advice on dog shock collars?
I have a puppy (10 months old) that need some major training. We really work with him but he is just very stubborn. We are living in an apartment with a big field and want to take him out to throw the frisbee. He is usually good but as soon as someone walks outside he is all over them. He weighs about 60 pounds and while he is not viscious I am afraid that he will hurt someone. I cant keep him inside all of the time and am considering a shock collar with remote. Can anyone recommend a good brand and techniques for using it. I dont want to hurt him but I am at a total loss. No matter what we do he will not listen if he gets distracted by another person. Due to this we haven been able to let him run as much (we walk him on the leash) and his behaviour is taking a turn for the worse. Im guessing that its due to extra energy.
thank you for the answers. We have tried training him as much as possible and very consistently. He is very good with many commands. He is also extremely stubborn. I dont want a collar that with zap him like crazy. I wont put it on him if I cant wear it myself, and I will be testing it on myself. I feel like for this specific thing (jumping) that this will work for him. Im just wondering what kind of collar to use. I will definatley find out about using it properly (I dont want to just randomly shock him). Thanks again. Also has anyone had luck with vibration collars?
Tags: 10 months, apartment, extra energy, frisbee, puppy, shock collar, taking a turn, vibration, wondering what kind, zap
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
I’d say a lot of it has to do with the pent up energy. Playing frisbee in the field shouldn’t be your only other alternative to walking. He’s still quite young so I wouldn’t recommend taking him on miles runs just yet. But as he approaches his year mark, I would just train him to run along side your bike. Or get yourself a 40 foot lead and play fetch to get out that energy.
But with the jumping and excitability, it’s a very common problem with pups. They just want to say hello to everyone don’t they? First things first, I would work on some general pack structure ground work. You should be in a position that even if your dog was distracted or excited, they respect you enough to listen to you. But it’s also understandable that with all that energy that can be hard. So exercise and further obedience training should be a nice start. I would recommend a few things to work on actually.
Work on the jumping. When a dog jumps it’s basically looking for that attention. So if you come home each day and your dog greets you by jumping up, that’s how he’s going to greet everyone. Discourage all jumping up on people period. Get some friends or family members to help you out. If the dog jumps up, what you do is fold your arms and turn around. Do not look at the dog and ignore him. As soon as he settles down, slowly unfold your arms and reach down to pat him. If he gets excited, again fold your arms and turn away. If all fours stay on the ground while he’s being petted, reward him. Now when you are on walks or when someone would like to greet your dog, have him sit first. Have him learn that if someone approaches or if he wants to say hello to someone, he needs to sit and wait. Once he calms, give him a greeting command such as "ok, say hi" or "say hello."
Also, work on your recall. Get him to a place where if he’s running towards a person and you tell him to come, he’ll turn around and do so.
It’s absolutely possible to get the results you desire without the use of the ecollar. I’ve got nothing against them, I own and use one myself, but make sure you do your research and learn how to use them correctly. If use wrongly, it can do much more harm than good. However, if you’re interested in looking up some ecollars and information on how to use them I would recommend this website:
http://leerburg.com/
http://leerburg.com/318.htm
He sells ecollars as well as a DVD on how to use them. There’s also a wonderful wealth of knowledge on this site as well as information on the ecollar page. This site can be quite pricey so if you find a collar that you like, I’d try shopping around for it to see if you can get it for cheaper. But I would definitely invest in the DVD. It worked great for my dog and it’s important to know how to use this tool properly and where to use it. The DVD will go through all of that. If you’re still unsure or have any questions, find yourself a reputable trainer to help you out. There are plenty of training clubs you can find locally. The last thing you want to do is make the wrong move and worsen any problems.
Hope this helps. Best of luck!
[Additional]
I don’t have much experience using a vibrating collar for jumping or any behavior modification so I can’t tell you from my personal experience how effective it would be. However, I have used one when I was training a deaf dog but it was mainly used as a means to get her attention and for her recall.
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
i would never get a shock collar, they must hurt. sorry, i didnt really answer your question
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
I suggest you do not use a shock collar without consulting a Professional trainer first, to show you how to correctly fit and use a "shock collar" and whether your dog has the right temperament for one (and whether it is the right tool for the job.)
Used correctly this tool has amazing results and in many cases only requires one correction for the dog to stop and think before carrying out inappropriate behavior.. If you don’t know what your doing then you should NEVER attempt to use a shock collar without Professional help!
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
I have no problem with people using e-collars (or shock collars) to train their dog at the right time, with the right dog, for the right task, when the people know what they are doing.
In my opinion, you do not need an e-collar – you need to learn how to train your dog first. Find a good trainer in your area – your vet should be able to provide recommendations.
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
Neboptics gave a very good answer and I agree completely that the Leerburg Kennel DVD Remote Collar Training for Pet Owners is fantastic- http://leerburg.com/318.htm I own the DVD and have watched it multiple times. The DVD even has a section devoted just to correcting the problem of dogs jumping up on people. The recall or "come" command section is invaluable! I learned so much!
The Leerburg article "Theory of Corrections in Dog Training" is an important article to read. http://leerburg.com/pdf/theoryofcorrections.pdf
I use the Dogtra model NCP1700 which has been replaced by the NCP1900 on my 75 lb. dog. I love the features on the remote. It’s got a digital display that is back-lit and a nick button. The nick button gives a shock for a fraction of a second. A nick is all it takes for my dog to respond at about 1/3 power, and I can easily take a full power nick on my arm. I NEVER use the continuous button, but I would if I had to in the case of an emergency such as my dog spotting a deer and taking up chase.
I feel that prong collars are humane, but that e-collars are even more humane. E-collar training (when done correctly) results in many fewer corrections to the dog than training done with any other kind of training collar that I’ve had experience with. Not only is the e-collar more humane, it makes off-leash training possible (within the confines of a fenced area such as a baseball field at first).
My dog was just like yours when off leash. I think of the e-collar as an invisible leash, and I use it exactly the same way as a real leash.
Edit: Oh please, David… Sadists? You need to learn the difference between a correction to a dog and punishment. I never punnish my dog. Dogs do not understand the concept of punnishment, but a well timed correction for disobeying a command they already know 100% and choose to disregard is something dogs understand very well and respond to in training.
September 5th, 2011 at 1:55 am
If e goes up to someone to jump up them, just get that person to turn their back on him. Do it yourself when he tries to jump up you.
It works, it did on my GSD.
I deplore shock collars and are only used by sadists.