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APPLICATION OF THE ELECTRONIC COLLAR
E-collar use has come a long way. The equipment is better and the many available programs for
training with e-collars are better. Some people don’t believe e-collars are reliable enough and
therefore they shouldn’t be used, but successful results are dependent on the skills of the operator, not
the product. It is very rare for a dog to not accept and happily work while on a leash, but you can hurt
your dog’s attitude if it is used improperly. It is the same with e-collars. You can do an unbelievable
amount of damage to your dog’s attitude by over correcting with an e-collar if you do not know what
you are doing or if you don’t control your actions.
This program will show you how to use an e-collar,
but you must never lose control of your emotions. So, make a promise to yourself and your dog that
you will always remain focused and in control when training.
In the beginning, e-collars were simple metal boxes with an on/off switch and no way to adjust the
static stimulation levels. And they were often unreliable. SportDOG Brand
®
remote training systems
are an example of how advanced e-training products have become. SportDOG Brand offers several
excellent models that work at great distances over land or in water.
THE RIGHT WAY TO BEGIN
Your dog needs to start wearing an e-collar as soon as it can comfortably support the collar’s weight.
The collar should be worn from that point forward during all training sessions. Initially, you should
attach the collar and do something fun such as retrieving exercises with a bumper or ball. Continue
this until your pup’s tail is wagging uncontrollably. Soon, your dog will be doing airplane spins each
time it sees the collar and think, “Oh boy, we are getting ready to have some fun!” That is a pretty nice
first impression.
This is an important first step in collar conditioning: your dog’s acceptance of the
e-collar in a fun fashion.
You shouldn’t be pressing any of the Remote Transmitter’s buttons until your dog is 100 percent
reliable on obedience drills. When you have to deliver a correction you do not want your dog trying
to guess what you expect. Your dog should be performing these skills masterfully in the face of
distractions. If you did your homework, your dog will have an excellent understanding of what you
are asking while being able to process pressure at the same time.
Before, pressure was in the form of
a leash. Now, it will be an electronic, brief correction from the collar. Your dog already knows what
to do in the face of pressure; you are simply changing the type of pressure. Previously the pressure of
the leash was on your dog’s neck and that is where the e-collar also applies pressure, but in a different
form. The e-collar will now become an infinitely long leash to your dog. A brief correction with the
collar will take the place of a tug on the lead. This sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? Keep it that simple
and you and your dog will be happy.
Always remember: You are not going to teach your dog anything with an e-collar. You are only adding
electronic pressure to a skill your dog already knows and can routinely perform. Also, do not use the
e-collar to correct responses in an area where your dog may have not performed these skills until the
training process is finished.
