Electronic Training Collars
02-04-2006, 01:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 22
Electronic Training Collars
Hi everyone,
I have a new dog whom we took to the trainer and passed the class but has a few very bad habits like running off, barking,jumping up on the table or counter to try and get food and on people when they come over as well as a few other annoying things. He is a Beagle/Boxer Mix and has a wonderful personality and a great nose. He is only 8 months old right now and I think he will be a great dog if we can get rid of some of these annoying habits. I was looking at the electronic trainers and wanted to now what the thoughts were about them. He is mostly a family dog but I hunt (although not birds - maybe shed hunting though) and the family likes to go on hikes andsuch and I would like to be able to take him off leash on some private property I have access to. Do they work well and do you need to keep him on it all the time once you start using it or is it something where you will just have to break it out for maintenance when the habit starts to show back up again (I realize it may be beneficial to kee him on it when wehike do avoid tempting fate with a tasty squirrel or rabbitor the occasional car (at home).
Also, are their any personal favorites as far as units go as to avoid breaking the bank. A waterproof unit may be beneficial since we hike ansuch.I know we don't need a unit w/tremendous range. 300 yds max.
Anyhow, any help would great. Thanks!
Matt
I have a new dog whom we took to the trainer and passed the class but has a few very bad habits like running off, barking,jumping up on the table or counter to try and get food and on people when they come over as well as a few other annoying things. He is a Beagle/Boxer Mix and has a wonderful personality and a great nose. He is only 8 months old right now and I think he will be a great dog if we can get rid of some of these annoying habits. I was looking at the electronic trainers and wanted to now what the thoughts were about them. He is mostly a family dog but I hunt (although not birds - maybe shed hunting though) and the family likes to go on hikes andsuch and I would like to be able to take him off leash on some private property I have access to. Do they work well and do you need to keep him on it all the time once you start using it or is it something where you will just have to break it out for maintenance when the habit starts to show back up again (I realize it may be beneficial to kee him on it when wehike do avoid tempting fate with a tasty squirrel or rabbitor the occasional car (at home).
Also, are their any personal favorites as far as units go as to avoid breaking the bank. A waterproof unit may be beneficial since we hike ansuch.I know we don't need a unit w/tremendous range. 300 yds max.
Anyhow, any help would great. Thanks!
Matt
02-04-2006, 02:12 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 860
RE: Electronic Training Collars
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
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
