# Dogtra 1700 Series



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Does anyone have/use this collar? I'm thinking of getting the 1702, but before I do, I thought I'd see what users of the collar had to say about it. One thing I'm not really liking is the on/off buttons as opposed to the magnetic on/off feature, but what do y'all think? Will the SCG fit on it, or are the collar probes too far apart?


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

The SCG fits on the NCP1700, no problems at all. I like mine a lot, I don't have a lot to compare it too...the LCD feature is very awesome and I much prefer that to just a manual dial. 

Don't know what you mean by a magnetic on-off feature...I've not noticed a problem with the buttons on the collar or the remote. No big deal for me.

Lou Castle probably has some great input here, I think Andres has one as well...Lou got mine for me.


----------



## Scott Dunmore (May 5, 2006)

I have the 1702 and a set of 202 as well. The on/off button is on the back of the collar unit and is very unobtrusive - it works well for me. As Woody said, the LCD display is great, especially if you work 2 dogs at different levels, and if you train at night. Changing from one level to the other is quick and much more accurate than with the 202. I like the smaller size of the 202, but at night I use the 1702. Also, it flashes different colours to let you know the batteries are running low; surprisingly useful.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Thanks. Right now I have the 202, and I have had no problems with it, aside from Jak being able to ignore level 100 when he's watching the cats (I can literally watch the muscles in his neck jerk, but as long as he's looking at a cat, he is totally able to ignore it). I liked the LCD on the 1700 series that tells exactly what level you're on, and the fact that you don't have to keep switching back and forth between the two collars like you do with the 202. One question about that, though, do you 'program' each button to a certain level, or do you still have to turn the dial to set the level every time you switch from one collar to the other? Another question: can you press both buttons at the same time? 

My concern with the on/off button was that the collar could be accidentally turned off. I like the flashing different colors thing to let you know when the batteries need to be charged, too. That seems like a nice feature.


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Kristen Cabe said:


> Thanks. Right now I have the 202, and I have had no problems with it, aside from Jak being able to ignore level 100 when he's watching the cats (I can literally watch the muscles in his neck jerk, but as long as he's looking at a cat, he is totally able to ignore it).


Make sure the collar's fitting right. If that is anything comparable to a 100 on mine, and the contacts are on the dog, cat-watching would not be a comfortable experience.



> One question about that, though, do you 'program' each button to a certain level, or do you still have to turn the dial to set the level every time you switch from one collar to the other? Another question: can you press both buttons at the same time?


Don't have the two-dog model, maybe others can comment.



> My concern with the on/off button was that the collar could be accidentally turned off.


The button on the receiver/collar is recessed and kind of difficult to push and you have to hold it in for a second to engage it, anyways. Accidental switches off strike me as pretty improbable.


----------



## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

i've had my 1700 for about 8 months now and never had an accidental shut off. i don't see that being a problem.

as far as the SCG, i used one on my old innotek collar because i had contact problems. i have NEVER had a contact problem with the 1700. i don't know if it's the size of the probes, but it has always made good contact without having to use water, vaseline, etc.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh you can be sure that the collar is on right, Woody. :wink: It's *very* snug, and I wiggle the receiver around a bit to make sure the contact points or SCG gets through the fur. Any other time, he's pretty sensitive to it, and will respond to about level 30 or so, but as long as his eyes are locked onto feline, he doesn't feel a thing. :roll: That's really not my primary reason for considering the 1702, though. 

Tim, I use the SCG because I leave the collars on my dogs for several hours at a time; not because of contact issues. The probes on the 1700s do look longer than the ones on my 202, though. 

I've found a website where I can get a 1702 for $361 (including shipping). No one knows of any other places that are cheaper, do you?


----------



## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I have a NCP 1702 (2 dog) & am very happy with it. The male I had was very handler sensitive & my female is hard as hell. So the LCD made it alot easier to be accurate with the change in stim level when needed to accomidate both dogs. Mine has also had HEAVY use at the beach. Both my dogs liked to dunk their heads under the water all the way to pickup their toys that they deliberately drop in belly deep water. I think that they think that they are part fish. I used to just rinse off the collars when I got home in tap water & have never had any issues with them. I also have several differnt contact sizes to accomidate both my dog & their coat lengths. So I have not had any problems with the stim levels being accurate with each dog. I had a NCP 1500 before this & was pleased with that as well...but went to the 2dog with the second dog. I really like the smaller more comfortable to hold 1700 transmitter & LCD features in the 1700 over the 1500. I have had my 1702 for over a year with no problems.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Anne thanks! Could you address the question I asked earlier pertaining to switching from one dog to the other:

...Do you 'program' each button to a certain level, or do you still have to turn the dial to set the level every time you switch from one collar to the other? Another question: can you press both buttons at the same time?


