Measurement Guide

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
commands. 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 will need to be
very focused on your dog when you use continuous
stimulation. This is an easy way to overwhelm your dog
and you do not want that. Remember to always use the
minimum amount of pressure necessary to obtain the
desired response.
DEALING WITH BOLTING
Earlier I discussed an “out response” that your dog
might use in an effort to escape your control. Bolting
from electronic pressure 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. Its focus
is on getting away from the heat instead of on what
you want. 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 the leash and call
the dog out of the comfort zone with “Here.” A tug
on the leash may be necessary if it decides to fight.
Stroke it on the shoulder, showing that coming to you
is better than bolting away. Allow your dog to go back
into its comfort zone and then call it out with “Here”-
Nick-“Here” this time. Repeat this routine a few times
until your dog is hesitant to go back into its comfort
zone. Then command “Kennel” back into that area
and call it out with “Here”-Nick-“Here.” Repeat this
sequence, mixing electronic stimulation one time, with
no electrical pressure the next time, until your dog is
moving freely away from its sanctuary.
Hopefully, you will not have to go through this at all.
However, be prepared if your dog should choose this
option. After it learns the process, de-bolting from
any area or place should be a little easier. If continued
bolting does occur, you have a problem in your training
program and this problem needs to be evaluated by
someone with plenty of experience. Whether you seek
advice from a well-versed amateur or a professional
trainer, do not be afraid to ask for help. It is amazing
what another set of eyes will see while your attention is
focused elsewhere.
You will likely find that your dog may require more than
one level of stimulation in different situations. If the
distraction in front of your dog is large enough, you will
probably need to increase the level of stimulation. This
is very common when you move away from the training
27-28
APPLICATION
OF THE
ELECTRONIC
COLLAR
400-1131.indd 30-31 9/14/09 11:10:13 AM