Hi,
I just got interested in an E-collar for my 3 year old adopted dog, because I saw a trainer demo one in a dog park a couple of weeks ago and her dog was awesome. She told me that dogs learn much faster using the E-Collar than conventional leash collar, in her opinion. A friend of mine has since enrolled in her training course on the E-collar and in one 2 hour session, her dog is heeling perfectly, whereas before it pulled and yanked her all over the place.

I ordered the E-collar DVD from this site a couple of days ago and am thinking of trying to use the E-Collar without taking this course from this trainer, because it cost $600 for 3 sessions plus the collar. My dog already knows how to sit, stay, come , down, and doesn't pull on the leash . I want to get the e collar to make the come command with distractions more dependable. Right now when she gets a distance from me in the dog park, I get put on "ignore" many times. Do you think I can do this on my own by reading the material on the collar and carefully following the video tape, or should I just spend the $600 and be done with it? By the way my background is in teaching electronics and carefully reading and following manuals.

Take the collar off of the friends dog and see what it does without it.
I do not agree with using a collar for obedience issues. I use mine for calling my dog back if it runs off and will not listen, but all of my obedience is done with a flat collar, dominant dog collar, a choke chain or a prong and we work on off lead obedience as well.
In my opinion, e-collars are a crutch for people who do not want to put the time and effort into training the dog with positive and motivational training.
I think the trainer you are talking to is a scam.....ask her to work her dog without the collar.
You can MAKE a dog do anything, the question is, "Is the dog having FUN and WANTING to do things for you?"

I think you made a good investment in buying the e-collar DVD, it gives you a good understanding in how to use the e-collar in your training. I'm sure you'll find that there is no need for you to spend all that money.

I have that DVD and after watching it over and over I purchased my e-collar in January. It is a great training tool and well worth the money.

Good Luck,

Bob,
Forgive my hasty reply. That is the "gist" of how I feel but let me elaborate a little.....
I think getting an e-collar is great and I also agree with the way you want to utilize it. When my dogs take off and will not recall is when I use the collar. I say nothing when I zap them, but it will slow them down and will break thier concentration. Once I see that concentration on whatever they were doing is broken I then give the recall command and I do not discipline the dog when it comes back, I make it dang fun to come to me.

The DVD is awesome and helps immensely and I do not think you will need to spend any money on an expensive trainer.

Dogs do learn fast with an e-collar. But they also learn when they have the collar on or not.

So I apologize for the "short" first post.

Hi Bob, You can ABSOLUTELY do your own e-collar training! Watch Ed's DVD and you shouldn't have any trouble at all. Used properly they are an excellent training tool. Like Carol, I keep things motivational and use the e-collar when I need absolute control or I am being ignored on recall. Tightens em up in a hurry.

Do a forum search and you will find many informative threads regarding the e-collar.

Debbie

Bob,

Watch the DVD, and if you still want to try the e-collar, then consider purchasing one. I look at it this way, the DVD is not very expensive. The e-collar is moderately expensive, and the trainer you mention is very expensive. So go with the DVD and your own training first. If you have problems and end up hiring the trainer, well, you're really only out the cost of the DVD.

I have been using an e-collar for several months now, with success in some areas, less in others. I think Carol raises some very good points in her first post. You definitely want your dog to mind without the collar, as well as with it, and don't want to get into the situation where the dog will blow you off if he isn't wearing the collar.

Rich

I think everyone brings up good points in the use of an E-collar. I train Police Service Dogs and will not train without one. I dont consider them a crutch, but an enhancing tool.

I went to a large K9 training seminar in the late 90's and had an e-collar. I caught a bunch of grief from one of the instructors there. He told me that the collar ruins good dogs. It is "Edison Medicine" etc.

At the time he told me this we were doing vehicle extracations. The goal of the training was to send your dog from a position of cover into a car to apprhend a suspect. It started by sending the dog to apprehend the driver, who was in a bite suit, from the drivers seat. After the initial apprehension you called your dog back from the bite to your position of cover. The decoy moved to the passenger side. This continued 3 more times until the decoy was finally in the back seat.

My dog was the only dog that could be called back through the entire exercise. The other dogs had to be choked off the bite, thus causing the handler to have to leave his position of cover.

If proper conditioning with the collar is done it is an outstandig tool for a dog to use. Ed's video is an excellent source for teaching this.

We have used them to teach tactical obedience, multiple decoy work as well as other exercises.

I would advise to buy a top quality collar from the 3 top manufactuers. Stay away from the collars sold at the pet warehouses.

Steven,
I agree with the use of collars for that type of training. The training I am talking about is obedience, parlor tricks and people not wanting to put the effort into training a "pet".

 Quote: carol boche

Take the collar off of the friends dog and see what it does without it.
I do not agree with using a collar for obedience issues. I use mine for calling my dog back if it runs off and will not listen, but all of my obedience is done with a flat collar, dominant dog collar, a choke chain or a prong and we work on off lead obedience as well.
In my opinion, e-collars are a crutch for people who do not want to put the time and effort into training the dog with positive and motivational training.
I think the trainer you are talking to is a scam.....ask her to work her dog without the collar.
You can MAKE a dog do anything, the question is, "Is the dog having FUN and WANTING to do things for you?"

Actually, she works her dog all the time with and without the collar. The student that she is training has noticed a dramatic difference in her dog, with the collar off as well as on.

That's great!!
As long as the dog is not "collar wise" she should be on the right track.