# Proper use of E-collar?



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

I havent used one (but have a nice tritronics from a prior dog), and have seen how some people are much too eager to use it, and pretty much go to it as their default.


Current issue, have to play catch with him because he is high energy, but at some point he will decide he is done, tell me to F off, and walk away. Maybe it is just irritation, but I cant help but think that an e-collar would be appropriate at such a time


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Does he know that it is a correction ?? I have watched peoples dogs that have no idea how to use it, or teach them that it actually means that they are incorrect, hit the dog and the dog just stands there wondering why his neck is twitching.

You could just put a flat collar on him, and a long line and accomplish the same thing, OR just quit before he has a chance to tell you to **** off. How long do you need to play that game ??


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Does he know that it is a correction ?? I have watched peoples dogs that have no idea how to use it, or teach them that it actually means that they are incorrect, hit the dog and the dog just stands there wondering why his neck is twitching.
> 
> You could just put a flat collar on him, and a long line and accomplish the same thing, OR just quit before he has a chance to tell you to **** off. How long do you need to play that game ??


how long indeed? do you want to make sure he doesn't run off? or force him to play the game after he has had enough of it?

i use the collar to stop the F-off if the dog is done and drops the toy or wants to lay down with it if toldto bring it to me, but only to get her to bring it to me. then the game is over.


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## Ted Efthymiadis (Apr 3, 2009)

Matt Grosch said:


> I havent used one (but have a nice tritronics from a prior dog), and have seen how some people are much too eager to use it, and pretty much go to it as their default.
> 
> 
> Current issue, have to play catch with him because he is high energy, but at some point he will decide he is done, tell me to F off, and walk away. Maybe it is just irritation, but I cant help but think that an e-collar would be appropriate at such a time


I use them much more than most trainers.... and some people hate me for it hahahhaha.

Do the foundation training before even thinking about using it for this.

It's like a language to the dog.

You have two choices in how to teach the collar to the dog.

1: Avoid the stim
2: Stim = attention

I'd suggest you work with someone who knows how to use them properly, before even putting the collar on the dog, it's could save you a lot of headache.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

train with a long line and figure out how to be more interesting. I thought your group banned the ecollar from the field?

I'm not against ecollars, I use it on occasion but you have to know to use it properly. There are several threads on it if you take the time to look. One of the guys in my group is a "master" with the ecollar. He does amazing things with it. It would be worth your time to hook up with him.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Matt Grosch said:


> I havent used one (but have a nice tritronics from a prior dog), and have seen how some people are much too eager to use it, and pretty much go to it as their default.
> 
> 
> Current issue, have to play catch with him because he is high energy, but at some point he will decide he is done, tell me to F off, and walk away. Maybe it is just irritation, but I cant help but think that an e-collar would be appropriate at such a time


Welcome to my world Matt....Little Ash is trying to learn **** off, and the long line works well. 
She is also wearing the prong and e-collar (have not used it yet, but have thought about it...LOL) 

She KNOWS what the "here" command is, done it 300 thousand times, and now she is testing. 

I use the long line with the "bring" command as well......have to say that I have screwed that up I think, will wait til Jeff gets here and fix it or change the command and start over. 

I think that stopping the game and leaving the dog wanting to play more will help as well.....that is another thing that I do....


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## Ted Efthymiadis (Apr 3, 2009)

Chris Michalek said:


> figure out how to be more interesting.



I forgot to mention this, a lot of times, we need to pump up the dog more, sometimes its just handler error. 

It might be worth just ditching everything and go out with one mission on your mind, have fun with your dog... Maybe he's understimulated???

Just a thought.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Forgot to ask....how old is the dog Matt? 

Ash is just coming up on 7 months and I think it is a "stage" she is going through....


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Carol, I'm not sure how you do the "here" with the long line? Never found it satisfactory.

"Here" is what all dogs like to "hear". I started off from not near to 30-40 metres because Buster came in like a freight train.

I used "here" when retrieving as he soon associated "Bring" with giving up his dumbbell. When this was no issue I went back to "Bring".

What I watched with respect was Ronny van den Berghe, calling "Bring", the dog came in, simultaneously he called "out" and the dog got his kong or whatever. lNot easy to do - needs good reactions and no "butter fingers" but speeds up the dog no end. In between he calls "Bring" and the dog has to deliver correctly but of course never knows what's coming.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Don't know if it applies here or not but we generally use food for the first 6 months or so to teach the behaviors, then slowly introduce the prong corrections on behaviors that the dog has learned very well and the only time he does not follows commands is when he decides to blow you off, here he learns that he must obey or there are consequences. Continue with marker training, from 12 to 18 months everything starts to click and dog begins to look good, speed is quick, intensity is high etc etc. Around 18 months of age we introduce the electric but make sure the dog understands what the stim means and learns how to turn it off first. These are just guidelines and can be off by a couple of months based on the dog. How old is your dog and how is his foundation? Electric too early can make you go backwards a few steps.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Carol, I'm not sure how you do the "here" with the long line? Never found it satisfactory.
> 
> "Here" is what all dogs like to "hear". I started off from not near to 30-40 metres because Buster came in like a freight train.
> 
> ...


Works just fine for me.....she knows the command, but is testing her "maybe I can go here first" boundary....the long line prevents her from doing that. 
Now that she is playing tug like a maniac, it is a lot easier. Her food drive is still high, but not as high as when she was tiny......now she knows the tug comes out if she completes the command correctly. 

Ash has never had a correction for NOT performing the command yet. I am making sure she knows what the command is this time before correcting her, and it is time to start for the "here" command. Gone is running the other way from the puppy. 

These dogs mature slowly and test you, I am trying to decrease the amount of testing she actually does by not allowing her to learn a bad habit that I have to "fix".


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