I cant sleep. I have been thinking about getting an ecollar and using the page/vibration 2 = down.
MY old dog isnt as sharp with hearing. And we are always looking for things to keep us from losing our minds.
Should i get the mini educator or the regular educator?

You're talking about your Weim who is 13 or 14 years old, right? Have you ever used an ecollar on her before, for any reason? Is she used to one and comfortable with one?

If not, I don't know that I would want to start using one on a dog her age. I wouldn't want to risk causing her any confusion or distress. Consider the fact that what appears to be hearing loss could instead be some cognitive impairment due to her age (or a combination of the two). Her reluctance to obey the down command could also be related to the arthritis and general stiffness that is common in old age (in any species).

Does she know a hand signal for down? If so, is she obeying that, or does she show the same reluctance? If she is still reluctant, I would be thinking pain and/or cognition. If she obeys quickly, then maybe more of a hearing problem. But either way, I would be looking for ways to accommodate this sweet old girl's issues in a non-stressful way.

I'd really consider what Cheri said. My dog will refuse "down" and "sit" commands when she has pain or discomfort. She will even balk if I command her somewhere that can cause discomfort, such as hot pavement or on grating.

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

You're talking about your Weim who is 13 or 14 years old, right? Have you ever used an ecollar on her before, for any reason? Is she used to one and comfortable with one?

If not, I don't know that I would want to start using one on a dog her age. I wouldn't want to risk causing her any confusion or distress. Consider the fact that what appears to be hearing loss could instead be some cognitive impairment due to her age (or a combination of the two). Her reluctance to obey the down command could also be related to the arthritis and general stiffness that is common in old age (in any species).

Does she know a hand signal for down? If so, is she obeying that, or does she show the same reluctance? If she is still reluctant, I would be thinking pain and/or cognition. If she obeys quickly, then maybe more of a hearing problem. But either way, I would be looking for ways to accommodate this sweet old girl's issues in a non-stressful way.

AGREED 100% !!! I would also get this deserving Old Girl a "memory foam" Dog Bed along with a HEATED MAT In her OLD AGE she has earned a life that is no longer ALL about Command Compliance, but is now a LOT more about Comfort Care (SIGH)...

Wait........ Wait... Wait.
Where did everybody get to thier conclusions?
Who said dog is reluctant to anything?

The vibrational... my friend uses it on my neck, while we work out training kinks(her untimely corrections/handler problems)
It sorta tickles weirdly.
Pain? Maybe its painful with the educator? I have watched leerburg video, they DO say its a bit stronger than most vibration on other ecollars.

Command and compliance? What? Its never been this way. Why would you even say that? Do i seem that way?

Memory foam and bed? Sleep all day?
Do any of you have an old dog performance/working? Do they really just sleep all day now that they are older? Curious. Maybe i REALLY got a super strange dog.

My dog thinks shes 3 years old. In fact, if my dogs not feeling ill, i couldnt MAKE her lay down to rest for too long. She would go bat crazy if we didnt still work together.
I keep OUR sanity by keeping her working MENTALLY, by training new tricks or sports that require less movement and more thought.. Though i have to say, she still in better condition than loads of the younger dogs i walk.

I dont think i have a dog like you guys do. My dog would run on hot burning bed of nails to do her "work" when shes feeling right. Hot pavement, she would ignore the burns. (bad ownership when i was little, it happened)

If i made her stay down, or crated her til she died, she would chew everything in sight and be miserable.
The days shes feeling top notch, she MUST be worked with in anyh way, or i will have no home to come home to.

Maybe the educator vibrational is a bit too strong? I have never held on in hand. Dogtra i have my experiences with. Like a cell phone but a bit stronger.

"Wait........ Wait... Wait.
Where did everybody get to thier conclusions?
Who said dog is reluctant to anything?"

I got it from your OP:

"I have been thinking about getting an ecollar and using the page/vibration 2 = down.
MY old dog isnt as sharp with hearing."

It sounded to me like you are describing a dog who is not complying with your "down" command because of what you believe is hearing loss.

