Question for owners who use remote e-collars / shock collars

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by dualie

I don't know that there is any way to teach the proper use of the collar in a forum like this, or by reading a book. Of course reading about how to use, and how not to use a collar is important... but it's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Every dog is different, every single situation where a collar could and or should not be used is different.

We use collars training bird dogs, but one has to know the dog very well before ever using it. We have to know how that particular dog might react, know what to do when the dog does react, how to back off and or or get harder on the dog.

There are no hard and fast rules, it's so much a feeling, an intuition. Most times we will err on the side of not using the collar when the dog makes a mistake. They all make mistakes and if you corrected them with the collar every single time... the dog would simply quit you.

In your first question you asked how much stimulation was used... we want the dog to know "something" touched them, not hurt them. We want them to understand we have very very very long arms.... and we can always be right there, even when they are very very very far away from us. It's effective if used properly.

We never want to hurt the dog, or scare him. That would be counter productive to what we are trying to produce. Our dogs need to be extremely confident, driving and independent... working on an visible string if you can envision that. And our dog need to like us, want to go with us.

We never, or hardly ever use it to correct aggression... doing that unless your timing is absolutely perfect can indeed make it worse. There is a very fine line there and if you make a mistake....

Now, there are uses for the collar to save their lives! Chasing deer can get a dog killed... trash breaking can be a not fun thing to do...in those cases sometimes the dog has to feel discomfort to make them quit, pure and simple.

I would strongly suggest if you really want to learn about the pro's and con's of collar use.. find a successful sporting dog trainer and spend some time with them watching them train.

Used properly and with knowledge a collar is just another tool. Those who are so dead set against them have never seen them used correctly.

............The above Quoted Post is 1000% correct and couldn't be phrased any more accurately!!!!!

Every dog is different. Take Bird huning dogs for example: some have very high "Prey Drive", some have very low Prey Drive. My current Brittany (age 9 yrs) has extremely High Prey Drive, therefore from the age of approx 11 months he "HAD TO BE TAUGHT" that he should not chase the deer, elk and wild turkeys
that are frequently crossing through the area around my home which sets on 14 acres "way out in the Boonies". The deer in particular are up near the house EVERY DAY.!!! To accomplish this, the dog "must associate the pain from the shock collar WITH THE ANIMAL HE WANTS TO CHASE!".....Used properly and with EXACT timing, I only had to "bring-him-to-his-knees" ONCE.
Being in the age bracket that I am, I must have complete control of my dog without having to: run after him, yell my head-off, or blow my dog-whistle until I'm out of breath........Again, properly used AS A TRAINING TOOL, an Electronic Collar that has a great variety of settings for stimulation, AND a BEEPER function is an extremely valueable and effective TOOL for Training any dog, not just a Bird hunting dog!!
OBVIOUSLY the owner: MUST KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY USE THE E-COLLAR, MUST HAVE PATIENCE & TOTAL CONTROL OVER HIS OWN TEMPER, and BE SMARTER THAN THE DOG

I have used E-Collars for many years on several dogs and I can assure you: my dogs love me, they do not 'fear' the collar, they do not move away from me when I put the collar on them.........AND in a couple of instances, THE USE OF THE COLLAR HAS SAVED THEM FROM INJURY.

Ans for those out there that don't sanction their use:.....TELL ME PLEASE,....."How would you train your Bird Dog to 'stay away from a RattleSnake' that he might encounter while bird hunting in AZ, TX, UT, NM, AL, AR, MS, LA or several other areas that offer good bird hunting AND are prime habitat for Rattlers......Do your homework and you'll find out that the most effective (and life-saving-way) to "SNAKE-BREAK" a dog is use an E-Collar.....Check with the Professionals that are in that business, you may learn something.

EDIT: Starting at approx 10 months, I have trained every dog I've had over the last 20 some years to NOT GO THROUGH OR UNDER the 4-Strand Smooth Wire Fence that I have all around my property.....How did I do that,...by "PROPERLY and with patience and intelligence", I used an E-Collar. I can't tell you how many times when bird hunting on other property that has been fenced with "BARBED WIRE", the training that my dogs have received regarding stopping at ANY FENCE, has saved them from being injured by Barbed Wire!!