E Collar training

[Shadowlawnskysthelimit]

Ok so I bought a SportDog 1825X to utilize with my 2 year old Lab. I have been watching all the videos on YouTube about using a collar. I took just the collar with me this weekend to get her used to it. Didn’t bother her a bit ! I purposely left the remote at home to not be tempted.
I’ve never used a collar and don’t want to screw this up !! More importantly I realize that this won’t train a dog, just reinforce learned commands.
I have a series of questions for you trainers.
After assessing dog isn’t bothered by collar; what is your personal opinion on next steps ? Reinforcing “ Come” first or ??

How much, if at all, and when do you use Vibration/Tone ?

My female is solid with all Commands annd I’m happy with her drive, except sometimes she doesn’t want to return when told to Come. I think she fiqures “ Hey you’re over there 60 yards away, you can’t touch me if I disobey !” Sometimes it’s with a bird down and she wants to play with bird.
Also, she has broke a few times; not when she’s sitting on her marsh stand cuz she loves to sit up there, but, sometimes in a dry field she will get up and take off after a tweety bird or nothing at all ??
Anyway I thinks that’s enough for now; I am taking this slow and easy !!

Thanks for any guidance !!!

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Once a new dog gets use to having it on, start on the lowest setting. When he is out in front of you exploring give it a try if he/her does not react go up 1/2 setting if your controller is graduated by .5 settings otherwise go to next setting, and continue increasing setting until they react to that setting and use that for your training. Only go to higher settings if they start ignoring you. All my dogs have become collar wise, so when I put it on they know it's time to get down too business and will listen to commands better VS without collar. I have also found when they get tired they tend to start ignore commands, that's when It's time to take a break. When trained properly there will come a time when you may never have to give them a tap.

 

[Ahidog]

I’ve been fortunate that I primarily use just the buzz only needed to use the shock a couple of times. Once when she was chasing a coyote on a dove hunt and a couple times when she blew past a bird and the buzz wasn’t getting her attention

 

[Ahidog]

Gundoglover is spot on about setting it to the lowest setting that they can feel it and then not changing it without a good reason.

 

[HATCHET1]

This guy is on 10..all day..every day.
UGGH!!!

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

This guy is on 10..all day..every day.
UGGH!!!

Could be a mental issue. He might like it.

 

[HATCHET1]

He does take it like a Champ John..like lets in Happen. ..And carries on .. Animal!!

 

[Snake Charmer]

Lots of good books out on e-collar training. You have asked a very big question and there is more than one way to train a dog with an e-collar. That being said when a dog is trained on an e-collar the collar is overlayed onto what the dog has already been taught. In other words you must train the dog to understand the voice command, the whistle and the tone before you begin to use the stimulation and it should be done in the same sequence every time so that the dog understand the progression of the commands. I usually begin with come. I collar the dog and place a long lead (10') on the dog so that I can control what the dog does. I begin a few feet away so that I have immediate control of the dog if it strays. I put the dog on a stay and back away facing the dog. I give the voice command and then pull the dog towards me and position it at heel. I do this until the dog can do it without me having to use the lead. Then I back away a few more feet and add the whistle after the voice command ( toot toot) and repeat until the dog is once again doing it without me having to control the dog with the lead. Once they have mastered that I back further away and add the tone after the whistle and repeat until that is mastered. Once that is mastered I go to a very long lead (thirty or fifty foot) and repeat the process and use avery low constant stimulus if they deviate and I bring them all the way to heel before I stop stimulus. This is my way and as I stated before there is more than one way to train. The most important thing is to be consistent with the sequence and the verbage and actions so that you condition the dog to the sequence. Also keep the sessions short fifteen minutes or so and always end with a positive and parise every time the dog suceeds. If you are having a bad day back up one step and do what the dog already know and end on a good note with plenty of praise. My general rule is if get what I want three times in a row I praise and end the session. Always end on a good note so that the dog doesnt dread it when you put the collar on and have session with it.