Electronic/Shock Collars
For those of you who use electronic (shock) collars for training, I have a few questions. Shanoa currently has a bark collar (Sport Dog brand), which we like very much. She doesn't wear it often, only in situations where I know she's likely to have very prolonged barking. She doesn't wear it overnight anymore, just mostly if we have to leave her alone in the house (in her crate) for a few hours. Or, if there is a lot of barking activity in the neighborhood - if something has all the dogs riled up, she may join in the barking.
She's responded really well to the collar. She has no reluctance to put it on, doesn't seem to bother her. She did get a couple of little sores at first, which I think was from wearing it overnight and part of the day when she was doing a lot of barking and we first got it.
We've been working really hard on her cat etiquette with our six cats. It's going okay, but not great. Her "leave it" command is fantastic when we are at our training facility, and even really good on walks. But she has a very, very hard time "leaving" the cats here at home. She is the worst about it when she's crated, and they walk by the crate. Then she goes nuts, barking, lunging, etc.
She's been in obedience training literally since the first week we had her. She's doing fantastic - completely levels I and II, and is now ready for Advanced. We're taking the Canine Good Citizen certification test next month. We believe really strongly in positive training whenever possible.
I say all this to make sure you all understand that we're doing a lot of training and work with her, and don't want an e-collar as an "easy solution". But...I'm wondering if that extra bit of negative reinforcement, in addition to her positive training (lots of rewards when being good around the cats, ignoring them, etc.), would help us.
I read the previous thread on e-collars, so I'm particularly interested in hearing about what collar you use, your experiences with it, and whether you'd recommend it. We haven't even decided for sure if this is the route to go, but I'm doing some research in case we decide to add this to our training. Her bark collar is the SportDOG NoBark SBC-10R, and we are really happy with it. It has several levels of correction, and three modes of operation. I have never seen her get a "false" correction. It's also rechargeable, which is nice. What we'd be looking for is an e-collar with a remote.
Any information/feedback/recommendations would be very appreciated.
MeadowCat
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
I never thought i would need or use an e-collar on my dog but the few recent incidents where Kaiser has bolted off chasing mopeds/cars i decided to get one and try out.
The model i ordered is Sportdog Sport Hunter SD800,expecting delivery by Monday..
SportDOG SportHunter SD-800.
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
One thing I'm especially interested in knowing is whether those of you who use these collars have success in getting the behavior to transfer to when they are not wearing the collar.
Looking forward to hearing more from those of you who use these.
MeadowCat
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
BEST thing we ever got for Logan.......I hated having him tied to a lead all the time....I have battle scars on my ankles...in fact got a second degree burn once from him takin off after the neighbors dog to play and the lead getting tangled around my ankle......now all we have to do is hit the sound button and he usually will stop...except if it's a amish buggy goin down the streetstill workin on that.....
We got the same one you're ordering the sport dog.....we did have to replace the battery already and we hardly used it last year cuz the neighbors had a goose and we could not let Logan loose at all or he would go after the goose....goose is gone and Logan is free...we had thought about fencing in but we have two acres and this is much better as I feel it teaches the dog better....they don't bolt out the doors....he has jumped outta the car when we stop at Grandma's and he knows that collar is on and he does not leave our side....
I would recomend them we are very glad we got one......
Oh and yes even without the collar he comes outside with us and stays close by.....
Sally
"Never give up & never stop believing"
Doberman Chat Co Owner
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
We have an e-collar for Boris and it really helped in the areas where he got smart and knew he could get away with stuff when he'd run out of our reach/sight.
I don't find them to be cruel in any way when used correctly, and in many cases it's just the little reminder to the dog that you're in control no matter what they try to outsmart you with.
We have the Sportdog SD-1200 and it is great with all of the different levels of correction and options.
We almost never use it anymore, and never needed it much even in the beginning, but like I said, it's a great reminder to them that you're always in control regardless of where you are.
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Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
Those damn amish buggies. I tell you what
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
Yup I got a sport dog too. Lexi is sooo hard headed. Usually all I need now is to use the sound button and she comes running to me. It has made a heck of a lot of difference, BUT she still will occasionally get a stubborn streak when she is doing something bad..and I have turned it up almost all the way and she just looks at me like..."so,,, what you gonna do now punk?" But 99% of the time she listens great with or without it on now.
Its funny my step dad took care of her for a few days and I showed him how to use the collar and he said...thanks but no thanks, I really dont believe in those things. To "over-the-top". I called him the evening of the first day and he said...well I had to use the collar. OMG I was shocked. He said...my gawd...that dog is STUBBORN!!! When she gets in her mind to do something...even a slap on the butt and No....NO ....NOOOO didnt do anything. So I Zapped her !
Yes she does know when the collar isnt on..but what she is learning with it on is still working without it...until she gets a stubborn streak going. I really do recommend them.
K I M
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
I use e-collars on both my guys but more for the off leash times at the playground or middle school track. Way back in the beginning when I only had Herc I would put it on him in the house if I had company to settle him down. But I don't do that anymore. Chloe is like Lexi, Kim, once she gets an idea in her head I can shock from here to tomorrow and she goes right ahead and does it; like chasing squirls. Herc doesn't do that so much now, but he's older and listens better to begin with. It's just my personal opinion but their home should be where they feel safe so I don't use them inside the house. Unless Shanoa is actually biting the cats I wouldn't worry about it Meadowcat. They will only tolerate her her being nosey so long before she gets clawed. Herc has a good healthy respect for cat claws. And Chloe is surprisingly gentle when she's in the house with my cats. Now outside, that's a different story; they're fair game in her mind then. But overall in the off leash setting e-collars are your best defense so they don't get too cocky.
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
The thing is, though, that she is *not* making good progress with the cats. Our cats don't stand up to her at all - they run. Half of them are quite old, and the other half were feral cats that we spent years rehabilitating. None of them stand their ground with her, which leads to this chase cycle. And, she's really terrible if she's in her crate and they walk by. She goes nuts. Lunging at them, barking, pawing the crate. Very crazy, and it scares the cats badly.
We're doing a lot of work with her trying to get her to leave them alone, but it's not going as well as I'd hoped. I am hoping that a little extra "oomph" to my "leave it" command might make her respond better. Even though I don't think she'd hurt the cats, she's certainly not making home a pleasant environment for them. I don't think it's fair that our cats, who were here first, have had their home completely disrupted. They don't even feel safe or comfortable enough to come down and sit in our laps when she's out. So that's why I'm considering this. Plus, I'd like the option of making some more progress with off leash commands.
I see the Sport Dog collars have the "nicking" option, with the quick correction, or a "continuous" option. Is there any reason to use continuous, rather than the short burst?
Re: Electronic/Shock Collars
dang burly I about choked roflolOriginally Posted by burlysoldier
Sally
"Never give up & never stop believing"
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