You may want to post this question on the sporting dog section. This section is for advertisements.

Anyway, my thoughts on ecollars is its just a reinforcement tool. It's used when the dog knows the command and just won't listen. Your dog is eight months now, at an age when it's going to rebel. If you do get an ecollar, make damn sure it knows the command first. Unwanted or untimely shocking can and will have strange effects on the dog, like running back to the car, being afraid of strangers, etc. things that you unintentionally don't want. As an example, you're going hiking, the dog jumps out of the car the moment you open the door, you yell and shock it. Some thing hurt it and it runs to the safest place, the car. The dog has no point of reference on where the shock came from or why.

For bird training, we generally don't use it for some things like when the dogs on a bird scent. Too many things can go wrong. I personally use it for barking and come, that's it. My dog knows its not suppose to bark and on come, I use when she shows indecision; looks to the play field then looks back to me, back and forth. And then only rarely. At 10mo. I used it in the beginning at near the highest levelonce (7/8). A couple times at lvl 6 setting. Now, I can use 4 setting to just get her attention and she will come. In1.5 months since i've had it, I probably used it maybe 10-12 times so far.

Also, don't shock the dog on the first day. Let it get used to the collar. Then using it the first time, use the lowest setting. (command - nick -command) If the dog doesn't come (in my case) I gradually up the setting untilI finally got her attention (lvl 4). Put it away for the day. Be careful. It wasn't until the 4th or 5th day, I used the higher setting, but I started from lvl 4 till she responed to the command. Then a week later I used lvl 6 (always started from lvl 4). Now, a lvl 4 or lower will always do.

Prices on these range from 100 bucks to $600 or so. Many people have problems with Innotek, they make great launchers but alot of complaints on ecollars. Tritronics, Dogsta, DK I've only heard good things about. I own a Sportsdog. Most will be waterproof excepting the cheap ones. The local Petsmart will also have cheap ones from Petsafe(Innotek) which is more what you're looking for but will not have multiple levels or range. I would say, stay away from them if it doesn't have multiple lvls. Good place to go is: www.lcsupply.com