[Cardi2008]

Hi all,

Has anyone ever used an electronic training collar with their poodle? I am considering getting a Dogtra 175NCP to begin some off-leash obedience training. Does anyone have any experience with training collars?

Thanks all.

 

[mercymoon]

No never used one, but it does sound nifty!
Let us know how it goes if you order yours!

 

[Cardi2008]

Wow....does noone have any expereince with electronic collars? Hmmmm..... I guess I'll have to be the first one.

 

[ChickyChat]

My neighbor used one to train his hunting dog.

 

[Purple Poodle]

Has your dog had any basic obedience training?

E-Collars should be used with extreme caution and only on severe cases by a professional. I have never used one nor plan to any time soon seeing as I think unless you have worked and tried all avenues or training with no success then I might but like I said only by a professional or assisted by a pro.

If you are dead set on using it I can give you the contact information of someone I know who has used it and could help you use it the right way and be successful with it.

 

[Blue Fox]

I have never used one but from reading about them on other forums I understand that unless you have a real need for it and have tried other training methods first and pretty much exhausted all avenues of training you don't need one.

 

[highhorse]

I was worried about letting Inca and Coco off lead on the meadows where we stable our horses. Coco is very obedient and I knew that she would come back when called (dried tripe always on hand helps). Inca was another kettle of fish. I knew she could be easily distracted. I first used long flexi leads and then coupled a long lunge line to her collar (a very light one). This gave me about 30 feet to be able to catch her without going near enough for her to think I could get her and run away. This is a little inconvenient and we kept tripping over it. It did however give her freedom and us the confidence to take the next step and after about 3 weeks, we let her off completely. She stayed with us. Another thing we do with them is play games like hide and seek and do long excited recalls. This uses up their energy and they think it is good fun. Coco knows all the tripe stops now and if it is not forthcoming, she reminds us.

 

[Sam I Am]

We were having a problem with Sam when he was a puppy with him trying to "catch" the boys when they were on their swings. Even though he was a puppy he was very big and he wasn't meaning to, but he would scratch them when he would jump up at them. It was getting really annoying and I couldn't let him in the yard when they were playing without standing right by the swings to stop him. He listened really well with most everything else, but there was something about the swings that just got him so riled up he would not listen. I got him to stop when I was standing right there but if I was too far away or anyone else tried to correct him he wouldn't listen and would keep on jumping at them. My neighbor had an e collar and we decided to try it. It gave a warning tone and different levels of a shock. I put it on a low level and tried it on myself. Well actually I tried it on my husband first, LOL!! I'm not stupid! LOL!!! It just felt like a static shock you'd get from touching someone, no big deal. So we put it on him and when he jumped gave him the warning tone and told him "no". When he did it again we gave him the correction which is accompanied by the tone, also telling him "no". He immediately looked around like he was confused. It took only one more correction and he only needed the warning tone after that. I think we used it for about a week, he completely stopped jumping at the swings and we never had a problem after that. I don't think it is something that would be useful for basic obedience training which is best done with rewards, but for problem behaviors it can be a useful tool. I think feeling the level of correction yourself is the best way to know you are not hurting your dog and just getting his attention. As everyone knows getting a static shock doesn't hurt but its not something you want to repeat again and again, so it is a good deterent.

 

[Cardi2008]

Thanks for the helpful info. The main reason I would get an E-collar is to ensure that he would listen to me when he was off leash. Mainly for safety purposes as we all know that even though our poodles are super-smart...they are still dogs. And dogs will be dogs. Hehe. Chasing rabits, birds, and what have you even if they are headed for a dangerous situation, they don't know any better. I want Cardi to have the freedom of being off leash when we are hiking, riding quads, exploring, lake trips, camping, etc. I would use it to give "leash corrections" with an invisible leash....sort to speak. Well, I have lots of time to think about it though. Again, thanks for the info.

 

[SECRETO]

Thanks for the helpful info. The main reason I would get an E-collar is to ensure that he would listen to me when he was off leash. Mainly for safety purposes as we all know that even though our poodles are super-smart...they are still dogs. And dogs will be dogs. Hehe. Chasing rabits, birds, and what have you even if they are headed for a dangerous situation, they don't know any better. I want Cardi to have the freedom of being off leash when we are hiking, riding quads, exploring, lake trips, camping, etc. I would use it to give "leash corrections" with an invisible leash....sort to speak. Well, I have lots of time to think about it though. Again, thanks for the info.

I THINK YOU SHOULD START TRAINING HIM NOW, TO BE OFF LEASH. JUST START WITH YOUR FRONT YARD AND THEN PROGRESS TO OFF LEASH AT THE PARK. MY HUSBAND IS ONE OF THOSE THAT GET'S NERVOUS ABOUT LETTING THE DOGS OFF LEASH. I ALWAYS END UP SHOWING HIM IF HE JUST GIVES THEM THE CHANCE TO PROVE THEY WILL BEHAVE, YOU WILL SEE. THEY ALMOST ALWAYS BEHAVE AND THEY NEVER RUN OFF.


ONE THING THAT I DO WITH MY RAT TERRIER IS BRIBE (SP) HER WITH TREATS. AS A RAT TERRIER, THAT STUBORN TERRIER INSTINCT KICK'S IN OFTEN. WHEN IT DOES AND SHE DOESN'T STOP SNIFFING THINGS I JUST SAY, "TREATS BOOCH". SHE COMES RUNNING TO ME EVERYTIME. (MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS REWARD WITH A TREAT THOUGH)

THATS JUST MY EXPERIENCE TRAINING OFF LEASH WITH MY DOGS. GOOD LUCK WITH WHATEVER YOU DECIDE.