The E-Collar Correction Question

The first six months of your pup’s life fly past, and the time to begin training is upon you. The question becomes what method or strategies should be used to enhance your pup’s progress. The enforcement of commands will become essential once your canine student learns them. How will you ensure that the consequence of selective hearing is imprinted on the pupil?

The first major choice, and probably most important decision, is whether to use an electronic collar. Some people continue to dismiss this training tool, due to the outdated image of the product as a “shock collar.” This stigma has somewhat subsided as electronic collar (“e-collar”) training methods and advanced products have become so widespread. But in some circles, this stigma still exists.

Some animal protectionists and others view this product as a cruel attempt to impose human will on an innocent animal utilizing electricity. The practice may be viewed by some as inhumane, capable of creating intimidation and confusion in the animal. Without proper information, e-collar dissidents may fear that the collars cause permanent harm to the dog’s mental and physical well being.

These statements and beliefs are far from the truth, when a collar is used properly. A quick affirmation of the training method is had by observing how dogs are successfully trained by professionals. A review of the training programs of successful professionals all reveal the use of a type of e-collar integrated in their programs. Professionals have found that the use of an e-collar accelerates the dogs’ training progress, keeping both the attitude of trainer and trainee positive. You won’t find intimidated, broken-spirited animals in their programs -quite the contrary! The animals respond more quickly than without the collar technology, which makes sense in light of the dog’s natural desire to please.

The fact remains that, when utilized properly, the technology of the e-collar is simply mirroring traditional “carrot and stick” approaches. Training methods that take this approach enable the trainer to form a proper teacher-student bond with the animal. Once this bond is set in place, the dog will have a better attitude in both the training and hunting environments because there are clear expectations set for him.

If you are still having reservations about the use of the electronic collar in your training program, dismiss the last of your concerns with this easy exercise: place the collar on your own arm and activate it. You quickly realize that the slight stimulation applied is just that – nothing painful, and nothing worth harboring concern.

Any training tool that is safe, expeditious, easily incorporated into any program, and capable of offering a strong bond and positive attitude between trainer and dog is a training tool worth adopting. The electronic collar is clearly that tool, capable of delivering these results to anyone serious about their training regimen.

This article was brought to you by SportingDog Adventures TV and Tri-Tronics, the leader in electric training collars.

Jeff and Katherine Fuller

Jeff Fuller, Host and Executive Producer of SportingDog Adventures, always loved dogs and hunting, but never expected to make a career out of it. Jeff followed his college career and time in the Army Reserve with a career in law enforcement, until a squad accident ended his career in 2005. Looking for a new path, Jeff began to expand his Labrador breeding program and incorporated Soggy Acres Retrievers. Appearances on local television shows inspired him to aim higher, and SportingDog Adventures was created to provide wholesome, family entertainment geared towards those with an interest in dogs and the outdoors. The show is now in its 4th season, with new episodes beginning each July on the Pursuit Channel, as well as several other networks including The Walk, Tuff TV, and Wild TV Canada. The show is also available year-round online at www.carbontv.com.

Katherine Fuller, wife of Jeff Fuller, came from a dog-loving family with a history of hunting that goes all the way back to her European roots. Still, she never expected to end up using her years of accounting experience and her marketing degree in support of a Labrador breeding program and a hunting show. In addition to her accounting and PR duties with Soggy Acres Retrievers kennel and SportingDog Adventures TV, Kate also appears on many of the episodes, and has also formed a marketing company, Brown Dog Communications, offering the outdoors industry media kits, press releases, web content, social media management, and more. Her contributions to OutdoorHub and other samples of her work can be found at www.browndogco.com. When she’s not writing or chasing after the dogs or the kids, she enjoys researching recipes and natural products, as well as organizing the family’s extensive photo collection.