electric dog collars to train dissapearing dog

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Mrjacks0n

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A friend has a rescued springer that is 6 years old, he has had it approx 6 months now and is used to the breed had 4 now and used to shoot and beat with them but has had them from pups so trained as pups, problem with this one is he goes off and dissapears frequently and returns when hes ready, not always safe even in dense countyside as worry of roads , he has brought a electric collar to try alongside whistle and i wondered if anyone had any advice or experience as above with any of their naughty dogs thanks.
 
Won't work.

Do the math.

Run away= shock= scared= run even father.

He needs to work with a long line and treats.

Keeping the dog on the long line all the time but with it trailing along the ground.

Call the dog. If he comes he gets a treat and a fuss. Make sure he calls it in a nice fun voice.

If the dog doesn't come step on the end of the long line to give the dog a jolt when he comes back reward.
 
Hi we already tried that i suggested that a while ago , owners not thick the dog is also not a nervy or stressy nature, hes been knocked down once and luckily survived he goes off for an hour or two sometimes, as all working dog peeps know a life on the lead is not what he wants thanks.
 
I'm afraid to say I agree with Katie. I have a Springer that used to do exactly the same thing, with just the lunge line, some chicken and a whistle he now recalls brilliantly. He has also worked this season.
If he hadn't I would have had no choice but to keep him on the lead, maybe not the life he wants but I have a responsibility to him and everyone else to have control of him. The fact that he has already been hit by a car would only reinforce the fact that he should be on a lead.
An electric collar may work as a last resort, but I would suggest he finds someone very experianced in using them, otherwise he will end up with a dog the runs away in fear, rather than one that just follows it's nose - and that's a far harder issue to deal with.

If he has only had the dogs six months and has already discounted the lunge line, then he hasn't used it long enough. The dog has had 6 years of learning to behave the way it does, it will take a lot longer than 6 months to correct.
 
I have used one successfully on a springer, she would also run off for hours at a time and is lucky she wasn't shot.

The first time I used the collar on her she went to run off, she was given a shock and came straight back to me, she then stayed very close for the rest of the walk (not a bad thing!). The next day she was given another shock when she went to run off and again she came straight back.

She always wears the collar but it is now hardly used, the collar beeps before it shocks her so she has learnt to respond to the beep so we never have to go as far as shocking her.

On walks she is fantastic, I can walk her through pheasant pens off the lead, walking to heal and she also comes out with us when we go riding.

Some people say that they are mean but I think they are worth a go, this spaniel would probably have been shot or run over by now if it wasn't for the collar!
 
I don't think it has to work the way Katielou_houston described, but they are the very last resort and I really think that they should only be used under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
If your friend zap in the wrong moment, it will not have the desired effect and even if it doesn't cause the dog to run in blind panic, your friend can end up teaching the dog to not even bother about being zapped and what will he/she resort to then?

Yes it can take a long time to teach them to not run away by long line training, but electric collars are not always a quick fix either and I can only ditto Kirstyhen, this dog has 6 years of training in the noble art of "How to run away whenever you feel for it", to spend only 6 months of trying to change that can be like a drop in the ocean with some dogs.
 
No no no. Bad idea. For all the reasons outlined above.

Find a gundog trainer that uses positive methods instead.I can recommend one near me (Norfolk/Suffolk border) - there will be others closer.

There are no quick fixes, sorry.
 
thanks for your advice will pass on and watch this space, myriding instructors brother is a breeder and trainer willsee if he wants to speak to him, i also agree with that type of enforcement being ysed by experienced people thanks
 
One other thing to bear in mind - it took my rescue dog at least 6 months just to settle in with me - it is early days yet :)
 
I worked with my dog for a year on a longline.

I know I am repeating myself but I know of people who use e-collars to increase drive in protection dogs, if you use it at the incorrect time then you can have the dog off and running.

You need to learn to recognise the signs and read the body language, my dogs at least don't just toddle off - ears go forward, eyes become fixed - it is at that moment you deploy your voice and body language. Or the collar, if you choose to go down that route.
I really would not use a piece of equipment like that without guidance from someone experienced.
 
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