Hello!

I am new to the board and I have a question regarding using an e-collar on a GSD puppy. I have recently purchased a Dogtra 1200 NCP collar (which I havent put on my dog even for getting him used to wearing one). I was wondering at what age can e collar be used. Drake is almost 6 months old (he will turn 6 month on the 24th). I did some research on the web and I keep getting various answers - some sites say that you shouldnt use it till the puppy is at least 8 months old, some claim that your dog should be at least a year and some state that its ok for use on puppies over the age of 6 month. I tried searching Leerburg site as well as Lou Castle's site but I havent been able to find an age reference. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Julia

In my opinion, it's less about age and more about maturity level and where you are in your foundation of POSITIVE TRAINING!

I firmly believe that your foundation of training shouldn't be laid using the e-collar.

I firmly believe that the e-collar is one of the better ways to use compulsion when it is appropriate in your training program, but not as the primary tool to teach your dog exercises or commands. (the recall is really the only command that I will use the collar for early in a training program)


So if your dog knows a good set of commands, can perform them on command, can hold positions for some time, and can work through minor distractions. . .then I would say you can move to using the e-collar.

For some dogs and handlers that's going to be 6 months, for others that's going to be 4 months, for many trainers that isn't going to be till 18 months. . .or more.

Maturity level of the dog is going to play into it as well. That's going to vary from dog to dog.


There isn't a set age limit is what I'm getting at.

What work have you done with the dog up to now?

So far we have done some basic obedience. Drake does fairly well with recall - pretty much 95%-100% without distractions. He does well with sit/stay and down/stay - I can get him to stay in the presense of mild distractions such as his favorite ball on the ground a few feet away from him or me juggling his ball in front of him. He will stop from trying to pick up food and horse manure on command if I am relatively close to him but if he knows he is out of reach he will disregard "leave it" command half the time.

Overall he is a great dog - excellent disposition, very mellow and attentive. He also seems to respond very well to a slight degree of negative stimuli - he started heeling after one session with a prong collar and a handful of treats. The whole "never punish your dog" mentality doesnt work for him at all - but he very quickly learns what removes the negative cosequence. I have to say he has been a pleasure to work with so far!

I would like to get more consistent recall from him with distractions - we spend a lot of time in a state park off leash and there are a lot of other dogs, bikes, horse, deer and such so I need him to recall at all times and not only when he is not distracted. I also would like for him to learn that there are consequences for him not "leaving" things on the ground when I tell him to do so. So I figured e collar will provide me with ability to teach him that. We are also starting schutzhund in a near future so I am sure at some point I might need e collar for that when he gets older.

I hope that answered your question regarding what kind of work we have done up to this point.

Julia

I really don't have a minimum age to start using the Ecollar. I think that most puppy work should be fun and use mostly positive reinforcement. At the age where the dog discovers that you're not the center of the universe, usually about six months, is where I'd introduce the Ecollar. I've gone as young as ten weeks but would prefer that the dog be older.