If there was a dog breed that best represented a domesticated dog’s social nature, then the Labradors are definitely a strong contender for this spot. They are easy to please, ever playful, and perhaps the least aggressive dogs in the world. Additionally, Labrador Retrievers are rather large dogs with a high amount of energy, making them quite rambunctious if their behaviors are left unchecked, which is why training is very important to them.
Since Labs are social creatures, they are also relatively easy to train, making them great working dogs. They are easy to teach, however, true training is through reinforcement and that’s where some Labradors fail, as they are so easily distracted. Trainers tend to use tools like e-collars, shock collars, and clickers to quickly and effectively reinforce behaviors, and in this article, we’ll show you the best e-collar for a Labrador.
We start this list with an all-around shock collar fit for professional trainers, owners, hunters, and anyone wanting to enjoy some outside time with their Labrador Retreiver, which most owners should do.
Features:
- Shock, Vibrate, and Tone/Beep Functions
- 10 Levels of Stimulation
- Remoted-Activated Reciever LED
- 1300 Yard Maximum Range
- Supports up to Three Dogs Per Remote
- Automatic Bark Collar Mode
- 2-Hour Charge Time Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Always-Awake Mode
- Water-Resistant Remote / Waterproof Collar
- Comes with 1 Extra Pair of 3/4 inch Long Prongs and No-Shock Plastic Prongs
Labs are this great combination of sensitive and tough. They can tough it out with you in most environments, whether it be wet, rain, or snow, yet be sensitive enough that they can hang out with kids and other dogs with near-zero worries. This training kit has all the features that match well with their temperaments. It has a moderately strong shock, not too strong, but certainly gentle enough at lower levels. The vibration is strong that your dog will certainly feel the sensation and the audible beep is enough for your dog to hear without being too loud.
The remote has an impressive range, reaching 3/4 miles or about 1300 yards wide, open spaces. Even if the signal was dampened by trees, cars, walls, etc. Even half of that range is still pretty good. This goes well with the remote LED lights the receiver has, so you can easily locate your dog wherever they are in the dark. If you have three labs, you can purchase additional collars and manage them all with one remote, as each remote can be paired with up to three collars.
One small problem with Labs is that if they can’t get their satisfaction out of physical activities, they will do so vocally. They are not known to be loud barkers, but when they don’t have anyone else to play with or socialize with, they will express themselves quite audibly. You can help reduce this behavior by switching the collar into anti-bark mode. In this mode, the collar will listen for your lab’s barks. If they keep barking for more than a few seconds, the collar will let out a warning beep. If they don’t stop barking, the collar will deliver a shock with the level of your choosing. This is all automatic, you don’t have to be there for it to work.
Since a Labrador Retriever has a double coat, it can be a problem for the contacts to effectively reach their skin. You can solve this normally by trimming some of the furs around their neck, but this remote training collar kit comes with a pair of extra-long prongs, perfect for keeping the receiver in contact with the skin, without turning the collar too tight to compensate.
In case that you don’t want to use the shock functions but still want to use the rest of the collar’s features, the kit comes with very short plastic prongs that completely avoid any accidental shock, but still work with the vibrate function.
The remote is weatherproof, so it can work in pretty much any weather, no matter how heavy the rain is. The receiver is waterproof for up to 25 feet, which is perfect as Labradors are known to be water-loving dogs.
Both the remote and the receiver have a battery life of around 50 hours and charge from empty to full in 2-3 hours. The kit does not go into standby mode, unlike some collars. This is so that the device will work as demanded in situations where timing is important, like during hunting.
If you stick to 1-2 training sessions per day and turn the devices off when not needed, a full charge will last you 1-2 weeks. Overall, in terms of price and functionality, we consider this the best e-collar for a Labrador.
This remote training device is meant more of the average dog but has certain features that also fit well with Labradors and their love of water, especially when you’re joining them in it.
Features:
- Shock, Vibrate, and Tone/Beep Functions
- Blunt Type Shock
- 100 Levels of Stimulation
- Remoted-Activated Reciever LED
- 880 Yard Maximum Range
- 2-Hour Charge Time Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Waterproof Remote and Reciever
If you happen to have a far more sensitive Labrador, the more “blunt” shock this collar delivers may be better for them, but if they are as stubborn as they are sensitive, you may opt to use higher levels. With this collar’s remote, the dial gives you 1-100 stimulation levels, allowing some precision when you’re aiming to use the lowest stimulation level for training. The dial also affects the levels of vibration but not the beep. The beep’s volume can’t be adjusted but is gentle enough on your dog’s ears.
Its range is pretty good at around 880 yards in open spaces, giving your at least 400 yards of range under heavy interference like trees, weather, and other obstacles. The receiver also has a remote-activated LED in case your Labrador wanders off into the distance, which they do so quite a lot as they are adventurous creatures.