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

With my ADD, hand me a two dog collar and take bets on which one I accidentally fry .    :wink:


----------



## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Kristen, You can't preprogram each collar seperately. You need to change the dial to raise or lower the stim level. I keep the dogs & collars & buttons seperate in my mind so that (as Bob said....don't fry the wrong dog.) by ALWAYS putting the same color collar on the same dog. My female ALWAYS has the black collar & my male ALWAYS has the orange collar on. Never any exceptions. That way I don't make errors. Depending on the situation & which dog I think may be the one that might need a correction in a given scenario..I will set the dial on the stim level for that dog & then know that I will have to change it for the other dog if needed. SInce my male was the softer dog I would have the stim level set for him & then at the least I would have some recourse if my female was the one to step out of line & yet not fry my male & shut him down. He is very handler sensitive & most corrections can be by voice but yet he would fight you to the end & never back down nomatter what kind of stress or scenarios we presented to him. He is ONLY sensitive to the handler. At least that is what I would do if I had both dogs out at the same time...if out seperately, then I would set the stim level to that dog. To be honest, though, I would have the collars on only when I felt that I would be in a situation that I might need it. I almost never use it. I would have it on, say at the beach, when I know that there are other dogs that can cause trouble & I need instant recalls no matter what from my dogs, but honestly I almost never have had to use it. My dogs are very well under control at all times 7 basically only have eyes for me when we are out working. I just have nice dogs & I am lucky. I just like the x-tra assurance in certain scenarios where other dogs are in the mix. I have so far, lucky me, NEVER had a recall under any circumstances not obeyed. So I really use it for safety when I think that I might need it. So far I have never had to use it, & I work my dogs EVERYWHERE. I really like the LCD on the 1702 NCP unit. Makes it easier to control the stim, especially when working with a soft dog ( & having your other dog be a hard dog) The LCD is much easier to see & be accurate. Easier to control & hold also. I like it. As I mentioned above, I have 3 different posts so that they can deliver the correct stim no matter how thick of a hair coat I have on the dogs neck. I don't want to have to shave or use jelly or anything to get good contact. Hope that answers your questions. Any more, just ask. Also, I don't know if you can hit both buttons to stim both dogs at the same time....I never tried it.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Well I bit the bullet and bought the 1702. It came today, already fully charged, which was nice! I was expecting to have to charge it. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw it was, "Wow. It's all so BIG!" The remote and collars are much bigger (and heavier) than my 202 remote and collars. 

I have one more question. It came with a belt clip that I could put on the remote if I wanted to, but the way it mounts makes it stick up almost as high as the antenna. I know if you touch the antenna with your finger, or have your finger in front of the antenna, it can affect signal. Have you (directed towards anyone with the 1700 or 1702 collars) noticed this happening with the belt clip attached to the remote?


----------



## Derek Sanders (Jul 11, 2006)

Well I can only speak for my 1202NC, It does not seem that there is interference when you use the transmitter on the belt clip, I keep it there most of the time. I could see it becoming a problem if you are getting close to max range. Keep in mind that belt clip can fail, your transmitter can come off (happened to me last year, I was at the beach in Santa Cruz at the time of course  ) on the upside the people at Dogtra customer service were nice and for $190.00 sent me a new one.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Sorry to be joining this so late; I've been fighting the Ecollar wars on another forum and just bought a Jeep. Been reading those forums to get up to speed. 

You can't press both buttons on the 1702 (or any other two dog collar in the Dogtra line that I know of) and have it do anything. No signal goes out. 

I keep mine set on the lower stim level for the more sensitive dog. If I need to stim the other dog, I hit the other button and turn it up at the same time. 

As far as the pocket clip goes, I wish that they'd incorporate a photo of how the clip gets attached to the back of the TX but they haven't. Remove the shiny metal strip from the back of the TX by taking out the two screws. Place the "button" over it so that the closed end is at the top of the TX. Here's the secret, take a pair of pliers and tightly squeeze the top of the clip on the button. Otherwise it will flex as you carry it and eventually break off. Don't ask how I know this. Let's just say that I'm thankful that my dog is trained to find "evidence." 

Then put it back on and tighten the two screws that hold the metal clip on the back of the TX. 

To whoever was afraid that it might turn off inadvertently; To turn both the collar and the TX off or on you must press and hold the button down for a second. Just pressing and quickly releasing it won't do it. 



Kristen Cabe said:


> The first thing that popped into my head when I saw it was, "Wow. It's all so BIG!"


Kristen please stop setting me up with straight lines. The temptation is almost more than I can bear!

With any TX of any kind it's always best to keep your hands off the antenna. You can interfere with the signal, particularly at long ranges. But it can also happen at shorter ranges if you really glom onto it. 

