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Do your dogs stop obeying you when they’re off-leash outdoors? Do you want to take them hiking or exploring a remote wilderness but are frightened they’ll run too far astray? Or do you want a remote collar to help curb negative behaviors such as excessive barking, jumping, food aggression, etc.? Avid hikers, explorers, and hunters alike swear by remote dog training collars to increase their dog’s obedience.
These wireless collars allow you to train your dogs to obey you when they’re off-leash, giving your pup room to roam — and your peace of mind that your dogs are safely exploring their world. But how do remote collars work? And what are some of the best collar choices for your active family’s canine companion? I dig into all this and more and review my top picks and why I chose them.
| High-End | Mid-Range | Budget-Friendly | Virtual Fencing |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| SportDOG 425X | PetSpy M686 | PatPet | SpotOn GPS Fence |
| View on Chewy | View on Chewy | View on Amazon | Visit Website |
| Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review |
How Do Remote Dog Training Collars Work?
All remote dog training collars, sometimes called e-collars, remote shock collars, or simply remote collars, include the same components: a handheld transmitter, a collar receiver, and collar probes. You set your transmitter to the type (tone, vibration, or static stimulation) and intensity of stimuli, and the transmitter sends a radio signal to your dog’s receiver. The receiver delivers the stimuli you’ve chosen via two stainless steel collar probes on your dog’s neck. The probes must fit against your dog’s skin rather than their fur, so a snug-fitting collar receiver is of utmost importance.
I’ve also included the top dog boundary training collar systems in my reviews here that work differently than traditional remote training collars. These systems involve a smart collar, GPS technology, cellular service, and a smartphone app rather than a transmitter.
11 Best Dog Training Collars
Below are my picks for the best e-collars. I’ve based my rankings on the range, collar fit, performance, pricing, and other factors. So, let’s take a look.
Best High-End: SportDOG FieldTrainer 425X Review
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SportDOG is a well-respected manufacturer of high-quality dog training collars, and the FieldTrainer 425X is a high-performer with many excellent features. Although it’s a bit on the pricey side, it’s incredibly durable compared to many budget picks. It has three easy-to-set training modes: tone, vibration, and 21 momentary and continuous static stimulation levels. The collar is made with DryTek technology, making it waterproof and submersible up to 25 feet.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good 500-yard range | Neck size is only up to 22 inches |
| 21 adjustable static stimulation levels, as well as tone and vibration settings | Not recommended for dogs under 8 pounds |
| Rechargeable batteries last 50-70 hours between charges | |
| Remote can accommodate up to 3 dogs (must purchase extra collars) | |
| Waterproof | |
| 1-year warranty |
Price
- Starts at $149.95
Best Mid-Range: PetSpy M686 Premium Training Collar Review
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The PetSpy M686 Premium Training Collar is an excellent value and has a much longer range at 1,100 yards than the SportDog. It offers four training modes: vibration, sound, and continuous and intermittent shock. It also has eight adjustable vibration and shock levels so that you can fine-tune the correction level. The adjustable collar fits most dogs (10-140 pounds), and the collar receiver is waterproof. The remote has a handy strap and belt clip for easy portability. I also like that this collar’s contact points are made of conductive rubber to prevent skin irritation.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent 1,100-yard range | Not recommended for dogs under 10 pounds |
| 4 training modes: vibration, sound, and continuous and intermittent shock | Only has 8 stimulation levels |
| Rechargeable batteries last up to 72 hours | Only expandable for up to 2 dogs |
| Waterproof | |
| Light on collar for nighttime training | |
| 1-year warranty |
Price
- Starts at $59.99
Best Budget-Friendly: PatPet Dog Training Collar Review
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The PatPet is the best dog training collar I’ve seen at this price point. It’s durable, reliable, and has good features for a relatively low cost. The range is roughly 660 yards, and it’s long enough for you to control the collar if you’re in the house and your pup is in the yard and in more open spaces. It has three training modes: beep, vibration, and static shock (0-16 levels). It also has a safety lock to prevent accidental correction. The adjustable waterproof collar fits neck sizes from 10 to 27 inches (around 10 to 100 pounds). It also has conductive silicone prongs and metal spring sheets to protect your dog’s skin when using the static stimulation levels.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 16 adjustable static stimulation levels, as well as beep and vibration settings | Not suitable for dogs under 10 pounds or very large dogs |
| Conductive silicone prong jackets to protect your dog’s skin | Only expandable for up to 2 dogs |
| Rechargeable batteries | Some complaints about the battery life |
| IPX7 Waterproof | |
| It comes in 3 colors | |
| 1-year warranty |
Price
- Starts at $31.99
Best For Virtual Fencing: SpotOn GPS Fence Review
SpotOn GPS Fence is an easy-to-use, high-tech system that keeps your pup in your yard or within specific boundaries when you’re camping, visiting family, etc. It’s all contained in one collar and a smartphone app without wiring or a transmitter. The best part? The collar does all the work for you after training your dog to understand the system. And you can even track your pup’s location if he escapes your yard.
