“Jace’s Journey”: A Book Written About How the ECT E-Collar Saved Her Dog

Along with Xolo’s natural skittishness that lack of socialization resulted in a dog with debilitating fears. When he arrived in Vancouver, Canada, he was 10-11 months old. The first trainer (I’ve worked with five in total) we brought in the first month he arrived simply said, “He’s terrified.”

Jace got worse when we moved homes; it got so bad he wouldn’t step foot off our front steps. We had to carry a 60lb dog out just to pee. If another dog appeared when he was outside he would react dramatically—it was scary.

Our vet behaviourist prescribed a cocktail of medications—12 pills per day! Around the same time, the trainer I was working with told me there was nothing more she could do for us. He was beyond her scope.

It was then we hit rock bottom and I knew I had to find another way. I started researching and speaking to other Xoloitzcuintli owners and discovered the e-collar. I was terrified it would make my fearful dog worse, but in reality, he couldn’t get worse. I would cry every time I had to take him outside—it was so stressful for both of us.

So after loads of reading and watching training videos, I began using an E-collar Technologies e-collar with direction from a balanced trainer in the USA virtually.

Using an e-collar has been life-changing—without hyperbole. When I saw the meds weren’t helping, but e-collar training was, I began weaning him off meds one-by-one under vet guidance. Yet he continued to improve and grow more confident!

Jace walked around our block for the first time two years and a half-after moving in, he now goes for runs with me on the seawall, he rarely reacts to other dogs anymore because his confidence has grown dramatically.

Jace will always be a foundational fearful dog, but I can’t imagine life now without the e-collar. We have a second Xolo now—a confident and sassy female and she benefits from the e-collar too. Even as well trained as she is, living in the city, I would never let my dogs off-leash without the certainty of the e-collar.

No matter what anyone says, I know how beneficial e-collars are when properly used. So much so I wrote a book about our story.”