Petco is one of the leading stores when it comes to pet supplies. They cater to most pets, from mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish. But for the dog trainer whose looking for training collars that use static shock, you’ll find their selection lacking, as they won’t find any shock collar at Petco, at least one that uses static shock.
Good news for people who want to use negative reinforcement training but don’t want to use a static shock collar. Some of these are automatic collars, such as automatic spray collars and bark collars, but we will include our best choice of remote control collars on this list.
In a rush? Here are our top picks!
- Pros
- Doubles as a Bark Collar
- Good Bang-for-Buck
- 3/4 Mile Range
- Comes with Plastic Prongs
- Cons
- No Standby Mode
- Not for Dogs 14 Lbs and Below
The first on our list of training collars is a kit that has so many features and key extra items that it makes for a great all-around collar, with the only problem is it’s not suitable for small dogs who are below 15 lbs. Otherwise, it’s highly versatile and can be used for hunting, basic and advanced training, and let you recall your dog from a long distance.
This is a shock-capable collar, but because of the strong vibration rotor and the included plastic prongs, you can turn this into a surprisingly effective vibration collar with zero chance of accidentally triggering static shock on your dog.
The levels also affect the vibration settings, and at the max level, it can be quite jarring. If you’re using this on a smaller dog, you may need to dial it down. The beep is audible at close distances but is soft enough that it won’t damage your dog’s hearing. The beep is important when teaching preferred behaviors like recalling them by simply pressing the beep button.
What complements that is the remote’s 3/4 mile range. You get the most out of it in an open area, but in places where there are lots of foliage and obstacles, consider the range to be 1/2 mile at the most, which is still a very long distance.
The receiver can be switched to anti-bark mode, but note that in this mode, it will use static shock, so placing the plastic prongs may not do any good. In this mode, the collar will listen to your dog’s bark. If it does, it will send a warning beep. If they continue barking after a few seconds, the collar will trigger a static nick on the level you set. Please remember that in this mode, the collar will work automatically, but won’t respond to the remote.
That remote can be paired with a total of three collars and each of them will have a different LED tracking color, giving you an idea of how far they are and their general direction. Combined with the long-range, and the ability to recall them using beep, you can manage up to three dogs easily.
The remote is relatively splashproof. It can resist being under a faucet of running water, or heavy rain, but don’t let it get submerged in water. The receiver can fare better and can be submerged under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes before it potentially sustains any water damage.
With a battery life of 50-60 hours, it will last about 1 week with regular use, assuming you turn the receiver and remote off after each training session. Since it does not have a standby mode, the device will consume battery regardless if you use it or not, but on the upside, it means the receiver will always trigger when the remote is pressed instead of having to “wake” the device up.
This static collar training kit is solid even without the shock feature, and it’s handy when you find yourself in a situation where you have to use a stimulation that’s harder to ignore.
Features:
- Uses Vibration and Beep, Shock Optional
- Strong Vibration Rotor
- 10 Stimulation Levels
- 3/4 Mile Range
- Can be Switched to Anti-Bark Mode
- Remote Supports 2 Additional Collars
- Remote Remembers Each Reciever Level
- Remote Activated LED Tracking Light
- Splashproof Remote Controller
- Waterproof Reciever
- 50-60 Hour Battery Life
- Includes a Pair of Non-Conductive Plastic Prongs
- Free Plastic Clicker
- Pros
- Vibration Only, No Shock
- 16 Levels of Vibration
- Comfy Nylon Collar
- Cons
- 100 Yard Range
- Not for Stubborn Dogs
- Uses Replaceable Non-Rechargeable Batteries
The second no-static dog shock collar Petco can provide comes from a known brand called PetSafe. All their collars have nylon straps that are easy to place, and easy to tighten. It’s also worth noting that it uses CR2032 coin cell batteries, which are non-rechargeable but will last quite a while.
It’s a very simple collar. It has a severely short range, but enough for indoor and yard training. As usual, you won’t get the whole range unless you’re in an open space, so it’s better to assume that you’re getting only 60 yards, which is still a really good distance unless you own a mega-mansion.
The vibration strength is about as strong as hunting collars and when it comes to vibration collars, always opt to place the collar a little tighter. This one does not use metal prongs, so it won’t be as uncomfortable.
The reason is that vibration is not always effective on dogs, especially the larger ones, especially if the collar is loose. You can use that to signal them quietly, but instead of using it for negative reinforcement, you can train your dog to do certain behaviors like heeling when they feel the vibration.
