Measurement Guide
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 overcorrecting 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 stimulation
levels. And they were often unreliable. SportDOG
Brand
®
remote training systems are an example of
how advanced e-training products have become.
SportDOG offers several excellent models that work at
great distances over land or in water. All of the units
offer variable intensity on the transmitter along with
continuous and momentary stimulation choices. In this
program, you will use momentary stimulation most of
the time, but there may be an occasion where your dog
is heavily distracted and you need to use continuous
stimulation. Therefore, that option is available to you.
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,
momentary “nick” 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 nick 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.
APPLICATION
OF THE
ELECTRONIC
COLLAR
21-22
If your dog tries to bite
you, get some help in the
form of another opinion
about your dog and your
training program from a
professional.
Quitting or lying down is
the other major out-
mechanism. The dog will
quit trying to perform
in an effort to get out of
its job for three reasons.
First, it has little drive or
desire to please. This is
usually the result of poor
breeding or an absence of
socialization during the
first six months of its life.
A dog may appear to quit
in an effort to con you
out of performing. It may
lie on its side and throw
the rear leg up in the air,
assuming a submissive
posture. Pay close
attention to your dog’s
eyes if it pulls this stunt.
If it is looking directly at
you, your dog is playing
the role of the con artist.
The final reason a dog
would quit is due to too
much pressure from the
trainer.
This dog has given up
and is saying that it
would rather lie down
and take a beating
than work in an effort
to please its trainer. If
your dog chooses to lie
down during the training
process, you need to
pay close attention to
yourself and how your dog
is being trained.
WATCH FOR DISPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR
400-1131.indd 24-25 9/14/09 11:09:53 AM