How to Disable a Dog Shock Collar

Hunting dogs often wear shock collars for training purposes.

Electronic dog shock collars, also known as e-collars, remote trainers and correction collars, are used for obedience training to reduce nuisance barking and keep track of hunting dogs out in the field. Once fitted, the collar's electronic component rests under the dog's chin, on the vocal cords in the neck. The vibration of the vocal cords, or a remote control, signals the shock collar to emit a static correction. To save battery power or allow the dog to rest, disable the shocking feature on the collar between training lessons and when the collar is put into storage.

Things You'll Need

• Small screwdriver
• Coin

Instructions

1. Disable the shocking portion of the shock collar by switching the electronic collar to a tone-emitting correction or to a silence mode by pressing the "mode" or "select" buttons. These buttons are located on the remote control or the collar, depending on the collar brand.

2. Remove the battery from the collar with a small screwdriver by loosening the tiny screws that hold the battery compartment closed. Gently lift out the battery and place it in a safe storage place, away from the dog and children. Some batteries do not have a cover and simply twist free with the use of a coin.

3. Press the on-off switch on the shock collar, the remote control or on the base unit to disable the entire collar system. Buildup of electronic static---or shock---may be present and emit one to two final corrections after the power has been turned off.
   Discharge the residual static in a collar set to "off" by rubbing the collar's electronic shock nodes on a flat surface. Hold the collar parallel to a table and gently drag the nodes in a line across the table until you hear a few quiet discharge beeps.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan for 48 to 72 hours of use with a shock collar fitted with a fully charged rechargeable battery, according to the Doctors Foster and Smith website. To conserve battery energy on a vacation or extended training program, disable the collar during each rest period.

• Many brands of electronic shock collars offer a range of static---or shock---correction levels. While turning off the collar or disabling the shocking feature, be sure not to accidentally elevate the shocking levels. This is easy to do on units with dial-style, on-off levels settings.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith: Remote Training Collar FAQS