The SCG will fit any collar if the points are 1 1/4" apart. They'll work on the 1700 series. 

If you're used to using another Ecollar than the 1700, make sure that you turn on the TX when you turn on the collar. Or at least before you start to work. Don't ask how I know this either. LOL. 

Kristen, as to your comment about stimming your dog when he's looking at the cats; have you tried my Crittering protocol? It usually lets you work at lower levels to interrupt the chasing behavior. The dog learns how to shut off the stim by turning his head away from the prey animal. If you wait for the staring to start, some dogs, yours apparently among them, will ignore the stim, even at very high levels. 

Anne after you get back from the beach make sure that you wash out the charging receptacles on the collars. The salt spray will corrode the contacts. Open up the little rubber covers and wash out underneath them. They're not part of the waterproofing.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Lou Castle said:


> Kristen Cabe said:
> 
> 
> > The first thing that popped into my head when I saw it was, "Wow. It's all so BIG!"
> ...


I just KNEW someone was going to have something to say about that line! I left it anyway. :lol: :lol: The 1702 IS a sight bigger than my 202, though.




My question about the belt clip was "does it interfere with signal like touching the antenna with your finger does?"


I haven't done your crittering technique, Lou, mostly because I don't have anyone that will help (and it's cold outside, and gets dark pretty fast after I get home). I've just been putting the cats in the basement if Jak's in the house, or if Jessie's out of her crate. When it gets warmer, I might be able to get someone to help, and I'll do it with both dogs.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Kristen Cabe said:


> My question about the belt clip was "does it interfere with signal like touching the antenna with your finger does?"


No, it doesn't.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

ok, now i have a question: you have a collar-wise dog. how do you deal with that situation in a trial setting? i was at a retreiver trial last fall and asked a trainer about it (they don't allow any collar at all on the upper level dogs, and only a flat collar on the jr's), just got a smart-a$$ remark, no answer.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

ann freier said:


> you have a collar-wise dog. how do you deal with that situation in a trial setting?


The best answer is to not let this happen in the first place. It's a training fault, not something that's inherent to Ecollars. It can happen with any training collar or even something as benign as a bandanna. Try this, put a bandana on your dog and go training. As soon as training is over take it off. Do this for three days, putting it on just before you start training and taking it off as soon as training is over. You will have created a "bandanna wise" dog. Do this with an Ecollar and you'll create a "collar wise" dog. 

Some people use a dummy collar or put the Ecollar on the dog long before they even give a stim. I know of some people who do this for three months before they start training. I think that's overkill but it works for them. My suggestion is to put the Ecollar on the dog when you get up in the morning (or, if you're going to be out of his presence, as soon as you come home from work) and to leave it on, even if you don't go training. Take if off when you go to bed. Do this continually for a while and the dog will come to disregard it. 



ann freier said:


> i was at a retreiver trial last fall and asked a trainer about it (they don't allow any collar at all on the upper level dogs


Most forms of competition and all certifications that I know of, don't allow the dog to wear the Ecollar. Many don't allow any form of training collar.


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

ann freier said:


> ok, now i have a question: you have a collar-wise dog. how do you deal with that situation in a trial setting? i was at a retreiver trial last fall and asked a trainer about it (they don't allow any collar at all on the upper level dogs, and only a flat collar on the jr's), just got a smart-a$$ remark, no answer.


Train them motivationally. I've never figured out why retriever trainers need to use collar when their dogs are natural retrievers. 
The only answer I get is "You need to train them so they NEVER refuse". 
I can't even imagine my GSD not retrieving anything I throw, for any reason. 
Sorry to butt in here but force training a retriever has always been one of those mysteries of life for me. :-k


----------



## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

*1700 collar*

Thanks, Lou, I didn't know that I should or could wash out that charging contact area without ruining it. I didn't think that it could get wet at all. I will remember to do that from now on, since the beach is a favorite place for my dogs to go. If I let them, they be in the water year round even in the New England winter months. We go to the beach in the colder weather but it is a battle to keep them from running into the water. Thanks, again. Always happy to have your input on the e-collars.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

:idea: i think i got it! :idea: one conditions the dog to wear the collar at all times, sometimes he gets corrected while wearing it; BUT wearing it results in a response that's so well-conditioned that the response will occur even when he's not wearing it. 

is that basically it? correct me (low stim please) as required.

BTW, i noticed my "Stud Muffin" starting the "bandana-collar" response to his prong collar, so now he wears it whenever he's not crated. doesn't get near as worked up about wearing it now.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

ann freier said:


> is that basically it? correct me (low stim please) as required.



You got it!


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Here's a quasi e-collar question. The instructions on my Tri Tronics bark limiter collar say don't have it on the dog longer than 10 hours out of 24, but wouldn't the dog get collar-wise if you only put it on say when it was going in the kennel or the crate?


