Lauren Chutti Webboard User Reg: 12-13-2004
Posts: 26
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If I understood the description on Eds video correctly, you would start really far away and gradually decrease the distance between you and the other dog, but since you are gradually decreasing distance, you would remain at the same stim level and only move closer once the dog is "avoiding" at each specific distance, correct? So just curious how you determine what level to use. Im confused because on the video he says, use the highest level, but elsewhere he says to use the highest level the dog can feel. One implies that the correction should be extremely high so as to cause pain, whereas the other implies that the level should be as high as to cause discomfort. So how do you determine what level to use?
Another question i have...You say to say "no" before the stim, as it does on the article on aggression on the website. However in the video it says to NOT use a command. That the dog should associate looking with the stim, not with you or your correction; that it should realise that looking at another dog is always bad, and that it doesnt come from the handler, but the other dog, or rather looking at another dog. I would think in this situation you WANT it to come from the other dog, or the association of looking at another dog, rather than you being part of the picture. Could you clarify please? thank you!
MichelleReeve Webboard User Reg: 07-13-2006
Posts: 39
Loc: Ithaca, NY
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The answer to your first question is that the level of stim should cause pain. On Innotek collars that I have used in the past, there is a stim booster that goes up 2 levels. I have used that to great success. In otherwords, we are training at one set level, but if I have to correct the dog in drive, I used the booster. This may or may not take the collar to the max stim. Recently I have switched to a dogtra collar for my own dogs, and there is a dial that lets you change the stim as fast as the stim booster control on the innoteks. As long as the dog feels the stim and lets out a nice yelp or jump, you are doing it right (in avoidance training, not obedience training, you want a completely different response there!!!).
The answer to your second question is also simple. The only times I haev ever stimmed any dog of mine (or recommended to any client of mine to do to their dog) when I was not in sight and the stim was not connected to a NO was when the dog saw a snake or skunk. In this case, I want the dog to feel that simply encountering the creature is painful, because the dog may encounter these critters when I am not around. OTOH, my dogs (and for the most part the dogs i train) will NEVER encounter a strange dog when I am not on the other end of the leash. Therefore, I want the dog to know that it is my job as the alpha (the dominant leader) to approach strange dogs and greet them and ward them off if need be, not my dogs job. My dog's job is to look at me for a command when we encounter another dog. This goes to the heart of the e collar training in my opinion. I used to do this training with a prong collar before I moved to e collars. It could be done, but no where near as efficiently as with the e collar. The e collar cuts through the dogs drive like a hot knife through butter. You are able to deliver an strong motivational correction, perfectly timed, and regain your dominance in a situation where previously the dog's strength and will would win (going nuts at the sight of another dog).
The exercise will enable you to walk calmly with your dog on a leash with other dogs nearby. The same exercise can be used with dogs who go nuts when they see a bike moving, or a motorcycle, or a stroller (other common triggers of aggression on the leash). This exercise will NOT ensure that your dog-aggressive dog can be left off leash with other dogs and suddenly get along with them. I have only accomplished this with dog-aggressive dogs that are completely off leash trained and have 100% understanding of the meaning of the word NO and OFF (which I use during avoidance training). For these dogs, I can put them in a down stay while other dogs walk around them sniffing and such. But I do not believe nor recommend that this is necessary (while the level of control is great), because dogs are pack animals and should not be interacting freely with other dogs that are not part of your pack.
Basically what you put in is what you get out!
Good luck!
Michelle
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