Electric Collar

[drewbop]

i'm sure there is a post somewhere on here on these but couldnt find it quickly so ill start a new one.

i'm looking into gettting an ecollar for my 11 mo old chocolate lab cooper and i want to be able to bring him hunting with me next year. i've only had him for a couple months now and we've gotten alot of commands down (except come) and now i feel is a good time to perhaps get him used to the collar.

the main reason for an ecollar is i want to be able to go on walks in the woods and on the ice with out him on a leash and not worry about him running off (i havent tried yet and dont want to without some security)

so anyways, want brands of ecollars would everyone suggest? money isnt the biggest concern as i'm a firm believer in you pay for what you get and i plan to use this collars for a quite a few years i hope

[duckbuster]

go to search, type in e collar and you will have all the feedback you will want and/or need

[JJK]

Money's not a concern, lucky dog.

It was for me so I bought a SportDog SportHunter 800. It's been fine so far. One aspect I really like is the compact size. Both the transmitter and reciever seem pretty durable, but we'll see how they hold up. Picked up the e-collar and a beeper new for under $200.

Had a Dogtra before and was very happy with it, think I spent $300. But I cant recall which model it was.

[Todd Caswell]

I like Tri Tronics the best, I have a pro 200, one of the biggest training mistakes I see people make is not having the transmittet in there hand when training ( around there neck, in there pocket ect) it needs to be in your hand and the round TT feels best in my hand. You do get what you pat for TT and Dogtra being the best.

As important as the collar is a good collar coditioning video and training program I recomend Fowl Dawgs inexpensive and easy to understand.

[bopper4]

I have the Dogtra 2502 which is the 2 dog unit. I beleive the single dog was the 2500. It has the beeper built in and it also has run point and locate mode which I like with my gsp's. The 2 dog model was around 500 not sure about the single dog.

[HawgMan]

For the money, go w/ a Dogtra,hands down.

[Walleye Guy]

Had Tritronics and will never own another one. Dogtra all the way here. Dog two unit that I have never had a problem with. Wish I could say that for the 6 years I ran the Tritronics. In my opinion you cannot even compare the two brands. Guys I hunt with had similar results with the Tritronics. Maybe they have improved by I would not take the chance myself.

[jdog]

at 11 months old you still have time to work with a check cord id wait on the ecollar for a last resort as far as training this command i know how stubborn a lab can be but the check cord can work wonders but i do also think an ecollar is a good thing to have in the field for younger dogs but not as much for the training aspect

[Todd Caswell]

at 11 months old you still have time to work with a check cord id wait on the ecollar for a last resort as far as training this command i know how stubborn a lab can be but the check cord can work wonders but i do also think an ecollar is a good thing to have in the field for younger dogs but not as much for the training aspect

Have to dissagree, that is completely backwards from how we train with an E-collar. Dog doesn't wear a chargeed collar in the foeld untill he is properly conditioned, best way to ruin a young dog is to correct in the field befor conditioned.

[JJK]

If the dog is one of the real hunting breeds, you wont ruin it with a little zap in the field. They have way too much prey drive and desire.

I agree, 11 months might be too young for an e-collar, let the pup be a pup.

[Todd Caswell]

If the dog is one of the real hunting breeds, you wont ruin it with a little zap in the field. They have way too much prey drive and desire.

I agree, 11 months might be too young for an e-collar, let the pup be a pup.

Really, well I'm fortunate to get to watch and train with some of the top retriever pro's in the country and NONE I repeat NONE of them do what you described as being OK, and trust me those are some of the highest drive dogs youll ever watch run.

Going by your example of a correction in the field, say were pheasant hunting with a young inexperienced and pre collar conditiond dog, dog gets on a scent and decides to follow getting out of gun range, handler yells HERE dogs doesn't listen, low nick, handler still doesn't get the responce he wants so he incresses the pressure untill he gets the responce he wants. In the dogs mind he has no idea where the pressure came from and associates it with the bird scent, next time out the owner can't figure out why the dog blinked the bird. Every one thinks there a dog trainer untill something goes wrong and you don't have the tools to fix it.

Dogs can handle ALOT of pressure if they understand why and were it's comming from.

Sorry but very poor advice, and yes it is a very good way to ruin a dog.

