Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

I know I am asking this question prematurely but.....I have ordered the Graham and Knutson books and they will be here in the next few days. I have researched the ecollars and believe the Tri-Tronics is the way I will go. I have read the literature about Lardy ecollar training but have not yet ordered the video and manual. The question is this-and I would imagine the books will tell me but you know how it is when you are getting pumped about getting that first dog-what is the order of training-does the ecollar start right away or do the basic commands come first then introduction to the collar?

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

1. You are doing good! Just remember the "7-P's" . Proper Prior Planning Prevents P!$$ Poor Performance :D

2. I agree

3. All of that will be covered in the Graham books. Just remember to go page by page, chapter by chapter. Basically, you first teach the comand -- when the dog is 99% perfect on that command, you re-enforce it and speed up the response via the collar.

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

The collar is a great tool, I use them with my dogs. When used right, you can make a great hunting dog. If used wrong you will ruin your dog forever. I only use mine as a come back call. When my dogs get too pumped up, I call them back and calm them down. Or if they are hot on bird and headed for the road. Doc E is right do your yard work! The dog should understand the rules and who runs them, YOU! That is done with yard work. I know of a little Setter, goes by the name of Echo, she is deaf. All of Echo's commands come by collar. What a job of training a dog. I got to watch it and be part of it. I learned a lot about how to use a collar. I just like whistle and voice better. My collars are my safety net. Just for the record I use Innotek, but Tri-tronics is a great choice. Have fun with your dog. You got a good set of books started. You didn't say what kind of dog you were going to get. One last thing, go slow, don't get in a big hurry to have your dog trained. Some dogs learn fast, some slow, go at your dogs pace. And they only learn what you teach them, good or bad.
Gselkhunter

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

I would like to add that the e-collar is for correction. You must first teach the command and have the dog understand and know the command before you can use the e-collar to make the correction. And remember as well 90 to 95% of dog training is praise. A good Boy/Girl and a pat on the head or a rub on the belly go along way. Once the Dog finds out that I do "A" then I get praised if I do "B" no praise A is looking pretty good to him because you like what he does and he wants you to give that praise. I agree with the statement and also use innotek I have a GSP and really like my Track and Train Beeper collar.

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

Thanks for the info-I am a novice at training so any advice is greatly appreciated. I like the idea of using the collar as a reenforcement of other training methods. Seems like if I spend the time gettting the basic commands in place that having that little extra can make the difference between a good and a great partnership in the field.

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

And you are training a_____? My dog does goes naked but I hunt with a friend who uses Tri-Tronics. They work excellent. The collars and the dogs. The well-trained dogs seem to get through each field with minor to zero correction from the collars.Get your yard work done! The collars are definitely a safety net though. The most common correction I've seen is to shorten up range on Pheasants.

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

I am getting a Pointing Lab so haven't started the actually training yet on my own. Have been working with my neighbor's 3 year old lab. He got the animal from a friend who had to give her up and he does not work her at all-so I figured I could practice with her until I got mine. So far we are working basic commands plus I have her swimming right now.

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

Good for you. Nothing wrong with trying to teach an old dog (3 yr old) some manners. I hope the PL works out. Best of Luck. BTW the 7 P's are essential to most any task. Success is when preparedness meets opportunity!

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

I have to agree witht he majority that the basic obediance and basic commands come first, they have to undersand what you want them to do.

However there are a few things I would like to add. First Have the collar on the dog when you work with them and correct them with out it. Just have them wear it that way they don't associate the fact that you can only zap them when they are wearing it. Some dogs get wise to it. Also tri tronic collars produce a tone when they shock, and can have just the tone with no shock. Try treaching your dog the commands, get to the point where they are 90% there and start using the tone when you correct them, them praise when they do it right. They can start to associate the noise early on with doing something wrong. After they know what they are doing you can use a low shock and it produces the tone so they know what can happen but for the most part you won't have to shock them at all.

Hopefully that makes sence.

Good luck.

Corinne

RE: Order of Training-commands/ecollar
 

I'm no genious but I've been training a hunting dog now for a while...he is 8 months old. I didn't put a collar on him until he was about 6 or 7 months old. They are just babies before this, and though they may know some commands, you can't expect perfection. I only used the collar for the "come" command becuase he obeyed everything else...sharp as a tack. So I made sure he knew what come meant by using treats and enforcing every command with a check cord. That way I knew when he disobeyed at 6 or 7 months old that he was deliberately disobeying and not simply uneducated. Then I borrowed a collar and showed him what disobeying meant. Now when he came he got nice pieces of fried bacon! He came on a dime. I gave the collar back and just recently at 8 months old he is drifting back, so I need to borrow the collar again. In the mean time, I shouldn't tell him to come unless I can immediately reinforce it with a lead or check cord. That way he doesn't get the chance to disobey until I can get the collar back on him for a reinforcement lesson. I think one or two more sessions and perhaps another correction a few months down the road should put the lesson in him pretty good. Good luck to you on training your dog. Just be patient with it and you'll love it. I heard a good tip a while back: Don't be too stern in handling your dog becuase then when you really need to be stern, you'll have to be that much more rough on the pup. Make them love you and win that pup's heart. Then correction will come easier because it won't be used to being scolded.