Training Collars - What You should Know

When you are considering a training collar it may be to train your dog appropriate behavior at home or in the field. The stimulation provided by these collars is safe for your dog. The stimulation will help correct behavior that is not acceptable whether it’s at home, or in the field. Remember, your dog needs to be well trained whether his future is as a family pet or as a hunter.

What are Stimulation Collars

Stimulation collars are electronic collars that are placed on your dog. These collars provide either steady stimulation or abrupt/momentary stimulation. Each of these forms of stimulation has their own particular uses.

The stimulation should be in accordance with the behavior of your dog. For instance, if your dog is bolting away from you, the continuous stimulation will result in him immediately becoming aware that he’s acting inappropriately. If you are trying to stop a bark, or other similar behavior, the momentary stimulation is as effective.

Dogs are notorious for their short-memory. Scolding a dog after he does something inappropriate is not the most effective method of training for the simple reason they have no idea what you’re scolding them for. Using an electronic collar gets your dogs attention at the same time they are misbehaving which drastically reduces training time.

How much is too much?

Let’s face it, some dogs are just flat out stubborn. This doesn’t mean however, that you should start off with a higher ‘jolt’. You need to determine the level of stimulation that your dog needs to get his attention – as well as the length of time he receives the stimulation. This will vary depending on your dogs size, as well as his attention level. Always use the proper level and length of stimulation and never over-use it.

How Far Away

Clearly if your dog is going to be in your home or in your yard, you don’t need a collar that covers a lot of ground. However, for those who are training a hunting dog including a pointer, spaniel or retriever, you’ll need a longer range. Tracking collars can be helpful for use with a hunting dog so that you can keep track of him as he follows his hunting instinct.

If you’re using your training collar for a pet versus a hunting or gun dog, you should use proper commands along with the stimulation. This will help the dog associate a command with the stimulation. Before long, your dog will most likely not even need the collar to follow these commands if you have trained him well.

Summary

Whether you are training a life-long home companion or a companion for the field you want them to be obedient and you want to keep them safe. Using electronic training collars can help you accomplish you training goals safely and effectively.

Geoffrey A. English is the Founder of GundogsOnline.com, the internet's premiere online magazine dedicated to bird dogs. Visit their site for more information on training bird dogs and hunting dog supplies including a wide variety of dog leads, shooting glasses, and Marshall Radio dog tracking collars.