Sop what do you guys think of E collars?

[mike farwell]

I have a female sheltie that at three-four months we did on leash training with a prong collar, worked great we could take on her a walk and she did great with sit, stay and heel and come. I would first like to say that we had a trainer that was a retired air force dog trainer and he did nothing but to train dogs while he was in the air force "retired". So I would recommend a prong collar as long as youre using it with a qualified trainer.
Ok Cali just turned 8 months old we started heer in off leash training last night with a E collar and yes at first it did startile her and it took a while for her to propnerly respond to it, BUT I am using the same trainer as I did with her on leash training and he showed me the proper way to introduce the collar to her, he told me to have the collar on her for ten days with it turned off at ll times so she would get used to it at first. I had the e collar set at the lowest level {1) it it is working out great. She remembers in just one training night our basic commands and she responding pretty dang good so far, I would never let her outside in the front yard because she would take off and chase cars if she wasnt on the leash, so I was so impressed the way that she had responded to my commands I had her in the front yard, OFF leash , while I was working on her heeling a car drove buy and she kept her stay and never took off for the car! now I know theres people that think shock collars are bad, and some people think the collars are cruel, But so far by my own expierence with my sheltie the collar works, and the fact that she wont chase cars is worth every dollar I spent on the collar. So within less than a couple of hours working with her, she heels, sit, stay, downs, recall just as well as she had with being on leash... I am sold 100% with my ecollar, and yes I went the treat route and the only time she would do her commands off leash was when I had a treat in my hand, if I didnt have a treat forget it she wouldnt do anything I told her to...

 

[corbinam]

Hi Mike, and welcome to the forum.

I think you will find that the majority of our members here do not condone the use of e-collars. Shelties are a naturally sensitive and biddable breed--many of us have found that negative and punitive training methods are obsolete, and borderline barbaric for our dogs.

I have never had other breeds, so I typically refrain from commenting on the use of these methods outside of my expertise, but there are better, kinder ways of pointing our breed in the right direction towards wanted vs. unwanted behavior.

And yes, there are stubborn, hard-headed shelties out there (I have one myself), but I would never use an e-collar under any circumstance.

 

[mike farwell]

thanks for your opinion, but Ive gone down that positive reinforcement road such as using treats and for me I have found my dog will not respond unless I have a treat in my hand. I also trained her with a prong
collar as far as on leash..And I might say that it was highly effective down right with a trainer and prong collars are looked down also among people that dont understand how they work or know how to properly use them.
I agree Shelties are a sensitive breed and very intelligent but the smarter the breed, the faster they catch on to the training devices so in all actuality you dont have to correct the dog very often. My sheltie if let loose in my unfenced front yard would of been a nightmare,
she would not come when told to she would just want to chase anything and everything and I would have to get a treat to have her come back. So before I'm put on a cross I can tell you that I do love my sheltie and the last thing
I would want for her to get ran over and killed. Ive have been able to have her in my front yard now and she will not break her "STAY", she comes when called, before you condemn a training device, watch how they are properly used,
dont go by others opinions that have no actual experience with a training device, prong collars look "barbaric" but used correctly are highly effective of teaching a dog on leash training, all they do is to simulate the mothers bite to the neck to
correct her puppy.

 

[mike farwell]

Oh yeah I like to add that in such a short time working with her with the ecollar, I had the collar off of her last night and a car drove down the street I told her to stay and she held her "stay" perfectly!
I'm just saying for me the collar works and it is so enjoyable knowing her and I can go in the front yard and really go anywhere and she will simply do what I tell her to do. And yes I pour on the love when she does
what she's told.

 

[Lunatic59]

I'm not a fan of e-collars in general and totally against them for Shelties in particular. Shelties are smart, sensitive animals with memories so long that elephants will often ask a Sheltie to remind them of something. While you may see results with negative training, what you are actually teaching your dog is not cooperation for mutual benefit but obedience under threat of pain. I wouldn't treat a human that way, let alone a Sheltie. (Okay, maybe certain humans ).

It would be my fear that using this type of training method would instill a permanent fear response in my dog as well as having one that didn't completely trust me.