If that's not what you meant, perhaps you can work a little harder at making yourself clear. In plain English, what is the issue you are having? What problem do you think an ecollar is going to solve?

I know your senior Weim is energetic. You've mentioned that before. But a dog can have energy and still be hard of hearing or have cognitive issues or musculoskeletal pain.

Why is everything an argument?

You ask for people's opinions. They give them. You read them. If they make sense to you, use it. If they don't, don't.

I'd suggest you try hand signals with your hard-of-hearing dog.

Like others here, I'd be hesitant to start entirely new training routines with a senior, or introducing the novelty of an ecollar. I don't see the point of it.

 Quote: Brianah Maloney

MY old dog isnt as sharp with hearing. And we are always looking for things to keep us from losing our minds.
Should i get the mini educator or the regular educator?

What Cheri AND Tracy said, Brianah (SHEESH) !!!

first off, ill say, just in case. None of this is argumentative. I simply want everybody on same page. And NOT thinking elderly dog abuse.

"I have been thinking about getting an ecollar and using the page/vibration 2 = down.
MY old dog isnt as sharp with hearing. And we are always looking for things to keep us from losing our minds."

Still dont see how peeps came to the conclusion they did.
Training, vibration to mean down. Hearing? Old dog, hearing loss? Looking for things to do. Keeping an old dog mentally stimulated? Old high energy dogs do enjoy learning new tricks.

How did my second post seem like argument?
More like .. "what?! :O how did people get to that conclusion? oh no. I better address this seriously, before they think im into shocking an old dog into "compliance". Last thing i need."


"I'd be hesitant to start entirely new training routines with a senior, or introducing the novelty of an ecollar. I don't see the point of it."

I am not hesitant. In fact i know my old performance dog will enjoy picking up the "vibration down". As she did when we started our hand signals.
What i do NOT change with an old dog, is schedule, personal space, expected "rules", living situations and such.
Teaching whistles, hand signals, trick training, pet performance work is fine with old high drive dogs that REQUIRE an outlit, but you dont want injuring himself doing intense physical training workouts for sports.
The point of it is to keep the dog from spinning in crate, chewing walls, and screaming bloody murder, because she isnt getting the mental stimulation she craves.


I understand some may be concerned? If it makes anybody feel better. As i stated before.. shes in enough of a condition to outplay loads of young dogs i walk. She quickly complies to commands. And is eager to get up and out to "work" roughly 5 days a week.
Dog is vet proven to be losing that sharp pin drop hearing she used to have. Though dog downs when told down, at times i can tell shes struggling with hearing. I use hand signals when dog can see me. Mainly because its fun to use what we have learned.
When we are living life, 90 percent of the time when shes not looking at me, i have to pick up my voice from a talk, to a loud talk. Even if its "hows my pretty girl? want a cookie?" or a command.
Seems a giving a command from vibration or sound on ecollar would be nice. Something to take a few days to learn. Keep us all occupied and happy.
My dog requires mental stimulation, and this is nothing close to new to our trainings, so why not.

Okay. I need to know.
IS the vibrational setting on the MINI EDUCATOR, or the EDUCATOR, very intense? Or simply a more prominent vibration?
Should i go with what i have experience with? A dogtra?

Again, nothing is ARGUMENTATIVE. Just me BAFFLED. :O ?
How a post with
"Who said dog is reluctant to anything?....I keep OUR sanity by keeping her working MENTALLY, by training new tricks or sports that require less movement and more thought.. Though i have to say, she still in better condition than loads of the younger dogs i walk."

Can lead to an answer of "What problem do you think an ecollar is going to solve?......But a dog can have energy and still be hard of hearing or have cognitive issues or musculoskeletal pain. "

Sometimes it seems like people simply jump to utmost worst conclusion on every post. (not just mine, i have read forum)
I mean, when i find a poster post to be unclear, i simply ask them to explain the part i do not grasp, in a little more detail.
I do not jump to most hardcore conclusion.
If i feel somebody is being argumentative, i simply reread post, and think of how the poster is actually saying post.
Just because a poster is blunt, or loud, does not mean they are trying to start arguments.