Well I have decided I would like to start training my 15 month old Chocolate Lab, Riley, with an e-collar. I started him in obedience training when he was 4 months old. He knows his commands and does quite well, though there is always room for improvement.

I currently use a prong collar on lead when we are out on walks or going some where. When he is on this, he does really well, however I think he has become collar-wise. He knows the prong collar means business, but when he is on a regular collar he does not always obey commands. Sometimes he listens and other times it's almost like he has selective hearing. If there is a distraction or something has his attention, he doesn't listen. I want him to be as good off lead as he is on. He also has a few small behavior issues that I want to work on.

I want to order an e-collar and Ed's DVD, but I don't know which Dogtra model would be best. I was looking at either the 280NCP or the 1900NCP. They are exactly the same except the 280 is Low to Medium power and the 1900 is Low to High power. How do I know which one is right for my dog? Or would the DVD help me determine which one would be right? Any assistance you can provide would be great.

Thanks!

If you think you may need low to high power at all then I'd suggest that. Although they say low to medium or low to high they all have the rheostat which lets you select the level of stim you want to use. The only difference is that a low to high power will go higher than a low to medium.

I just recently got the Dogtra 1900 and I love it. It's low to high power but I only use setting 25 and that's plenty enough for my choc lab Molly but I know that the higher power is there if I should need it or even if I get another dog that may need it.

I think quality is much more important than power (range is another matter). I started with a low quality remote collar and it malfunctioned in less than a month. It also had a very hard to set stim level, inconsistent stim levels and not much range at all. I consider that a wasted $80 (live and learn). I'm much happier with the 1900.

See the picture below for the cheapie e-collar.

Great decision to buy the e-collar DVD along with the collar! I've got the DVD, and I'm not sure what i would have done without it.

To answer one of your questions, no, the DVD will not help you choose between the 280NCP and the 1900NCP. It won't even help you pick a brand of e-collar.

If I were you, I'd be thinking about what level of correction with the prong collar that you are already using is effective for your dog. If you need to use some force, the 1900 NCP is probably a better choice. If you are only needing light leash pops with the prong, the 280NCP may be just fine. A lab is a big dog, so the greater receiver weight of the 1900NCP isn't a factor.

I personally like the 280NCP, and use it every day. It's small and for my Malinois (which are quite high drive) it's all that I need. My dogs working levels are in the 18 to 20 range, and the collar goes up to well over 100. With good understanding of the collar and how it is used, my dogs rarely need a stim over 30 and that's with a high level distraction like a deer jumping up or a squirrel darting out in front of them..

I find that horse people and dog people have similar misconceptions about training...Horse people want a bigger bit and dog people think they need a more powerful ecollar, especially people with big dogs.

Remember that ecollar training isn't about pain and how tough your dog is, it's about communication that is clear and fair to the dog.

you can certainly use whatever collar you wish, but the 1900 is overkill for my dogs.

 Quote: Matt Wyrick

If you think you may need low to high power at all then I'd suggest that. Although they say low to medium or low to high they all have the rheostat which lets you select the level of stim you want to use. The only difference is that a low to high power will go higher than a low to medium.

I just recently got the Dogtra 1900 and I love it. It's low to high power but I only use setting 25 and that's plenty enough for my choc lab Molly but I know that the higher power is there if I should need it or even if I get another dog that may need it.

I think quality is much more important than power (range is another matter). I started with a low quality remote collar and it malfunctioned in less than a month. It also had a very hard to set stim level, inconsistent stim levels and not much range at all. I consider that a wasted $80 (live and learn). I'm much happier with the 1900.

Matt - Having the rheostat is part of the reason why I like Dogtra models. Quality is very important to me as well. I don't think that in normal situations I am going to need a lot of stim, but I like the fact that it is there when/if I need it. BTW thanks for suggesting the Leerburg DVD to me over on ChocolateLabs.com.

 Quote: Ingrid Halonen

If I were you, I'd be thinking about what level of correction with the prong collar that you are already using is effective for your dog. If you need to use some force, the 1900 NCP is probably a better choice. If you are only needing light leash pops with the prong, the 280NCP may be just fine. A lab is a big dog, so the greater receiver weight of the 1900NCP isn't a factor.

On a typical day with a prong collar I only need quick light leash pops as reminders or to bring him back to reality. However if something gets his attention then more force and sometimes multiple pops are needed. At times he can be pretty thick headed.

If I get the 1900 and don't end up needing the available stim levels it would just mean that I would use a lower level on the 1900 than I would on the 280 correct?

Any other thoughts on which of the two would be better? Thanks!

Hi Dan,
Perhaps Roni Hoff will reply to you - she has been out here in Las Vegas doing an e-collar seminar. You can read my other posts about her seminar if you are interested.

We ended up getting the 280NCP (the two-dog model). The intensity ranges from 0 to 127 but we have only been working Nickie and Roxie between 12 (for him) and around 21 (for her). We are extremely pleased with the results - wish we had been able to take this seminar and get the e-collars a long time ago!

Thanks Diane. I was hoping Roni might chime in. I just joined, but have been trying to read through old posts, and she seems very knowledgeable. I read your post about the seminar you were attending. It sounded great, something I would love to attend; however I am on the East Coast. I think the 280NCP is all I would need, but I'm not quite sure. I don't want to buy less than what I need, but I also don't want to buy one that is way more than what I need.

Dan;
So sorry that I have been slow on responding to your question.
We've just finished with a great seminar and private training today. I am heading home in the morning.
I determine the collar according to the dog's tempermant. So, if you can give me some addtional information, I can help you decide.
Thanks,
Roni