Knowing how to properly use one takes patience, thoughtful practice, and a fair amount of guidance. There is an art to using this technology to supplement your dog’s training. When e-collars first hit the market in the late sixties, they were essentially cattle prods with fry only settings giving them a well-deserved reputation of being inhumane. As the technology improved over time, e-collars have become a fantastic supplemental tool in our training repertoire with their many supportive features. The functionality of e-collars today makes them incredibly versatile, with stimulation levels even less averse than leashes, whistles, or verbal commands.