 

[Ann]

First of all, if you didn't want our opinion but merely want to stress your own, why did you ask? Not only would I never use a shock collar on a Sheltie, I would never use a prong collar. Shelties are not a breed that does well with fear-based training and yes, your dog may respond to it but I assure you it's not the response you should be getting.

Also, there are many dog trainers out there with loads of canine experience, but not with Shelties. Other breeds may do well with more aggressive training methods. Shelties are not one of those breeds. So unless your trainer specialized in Shelties, I would question his methods. As Corbinam said, there are stubborn Shelties -- I've had several also. There is no quick fix for them with a collar; they require positive reinforcement for lasting results and a happy dog.

 

[tesslynn]

Oh yeah I like to add that in such a short time working with her with the ecollar, I had the collar off of her last night and a car drove down the street I told her to stay and she held her "stay" perfectly!
I'm just saying for me the collar works and it is so enjoyable knowing her and I can go in the front yard and really go anywhere and she will simply do what I tell her to do. And yes I pour on the love when she does
what she's told.

Sorry NEVER ever EVER would I use this kind of training on a sheltie. They don't require that at all. WRONG breed to use it on. Not that I would ever use it on ANY creature, but certainly NOT a sheltie. . What I would FEAR in the future is the sheltie becoming withdrawn and shy and exhibiting a fear response. I have a willful sheltie Diva, and even with her, consistency of presenting the expectation was so she understands is/was key.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I can pretty much guarantee your military traininer wasn't working with Shelties. The breed characteristics do matter when you choose training techniques.

Many of us have had stubborn Shelties and having been involved with rescue Shelties I've met dogs who have been badly trained by people who fail to understand the breed.

A 3 month old Sheltie requires positive training techniques to become a healthy adult dog. The dog is still a baby.

Yes, it does take time and effort to train a Sheltie appropriately. While we have a fenced in back yard we used a ground tie out front until our dogs were fully trained on recall so they could be out front with us. 3 dogs not one hit by a car. Without using prongs or shocks all learned not to run into street.

 

[mike farwell]

wow, how many of you have actually seen a ecollar being used properly? or better ,use one properly yourselves? or are you all going by someone else opinion? and I shouldnt use a prong collar either? wow I must be a terrible person that should never own a dog..
But I can tell you one thing my Sheltie knows what I'm telling her to do and she will do what I tell her. When she does well after a training session I will give her a treat and no I dont make her sit or do something for the treat,
just giving her a treat because she did so well. So if youre wondering if she cowers down in fear you can rest assured she doesnt! I'm open for any suggestions but I would rather hear from people that have actually used a ecollar, and how it worked for them...

 

[mike farwell]

I can pretty much guarantee your military traininer wasn't working with Shelties. The breed characteristics do matter when you choose training techniques.

Many of us have had stubborn Shelties and having been involved with rescue Shelties I've met dogs who have been badly trained by people who fail to understand the breed.

A 3 month old Sheltie requires positive training techniques to become a healthy adult dog. The dog is still a baby.

Yes, it does take time and effort to train a Sheltie appropriately. While we have a fenced in back yard we used a ground tie out front until our dogs were fully trained on recall so they could be out front with us. 3 dogs not one hit by a car. Without using prongs or shocks all learned not to run into street.

Hi, the prong collar was used for only on leash training we did this at 3-4 months of age, she learned well quicky and has done great. Cali just turned 8 months and we have her in off-leash training and for her the training is going well. Her "stay" is perfect since the ecollar, again this afternoon
we went out side and a car drove down the street and she held her stay..... By the way youre comment about "stubborn" Shelties, its not that hey are stubborn, but the true fact is that they are very smart and yes they dont forget a dang thing. case in point, I was trying to lure my Sheltie in from the back yard,
with a treat, yes she came in But after that she expected to get a treat to come in or else she wouldnt respond with out a treat.... Question, what are you going to do if you find youre dog chasing a raccoon or a squirrel, or chasing a kid on a bike?, how sure are you that your command will be heard and will be obeyed???????