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CoLLar ConDItIonInG WItHIn eaCH oBeDIenCe CommanD
Never correct your dog with the e-collar without first conditioning it to accept and understand the collar. This will take
a short period of time, but without the conditioning process, your dog will be dazed and confused about the discomfort
around its neck. It is easy to confuse your dog and undo a couple of months of good training in just a few minutes by
over-stimulating on a correction or correcting when it is not justified. No corrections should occur until the conditioning
process has been successfully completed. The collar-conditioning process can be thought of as practice in accepting
electronic static stimulation. Your football coach didn’t send you on the field without practicing the plays and likewise, we
do not want to send your dog into the world without an understanding of how to comfortably accept electronic correction.
USInG an e-CoLLar to reInforCe oBeDIenCe CommanDS
“Here”
Bolting can become a disastrous side-effect of e-collar conditioning if your dog is allowed to move away from your control.
Therefore, keep using the leash until the conditioning process is finished. Toss a few bumpers and work on obedience
drills in the training area. Check for that wagging tail which signals a good attitude. Then command “Here,” deliver a
brief correction on the correct level – paying close attention to the dog’s reaction – and then immediately command
“Here” again. Reward your dog with a stroke on the shoulder and verbal praise. Repeat “Here”-brief correction-“Here”
three to five times on the first day at various places in the work area while making sure that no two brief corrections
occur at the same spot. Your dog will receive at least three brief corrections, but no more than five, during the first couple
of sessions. If things are going well, you can go to five. But, if your dog is nervous, stop at three. Continue the obedience
routine with no static stimulation for a little longer. Make sure rewards follow proper responses. Finish by throwing a
bumper or ball to each spot where your dog received static stimulation in an effort to show that the location had nothing
to do with why the correction occurred.
Pay close attention to your dog’s attitude during this routine. If momentum fades, use fewer brief corrections and more
play time. Increase the reward by adding a few extra shoulder strokes along with a happy tone of voice. Don’t be afraid
to skip a day if your dog shows repeated signs of too much pressure. This is not likely to occur if you are careful, but
understand how to overcome it just in case.
“SIt”
Next, it is time to condition your dog to sit and accept a correction while maintaining control in the seated position. Have
your dog do a quick obedience drill and command “Sit.” While the dog is seated, give a brief correction with the collar and
immediately command “Sit” again. If it moves around or gets up, return the dog to the seated position by using the leash.
Reward on the shoulder and verbally. Repeat the “Sit”-brief correction-“Sit” three to five times per session. As before,
move around so you do not stimulate your dog at any spot more than once. Use a positive reward after each successful
brief correction.
“STAY”
When your dog is comfortably accepting e-collar pressure while remaining seated, you can start to use the e-collar for
correction on the “Stay” command. After successfully seating your dog, command “Stay,” deliver a brief correction and
command “Stay” again. Watch for the acceptance response and do not move ahead until you get it. Call your dog to you and
repeat the process several times without e-collar stimulation. Repeat the “Stay”-brief correction-“Stay” at other locations
and repeat this process until your dog is the picture of perfection, remaining seated even when distractions tempt it to get
up and move.
“HeeL”
Your dog learned to heel beside you earlier in the program, and transferring this command to e-collar correction is simple.
Walk your dog on-leash and change directions. As the leash tightens, command “Heel,” give a brief correction with the
collar and command “Heel” again. It is important to apply the brief correction at the same time the leash is tight instead
of when the dog is coming to you. Reward with verbal praise and a stroke on the shoulder until you see the acceptance
swallow. Repeat this routine as you walk together in various locations until your dog is comfortable.
Your dog is now conditioned to accept the e-collar while coming, heeling, or sitting on command. It is time to mix the
commands into a full “Here”-“Heel”-“Sit” drill. Use your brief correction at varying times as your dog allows and as before,
avoid successive brief corrections or multiple brief corrections in the same area. You can increase the number of brief
corrections as long as you pay close attention to your dog’s attitude. Toss a few bumpers to chase when necessary to
relieve pressure and pour on the positive rewards as needed.
“DoWn”
Your dog understands the “Down” command and can perform it without any trouble by now if you did your homework.
Now you can easily add the e-collar to this routine in the same fashion as before. Place your dog in the “Down” position
with a verbal command. Command “Down” again, give a brief correction with the e-collar and repeat “Down.” Watch how
your dog reacts, looking for the acceptance signals. Praise with a stroke on the shoulder and verbally. As before, you need
to condition this with repetition.
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