11/18/2025
I stand by this statement. There is no place for shock or prong collars in dog training. The science shows they have risks for dogs' welfare, and the reward-based trainers show that you simply don't need to use aversive methods. And dominance training has been out-dated for some time. So stick to reward-based methods, which work, and don't have the risks of aversives. Often, this means using treats as positive reinforcement.
If you want to know more about the science on this, take a look at my book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, which is available from all good bookstores, or have a browse of my website, where I've written about many of the studies.
Get Bark!: https://amzn.to/4iOEPMT
Visit my website: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/index.html