliked
- Receiver unit could become detached from the collar
- No separate buttons for beep and vibrate
- The collar is tricky to adjust, but you can swap it for another collar
3. Fiddo Electric 2 Dog Collar Remote Dog Training Kit
The Fiddo Electric 2 dog collar remote dog training kit comes with all you need to train 2 dogs. It has a state of the art 330 yard range transmitter and two e-collars with beep, vibration and shock correction. Both the transmitter and the collars have a sturdy, rugged feel to them, so you can tell that they will easily withstand a bit of rough handling. The collars are designed to fit dogs from 15 pounds up to 100 pounds and they are rain resistant as well. These shock collars would be suitable for training hunting dogs as well as for general obedience training of pets. There is also a neat auto standby function with this model that saves on battery use. This is one of the best shock collars if you have two dogs that you want to train simultaneously.
The Fiddo Electric 2 Dog Collar Remote Dog Training Kit is rated very highly by customers, so that gives you some confidence about this particular dog training collar. There are quite a lot of buttons on the transmitter to get used, but the instructions are clear and well laid out, so you can soon learn which button does what.
The two-dog controls are quite easy to use, once you get the hang of it, although switching rapidly between one dog and the other might be a bit tricky if your two dogs were fighting each other. We noted that some people have reported that their dogs were able to switch the collar off, but we couldn’t work out how that could happen ourselves!
Overall then, if you have two dogs that you want to take out on walks together, then we reckon that the Fiddo Electric 2 Dog Collar Remote Dog Training Kit could make your life a whole lot easier and, bundled together in a two-dog package as they are, buying one Fiddo Electric 2 Dog Collar kit would be a lot cheaper than buying two separate electronic dog training collars.
What we liked
- Sturdy and robust design
- 330 yard range
- 100 levels of shock correction
- Power saving function
Things We Disliked
- The plastic collars could be slightly better quality
- The buttons on the transmitter are raised, so you could possibly press them by accident
- It’s a bit difficult to switch quickly between dog A and dog B
4. Anpro DC-36 330 yd. Rechargeable Remote Dog Training Collar
Next in our shock collar reviews is the Anpro DC-36 rechargeable remote dog training collar.The Anprodog training collar can be used to teach dogs to come when called, not to jump up and not to be too aggressive. The 330-yard range is enough for most general purpose dog training purposes and the collar is water resistant. The collar will fit dogs of 15-100 lbs and it can be adjusted to neck sizes of between 7 to 27 inches. As with all the best shock collars, there are tone, vibration and shock corrections available and the correction levels can be set to suit the temperament of your dog. The transmitter also has big, easy to use buttons and a clear, easy to read back light screen for use in low-light conditions.
The Anpro DC-36 Rechargeable Remote Dog Training Collar really is an easy dog training collar to use, even for a complete novice with electronic dog collars. The collar and the transmitter are rechargeable and there is a neat power saving feature as well, so you won’t be hunting for new batteries every time you want to take your dog for a walk. On the downside, this unit isn’t totally waterproof it’s only water resistant. That will only be a problem, though, if your dog likes to jump in the water and swim. Although we will admit that we don’t scientifically test the power of shock collars, we actually do test them on ourselves, but this one didn’t seem to give as powerful a correction as some that we have tested, so it might not be suitable for very big, very stubborn dogs.
Other than that though, we found the Anpro DC-36 330 yd. Rechargeable Remote Dog Training Collar very easy to use, very effective and we have no problem at all recommending it to our readers.
What we liked
- Great all round dog training collar
- 330 yard range
- Suitable for small or large dogs
Things We Disliked
- Water resistant; not waterproof
- Possibly not suitable for very stubborn dogs
- Remote control and collar have to be charged separately
5. SportDog - SD-425S - Field Trainer for Large or Stubborn Dog
We finish our shock collar reviews with one that may not be the cheapest shock collars that you will find but is certainly one of the best shock collars if you have a large, stubborn hunting dog to train. The SportDog SD-425S is recommended for dogs weighing 8 pounds or more and it can be used to train dogs in an open field, in a yard, or it can be used with close range hunting dogs. This shock collar is really built to last and it is waterproof up to 25 feet. It also has a massive range of 500 yards. Despite all the high specs of the unit, the collar is surprisingly lightweight and the remote control is compact. Pet owners need to be aware that the SportDog SD-425S is designed for large stubborn dogs, so the adjustable static charge can be set higher than on an average dog shock collar.
The SportDog - SD-425S - Field Trainer for Large or Stubborn Dogs really up there amongst the very best electronic dog training collars. It’s tough, robust and it’s built for hunting dogs, so you know that it’s going to last. To give you an idea of the effectiveness of this dog training collar, all bar two of the amazon customer ratings for this product are five or four stars, and you don’t see that very often for any product.
This is definitely not a training collar for small, timid dogs because the range of the static corrections goes too high. It still won’t harm a dog, but it will give even a very stubborn dog something to think about. We found that the battery lasted well, and it only takes about two hours to recharge. You don’t want to let the battery run down too far, though, or the range of the transmitter will begin to fade a bit.
In summary; the SD-425S is a very high quality and reliable dog training collar for large and stubborn dogs.
What we liked
- Very effective on stubborn dogs
- 500 yard range
- Waterproof
- Lightweight and compact
- Suitable for hunting dogs
Things We Disliked
- The collar may not be large enough for an extremely big dog.
- Not suitable for timid dogs
- The range can be a bit variable when the battery is low
II. Conclusion
In our shock collar reviews, we found that you get some very effective dog training collars for a very reasonable price.
Shock collars, or e-collars as they are sometimes known, are a very effective training aid. They are used by professional dog trainers as well as the police and the military. The best shock collars have variable levels of shock correction, so you can tailor them to suit the temperament of your dog.
Most dog trainers agree that, when used properly, dog shock collars are both humane and an effective way to reinforce commands when training a dog and, when compared to the cost of hiring a professional dog trainer or attending dog training classes, they are very good value too.