To the OP I don't know where you live but if you have never properly CC a dog try to gt in touch with a good pro ( there are bad ones) and get some help and or advice, if you don't have access to that then buy a good video on it.

[311Hemi]

Dogs can handle ALOT of pressure if they understand why and were it's comming from.

Sorry but very poor advice, and yes it is a very good way to ruin a dog.

To the OP I don't know where you live but if you have never properly CC a dog try to gt in touch with a good pro ( there are bad ones) and get some help and or advice, if you don't have access to that then buy a good video on it.

I agree!!

[Cobra]

For a come command, you need a LONG training lead rope before an E collar. You need to give the rope a pull while saying the come command. Dogs do seem to know when they are on a rope and when they aren't and just like kids will play you and go with the command on a rope and even if you leave the rope on them in the field to try and trick them... they learn the range and once out of range, rebel. That's when a tone setting or low stimulus setting comes in.

I agree with Todd....

I have a TriTronics G3 Pro 200 2-dog unit. I had a lesser unit years ago and having a cheap unit is worse than not having a unit at all. It spent more time in the shop than the field. I could never count on it working.

I can also add that I have a couple in their 80's next door to me in northern Minnesota and they have a springer spaniel that she couldn't control or take on walks. In the winter when it was icey, she was almost knocked down everytime she took the dog out to put it on the leash or tried to bring it in. They're really nice people and I kept waiting for their son to help them, but it never happened so I bought them a Tritronics unit and the dog turned from a demon dog to a nice pet. She's swears by e-collars!

[Todd Caswell]

For a come command, you need a LONG training lead rope before an E collar. You need to give the rope a pull while saying the come command. Dogs do seem to know when they are on a rope and when they aren't and just like kids will play you and go with the command on a rope and even if you leave the rope on them in the field to try and trick them... they learn the range and once out of range, rebel. That's when a tone setting or low stimulus setting comes in.

I agree with Todd....

I have a TriTronics G3 Pro 200 2-dog unit. I had a lesser unit years ago and having a cheap unit is worse than not having a unit at all. It spent more time in the shop than the field. I could never count on it working.

I can also add that I have a couple in their 80's next door to me in northern Minnesota and they have a springer spaniel that she couldn't control or take on walks. In the winter when it was icey, she was almost knocked down everytime she took the dog out to put it on the leash or tried to bring it in. They're really nice people and I kept waiting for their son to help them, but it never happened so I bought them a Tritronics unit and the dog turned from a demon dog to a nice pet. She's swears by e-collars!

Trust me I'm a firm believer in E-collars wouldn't own a dog that wasn't a collar dog, it's the most humane and fair way to correct and train a dog. Our FT and HT dogs have gotten better and better over the years, due to advanced E-collar training programs and the advancement in E-collars themselves. Any dog can be trained with a modern collar, no matter how soft or sensitive they are.

If all the steps are in place 11 monthes isn't too young to CC a dog typical age for CC is anywhere from 6 to 12 monthes. Iv'e got a 5 1/2 monthe old that has been wearing a collar during training sessions since he was 13 weeks old, and started his puppy CC when he was 16 weeks. And he loves it, at this point it's very light stimulation for well known commands. He literly jumps into the collar, at training time. It's the first time Iv'e personally done it this young but if done properly I see no adverse effects. He's a very happy and obedient puppy.

[11-87]

Don't Zap that dog..

Teach the commands, and use the Collar to reinforce the command.

Only use the Collar to Correct the dog when it doesn't do the command that it knows..

yes, there are other postings on this if you just go back and look..

[JJK]

I teach commands in the house and yard. Then work them in the field. After I know that the dog understands the commands I strap on the collar in the house then the yard. Then in the field. I use the collar only to enforce a verbal command if needed. I don't use an e-collar to train the pup.

During the pups first season (less than one year old) I let them run wild. With very few commands or useless talk.

Don't people let puppies learn that they can't catch with out a shot? Why would anyone zap a pup that's working scent? Maybe this is part of the problem, folks don't use common sense.

I understand that you trainers need to bring a pup up quick, if you don't the guy down the road will. So you have to use any means possible to get the job done fast. Since your customers probably can't tell if the dog has it or not, a so/so hunting buddy will fit them fine.

But that's not my thing. I hunted my old Chessie with AKC Masters and pro trained dogs numerous times. And never seen one of those labs or springers hunt as hard or as smart as he did. None of them produced birds like he did either. They would shy away from the thick cover and seem to lose interest after about an hour. The labs did however handle long distance blind retrieves better than him.

