The e-collar is a GREAT tool if used properly. This is used for re-inforcement not for teaching. A e-collar should only be used, once the dog fully understands the commands. Further, it should only be used if and when, the dog understands how to get out of pressure. It is called collar conditioning. Let's say for instance, that you have fully taught the sit command. Then you would start to use a heeling stick to gently tap on the back end, to re-inforce the command. Once the pup has fully learned this, you can start to slip in a lownick on the transmitterwhile saying sit, in place of the heeling stick. Then you move on to heel and then here.Once they know what here means, use a long lead line and tug on it while saying here. Once this has been mastered, start slipping ina fewnicks on the collar. These should NOT be used every time. Just start slipping them in from time to time until the pup gets used to them. Most Field trial or hunt test or pro trained gun dogs start this anywhere from 6 to 7 months old. This also depends on the maturity level of the pup. Peoplewho say the collar is useless, doesn't fully understand it's capabilities whenused properly. Let's say that a dog is blowing you off on a 400 yard blind weather it be in a field trial setting or a dog chasing a crippled bird half way across a swamp. How else are yougoing to correct him or her? If you arein a training set-up, on land, by the time that you sit your dog and you run out there, the dog hasno idea on why it is being corrected. When used properly, it is aninvaluable tool. On the other hand, when not used properly it can ruin a dog. A good rule of thumb is, if you think that you are over doing it with the button, you probably are. Also, the new models are far and away better than those of yesteryear. They have all kinds of stimulation levels, from the faintest to a pretty heavy hit. You need to get a feel foreach individual dog and find out what kind of stimulation it takes to get the response that you are looking for. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Some dogs take very little to get your point across where other take quite a bit.Check out Mike Lardy's dvd onE-Collar conditioning. You can check this video and others out at totalretrievertraining.com. Good luck with your pup.