Who needs an electric collar???

[kirstyhen]

Before I start, yes I know I'm an evil cruel owner and should probably be locked up and never be allowed to look after so much as a flea again

So, Otto's recall is coming on brilliantly, he comes back 99.9% of the time now (just not always very prompt about it!

), he is far more responsive to voice commands and will often stop and wait for me of his own accord.

BUT he still has a tendancy to go slightly deaf when rabbits may be around!

We have just been for a lovely long walk, practising recall with the distraction of birds (his favourite!) and he was brill.

As we were walking up the field outside my house he started to get a bit headstrong and was heading for the hedge. On the other side of the hedge is a very busy main road, I don't really want him learning to go through it, so was telling him NO and pulling him away, but he was merrily ignoring me and carrying on

Now there are sheep in our fields and therefore a low strand of electric sheep fencing all the way around the hedge. At first it was high enough he could get under it, but then he did it a bit further up, so I shouted NO again, however this time he obviously got a shock at the exact same second, he came running back to me, and walked at my heel for the rest of the walk

And now everytime I say NO, he stops instantly

(I know, I know, but it worked, and I didn't intentionally zap him

)

 

[Oneofthepack]

And that's exactly how and why an electric collar should be used

We've had discussions about this before on the forum and my viewpoint is that if the alternative is getting squished or shot then a zap with an electric collar is preferable. I'm lucky now that all mine are relatively good, though Indie is playing the deaf old lady card at the moment, but in the past I've used one just once and it was enough.

 

[kirstyhen]

I have thought about them for Otto, when absolutely nothing would get throught to him! But then he suddenly changed and has been making progress, so we decided not to.
Like anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way to use them. If that's the sort of response I get from him though, perhaps I'll think again about them

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
And that's exactly how and why an electric collar should be used

We've had discussions about this before on the forum and my viewpoint is that if the alternative is getting squished or shot then a zap with an electric collar is preferable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree completely!

 

[Vizslak]

i agree, i have one, it comes out v rarely but does the job and i would rather use it on my dogs on the odd occasion they go a bit deaf and kno they r safe off lead than let em get squished or shot! in all fairness i keep it in my pocket for walks cos i can make it beep and they all come back to the beep even if the collars not on them! iv only ever actually shocked them once each with it.

 

[k9h]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And that's exactly how and why an electric collar should be used

We've had discussions about this before on the forum and my viewpoint is that if the alternative is getting squished or shot then a zap with an electric collar is preferable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree completely!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too!

Plus the beauty of it is they do not associate you with the shock repremand! So you are they safety blanket & it is much nicer to be with you.

My old dog would of been shot by now (by me) had she not had one on her re stock (as she was a F&M pup) so could not get her out with stock when she was young.
Contary to peoples belief she does not need to wear one to remind her, as I do not own one!

 

[angela_l_b]

I have one and my dog wears it every time, but I can't think of the last time I actually pressed the button. Got it originally as she chased the horses which obviously is a big no, both for them and her as she was at risk of being kicked... it stopped this behaviour, and she moved very quickly from needing a zap to needing only a press on the button that gave the warning beep, now if she does misbehave all it takes is me moving my hand towards the control which is round my neck, and she knows what that means and stops without even the beep. I agree it's not ideal but for a rescue dog that had no training aged 18 months I couldn't find an alternative, and she's now a happy dog who is allowed to come to the yard and play rather than being stuck in the car or at home.

It hasn't always worked on chasing rabbits / deer though - I found if she was sufficiently distracted from me her brain was elsewhere, and there was nothing I could do.

Shout at me if you want to but I still maintain it was worth using the collar for a while, so that now she's allowed to play freely at the yard. Which isn't to say other methods aren't better, but she was very big, strong and set in her bad ways at 18 months, and we tried other methods without any success. I hate the effect of the collar but not the ultimate result. But if it enables 'naughty' rescue dogs to get a home and learn good behaviour, surely it's worth it?

 

[Oneofthepack]

Completely agree, and when my brother lent me his collar to use he said if I was prepared to use it on the dog I should try it on myself first so I was aware of how each limit felt. I got to 4 (wimp) but thought 3 was enough for the dog, and WAY less painful than an electric fence or indeed being shot or run over