[Todd Caswell]

Quote:

Don't people let puppies learn that they can't catch with out a shot? Why would anyone zap a pup that's working scent? Maybe this is part of the problem, folks don't use common sense.

I understand that you trainers need to bring a pup up quick, if you don't the guy down the road will. So you have to use any means possible to get the job done fast. Since your customers probably can't tell if the dog has it or not, a so/so hunting buddy will fit them fine.

I think you misunderstood my post and there not client dogs, I'm not a trainer I was talking about my personal dogs. And there is some truth about trial and HT dogs that aren't exposed to the real thing but when you have a dog trained to that level and there hunted as well---then you got something.

[ottersled54]

I have a five year old lab that has never had a e collar on her. She was hand signal, check cord, and whistle trained until 11 months then , even taught to heal with a short leash then just a hand in front of her nose. She has not come to me on command when she got into a bunch of running birds once when I called her so I blew the whistle and she stopped and looked for my hand signal.

We hunt near country roads in a heavy hunted area so there is traffic and I have not ever had a problem with her no stopping or sitting on command until a car goes by.

I may be old fashioned, but I have trained my goldens and labs for 34 years without e collars and have had good obedient working dogs are they master level probably not but they do what I ask ... listen, find birds, retrieve birds, and a good hunting buddy.

I have two friends that bought expensive pre-trained dogs that would not listen, so on went the e collar and because they were not consistent in their use of the collar these dogs still don't listen and they are constantly pushing a button and yelling at their dogs.

A tool is only as good as the person using it.

[JJK]

I misunderstood, sorry.

If I could afford a new e-collar it would be Dogtra.

[HawgMan]

This question has been beat to death..

YES a ~shock collar~ is a instrumental device ONLY if your your dog already knows the command you are trying to implement.

By all means, do not strap the collar on & expect your hunting partner to instantly act like a tv show bird dog!

If you can't control your dog in a per say controlled environment, what the heck do you think you're going to accomplish by put'n on a "Geeze it should know that" remote.

The collar IS NOT a training device, it's a reminder.

I've never had to use the shock part on my Britt's, only the vibrate (Dogtra) & they've responded well. Your case may be different.

The main thing is to spend countles hours w/ your dog & work on the training aspects of the field.

NO, my dog isn't perfect, but when I bring out the collar, she's go'n nuts knowing we're go'n out to have some fun.

So what I believe, tells me I did something right!!

Good luck w/ your endeavor. But please be patient,you'll both benefit from it!!

[Fins-n-feathers]

I personally like my sportdog because it is small and it seems durable.

[JJK]

We may have different views,ideals, and goals for the use of e-collars.

Todd, you are talking about very advanced e-collar training, probably not for novices. Most folks SHOULD NOT use a e-collar on a 6 month old pup. If you can't read your dog/puppy then don't use an e-collar, period!

We can't forget or ignore that OP doesn't even really know what brand to buy.

For some reason this topic just popped into my head.

[311Hemi]

Todd, you are talking about very advanced e-collar training, probably not for novices. Most folks SHOULD NOT use a e-collar on a 6 month old pup. If you can't read your dog/puppy then don't use an e-collar, period!

We can't forget or ignore that OP doesn't even really know what brand to buy.

For some reason this topic just popped into my head.

What exactly was mentioned that makes you think he is talking about very advanced e-collar training?

BTW, I have no problems collar conditioning a dog at 5-6 month if they are ready and the commands to be conditioned are already well understood.

[Perch_44]

If the dog is one of the real hunting breeds, you wont ruin it with a little zap in the field. They have way too much prey drive and desire.

I agree, 11 months might be too young for an e-collar, let the pup be a pup.

nothing of what you say makes any sense whatsoever. please, do all of us a favor, and never give training advice again...

a collar is used to REINFORCE KNOWN COMMANDS, it is not used to teach basic obedience commands, period.

for the OP, pick up a training program such as fowl dawgs, smartworks, total retriever, etc. and follow that program, it will show you when to introduce the collar, and how to properly train your dog for that collar.

[Perch_44]

also to the OP - stick with Tritronics or Dogtra, they are both very reputable brands. find one with the options you want, in your price range.