If your dog is responsive to the vibration, then you can use it for negative reinforcement. Since the device uses a nylon strap, it will fit small dogs except for some toy breeds. Vibration is quite effective for small dogs as the vibrations fully affect their neck, making it nearly impossible to ignore.
The remote is sturdy and water-resistant. It can resist rain and high humidity, but don’t let it fall into the water. The receiver is waterproof and can be submerged in 1 meter of water for half an hour before it suffers any damage.
Since the device mainly powers a rotor, it has a significantly longer battery life before you need to replace the batteries. Said coin batteries are easy to find in most pet and hardware stores, and you can always stock some up so you can use the collar continuously.
It’s worth noting that even though this does not use shock, do not leave the collar on your dog for more than 8 hours. Pressure sores can still appear on your dog’s neck if they wear the collar for too long.
Features:
- Uses Vibration and Tone
- 16 Levels of Vibration
- 100 Yard Range
- Splashproof Remote Controller
- Waterproof Reciever
- 1-2 Month Battery Life per Coin Battery
- Pros
- Uses Citronella for Behavior Correction
- 300 Yard Range
- Uses One-Size-Fits-All Nylon Collar
- Cons
- Limited Sprays
- Cannot be used for Negative Reinforcement
- Can only be used for Punishment
The next non-shock collar Petco offers uses a unique stimulation using a citronella oil solution. Citronella is commonly used as an insect deterrent and for aromatherapy with its orange-like smell.
This very smell is actually quite irritable for dogs as their noses overload, similar to how some dogs react when they smell the zest of lemon. The collar uses a diluted version of this, which isn’t as irritating, but still has the same insect-repelling properties as a bonus.
It works just the same as a shock collar, but instead of shock, you have the citronella spray. The one caveat with using this collar is once you press the spray, it doesn’t exactly go away immediately. Unlike static shock and vibration electronic collars, where you can turn the stimulation as soon as they perform the correct behavior.
This kit is often used reactively when your dog has just done some kind of unwanted behavior. One way to use it is to first “scold” them, or use some kind of marker that warns them that a spray is incoming. Eventually, they will associate that certain marker with the spray and stop, which in turn, will discourage them from doing that negative behavior down the line.
It still has vibration and tone, so you can still use the vibration for some limited negative reinforcement. We say limited because it lacks the prongs that put some pressure on their neck. If you teach your dog recall, you can still use it to call your dog from a distance.
The remote has a range of 300 yards so you can recall your dog effectively in wide open spaces like parks. In some unique cases, a spray collar is good to use in dog parks as you can effectively disrupt potential dog fights with it.
You can adjust the spray amount, but since the spray amount is limited, you need to have a mental note of how much you are using. A full canister will be good for around 80 sprays before refilling, and you can buy the refill canisters which are good for about 300 sprays.
Since the receiver uses a hole to release the pressurized spray, it’s not advisable to let the collar be submerged in water, but the receiver can resist rain and be splashed by water. The same goes for the remote controller.
Both the remote and the receiver have a battery life of about 40 hours. To maximize battery life, always turn the devices off when not in use, even if your dog is still wearing the collar.
Features:
- Uses Vibration, Tone, and Spray
- Includes 2 Different Solution Types
- 300 Yard Range
- Low and High Spray Levels
- Water Resistant Remote and Reciever
- Easy-Adjust Nylon Collar
- 40-Hour Battery Life
- Pros
- Dual Vibration Rotors
- Fully Automatic
- Easy-Adjust Nylon Collar
- Cons
- Not for Stubborn Dogs
Dual Rotors more than doubles the sensation your dog will feel, making it more powerful than your average vibration collar to help stop excessive barking. Higher-end training collars have stronger rotors and bigger weights, but they also consume more battery.
Since this is a vibration-only device, it may not be effective for stubborn dogs, especially aggressive dogs, but for smaller and more sensitive dogs, this may work well. Since the device is quite compact and utilizes a nylon collar with sliders, you will find it easy to fit small dogs.
The device is entirely automatic. The auto-rise programming works by always starting with the lowest level, which is just a warning beep. If your dog barks through this and the next warning beep, the device will deliver a weak vibration.
If they still bark after that, the next cycle of warning beep + vibration, each cycle will introduce a stronger vibration up to 7 levels. There will be small breaks between levels, and if your dog stops barking after a certain amount of time, the levels will gradually go down.
If you only want to stop loud barking but allow weaker barks, you can adjust the mic sensitivity, with 5 being the most sensitive, and 1 only allowing the aggressive-sounding barks.
Don’t expect this collar to work immediately though. Even though it’s a vibration-only device, you need to supervise your dog for at least the first 2 days of use. It’s also best to give them a reward like praise and treats when they do stop barking.