How does it work? This system uses data from 25-30 satellites from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou to keep your pup within the boundaries you create virtually. You start by setting up virtual fences (up to 1,500) by walking your property or via a map in the app. Then, you customize SpotOn’s collar to keep your dog in bounds via automatic sound, vibrations, or static correction. It includes excellent training materials, and you also get one-on-one training sessions with one of SpotOn’s certified dog trainers.
The fences work without a monthly subscription, but you must have SpotOn’s AT&T or Verizon cellular coverage service to receive alerts that your pup has left the boundary and to track your dog’s whereabouts on your smartphone in real time.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can create multiple, overlapping wireless fences over 1,000s of acres | Expensive |
| Easy to set up | Requires a minimum of 1/2 acre |
| 30 static stimulation levels, as well as tone and vibration settings (use of static shock is optional) | It likely won’t fit very small or very large dogs (10″-26″ neck sizes) |
| Real-time alerts and accurate GPS tracking | You must pay a monthly fee for the tracking feature to work |
| IP67 waterproof rating | |
| Battery life is 14-22 hours, depending on the mode you’re using | |
| Mobile apps get good reviews | |
| 1-year limited warranty | |
| 90-day money-back guarantee | |
| 10% discount on multi-collar purchases |
Our Personal Experience With SpotOn GPS Fence
We had the opportunity to try SpotOn’s collar with our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in exchange for an honest review. The collar itself was easy to set up, attach the contact points, and adjust the size. After activating the collar and creating an account, you can walk with your dog on a leash to create your virtual fence in real-time. I was impressed at how detailed and accurate the invisible fence lines were.
When getting close to the “edge,” it makes a loud beep. As you get closer to the boundary, there is a two-tone alert. And if you cross the boundary, the collar vibrates. There’s no subscription required for the fence feedback, but if you want GSP tracking that is an additional monthly fee. If you’re looking for a way to contain your dog without a need for wires, this training collar is worth the investment.
– Sadie Cornelius, Marketing & Creative Content For Canine Journal
Price
Monthly Subscription
The optional subscription gives you access to SpotOn’s GPS tracking feature. A one- or two-year plan comes with a 90-day free trial.
- Month to Month: $9.95/month
- 1-Year: $7.95/month (save 20%)
- 2-Years: $5.95/month (save 40%)
Coupon
Use coupon code CANINE to get $50 off your SpotOn purchase via this link.
Read our comprehensive SpotOn GPS Fence review to learn more about this product.
What About Dogtra, Educator, Halo & More Popular Training Collars?
Although the following training collars didn’t make our top picks, each stands out for particular needs you may have.
Bousnic Dog Training Collar Review
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The Bousnic training collar is fantastic value for its features. It comes with two receivers, making it a top-budget pick if you have two dogs. Its most noteworthy features include a strong signal, three training modes with tone, vibration, and multiple static stimulation levels. As well as short and long prongs and a waterproof, reflective collar for water and nighttime use. Users say this system is reliable, straightforward to use while training two dogs, has a terrific battery life, and has durable collars. It also comes in three colors.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent 1,330-yard range | Not good for dogs over 120 pounds |
| Tone, vibration, and multiple levels of static (1-16) | The transmitter only accommodates 2 dogs |
| The security lock prevents accidental shocks | |
| Prongs have conductive silicone covers | |
| Waterproof collar |
Price
Dogtra IQ-Plus Remote Trainer Review
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Dogtra’s collar is plastic and easily adjustable to fit many dog sizes over 10 pounds, although the neck size won’t accommodate huge dogs. It has a good signal range and adjustable levels of low-to-medium stimulation output. The front-facing Rheostat Dial makes adjusting the levels with one hand easy. Dogtra gives you two-hour rapid-charge rechargeable batteries, and the collar is waterproof.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good 400-yard range | It doesn’t adequately fit dogs under 10 pounds |
| Stimulation levels from 0-100 | Not ideal for huge dogs (fits up to 24″ neck) |
| Vibration setting | Only expandable for up to 2 dogs |
| 2-hour rapid-charge batteries | Relatively expensive compared to other similar collars |
| Waterproof |
Price
Educator E-Collar Review
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There are four options depending on your needs: the Boss Educator, Educator, Mini Educator, and Micro Educator. The Boss Educator has reliable signal strength up to one mile, making it a solid choice if you are shock collar training a hunting dog or living on a large farm. The Educator also comes in 3/4 and 1/2-mile ranges. The Micro Educator is excellent for dogs as little as five pounds. Its range is up to 1/3 mile, it is 20% lighter, and it has 20% less stimulation than the Educator. The contact points are closer to one another to accommodate breeds with smaller neck sizes.
