7 Best Shock/Training Collars for German Shepherds in 2023

This page was last updated on 15 March 2023.

I use a shock collar for one single purpose, to teach my dogs about the boundaries of the house. I don’t like my dogs becoming a nuisance to the neighbors and their kids.

German shepherds are easy to train and thus it is one of the best breed options for first-time dog owners. They are quite smart and pick things up really fast. However, the only part they’ll give you a tough time with is in trying to keep them limited to your yard.

And, to achieve this, I had to find the right type of shock collar.

I had to ensure that the shock I chose met certain standards.

I will be briefly discussing those standards under the description of what I consider to be the top choices among the best shock collar for German Shepherds below.

The List of Best Training Collars for German Shepherds

Here are the ones I found worthy enough for consideration while training my GSDs. Make your pick!

1. Educator E-Collar for German Shepherd

Features-wise, it does everything that every other entry on this list does. Comparatively, it is also a bit more expensive.

But there is a reason for its hefty price tag. In terms of quality and effectiveness, the Educator e-collar is counted among the best.

And, in terms of features, it does everything just better. Its vibration mode, for instance, delivers tapping sensations but with a little more intensity. It has a unique and sturdy design. The remote resembles a stopwatch and houses a small display.

The receiver has multi-sized contact prongs that can easily be used on dogs with small and medium fur growth. For dogs with thick growth, bigger-sized prongs can be bought easily.

It is also the only entrant on this list that comes with dual chargers. And the only one that can be bought in multiple range variations.

There are also a lot of color options to choose from. And last, but not least, it comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty along with live call support.

2. SportDOG Brand 425X Remote Trainers

SportDog has always fascinated my wits in terms of durability and high success ratio with long-haired dogs such as German Shepherds. Not just the 425X but also the YardTrainer and other models have worked great for the dogs that I trained. This collar also works really well if you own a stubborn dog.

I personally love how the remote and the collar are built. The moment you touch them, you feel how the company has spent well on making them durable. The material isn’t cheap plastic at all. 

Talking about the design, the collar fits well around a GSD but you may have to make way for the prongs to reach the skin. I don’t mean to shave them but slightly moved out of the way. Once you get those long prongs to dig inside, you’re good to go.

In terms of the remote functionality, you get high, medium, and low static discharge buttons. Pressing them once relays a shock and holding them gives away a continuous burst. All the buttons are laid well for convenience but you may take some time to learn which one does what.

You may also have to spend a bit of time understanding the nitty-gritty around programming this thing. The 21 levels of stimulation may seem hard to achieve on the dial because there are only 7 slots. That’s where the three separate buttons with different shock intensities come in. All in all, do learn how to achieve the desired shock level. 

Coming to the real deal, that is, if the shock levels work or not, I’d say they are hot enough to get your dog to listen to you. They aren’t hot enough to cause any damage to the skin, though, you have to be careful about that. Keep checking the dog’s skin daily. 

The collar has worked well for a long-haired GSD that I trained. She had a habit of bolting away at things she fixated on. That made walks for the owner a misery until I intervened with SportDog. She listened to us on level 5! Later, the vibration was enough to help her recall.

There were another 75 lbs Diana who used to jump on people, stranger or not. The vibration and tone didn’t help until we gradually increased the stimulation. Things turned out for the better for us and her after that!

3. DOG CARE Shock Collar for GSD

Dog Care is lightweight but that doesn’t stop it from correcting a huge dog such as a German Shepherd. It comes with long prongs to deliver a shock from 99 levels without a hiccup. 

You may think that 99 levels are too many and I agree with you. But again, you’re dealing with GSDs that can be stubborn at times. I’ve had my share of bad days training some of the most unruly ones. In times like those, collars such as Dog Care and their high levels of shock helped a lot.

I’m not saying you should choose level 99 right away. Only a gradual increase in the nick makes sense. All I’m saying is that you’ll find the right level for your dog in no time. Once you hit the bull’s eye, only good days are ahead of you.

Let’s come toward the design now. This is by far the lightest and slimmest Dog Care can get from its previous version. The remote fits snuggly in one hand and allows one-hand operation smoothly. You may even use it blindly when the buttons are etched into your brain.

Talking about which, the shock button is a big flashy orange circle looking at you. Both vibration and tone jets have similar shapes, which are not round. The level key is a triangle. So to say, all the keys having different shapes help in identification to keep you from accidental hits.

