yoteslayer0927
New member
I felt like I may have been hijacking Podunk's thread so I'm starting this new topic (sorry podunk').....
I would like to comment on what Coloradobob wrote about electric collars often times being misused.
One of the biggest problems I saw with electric collar use was that many "trainers" felt that the e-collar was a "training program" and rightfully so. About 20 years ago Tritronics published a retriever training book (in cooperation with 3 very good dog trainers)that used the e-collar extensively to "teach" the dog many NEW things. A few dogs did OK but soft dogs just couldn't handle that much pressure and high dogs would get burnt all time until they became "clamers" and just got to the point they were afraid to work.
My advice especially to "new" dog trainers is to remember that an e-collar is simply a training tool not a complete "program" that we use to train dogs. It is no different than a choke collar, a checkcord, a whistle or a heeling stick. You still HAVE to teach the dog new commands before you start enforcing them with much pressure.....An e-collar is nothing more than a REALLY long check cord....a REALLY long rolled up newspaper....etc.
When I train my dogs I give VERY few corrections for a dog making a mistake....If they are out there working they are going to make them....I use attrition instead....On the other hand I "get after" dogs quite readily if I think their mistakes are caused by a lack of effort or just pure laziness.
Just my opinion.....
Brian
I would like to comment on what Coloradobob wrote about electric collars often times being misused.
One of the biggest problems I saw with electric collar use was that many "trainers" felt that the e-collar was a "training program" and rightfully so. About 20 years ago Tritronics published a retriever training book (in cooperation with 3 very good dog trainers)that used the e-collar extensively to "teach" the dog many NEW things. A few dogs did OK but soft dogs just couldn't handle that much pressure and high dogs would get burnt all time until they became "clamers" and just got to the point they were afraid to work.
My advice especially to "new" dog trainers is to remember that an e-collar is simply a training tool not a complete "program" that we use to train dogs. It is no different than a choke collar, a checkcord, a whistle or a heeling stick. You still HAVE to teach the dog new commands before you start enforcing them with much pressure.....An e-collar is nothing more than a REALLY long check cord....a REALLY long rolled up newspaper....etc.
When I train my dogs I give VERY few corrections for a dog making a mistake....If they are out there working they are going to make them....I use attrition instead....On the other hand I "get after" dogs quite readily if I think their mistakes are caused by a lack of effort or just pure laziness.
Just my opinion.....
Brian
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