The Educator is loaded with many of the fantastic features you’ll find in our top picks. You can even activate a tracking light on your dog’s collar receiver to locate your dog after dark. It includes two contact points (5/8″ short hair and 3/4″ long hair). The receiver delivers a tapping sensation (similar to vibration, but more intense), a tone, and static stimulation levels.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Up to 1-mile range with excellent signal reliability | The Boss (1-mile range) isn’t suitable for dogs under 20 pounds |
| Adjustable static stimulation levels 1-100 and boost stimulation 1-60 | More expensive than our top picks (but competitive for one-mile-range dog training collars) |
| All but The Boss work for dogs as small as 5 pounds | Only expandable for up to 2 dogs |
| Rechargeable batteries | |
| Waterproof | |
| 2-year warranty | |
| Excellent customer reviews |
Price
- The Boss Educator (1 mile): $279.99
- Educator (3/4 mile): $219.99
- Mini Educator (1/2 mile): Check Amazon for availability
- Micro Educator (1/3 mile): $199.99
Halo Collar 4 Review
The Halo Collar 4 is another all-in-one smart wireless dog fencing system, GPS activity tracker, and remote training collar that works like the SpotOn GPS Fence. What are the main differences between these two systems? Halo is nearly half the cost of SpotOn, doesn’t require as large of a yard, and comes with dog expert Cesar Millan’s 21-day training program to teach your dog how to adapt to the system.
While SpotOn lets you create up to 1,500 overlapping virtual fences, Halo Collar maxes out at 20 fences that can’t overlap. And Halo has 15 customizable correction levels compared to SpotOn’s 30. In terms of performance, SpotOn also has arguably more accurate GPS tracking and reliable fencing boundaries than Halo, based on customer reviews we continue to see.
However, Halo could be a better option for you at nearly half the price than SpotOn. Halo also has better color options. While SpotOn only comes in dull gray, Halo has five color options, including high-visibility blaze orange.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ability to easily set up 20 customizable virtual wireless fences | It is expensive (but not as costly as SpotOn) |
| 15 static stimulation levels, as well as tone and vibration settings (use of static shock is optional) | Requires monthly subscription |
| Uses GPS/GNSS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and LTE technologies | |
| IP67 water-resistant rating | |
| Battery life averages 30 hours | |
| It covers up to 10 square miles | |
| Apps get generally good reviews | |
| 1-year limited warranty | |
| 60-day return policy | |
| Customer service and tech support via live Zoom sessions, phone, and email |
Our Personal Experience With Halo Collar
The app walked me through a series of training videos which are super entertaining and informative. The quality is very cinematic, and the text helps reinforce the audio instructions. After learning about types of feedback (prevention and encouragement), I worked on beacon training. This gets your dog accustomed to feedback in a safe, indoor setting. You’ll manually give your dog feedback (sound or stimulation) and a reward to guide them away from the “no-go zone.” You’ll repeat these steps several times for 30 minutes and do at least 3-4 sessions before building up to outdoor boundaries. Eventually, when you turn the beacons on, the beacon will automatically give feedback when your pup gets within a certain range of the no-go zone. Georgie responded well to the feedback and am pleased with the GPS location tracking improvement from the Halo 2+ which we tested previously.
– Sadie Cornelius, Marketing & Creative Content For Canine Journal
Price
Monthly Subscription
A required monthly subscription gives you access to the GPS tracker, training tools, and activity monitoring. Each plan offers different features and advanced tracking, feedback, and support. For details on what’s included in which plan, take a look at Halo’s plans page.
- Bronze: $9.99/month
- Silver (recommended): $14.99/month (+ custom support, custom ranges, advanced tracing, instant feedback)
- Gold: $19.99/month (+ premium training lessons each month, live sessions with trainers)
Coupon Code
Our readers save $25 off Halo when you purchase through this link (discount automatically applied).
Read our full review of Halo 4 Collar.