After about 2-3 weeks of continuous use, you should start seeing solid results. If you’re lucky, you won’t need to charge this device anymore, since the battery will last a good 1-2 weeks on a single charge and the device may have completed its task by then.
This device is waterproof, so even if your dog decides to take a dip in the pool on a hot summer month, it won’t cause any water damage, and neither will rain nor a dip in the lake if you decide to bring this with your dog on a camping trip.
Features:
- Uses Vibration and Beep
- 7 Vibration and Beep levels
- 5 Microphone Sensitivity Levels
- Auto-Rise Correction System
- Waterproof Collar Device
- Easy-Adjust Nylon Collar
- Up to 2 Weeks of Continuous Battery Life
- Pros
- 500 Feet of Boundary Wire Included
- Fully Automatic
- Includes High Visibility Flags
- Cons
- Requires Installation of Boundary Wire
The fourth Petco dog shock collar on the list is a shock-enabled boundary training kit. It requires a degree of installation to place the wires underground. You may find this problematic, but it is worth it as you can customize the exact zones where your dog shouldn’t go.
This unit primarily uses static stimulation and beep, and it is a boundary training collar so you can only use this to keep your dog from entering certain areas, or keeping them inside certain areas. If you have a dog that loves to wander, but you don’t want to build tall fences just to keep them inside your property, then getting an in-ground fence may be your best solution.
The receiver has 4 levels of static correction. It may take time to figure out which level best suits your dog. If they are easily swayed when scolded, you may opt for a lower level, but if they are the type that would chase something to the ends of the earth no matter how you yell, set it higher.
Like a bark training collar, this one utilizes the Positive Punishment method. When your dog crosses the boundary, the device will beep to warn them that it crossed it. If they stay there for too long, the device will trigger a shock, technically punishing them. Eventually, they will learn to stop and step back when they hear the beep, and further down the line, they will stop crossing the boundary altogether.
To help both you and your dog see the boundaries, the kit includes white flags you can stab on the ground close to where the lines are (preferably before the line). If it’s not enough, or you need more wire, you can contact Petsafe’s support, or check PetCo for extra collars, chords, or flags.
It’s worth noting that the included receiver is not waterproof. It will resist rain and running water, but don’t let it be submerged in water, at least for too long.
Though the collar does not have rechargeable batteries, it’s easily replaceable and can last 1-2 months before you need to replace it, and you can always stock up on batteries.
Features:
- Uses Beep and Shock
- 1/3 Acre Total Range
- 4 Levels of Static Correction
- Fully Automatic Once Installed
- Hub Supports an Unlimited Amount of Collars
- Water Resistant Reciever
- Collar uses Replaceable Batteries
- Pros
- No Shock, All Vibration
- Fits Even the Smallest Dogs
- Compact Remote
- Cons
- Not effective on larger dogs
The last on the list is a remote training collar with only vibration as your stimulation. The collar is so compact that you can use it even on toy breeds. Vibration is quite effective on small dogs because their small size makes it easy for the device to stimulate their neck muscles. Just remember, even though the device does not use shock, doesn’t mean you can use it for punishment.
It has a decent range that if you teach your dog to go back to you when it hears the beep, you can recall your dog from far-off distances. 1000 feet is about 3 football fields, like all electronic dog training collars, we should assume that you’re only getting 60-80% of the range due to the various objects that can block or absorb radio signals.
Since it doesn’t have any prongs, you don’t need to place it too tightly. However, placing it loosely can diminish the effect significantly. It has 1-9 levels of stimulation, but most of the time, you’ll find yourself using the higher levels, unless you’re just using the vibration to signal your dog.
The receiver can be submerged in about 1 meter of water for 30 minutes before it gets any kind of water damage, but don’t let the remote be submerged, as it is only splashproof.
Despite being quite tiny, the remote and the receiver have a battery life of about 40-50 hours. Both devices have an auto-shutoff feature, so if both devices are unused for a while, they will go to sleep mode.
Features:
- Uses Vibration and Beep
- 1-9 Stimulation Levels
- 1000 ft Range / 330 Yard Range
- Waterproof Reciever
- Water Resistant Remote
- 40-50 Hour Battery Life
Conclusion
This Petco shock collar list only provides you with tools, and a tool is only as good as the person using it. Some people do not like electric dog training collars because the dog will not know when the shock is going to happen.
The reality is that there is a correct training method to avoid this, and misuse of this tool is what leads to some bad reputations. So when you get yourself one, take time to understand how it works, how training works, and make sure to treat your dog with the respect they deserve.
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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