On January 16th, 2023, French deputies adopted a ban on electric, pronged, and choke collars for dogs and cats. Although the law still needs to be approved by the Senate, this major announcement is shaking up the pet products market, and many are now wondering what alternatives to these collars exist.
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With positive training now widely accepted, one might think that collars based on negative reinforcement were a thing of the past. However, these coercive training tools are unfortunately still available for sale and remain legal.
The principle behind these collars is to punish the animal for unwanted behaviour: choke collars tighten around the neck, electric collars deliver a shock, and prong collars press into the skin. While choke and prong collars are mainly used to prevent dogs from pulling on the leash during walks, electric collars go a step further in punishment and are often used to stop dogs from barking or straying.
As Corinne Vignon, President of the Commission on Animal Welfare, explains: “Saying that these electric shock collars do not mistreat animals is completely false.” Far from being harmless, these devices inflict pain to control the animal, often causing deep psychological harm.
Dr. Sylvia Masson, veterinary psychiatrist, behaviourist, and author of a reference study on electric collars published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, told us: “In the short term, electric collars seem to be effective — that’s the issue — but the invisible long-term damage is terrible and irreversible. Anxiety and aggression are among the main consequences of using these collars.”
To prevent such trauma in animals, the French National Assembly decided to take action by voting, on January 16th 2023, for a law banning the use of electric and choke collars as forms of abuse against pets. While the bill still needs Senate approval, coercive collars appear to be on their way out of animal training.
Read the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787818300108
While animal welfare advocates are delighted with this new measure, some owners who use these tools remain concerned about their pets’ training. However, many alternatives exist to help educate our furry friends. For example, spray or ultrasonic collars, or even the clicker, although these are ultimately too harsh or incomplete in their functioning.
While they primarily serve to locate our companions when they wander off, GPS trackers often have a training function similar to that of the clicker. For example, Weenect GPS collars include vibration and ringtone options to help teach recall to pets. After associating the vibration or ringtone with a treat or a cuddle, the animal learns that each signal means it should return to its owner.
Although the tracker is not strictly a training collar, it serves as both an educational aid and a reassuring solution for owners of pets that tend to run away or get easily distracted. Based on positive reinforcement, it is a better choice than spray or ultrasonic collars for the animal’s well-being, as it does not cause anxiety or aggression.
As for clickers, trackers have the advantage of working without distance limits, allowing the owner to recall the animal from anywhere. The clicker, on the other hand, cannot be heard if the animal goes too far. Moreover, as Sylvia Masson explains, “if the dog is able to distinguish between vibration and ringtone (which is undoubtedly the case), it can even be taught a different command for each stimulus.” The GPS collar therefore allows several commands to be taught, whereas the clicker only allows one at a time.
Even though Pascal Gouache, a member of the ECMA’s Economic Affairs Commission (Electronic Collar Manufacturers Associations), laments this new law, claiming that a “blanket ban on electronic collars would have serious consequences for pet owners who need this tool, but also for businesses,” we can only welcome this step forward for animal welfare.
The combination of location and training functions, for its part, seems to designate GPS collars as the most credible alternative for ensuring animals’ safety and learning.
Press contact: rp@weenect.com