The remote has a locked chamber of air inside it, making it float on water. It’s already waterproof, so the floating part makes it easier to locate the remote in case you lose it. The receiver is also waterproof, so you can take a dip with your labrador if ever the situation calls for it, like when you’re out duck hunting on a lake or net fishing.
The Li-On batteries give the kit a battery life of about 40-50 hours, less if you use the features more. It takes about 2-3 hours to charge it back to full and even a half charge will last you more than a day’s use out of it, so charging it for 15 mins should have the collar work for the day.
The third is another hunting collar that is sturdy enough to brave the elements and still make for a good all-around training collar. This one has a clear screen that shows you everything you need to know, in any light condition.
Features:
- Shock, Vibrate, and Tone/Beep Functions
- 10 Levels of Stimulation
- 880 Yard Maximum Range
- Supports up to Three Dogs Per Remote
- Highly Visible OLED Screen
- 2-Hour Charge Time Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Water-Resistant Remote / Waterproof Collar
The shock level is along the medium-low side although this is entirely subjective as Labradors have different sensitivities. You can adjust the levels of stimulation using the buttons at the center which gives you 10 levels. The vibration is pretty strong, making it excellent for grabbing your labrador’s attention. The beep is decent and more audible compared to the other collars here, but it’s non-ultrasonic and won’t hurt your Labrador’s ears.
This remote also has a range of around 880 yards, that’s almost 9 football fields and even just half of that range is still pretty long, so if you teach your lab to go back to you when they hear the beep or a certain vibration, you can reach your dog even if they were a smudge in the distance, provided.
The high range is definitely a must if you’re managing or training more dogs. The remote can support up to 3 collars and you can quickly change the affected collar with the buttons on the face of the remote. On that same face is the OLED display that shows the level, which collar is being operated, and the battery status.
The two devices have a battery life of about 50 hours, 70 hours at the longest if you don’t use the features all that often (If you just use the beep and the LED, for example.). Both devices are pretty durable. The remote is water-resistant and the receiver is waterproof, so make sure you don’t take a dive with your lab if you have the remote on your person.
The fourth on the list is a shock collar that pays more attention to design but still keeps solid features. Labradors aren’t fussy dogs in general, but if you do have a fussy one, this kit’s collar makes it very easy to tighten and loosen.
Features:
- Shock, Vibrate, and Tone/Beep Functions
- 15 Levels of Stimulation
- 300 Yard Maximum Range
- Remote Supports up to 2 Dogs
- 2-Hour Charge Time Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Slim Remote Design
- Waterproof Remote and Reciever
One look at the kit and you’ll see how different it is from other collars aesthetically. That design has some of its drawbacks but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one, as it’s part of the list we recommend. The collar’s shock is moderately strong and the vibration is also pretty strong. The beep is quite soft, almost not audible from a distance, but the point is for your dog to hear it anyway. You can adjust the stimulation levels from 1-15.
The slight downside of this collar is the range. 300 yards max in open spaces. Based on reviews, this is an excellent home and backyard collar and still a decent outdoor collar, as the range is enough to cover an entire house even with walls.
The remote looks like it doesn’t have buttons, but they are seamlessly placed on the sides with small grooves to let you feel where the buttons are. The LCD screen shows the current stimulation level, the battery life, and the current collar used. The receiver is also similarly shaped, so your Lab can look a bit fab instead of a bulky black collar.
The nylon collar is easy to strap in and tighten. It’s a little thinner than the flat collars on this list too. The only problem is that the nylon strap may loosen with activity, so check it every 2-3 hours. Rotate the collar while you’re at it for your Lab’s comfort.
The perks of the design are also waterproofing, as both the remote and the receiver are waterproof for as deep as 25 feet before suffering any water damage. All the receivers on this list have the same waterproofing treatment, perfect for water-loving Labs.
The battery life though, is a tad bit shorter, giving you a maximum of 40 hours, less if you’re using the features more often. If you turn the collar off after 8 hours of use, it should last week.
The last collar on the list is certainly not the least, but still a good all-around shock collar like the first. By looking at this collar, you’ll get an understanding of what a modern shock collar ought to look like. It doesn’t mean it’s an old product either, instead, it’s a collar that preserves the features that work.
Features:
- Shock, Vibrate and Beep Functions
- 100 Levels of Stimulation
- 880 Yard Maximum Range
- 2-Hour Charge Time Lithium-Ion Batteries
- One-Handed, No-Look Operation
- Waterproof Remote and Reciever
This remote’s design was made for the times when your eyes are focused on something else, and you need to signal your lab in one way or another. When you grip the remote, your fingers should naturally rest on the function buttons and your thumb should be able to adjust the strength of the stimulation with a flick.
