Advice on E-Collars

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DK519

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Have a 3.5 month old vizsla puppy now and am looking for some advice on e-collars.

He is overall pretty obedient right now and is a great dog for his age already. I'm looking ahead a year now in hopes of getting him into upland hunting with me. Knowing this breed in particular and how excitement can get the best of any dog in general I'm researching e-collars as a training aid and also used in the field.

Can you guys give me some advice on things to read, DVDs to watch as well as maybe a review on a particular collar that has been good for you. I know there is some controversy out there in regards to them but to be honest I would rather use one then lose our dog or have him seriously injured.
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I own a HARD HEADED unfixed adult male Drahthaar who killed a porcupine and THAT was the reason I went out and got an E-Collar. I run the Dogtra 2500T&B which is specifically designed for Pointers (beep/locate/shock) and after 2 years of wearing it, it still works. Nos swims daily when there is no ice & I have been impressed that the unit just keeps on ticking!

Now, I am going to caution you. If you lose your patience and hit the button and shock your dog, you stand the real possibility of ruining him.

So, with that said, e-collars have their place, but they are no substitute for the hard work envolved with obediance training. I have stopped my dog from killing other porcupines WHEN I COULD SEE HIM & shocked him for it. I have stopped Nos from getting into fights. Like I said, they have their uses BUT if the dog is out of sight & you don't know what they are doing, you can not use the e-collar.

At 3.5 months of age, I would not even consider an e-collar. Work on obediance, don't put your pup in situations that you can't control, use a leash when appropriate to safeguard your pup.

Cheers
Jay
P.S. Here is the infamous pic just before 4.5 hours of surgery which cost me $1271.

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P.P.S. Here is ONE of two bills I paid for stitches after a dog fight, costing another $518. Again, e-collars have their place, but you have to be SO CAREFUL!!!
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P.P.P.S. Here is a pic showing the type of determination that Nos lives his life with...
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Here is Nos at 4 months old doing what he loves, notice NO e-collar, just an off leash park with access to water...
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Which quickly became this @ 6.5 months of age;
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And evolved into this at 10 months of age;
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And finally has become;
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PS Nos looks like an awesome dog. We've gotten Ruger in the water already retrieving orange dummies but his hair is so short he gets cold really easily. His enthusiasm doesn't last very long yet but he's showing some pretty good potential.
 
That's a good looking pup there and will no doubt give you many years of enjoyment and companionship. I have had several ecollars over the years including a tri-tronics which didn't last and didn't work well after I sent it back for repairs though to be honest they have a very good reputation. I also had Dogtra collar with a vibration mode which I used for my old deaf dog for his last couple of years and again when it failed I sent it to the Collar Clinic for repairs twice and it still did not work so I tossed it. I now have 2 Sport Dog 1825s ( one fell out of the truck so I bough a new one and the guy who found it called a few days later :) ). The Sport dog collars have a low tone beep that can be used in lieu of a whistle for control in the field and have out lasted the 2 more expensive collars I had. There are many videos on using the collars for everyday training on youtube but I can't comment on them as I field train without them but use them to stop dangerous behaviours such as running to the road or chasing unwanted animals such as deer , rabbits coyotes etc.
 
Thanks hunter. The Sport Dog did stand out to me as well just in my looking around and I think it was that one that had the buttons somewhat recessed to avoid accidentally zapping your dog?? Is collar clinic a good retailer to buy from?
 
I started my dog on the e collar between the age of 1 and 2. First I did training based on the NAVHDA green book. After that I based my e collar training on an online article that I had bookmarked, but can't seem to find. I have used a tri-tronics collar for 4 years, has never let me down.
 
DK519 said:
Thanks hunter. The Sport Dog did stand out to me as well just in my looking around and I think it was that one that had the buttons somewhat recessed to avoid accidentally zapping your dog?? Is collar clinic a good retailer to buy from?
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I bought my second one a Cabela's for a fair price and I have never had an accidental stimulus applied as I carry the transmitter outside my vest on a clip. The Collar Clinic has never successfully repaired a collar I sent but were good at accepting my money so I would look somewhere else for a collar.
 
DK519,

Nice looking pup for sure! I have a 2 yr old Brittany, and have found an e-collar to be very useful. Despite the negative press, you can set it to just get their attention, and provide immediate correction, all without yelling or whistling. The result is faster development, as your pup sooner comprehends what you want, and silence, which will be so important if you are hunting wild birds. Plus, it is just more enjoyable to be out with a well trained dog that works with you without a sound. I'm sure there are many good collars, but I've had good luck with a Dogtra 2500 Train and Beep unit from Winger Zinger in Milton, ON - give Dave a call and he will look after you. Good luck
 
DK519 said:
Awesome thanks! I have no intention of using one yet, simply looking for the best way to introduce it and get some advice.
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If you do get one, let the dog wear it for TWO WEEKS before you even turn it on. Otherwise they figure out it's the collar & then only listen when the collar is on them...

Cheers
Jay
 
Having used E-collars on our dogs my advice is to never use it in anger. It is a training tool not a punishment device.

Use the collar as a last resort to correct specific issues. Don't use it as a short cut to make training faster.

Don't use it when you can't see the dog because you risk punishing him when he is obeying your command.

Use the lowest level that returns a positive response.

Get one with an audible warning and always use it before applying the electricity. The dog will quickly learn to respond correctly to the sound because he knows that discomfort will follow if he does not. I have a hard-headed lab who responds very well to the audible and I've only had to use the electricity on him twice.

When buying cut all range estimates by at least 50 per cent. More range is better.

Take the collar off or turn the collar off when you don't need it.
 
Claybuster said:
Having used E-collars on our dogs my advice is to never use it in anger. It is a training tool not a punishment device.

Use the collar as a last resort to correct specific issues. Don't use it as a short cut to make training faster.

Don't use it when you can't see the dog because you risk punishing him when he is obeying your command.

Use the lowest level that returns a positive response.

Get one with an audible warning and always use it before applying the electricity. The dog will quickly learn to respond correctly to the sound because he knows that discomfort will follow if he does not. I have a hard-headed lab who responds very well to the audible and I've only had to use the electricity on him twice.

When buying cut all range estimates by at least 50 per cent. More range is better.

Take the collar off or turn the collar off when you don't need it.
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X2 also try to get together with some professional hunting dog trainers, ask them questions, learn how to use the collar correctly.
some good literature always helps. i like the dokken's dog training series, lots of good info there between DVD's and books. Evan graham's series is also another good source of information for hunt dog training.

the collar is an advance training tool as mentioned.
here is a link to a Canadian store for some dog hunting supplies. http://www.canadiangundogsupply.com/home.php
 
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