Thanks for the info guys. I think that's where my problem may be. I put the collar on her about 30 mins before we go train. It's on a bit loose, so when I go back and re-tighten before I start stimming, "I" think, she might notice, which she might not. I tried it on her again, the following day and at 20 she was not really reacting to it much, I had her chasing a ball, but I could tell she wasn't feeling the stim much. I'll make sure and mark the collar. Btw it's a dogtra 1200nc. I can't seem to get my numbers right on this thread!

Also, when you guys kept working with the collar, how do you teach the dog, the stim is coming from you? My dog gets really confused and acts like she is scared to even walk around because she doesn't know where it's coming from. Ed say's to always say no, before stimming. Is that what worked for you? My dog seems lost still. Maybe it's just a matter of time?

I was also in the same boat as you. At first, I was confused about how to teach my dog that the stim was coming from me. What I did was set my dog up. I know that he likes to pick up random items off from the floor, so I brought him inside the house.

Sometimes he'd release it with a "No", other times he won't, depends how interested he is in the item. When I'd catch him, I'd nick him when he'd ignore my command. I'd work with him for about 2-3 minutes at a time, a few times throughout the day. I can't recall how long exactly it took my dog to realize that it was me giving the stim. It didn't take long though, I'll tell you that.

That was how I did, maybe others here did things a little differently.

Alex,

I use a Dogtra 1700. I have found that I can't get a consistent, repeatable reaction unless I make sure the collar is snug. If it isn't making good contact, or bounces around a lot and the contact changes, you will find yourself increasing the stim, then suddenly your dog yips and jumps in the air.

I have to increase the stim when my dog is distracted. This brown lab charges her fence every time we walk past, and I have to go up to 70, if I don't catch him soon enough, to get my dog to notice the stim. I can use a lower setting if we see the dog from a distance, but if it comes charging out from behind the house and takes my dog by surprise, the stim has to go way up. Otherwise we set it at about 30 to 35.

The 1700 has a pager feature. I've discovered I can use this like a tap on the shoulder to get my dog's attention.

Rich

I was told that if you can twist the collar easily around the dogs neck, it is too loose. You should be able to get one finger under it when it is adjusted properly.

Alex,
I started using the e-collar after I broke both my wrists and could no longer give a proper pop on the leash. Because we had been training with leash corrections before, I started adding the stim to the (very weak) leash correction. After about a week and a half of this my dog seemed to know the correction was from me, she would look up at me as she corrected herself after a stim. Now I will correct with just a stim but I usually have her collar on as well and just out of habit will go through the motion of a leash correction so she is constantly reminded that I am giving the correction.

Thanks for tips guys. I have the tightness figured out now. I have only been using it while we are working outside. What I think I'm going to do is leave it on her and when she is doing something bad in the house, I can tell he "no", then stim her. She should learn pretty soon that way, that the correction is coming from me. She has only worn the collar 3 different times (not including conditioning).

I have a dogtra 1500and I'm using it with my deaf dog.

I haven't seen Ed's video but I am in training with a trainer that knows Ed and has worked with him. He is one of the trainers in the agressive dog DVD.

We are doing the opposite of what you are where she does NOT associate the stim with me instead the association with the stim is directly to her behavior. We use the stim as a signal for "recall" instead of correction. I can push the button and she can be anywhere and she will look for me now and await my command and it has only taken 3 weeks to get to this point. Basically her coming to me "shuts off" the stim. I hide the remote and she always wears the collar when out of her kennel. I notice that when she does a behavior (like looking away) that has been associated with the stim she will "blink" and quickly look back even if I haven't nicked her so I know the association is there. Her awaiting a hand command with eye contact is important since I cannot use a voice command. The hope is that this will help create good habits of behavior instead of just being good when I'm stading right there and doing whatever she wants when I'm not.

I am very pleased with this as I feel it is more "preventative" in that I can have her come to me before there is a problem without the stim being considered negative.

Kelly, how did you teach her to look at you when she feels the stim? It sounds to me like she knows the stim is coming from you, otherwise why would she look for you and await your command?

I use the 1700 NCP on my chow and a much smaller NCP with my little dog. I use the pager to recall my chow. I started with a verbal and page at the same time and a treat when he was finally by my side.

Another thing with the tightness. I think my dog puffs his neck when I put the collar on. It can seem tight but won't work right. I'll check it and it's way loose compared to when I put it on him. I have to shave my dogs necks also due to their thick fur. I believe you're not supposed to leave it in the same spot for more than 2 hours so this really limits my time unless I mow a ring around my dogs neck.

My chow's normal settings are 95 on the 1700 and 115 when distracted. My Min.Am.Eskimo takes a 20 and is completely bummed when wearing it. I'm sure he's collar wise.

He wouldn't release a bird he caught a few days ago. The collar must not have been on tight enough because he did not respond when stimmed, even up to a high setting. I figured the batteries were low. He must have shaken the collar into the right spot because the next stim he jumped, yelped and let go of the bird. You gotta make sure all of the fur and everything is out of the way to get a good tight fit.