Installation Guide

“SIT”
Next, it’s 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, nick 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”-Nick-“Sit” three
to five times per session. As before, move around so you don’t stimulate your dog
at any spot more than once. Use a positive reward after each successful nick.
“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 nick and command
“Stay” again. Watch for the acceptance response and don’t move ahead until you
get it. Call your dog to you and repeat the process several times without e-collar
stimulation. Repeat the “Stay”-Nick-”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.
“DOWN”
Your dog understands the “Down” command and can perform it without any
trouble by now, if you did your homework. 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, nick 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.
WHAT ABOUT CONTINUOUS STIMULATION?
So far, you have used nothing but the momentary button and nicks from the
e-collar. There will likely be times when your dog requires continuous stimulation
because its instincts are overriding your commands in spite of your best efforts.
This usually occurs when your dog wants to chase something but you want it to
remain under your control. If your dog takes off after the neighbor’s cat and is
running toward the street, its life is in danger and you need to intervene quickly.
A strong “No”-“Here” may not be enough and even a “No”-Nick-“Here” may not
get the desired response. In this case, “No” followed by continuous stimulation
until your dog turns toward you and then “Here” should be used. You are now
using direct pressure from the e-collar to make your dog do something, whereas
before you used the nick as indirect pressure to reinforce the command. In your
initial work with direct pressure, it’s imperative that you have your dog on a long
leash to prevent bolting. Your dog’s instincts are telling it to move away from the
pressure and the direction it chooses may be away from you. If you have your dog
on a leash, you can control its actions and show that coming to you makes the
pressure go away.
There may be times
when your dog is
having a bad day and
absolutely refuses to
obey your commands.
Leash pressure should
be your first choice to
correct misbehavior. If
disobedience continues,
you can apply direct
continuous pressure
with the e-collar until
you get compliance.
You can use this method
for any command. Give
the command, apply
continuous pressure
until your dog performs
the command, release
the pressure, and repeat
the command. Make
sure you praise your dog for doing the command, even though you may feel like
doing something else. The intensity level may need to be adjusted when you
use continuous stimulation. Your dog may require less intensity on continuous
stimulation than on momentary, or it may be so distracted that you need to step up
the intensity level to overcome the distraction. You’ll need to be very focused on
your dog when you use continuous stimulation. This is an easy way to overwhelm
your dog and you don’t want that. Remember to always use the minimum amount
of pressure necessary to obtain the desired response.
DEALING WITH BOLTING
Bolting from electronic static stimulation is common from a dog that has not been
properly conditioned, or when you are using too intense a level of stimulation. In
both cases, your dog is no longer trying to work with you. If this happens, stop what
you are doing and evaluate where both you and your dog are at in the program.
Most bolting dogs will display this tendency early in their training, perhaps when
they are small puppies. Being patient and going slowly will greatly decrease the
chances of your dog choosing the bolt option.
However, your dog may choose to bolt no matter how well you prepare, and,
unfortunately, it must be “de-bolted.” This involves a fair amount of electronic and
mental pressure and requires a leash so you maintain total control. A bolting dog
will attempt to go to a safe spot or sanctuary in an effort to escape the pressure.
This may be the truck, kennel, woods, pond, or neighbor’s house.
The idea behind de-bolting is for your dog to feel more pressure at the spot where
it wants to go than at the place you want it to be. Your dog will show you where
it wants to hide, so let it go there. When it gets comfortable in that spot, attach
APPLICATION OF THE ELECTRONIC COLLAR
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