E-Collar Questions

[junior9]

I just purchased an e-collar for my 6 month old GSP. I don't plan on using it for a month or so, but I want him to get used to wearing it.

The main things that I want to reinforce are stay, come, don't jump on me or guests, and if possible control barking.

I have read that the collar should not be used until the dog has the general concept of what you want him to do, and just use the collar to enforce the commands when necessary.

So my question is this...do you have any tips as to giving him the 1st hit with the collar...when, where should it be?

Is it smart or not smart to shock him in his crate...if he is barking?

As far as jumping on guest, any tips to this....he is told DOWN all the time, but I don't know if he grasps the concept of what he is doing wrong in the 1st place.

Any tips would help....I am reluctant to use the collar until I know that what I am doing is the right thing and not just an excuse to take the "easy way out".

Thanks,

junior

[setterguy]

Before introducing a collar I would reccomend an obendience class...your dog is still very young, and is entering the hardest stage, the teenage years. Very important to get the basics down, you will both be happier. As for when to introduce the collar, not until you are sure that your dog knows what is expected when you give a command.

[junior9]

Thanks for the reply....he has been through 2 sets of puppy class, but that is in no way obidience class...it is more walk around in a circle with 15 other dogs. So when you say obidence classes do you have any suggestions on what to look for or where to look?

As far as sending him away someplace...that has been completely ruled out of the question by someone with much more rank than me

Thanks again,

junior

[LABS4ME]

Junior, as Setterguy stated, make sure you have a solid foundation of the basic commands before introducing the collar. The collar is not used to teach commands but to re-inforce them, especially at a distance. A good quality obedience class (or two) will definitley go a long ways towards giving you a finished dog.

As far as "down" goes, he won't grasp it if he isn't shown what "down" means. Teach him the command "down" by pinching in on the area of the dew claws (negative re-inforcement) while repeatedly commanding "down". Do this each time he jumps up on you, and teach everyone in the family how to do it. Then have a buddy or two come over and show them how to do it. If he no longer will junp up on people with regularity, then coax him into jumping up. When you no longer can get him to do that, you pretty much got it licked.

The use of a collar to control barking will work as long as it's instantaneous like a "bark" collar. Any delay i the correction will only confuse the dog and give you bigger problems. Again if he is being set-up to bark (ie: kids playing in the yard etc...) and you have the transmitter in your hand then you can use it to condition him not to bark. Follow up the correction with the command "quiet". DO NOT BURN HIM! Start on a low setting and only tap the button.

Whatever you do NEVER use the collar to punish. Use it to correct or re-inforce commands that he knows. If you feel you are using it in a way that is punishing him, you are mis-using the collar. Get a good book on using the collar and read it before using it. You should properly go through collar conditioniong with the dog before you just strap it on and use it, the book will tell you how. Try any of Jim and Phlis Dobbs books. These are awesome tools when used in the right context! Hope this helped...

Good Luck!

Ken

[gspman]

I would also add that you might not want to nick him when he's in his crate. Most "experts" will say the crate is supposed to be a safe zone for the dog. If you nick him in the crate he may not want to go in the crate because he thinks he will be shocked if he goes in there. Make the crate a good place for him and not a bad place.

gspman

[junior9]

Thanks for the replys guys...

I'm still confused on obedience classes...these are different than puppy classes correct? Are they one on one with a trainer...or in a group?

[buffalomark]

The thing with obedience training is repetition and consistancy. Make it a point to spend ten minutes a day doing sit, stay come, lie down and heal. Ten minutes twice a day would be twice as good. I do it with some play before and after. When I get serious the dog must also. I will cheat and give him treats for behaving well. Never reward for not completing task. I have used "off" instead of get down. I did it to avoid confusion with lie down or down. My mother showed me the trick of stepping on their hind feet when they jumped up while you say down or off. Be very careful with an e-collar. I hope you got one with an audible noise button. I am on my fourth collar, Tri Tronics has been very good about standing behind their product, I now have one that has a buzzer and I rarely use more than that.