I have a Dogtra 1200NCP and upgraded to the longer contacts long ago. Leaving it on for extended periods clearly caused problems. I make a conscious effort to ensure there is no causal connection between the collar and controller.

Recently I purchased their twenty-four contact pad and am having trouble with the thing. I cannot get any response from the dog. I'm looking to generate a mild discomfort to encourage speed in tasks he's mastered. He's learning but I don't know if the collar's working. Does anyone here have experience with this device?

I know a couple of people that lightly clipped the hair where the pad would rest to get better contact. Their GSDs had very heavy coats.

With any e-collar contact...make sure the collar is properly secured. If it is not good & tight, but able to slip a finger under it...it is not tight enough & can cause irritation.

Does the dog really have to wear it all the time?. That is really pushing it.

So is the question about electric collar work or is it about the contact pad specifically?

What kind of dog do you have?

I responded to Anne & Cathy but my message seems to have been eaten by the NSA. I'll try again

Anne & Cathy:
Good questions. I am quite familiar with e collar use I am one of the first to use the vibrate function as a tactile reward back in 06 I believe. I have raised the contact plate as recommended to no avail. I'm looking for a sign that he's getting stim. I look for ear twitching, or looking around suddenly, or moving for no reason, no joy. I have turned it up, and up until the dog yelped which has me curious about the device.

I want to use the twenty-four hour contact grid because I sometimes work with the National Guard at their range complex and like the freedom having the dog free, but I have an electronic leash on him. If I call him and he comes twords me he gets vibrate (associated with all things good) if he fails to start back to me he there is the stim that says not returning is unplesant. These days are ten to twelve hour days for three or four days sometimes. In the past I have found neck irritation late in the second day without using stim.

Also, this thing wasn't cheap and it should work as advertised.

I just looked up which pad you are probably talking about. This one right? http://www.petsuppliesplace.com/product/256671/dogtra-24-hour-e-collar-contact-pad/?utm_source=PS-froogle_Product-Ads&utm_medium=Dogtra&utm_campaign=PSU744622359015&gclid=Cj0KEQiAqYCkBRC4xNiSu5-Y-PcBEiQA96OM9Kc-JUcn476yKZriIQba3QstHPqhwAeePIUIU5Q1ux4aAsJL8P8HAQ

Doesn't look like it would get contact real well on a dog with any sort of coat. I have this style for my Boxer and it's effective but of course he has no coat to interfere with contact. http://leerburg.com/EducatorComfortPad.htm

Are the nuts that secure it tightened securely? I used a wrench(carefully) on mine. If you put the pad on yourself does it seem to escalate smoothly? It might have internal resistance that is overcome with the higher levels. Does it feel different to you than the normal contacts? Maybe your dog isn't connecting it to the stim from his normal collar. Maybe try taking him through some basic e collar conditioning again to show him that it's the same thing?