Reward-based training matched or beat e-collars on recall — the use case e-collars are most defended for
A University of Lincoln field comparison found reward-based training was more effective at improving recall during training sessions, with fewer commands, fewer errors, and shorter response latencies than e-collar approaches.
“Reward-based training was more effective at improving recall during the training sessions.”
Source details
Source
Efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars vs. reward-based training
China, Mills & Cooper
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Evidence level
Primary evidence
Credibility
Last reviewed
May 30, 2026
Why we included it
The single most useful study when someone argues "you need an e-collar for a reliable recall." It directly tests that claim.