If that’s not enough, the remote has a key lock mechanism as well – the cherry on top.

When used, it transmits signals to about 1000 feet or 333 yards. Now, this suffices for small backyards and outdoor areas where you’re hanging out for the day. In no certain way, I will recommend it for farms or mansions.

The receiver is big compared to the remote but the long prongs dig well into the fur of a GSD. Just make sure that you put it on the side of the neck to disallow its movement when the dog moves its heat.

The shock administered is effective but it’s the vibration that has my heart. It’s intense and better than most of the dog collars you have used. Many GSDs such as a 2 years old female in Denver went from a completely unruly dog to a command-obeying machine just by the intensity of the vibration.

But not just adult dogs, even pups as old as 7 months benefited from the reinforcement the collar offers. However, regardless of age, always start small for every dog.

4. SportDOG – Best Shock Collar for German Shepherd

This is the second product of SportDog that I want you to consider if your german shepherd is aggressive. Bundled with the same promise, this product will give you the peace of mind as SportDog’s rest of the products have given their customers in terms of range, stability of connection, longevity, and more.

The design is a complete revamp of what you’ve seen so far in this lineup from the same manufacturer. The YardTrainer and 425X are identical with slight feature modifications but this one doesn’t look anything like them. 

It has an OLED screen for a change where you can view all the important stuff such as the dog channel you’re on, stimulation level, battery level, and which button does what.

The last feature is important because the remote has to be configured for the mode you desire. There are 8 modes so far from which you can select any to correspond to the buttons on the remote. For example, there’s a vibration feature but not a dedicated button for it. So, you may have to use one of the modes that have it on one of the buttons. 

Now that turned out to be cumbersome for me in some ways but once I got the hang of it, things went smoothly. As I said, the indications of the OLED screen help you stay on track.

Besides the button layout and the functions, I adore how the remote is in an hourglass shape. It becomes so easy to hold it from the middle. You get extra traction for holding it tightly.

The 10 levels of stimulation are enough for the GSD to pay heed to you but I wouldn’t want you to go to level 10 each time. Be mindful of how the dog’s reacting to the levels before selecting one.

In terms of the collar, I wish that the plastic wasn’t too hard. It’s not that flexible as well. Both of these pose a limitation of how well you can put it on the dog’s neck. Nonetheless, you can swap it for a bungee collar, which is my personal preference. Or, you could go with this one if you plan on using it only for a few hours.

5. Dogtra 1900S – Best Dog Training Collar for German Shepherd

It’s simply not possible for me to talk about the best shock collars for German Shepherds and don’t include an entry from Dogtra. It is a very well-known brand among dog lovers and dog trainers alike. And their latest e-collar offering, the 1900S is a bang for your buck.

In terms of looks, the 1900S is sleek and simple. The ergonomic design causes no discomfort to the dog’s neck. The remote is slim and smart and looks like something out of an action movie. It is also among the few dog collars that are IPX9 waterproof, meaning it can easily withstand high temperatures and high water pressure.

The 1900S also hold a remarkable range of three-fourths of a quarter. The long-range makes it perfect not just for trainers but also for hunters. You get 127 intensity levels, which, according to me, is a lot. But if you have a mutt that is occasionally stuck up, intensity levels this high come in really handy. By the way, the remote has a rheostat dial for shock level adjustments.

You can use the remote to warn your dog about correction with vibration or a half a second shock. If the pooch still doesn’t get the hint, there’s a mode for a constant 12-second shock. Yes, 12 seconds is a lot longer for correction but there rarely is a need to shock a dog for that long. Besides, there’s a manual mode as well that keeps you in charge of the duration.

6. Bousnic Dog Training Collar for 2 German Shepherd Dogs

Next, I have a Bousnic dog collar on the list, which is one of the best budget shock collars. I am including this because it can be simultaneously used on two dogs. That’s right. It comes with two collars and two receivers out of the box. So, if you have more than one K9 friend, this Bousnic dog training collar set is for you.

Tone, vibration, and shock; offer all three modes. Although, the intensity levels on these modes are somewhat lower than some of the competing brands. Its remote supports dual channels so you can train or correct two dogs at the same time. Thanks to its thousand feet range, this Bousnic dog collar duo is perfect for indoor and outdoor use.