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> The instructions on my Tri Tronics bark limiter collar say don't have it on the dog longer than 10 hours out of 24, but wouldn't the dog get collar-wise if you only put it on say when it was going in the kennel or the crate?


Yes and that's the desirable use of the tool. You WANT the dog who's wearing a bark collar (actually it's a "no-bark" collar) to learn that when it's on he shouldn't bark but that's when it's off he's free to bark as much as he wants. 

If the dog stopped barking completely those who want the dog to bark at times, as a warning to potential intruders, during some sports, or for a PSD, when he locates someone he can't get to (for a find and bite dog) or when he makes the find (for a find and bark dog) would have a problem.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

My personal dogs (my Mal and my Aussie mix especially) bark just enough in the house for my taste. Two or three alarm barks, they are told to lie down, and they wait for me to check on the noise. The bark collar (or no bark collar, as you say) is for any fosters who bark and howl their fool heads off in the crate.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Lou, it took me a few minutes to figure out what the heck you were talking about, but when I looked in the manual, I saw what you meant. My clip is different. They must have figured out the problem you mentioned, and redesigned it somewhat. On mine, you take the metal thing off the back of the TX as you said, but then you replace it with another metal thing that the button is already attached to. The button doesn't clip onto the original metal thing like you were alluding to. It's a whole separate piece. You just take one off and replace it with the other.

Click picture for full size:


See, the original metal piece from the back of the TX is on the table above the clip itself. The replacement piece, with the button attached, is installed on the TX. The instructions in the manual, as you can see, are from your older version.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Kristen Cabe said:


> My clip is different. They must have figured out the problem you mentioned, and redesigned it somewhat.


Good news! I've never liked the way that the clip attached. Glad they've changed that.


----------



## Drew Peirce (Nov 16, 2006)

Been pretty happy with mine so far, although I think if my stud dog was really in the mood he could go right through it even on 127, I used nick a couple times on level 100 and he acted like it wasnt even on.
But he's a veteran, so the thing is largely symbolic.


----------



## steve gossmeyer (Jan 9, 2007)

i have the 1600 same thing as the 1700 but without the lcd screen. i love it


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Drew Peirce said:


> Been pretty happy with mine so far, although I think if my stud dog was really in the mood he could go right through it even on 127, I used nick a couple times on level 100 and he acted like it wasnt even on.


If the dog is taught what the stim means that he won't ignore a 127 (or any other level that he feels for that matter). There's more to the tool than just using it in place of a leash, as just a tool of punishment. 

If you're using low level stim then you never have to worry about "frying" the other dog. 

There's no way to predict beforehand what level of stim a dog will feel. It's not based on his "sensitivity" either to corrections with other kinds of tools or to the handler. It's not based on his "toughness," his "temperament" or anything else, besides skin conductivity. 

I've worked foo foo pets on a 40 and police dogs on an 8.


----------



## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

Lou Castle said:


> If the dog is taught what the stim means that he won't ignore a 127 (or any other level that he feels for that matter). There's more to the tool than just using it in place of a leash, as just a tool of punishment.
> 
> If you're using low level stim then you never have to worry about "frying" the other dog.
> 
> ...


so, so true. i was lucky with my first two dogs. they were VERY sensitive to stim. my current dog...not so much. but i too have seen make the assumption that a dog that can take high stim is somehow a "harder" dog. sometimes that is true, but not always...


----------



## Lisa Geller (Mar 29, 2007)

Lou,

My puppy chewed up my cables that allow me to put several collars on the charger -- can you sell me those parts

also my antenna came off - but it just looks like a piece of plastic covering it. can I just glue that back on?

thanks
lg


----------



## Lisa Geller (Mar 29, 2007)

sorry it's a dogtra 1202


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Lisa Geller said:


> My puppy chewed up my cables that allow me to put several collars on the charger -- can you sell me those parts. also my antenna came off - but it just looks like a piece of plastic covering it. can I just glue that back on?


I think he's trying to tell you something Lisa. Lol. 

I don't have those cables in stock but if you call Dogtra at 888.811.9111 and tell them which ones you need, they'll ship them out today. 

Yes, you can just glue that back on. Use a couple of dots of miracle glue (super glue will do) at the base and slip it on quickly. Let it sit for an hour or so before using it. overnight is better.


----------



## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

Using low level stim is more than just using low level stims in place of a leash to give corrections. It involves teaching the movements with the Ecollar as if the dog didn't know them at all so he learns that when the stim starts, he's wrong (not complying with the command) and when it stops he's right. 

Since most dogs already knows the movement because he's been taught them with another method, doing this with the Ecollar may take all of two days for all the behaviors. 

Once you're there it can be used for lots of other things, besides just enforcing OB.


----------

