Remote electric training collars include a battery and electrodes that generate an electric shock which is remotely triggered. The collar is designed to fit dogs so that the electrodes protruding from the collar make direct contact with the ventral surface of the neck (Polsky 1994). The strength of shock can be modified on some models of collars, while other models only have one setting of shock. The duration of shock can last from 1/1000 of a second to 30 seconds (Schilder and van der Borg 2004), and generally a few thousands volts are used (Stafford 2007).

Activation

The remote collar is radio-controlled and is activated by the owner pressing a button on a remote, hand-held transmitter. Remote collars are supposedly capable of being activated from long distances (up to a mile on flat terrain).

Training

Remote collars encompass the positive punishment and/or negative reinforcement methods of training where pain is the aversive stimulus. Pain either occurs when an undesired behaviour is performed (positive punishment) or the pain ceases when a correct behaviour is performed (negative reinforcement).