The nylon collars are adjustable between the circumference of 8 to 26 inches, which means that they can fit most dogs. The receivers can stand by for more than 12 days with a single charge, whereas, the remote can last for almost 50 days. The batteries are Lithium-Polymer, by the way. 

And, of course, it is waterproof with an IP67 rating, so you don’t have to worry when your dog decides to jump in the pool unannounced.

7.  Garmin Delta Sport XC Bundle

Garmin Delta shock collar or bark collar wins in many ways. One of the foremost is its BarkLimiter, which as the name suggests, stimulates your dog when the barks increase from a certain level.

That’s not all. There are other modes as well to use at your disposal. But these aside, what I’m really down for is its sturdy construction. Three years in and the product won’t show any signs of wear and tear. That I can confirm personally.

Starting with the remote fits nicely in your hand. The intensity tweaking buttons are on one side while the anti-bark can be controlled from the opposite side. The front has three buttons lining above an LCD that shows stimulation levels, battery level, and the mode you’ve selected.

No matter which mode you select, there are 36 shock levels enough to behave your German Shepherd. In fact, the vibrations are strong enough to do that for you. 

There’s no key lock, so you have to be careful not to press the wrong button. Also, the keys are somewhat the same except for the middle one. The little distinction makes it hard sometimes to discern between the keys you want to press and the keys you don’t.

The collar is well built, too, only if it were a little stretchable. That’s my personal preference. For a large dog such as a GSD, that much stiffness does well. 

I’m not a fan of its tone feature because it didn’t do miracles for the dogs that I trained. It was enough for small dogs but then, we’re not talking about them.

Talking about the modes or configurations, you may have to read the manual more than once to get a hang of selecting the right one. 

When selected, the signals will be transmitted at a range of ¾ mile, which is more than enough for a yard or when you’re on a hunt. 

Coming back to the BarkLimiter, it doesn’t have a well-sorted application. I mean sometimes it worked for me, other times, it didn’t go off even when the dog had literally tired itself barking a lot.

So, I won’t rely on that a lot. For manual corrections, yes, this product stands out from the Garmin lineup.

Things to consider before buying the shock collar for your German Shepherd:

German Shepherd is world-renowned because of their temperament. It’s malleable, not too imposing, and over-friendly if you treat it right.

So, you go to keep these things and more in your mind when you’re selecting a training collar. The right product whose features align with its behavior and needs will make the training all the while easier.

Here are the things to consider.

1. Double-Coat

German Shepherds are double-coated dogs. Any product you buy for them should have at least one pair of long contact points or prongs. They are a must because they enable the receiver to transmit the corrections at the target area without missing a beat. 

Generally, very few products come with a single pair of short prongs. They all have longer versions. Still, it’s a good practice to look for. 

2. Gentle Temperament

German Shepherds have a gentle temperament. That means they do not require over-the-top corrections to correct their behavior. Unlike single-minded dogs, they forgive the mistakes you make during training sessions. Inadvertently, that makes them easily spoiled, so you better watch out. 

Their temperament as whole demands benign corrections. So, buy a product that does not have corrections that are too hot.

3. The size of their necks

The product you buy for your dog should have enough straps because GSDs have huge necks. The size of the strap allows you to tie the collar with the right tightness. A collar too lose is good for nothing and too tight will lead to injury. Therefore, consider the size of your neck and then go for the product. 

These are the things to keep in mind before selecting the right product from the list. Please be mindful of your dog’s needs as not conforming to them may render even the best product useless.

Conclusion – The Winner

So, there you have it guys. That is my list of the 7 best shock collars for German Shepherds. Although, most of the entries here can be used on other breeds of dogs as well.

The list also includes a few brands that offer dual and even triple-channel support for those who own more than one K9. Also, when using shock collars to train your mutts or correcting them, make sure you don’t go overboard. Keeping the safety of your pup in mind, all of the products on the list are chosen carefully and are completely safe and help you correct your dog’s behavior in no time.

If you are looking for a recommendation, I would suggest going with the Dogtra 1900S. It is expensive and it can only be used with a single dog. But when quality, functionality, and durability are considered, it delivers on all three fronts. So, if the price is not an object, and it is your first time using an e-collar, the 1900S is worth every penny.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this topic or ideas for any future topics, feel free to connect in the comments.