# Dog Began Ecollar Training



## Gloria Miller (Jul 22, 2010)

I guess I'm just missing my dog tonight. He started bootcamp three days ago and I'm having some guilty feelings about ecollar training. I had reasoned with myself that this is a good thing for a service dog. I need him to be rock solid in public and eliminate some leash aggression. We were working on that and it was helping. However, I decided to go with a professional in the Chicago area that uses the ecollar in a 'gentle way', if there is such a thing. I've got friends, relatives and other dog handlers pretty much telling me what a horrid person I am to be using electiricity on my dog and shocking his willingness to work out of him. I've been told it'll kill my relationship with my dog and things will never be the same. 

So maybe I'm looking for a little reassurance from those wiser than I that I'm doing the right thing. As my dog grows, he's up to 80 pounds now, I need more control of him and since I'm disabled I need upflappable obedience from him.

Is it true that if he's a smart boy and catches on quickly that a 'vibration' is enough of a correction and any shocks may not be necessary. How long does a dog wear the ecollar? Forever? Only outside? 

I'd sure appreciate some input. I'm feeling kinda crappy about being a good dog owner tonight. This dog has captured my heart like no dog I've ever owned before. I sure hope I'm not damaging that special bond we have.


----------



## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

ALL the great trainers I know use electric and I have never once seen it used unethically or abusive are you going to b part of the training


----------



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

who is the professional in Chicago? PM if you don't want to post it...I know all the "professionals"

e collar is great tool..especially for disabled people.. it will not "shock" the willingness to work out of your dog if done properly, it will INCREASE the willingness to work if done properly...


----------



## Jack Roberts (Sep 5, 2008)

I think it is always good to test the collar on yourself. 

I understand that a dog has higher pain tolerance than a person but it reminds me of the power of the tool that I'm using.

I agree with Joby about e-collar being a good tool for someone disabled.


----------



## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Joby Becker said:


> who is the professional in Chicago? PM if you don't want to post it...I know all the "professionals"


Maybe she'll "whisper" it to you?


----------



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Thomas Barriano said:


> Maybe she'll "whisper" it to you?


oooooh boy.


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Done correctly it's an excellent tool.


----------



## Jeff Threadgill (Jun 9, 2010)

I rarely have to use the shock button. The tone button itself makes them realize they are in the wrong. A simple shock compared to jerking the hell out of a dominant dog with a prong/choke is a lot better off. 

It's almost like pepper spray vs tazer. Tazer a few sec., oc spray your ass is burning 30 min after initial contact.


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

If everyone has a "special" bond, is it "special" anymore ? If it was "special" maybe the dog would not have been sent off to a trainer to fix his crap, as he would have "felt" through your "special" bond, your disapproval.

Asking for reassurances after the fact is sorta stupid isn't it ?

So now you can just hate me and not think about your dog. Although a "special" bond also includes telepathy doesn't it ? HA HA


----------



## Chris Smith (Jul 29, 2010)

Jeff O you ARE a dick. i know you are proud of it. I am too (me being a dick that is); hope to meet you soon we can have a beer. As for the e-collar training! It is an exceptional tool just like a prong or a martingale, a tool. if you are not comfortable with either the trainer or the method remove your dog from the program and find either a camp or in home trainer you are comfortable with. Everyone needs to realize your feelings are NEVER wrong!!!! they can however be based poor or misinformation.


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

So do YOU have a "special" bond with your dog ? I find that people with "special" imaginary bonds with their dogs that misbehave are the dicks. LOL


----------



## Lloyd Kasakoff (Jun 15, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> If everyone has a "special" bond, is it "special" anymore ? If it was "special" maybe the dog would not have been sent off to a trainer to fix his crap, as he would have "felt" through your "special" bond, your disapproval.
> 
> Asking for reassurances after the fact is sorta stupid isn't it ?
> 
> So now you can just hate me and not think about your dog. Although a "special" bond also includes telepathy doesn't it ? HA HA


My boy was a bit edgy with other dogs - so a number recommended we use an e-collar. Between pronging and e-collars, I'm surprised the little bastard didn't bite the crap out of me. Fortunate for me, he forgot of our evil use of prong collars. He just finished his first leg of MR1. Infinitely better results.

Our girl was kind of the same minus the aggression. She hasn't been on an e-collar for...um....longer than 6 months? She had a mediocre showing from being rusty, but she just completed her MR1 last week, both legs. Yay!

Here's some telepathy for you *right here*  When 2 prongs are just not enough, add an e-collar...and for that special bond, add one up the rump at the base of the tail as some locally choose to...or just put one on the midsection - works great!


----------



## Gloria Miller (Jul 22, 2010)

Unless you've owned a service animal you probably don't understand the bond between a dog and it's owner. We have to rely upon our dogs 24-hours a day to perform tasks and that does create a special bond. Do you take your dog in the shower with you? I do. My dog performs tasks that most other types of working dogs aren't required to do. 

Thank you to those that offered their valuable advice and knowledge. My dog's biggest problem is his over protection of me. I won't call him a bastard for that.


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I know that you are grasping for something to set you apart from the others, but lets face it, I was joking about some of it, but if the bond was so special, the dog would not be at e-collar school.

From what I remember from your other post, this is just a dog that you picked up somewhere and decided to "train" as a "service" animal.

WTF is the dog doing in the shower ?


----------



## Gloria Miller (Jul 22, 2010)

He bends over and picks up the soap when I drop it. He's a retriever.


----------



## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> If everyone has a "special" bond, is it "special" anymore ? If it was "special" maybe the dog would not have been sent off to a trainer to fix his crap, as he would have "felt" through your "special" bond, your disapproval.
> 
> Asking for reassurances after the fact is sorta stupid isn't it ?
> 
> So now you can just hate me and not think about your dog. Although a "special" bond also includes telepathy doesn't it ? HA HA


Jesus Jeff.....


----------



## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

Hi Gloria,

I just started with the ecollar a while ago. I was tired of the constant battle of wills. It is an awesome tool and I have not personally seen it be abused first hand. I also only have to use the vibrate now. Once used correctly it is an amazing tool that is easily understood.


----------



## Gloria Miller (Jul 22, 2010)

Thanks for your input Kat. I just heard from his trainer and other than a little hunger strike he said my dog is doing great. He's acting appropriatey when passing other dogs. He's now waiting patiently to be told to leave the house or the car. These were two problems. I'm tired of having my arm yanked out of the socket and neither a pincher, martingale or hati stopped it. If the e-collar is effecttive then it sounds like it's the way to go. Next comes my training on how to use it properly.


----------