Pet Resolve Dog Training Collar Review
The Pet Resolve Dog Training Collar is a great option if you need a long-range system or have three dogs. Its range is up to 3/4 of a mile, and the remote can accommodate up to three dogs. It has three training modes: tone (beep), vibration, and 10 static stimulation levels. It also has a light for night mode and an anti-bark feature. You can even remove the prongs if you don’t want to use the static stimulation. The battery only takes two hours to recharge. This collar is an excellent value for the range it provides.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Range is 3/4 of a mile (1,312 yards) | Only has 10 stimulation levels |
| 2-hour rapid charge batteries | Not suitable for small dogs (good for dogs 15+ pounds) |
| Remote can accommodate up to 3 dogs (must purchase extra collars) | |
| Removable shock prongs | |
| Waterproof | |
| 1-year warranty |
Price
PetSafe Remote Trainer Review
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PetSafe is a leading manufacturer of all types of pet equipment, and their Remote Training Collar is a solid choice. It has three training modes: tone (beep), vibration, and 15 static stimulation levels. The battery life is 40 hours, and it only takes 2 hours to recharge. They even offer a Lite version with less intense stimulation for smaller, more timid dogs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Also available in several ranges: 100, 300, 600, or 900 yards | Collar neck size is limited for giant dogs (up to 23″) |
| 2-hour rapid charge batteries | Only expandable for up to 2 dogs |
| Fits dogs 8 pounds and up | Some complaints that it doesn’t hold a charge |
| Waterproof | |
| 1-year warranty |
Price
Petrainer Dog Training Collar Review
Dog training on a tight budget? Many budget-friendly dog training collars are available for under $50. You’re not going to get the most advanced dog shock collar at this price range, but many are still effective for basic training purposes. The Petrainer PET998DRB1 model is one of our favorite budget dog training collars for its affordability and features.
Your range is limited compared to many other dog training collars we review here, but you have tone, vibration, and static stimulation modes with plenty of adjustable levels. While the Petrainer is “water-resistant,” it’s not waterproof, so training your dog in water isn’t possible with this collar. Still, Petrainer has plenty of satisfied customers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Budget-friendly | Signal range capped at 330 yards |
| Beep, vibrate, and static stimulation levels 1-100 | Not recommended for dogs under 15 pounds |
| Contact points have soft silicone covers | Collar neck size is limited for giant dogs (up to 25″) |
| Rechargeable batteries | Several consumers complain the collar no longer recharges after a few months of use |
| 1-year warranty | Not waterproof |
Price
Are Shock Collars Harmful To Your Dog?
The idea of shock collar training turns many owners away. But today’s shock collars are designed to deliver low to medium intensity, and you get to choose the level of intensity. Static stimulation levels can range from a mild tingling sensation to an unpleasant shock (similar to the shock you feel with static in your bedsheets, for example), but the shock itself isn’t harmful to your pup.
The Humane Society, however, says that shock collars have the potential to irritate or inflame your dog’s neck. They also point out that misuse of shock collars can create fear, anxiety, and aggression in your dog and can worsen their undesirable behavior. If you’re wondering whether you should use the shock feature with these collars, check out our in-depth article on shock collars to see the pros and cons.
We suggest NOT using these collars until your dog understands basic commands like sit and stay. That way, you know your dog understands what you’re asking them to do and can associate the correction with the negative behavior.
Tips To Avoid Potential Shock Collar Irritation
Experts recommend taking the following precautions when using a shock collar:
- Read your product’s instructions carefully before use to ensure the proper fit
- Don’t leave the electronic collar on for an extended length of time
- Reposition the collar on your dog’s neck every one to two hours
- Clean the contact points that touch your dog’s neck regularly
How Do You Transition From Leash Training To An E-Collar?
Check out the video below by SportDOG for an overview of remote collar training vs leash training.
Are Remote Dog Training Collars Effective?
Yes. Remote training collars effectively teach your dog to obey you when they’re off-leash in your yard or within longer distances. But if you’re not sure this type of collar is best for you and your pup, see our recommendations and tips for on-leash dog training collars. We also have guides on other commonly used obedience methods, such as whistle and clicker training. No training session is complete without the best training treats, so check this guide out for drool-worthy obedience encouragement.
Other Obedience Training Options To Consider For Your Dog
If you’re looking into obedience training for your dog, there are many options to consider when transforming your pooch into a polite pup. We review the best online training options to help increase your dog’s obedience with some help. We have also reviewed the DIYK9 dog training program, which offers on-demand courses you can follow as your schedule allows. Lastly, you can learn more about whether pet insurance covers training in our guide written by our insurance expert.
Have you used any of the training collars above? Perhaps you have a different one that we should consider for our reviews. Share your training collar journey with us in the comments below.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Sally has over 20 years of experience in human health sciences communications, including 10 years as an expert on pet health conditions and treatment. She’s part of a team of dedicated canine professionals and long-time dog owners at Canine Journal. We test and research the best pet products, not only for our own pups but for all of our readers.
