These things are usually quite mild, especially for a dog with thick fur, and they only have to get shocked a few times before they learn. A bark collar is a great alternative to noisy dogs staying in shelters their whole lives.

So maybe use them on people then? Sounds like a great alternative to a life of prison. But seriously, why wouldn't you, if you think it's good doing it to dogs?

edit: (can't reply yet) I was going to ask if you'd do it to your children. I guess you're joking. Maybe people do that, I've no idea, I hadn't heard of giving pets electric shocks. But I don't see a huge difference between doing that to dogs and to people, maybe you do.

> I was going to ask if you'd do it to your children.

Disciplining children when they do something undesirable has been done since we were swinging around in trees and probably before then. The punishment method has varied from belts, to paddles, to canes, to time-outs. The pinch of an electric shock would work but isn't necessary since we can communicate with children.

BTW, did you know that electric shock has been used on bed-wetting kids since the 60's?

No I didn't! Does it work? Now I'm ashamed I immediately asked that. "Would you want it used on you?" sounds like a better question, applying to the taser and dog examples also. I'd answer no, maybe others would say yes.

If I'm absolutely refusing to be reasoned with, only respond to immediate feedback and testing the limits over and over?

Yeah, go ahead and put the non-harmful zapper on me.

(Taser is in a different class entirely, not very relevant.)

Tasers exist and deliver much more of a jolt than a dog collar, even controlling for size.

True, I didn't think of tasers. I think the idea of giving your own loved ones (human or animal) shocks is a different thing though...isn't it?

Downvoters to my previous comment, could you explain why? thanks.

I see where you're coming from but there's a communication barrier between you and a dog that doesn't exist with children. That's without getting in to the rights of humans vs animals on which rational people can disagree. Most people probably wouldn't lock their kids in a kennel either but apparently that doesn't bother dogs at all.

I still haven't got approval on my shock collar for children, but I guess you're right, I should pivot and pitch it for law enforcement uses.

Generally speaking, no. She learned very quickly how it works and knows that when the collar is on, she shouldn't bark (more than once). She only wears the collars in situations where barking is not helpful. She is free to bark at intruders and when she's playing with other dogs.

Bark collars also have the benefit of calming a dog down. By preventing a dog from getting into a barking frenzy.

As a herding breed, she feels the need to control situations, often circling other dogs or children or taking away toys she deems dangerous (e.g. sticks, squirt guns). When the collar is on she immediately relaxes because she has effectively been relieved of duty.