The shock is moderately strong, about the average strength of most shock collars, and the vibration is also strong, enough to grab the attention of your Lab unless they are heavily distracted. The dial gives you 1-100 levels of electrical stimulation and vibration. The beep is weak, not meant for human ears over great distances, but enough for the dog to hear. You can still hear it if the environment is quiet enough.
The remote has a range of 1/2 miles or about 880 yards in open spaces. If you’re operating closely with your Lab, or at least as in a way where they are always in your sights, the kit will work no matter the obstacles around you are, (unless it’s somehow a faraday cage.).
Both the receiver and the remote are waterproof, enough to survive being dropped in a lake or pond, provided it’s not deeper than 25 feet and hasn’t been underwater for more than an hour.
Battery-wise, at full charge, the kit will last around 50 hours and if you’re out of batteries, it only takes about 2-3 hours to charge it back to full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shock collars are still a bit of a hot topic when it comes to dog training. There’s a somewhat clear divide in opinions about them, with some concluding that a shock collar is an overall cruel device, while others say that it improved their relationship with their dogs. The best approach to this is to provide you with information regarding shock collars in general and we’ll do that by answering some of the questions most people ask.
Why do I need a shock collar for a Labrador Retriever?
If you’re lucky, you won’t need one at all. Not all Labs are the same, some are obedient, some are endlessly playful, and some are destructive as they tend to chew a lot to alleviate boredom. Some can be very stubborn and in rare cases, be aggressive.
A shock collar is a tool, well, a sophisticated tool, but a tool nonetheless. It’s one of the most efficient ways to reinforce behaviors in general and works extremely well when combined with positive reinforcement. Since it’s also a tool, how well it works depends on the owner. A well-informed owner will use a shock collar far better than one who doesn’t.
If you either have a Labrador that’s not very responsive to positive reinforcement or has a stubborn dog with aggressive tendencies, or you want to optimize your training process to save time and money, you may use a shock collar for training. A shock collar also has other uses outside training, as some have LEDs on the receiver to help spot your dog in low-light conditions or signal them for one reason or another such as going back to you.
What’s the difference between an e collar and a shock collar?
E-Collars are a broader term. If a training collar uses electricity, then you can call it an E-Collar. Under this category, we have spray collars, vibration collars, and shock collars.
Collars that use electricity to directly induce an irritating sensation are called shock collars. They can be in the form of training collars like the ones in this list, bark collars that chiefly only help with excessive barking or fence collars that only activate when your dog goes somewhere that triggers the stimulation.
Are shock collars cruel?
A tool is as effective as the one who uses it. The same goes for cruelty. In an extreme sense, a cruel person with a chainsaw is far, far scarier than a sensible lumberjack wielding the same machine.
There’s also that fleeting impression that shock collars were the same as fifty years ago, where it didn’t have any way to adjust the levels and would painfully electrocute dogs sometimes to the point where their fur would smoke. We are leagues away from that era, and now these shock collars act more like muscle stimulators physical therapists use on us to help flex muscles.
The point is shock collars are not meant to cause pain. They are meant to stimulate the skin and muscles to create a strong crawling and pulsing sensation that’s hard to ignore. You also could not compare it to what you feel if you try the collar on yourself. Since our skin has significantly more moisture and salts, making it more conductive. (Although if you have really dry skin, you’re a bit closer to the actual sensation.) The shock levels are a product of decades of research and no sane company would sell you products that are meant to harm your pet dog.
When can I use a shock collar on my dog?
The earliest is when they are 6 months old. Not only because it’s likely that the collar will fit at this age, but it’s also the 2nd Fear Phase in a dog’s mental development. At this age, a dog is more perceptive of things that cause negative stimulation. If you do the negative reinforcement + positive reinforcement method at this age, it will quickly cement in their brain that doing the correct behavior will stop the negative sensation, smoothing further training in the future.
That does not mean older dogs don’t count anymore. The saying “You can’t teach an old dog, tricks” is a total myth and isn’t even referencing dogs, but us humans. It just takes longer for older dogs to learn tricks compared to younger dogs, but they still learn nonetheless.
Do professional trainers use shock collars?
Some of them do, but they do not “shock them into submission”. Shock collars should never be used for punishment, or for any kind of power play, or domination. Domesticated dogs do not recognize “Alpha” individuals as wolves do, as domesticated dogs are social creatures not pack animals.
K9 Unit trainers use them for high-level reinforcement, as working dogs cannot afford to be distracted and should always have laser focus. The same is said for military dogs and rescue dogs.
Conclusion For The Best Shock Collar for Labrador Retrievers
We use tools to make our lives easier, this is literally what made us humans top dog, figuratively. Sometimes, as pet parents, our relationship with our dogs actually makes our lives harder, and we created tools to help us with these matters. As long as we use these tools for the sake of making both our and our dog’s lives easier and more comfortable, it will never be cruel.