Measurement Guide

INTRODUCING THE SPORTDOG BRAND
®
ELECTRONIC COLLAR
In the manual that came
with your remote training
system, you will find all
the information you need
to operate it. Please
read this and know which
button does what, how
to turn it off, when the
battery is fading and all
the other essentials that
pertain to this high-tech
training system.
You have purchased a
well-tested and proven
piece of equipment. Take
good care of it and you will
get many years of reliable
service from it.
When you know how it all works, follow the instructions
on how to turn your system on and let’s get going. Place
the receiver (collar) snugly around your dog’s neck so
that it stays in place directly behind your dog’s ears.
Pull the strap until it is tight, back off one hole in the
strap and fasten the collar. You should be able to slip
two fingers under the strap without any trouble if it is
properly tightened. The collar should remain in place
without your dog struggling to breathe. If the collar
slides down your dog’s neck or spins out of its original
position, you need to tighten it. Both receiver probes
must be in contact with your dog’s skin or the unit
will not function properly. Congratulations, you have
done the hardest part of e-collar training: You had the
courage to take control of your dog’s actions.
Now comes another very important point. Each time
you place the collar on your dog, do something fun.
Throwing a ball or retrieving toy every time your dog
wears the collar is a great way to make your dog think
that the collar is a ticket to the amusement park. One
of the quickest ways to have your dog think otherwise
is to put the unit on and push a button. Make the collar
your dog’s uniform to do something enjoyable by always
doing something your dog likes after attaching the
collar. You should do this for the entire life of your dog
and not just while training.
TRAINING YOUR DOG TO PERFORM THE
OBEDIENCE COMMANDS
It is mandatory that
you control your dog’s
actions during every
training session. Initially,
controlling your dog
during obedience training
sessions is accomplished
in two ways: 1) the leash
and 2) the tone of your
voice. While on the leash,
your dog does not have
an opportunity to escape
through the instinctive
mechanisms all canines
possess. Bolting, biting
and quitting are no longer
options. Your tone of voice
will later take the place of
the leash. Later the e-collar will replace both and you
will be able to put the leash away until you train your
next dog.
A word about leashes: There are many types and
styles available. I use my EZ Lead, which is based
on the design of a “piggin’ string.” The advantages
of this handy little rope are many. First, it is a leash
and collar all in one. Second, although it works on the
same principle as a pinch or choker collar, there is
a major difference: The moment a dog gives, the EZ
Lead releases its pressure, which rewards the dog for
complying. No pinch or choker collar can respond as
quickly. SportDOG pro Rick Smith uses the same kind of
leash, called the Wonder Lead. Regardless of what it’s
called, the important point is that it provides that all-
important instant reward when your dog complies with
your command.
How can you give your dog a dose of bitter obedience
and make it think it tastes like sugar? What does your
dog gain out of being obedient that would encourage
its acceptance of the commands? The answer to both
of these questions is a positive reward. As I mentioned
earlier, you should avoid using food treats as a reward.
A dog that works for food treats is working for itself,
and that mentality encourages it to challenge the alpha
position. Your dog should always work for you because
you are the most important relationship in its life, and
pleasing you should be at the top of its priority list.
The positive reward any dog appreciates most from a
trainer is a thank you in the form of a loving shoulder
One of the most common
obedience-training
questions I hear is, “How
old does my dog have
to be for me to use the
e-collar?”
Knowing when
your dog is ready for
e-collar training is
important, but the
determining factor really
isn’t about your dog’s
age. You’ve heard it
before and now
I’m going to say it again
because it’s so important:
The e-collar is for
reinforcing commands
your dog knows. It should
not be used to try to
teach a dog something.
The better your
dog responds to
commands while on-leash,
the better it will respond
while wearing the e-collar.
Before transitioning
from the leash to the
e-collar, your dog must be
100 percent responsive
to all of its obedience
commands.
Dogs learn at different
rates, and if you try
to start too early, you
will have a disaster
on your hands. I have
seen 5-month-old dogs
that were ready for the
transition to e-collar
training, but I’ve also
introduced 7-year-old
dogs to the e-collar. In
fact, an older dog that
has been performing
commands for some time
is probably easier to work
with. This is one area
where the line about “old
dogs and new tricks” is
not true.
A TRAINING TIP FROM TOM DOKKEN / WHEN CAN I START USING MY E-COLLAR?
THE
ELECTRNIC
COLLAR
07-08
400-1131.indd 10-11 9/14/09 11:09:04 AM