Now that I see what an effective training device these collars are I am starting to consider the other behaviors I might use it for - (in addition to my original focus - the recall.

Have any of you used an e collar to assist in training your dogs to stay in your yard? One way would be to use the recall - but I'm thinking more along the lines of training Willie not to stray from our yard even at times when we might all be outside working in the garden if I have a momentary lapse of concentration because I am working on something in the yard. My thought is that I could use the collar without the NO command or marker and just spend some time allowing him to wander around the yard while I'm sitting on the porch and stimulate him whenever he gets to the imaginary boundary I have in mind - maybe even put up flags like the e fence people do when training. One concern that occurs to me is whether it would be possible to do this and still have him be comfortable crossing the imaginary border when he is with me.

Does any one have an experience using the e collar for this purpose. Ideas?

My friends did it with the use of flags. Worked very well.

Rob,
I'm sure it can be done but I think your concern about crossing the imaginary border while with you is a valid one. I've known of a few Invisible Fence-trained dogs who had to be put in the car and driven over the boundary, simply to take a walk down the street with their owner.

Personally, I wouldn't use the e collar this way. Be interested to hear if other people have used it like this.

Robert;
Yes, you could use the e collar in this way, but you can accomplish the same thing with a come command. I do not leave my dogs outside, unattended, unless they are in a fenced in area.
If people use an underground boundry system, I still WOULD NOT leave my dog outside without me. Way too many chances for things to happen.
Bad habit to get into, not paying attention to your dog. If you want to have him out with you, super idea, but work on him maintaining a down position, using a rug or mat. If he isn't trained for staying with you, then just use a long line or tie him out. Don't take chances.
Happy Training.

That's exactly what I did/am doing at the moment. We live on a rural road where kids drive up and down at speeds close to 100 mph. I've lost two dogs over the years to the road so I'm making sure Molly my new choc lab doesn't become #3.

I set up an imaginary line at the front of the house that she's not to go past. I did like you said, turn her loose and whenever she gets to that line I'd use a medium stimulation. She's a pretty soft dog so with medium stimulation she thinks she stepped on a rattlesnake or something.

It worked wonders. She even stopped when a guy rode a mule past. I'm training her so that on leash she can pass the line and she figured that out pretty quick too. It just takes some work. On leash she will stop and look to me until I tell her it's OK then she'll follow. Then I take her off leash and see if she will try to pass the line. If she does I give her another shot. Dogs are smart. If you repeat and reinforce they will get the idea that on leash=OK and off leash=No.

As mentioned above however I wouldn't trust it with an unsupervised dog unless the dog was 100% certain (mature dog with a lot of training) and then only for a short while and only in unusual circumstances. I mainly use it for safety as a backup to supervision.