What is a good shock collar

[cfonnes]

My German Shorthair is 8 months and with the coming of spring I am ready to start field training.

Shock collars are spendy so I want a good one for the money.

Any recommendations?

 

[captwalt]

I used dogtra, I was happy with the performance

 

[Dolomieu]

Is it standard to use one for that? I have a hard time believing shocking your dog is ever a good thing, but where I volunteer its 100% positive training. Personally I wouldn't use one on my dog if I wasn't willing to put it on, dial it up and try it myself, but I love my dogs.

 

[JohnnyO]

Is it standard to use one for that? I have a hard time believing shocking your dog is ever a good thing, but where I volunteer its 100% positive training. Personally I wouldn't use one on my dog if I wasn't willing to put it on, dial it up and try it myself, but I love my dogs.

So you think the OP doesn't love his dogs? You're not in his shoes. I suggest you reserve your judgement. You have no idea what this guy's situation is.

 

[Franco]

Dogtra has great reviews, but when I went to buy I got the SportDOG 400. Works great - has a "nick" button which gives (I think) a 1/4 second shock, just enough to get my dogs' attention. Has another button that gives a 1 sec shock. You can set the levels differently too ie "nick" at 3, shock at 8.

 

[Franco]

Is it standard to use one for that? I have a hard time believing shocking your dog is ever a good thing, but where I volunteer its 100% positive training. Personally I wouldn't use one on my dog if I wasn't willing to put it on, dial it up and try it myself, but I love my dogs.

Not trying to be rude, but there is a WORLD of difference between training pet dogs on a leash and training working dogs half a mile away from their handler..

 

[Copbrew133]

Dogtra is a very well made electronic collar, our canine units use them, which model I couldn't tell you but they hold up well. I think we get ours from Ray Allen.

 

[friday]

I'm a fan of pinch collars, they work well and they're cheep. You might try one before you spend a lot of money on a shock collar.

That's not really the answer to you question but I think you would be wise to save the money and spend it on beer.

 

[Dolomieu]

Not trying to be rude, but there is a WORLD of difference between training pet dogs on a leash and training working dogs half a mile away from their handler..

I agree and i am only a volunteer, so i know my place and my role. That being said i would honestly like an answer as to if this is standard for this type of training?

There are vibrating collars that give you the same remote access to your pet. there are gps collar that can be used incase it would happen to get away from you. There are ways of doing it with out running electricity through the pet you love.

I stick to my original statement about putting it on.

I don't mean to be rude either but i do believe using a shock collar is controversial. That being said if you just ignore my post i promise it will be the last one on the matter.

Please notice the lack of !!!!!! as my tone is not one of a raving idiot just a reasonable person with a different view. Sorry for noticing your post, i'm here for beer.

 

[wolverinebrewer]

I prefer to use the term "avoidance" training collar because the term 'shock' gets people all up in arms.
I own a Tri-Tronics system but it's about 15 years old so there could now be better ones out there. I would suggest one with variable stimulation but I've only worked with labs so with short hairs you may need one with other features.
Please be careful with this. Collars can be used improperly and result in creating other problems. Nothing makes for a long day in the field than a gun shy dog or one that was improperly trained on a collar. I've seen it happen. Good luck to you.

Is it standard to use one for that? I have a hard time believing shocking your dog is ever a good thing, but where I volunteer its 100% positive training. Personally I wouldn't use one on my dog if I wasn't willing to put it on, dial it up and try it myself, but I love my dogs.

Yes it is standard when you want a faultless bird dog working at a distance.

 

[CHefJohnboyardee]

Buy a 2mi range system. I have no idea where you are hunting but my brits are close hunting dogs and sometimes when they get into a slough on the other side of a hill they get out of range. I only had to shock my latest pup twice. Now I can just whistle and use the tone button. I rarely put the collar on him now. I also only had to use the collar on the lowest setting. I used it on myself at the highest. While it doesn't hurt it sure gives you a shake. My bird dogs are my children and I want them at the top of their game so we can both have a great day in the field.

Read some books on the training and watch some videos. I got a Tri-Tronics g3exp. Wish I had gotten the Pro 200 but the G3 was what budget dictated. It works and Tri-Tronics service is great and it is all made in the USA.

 

[GulfCoastGirl]

I agree and i am only a volunteer, so i know my place and my role. That being said i would honestly like an answer as to if this is standard for this type of training?

It most certainly is for hunting dogs! Remember, those dogs are often out of sight of their owner so they can't take visual cues and often not even verbal cues. They are trained to respond to various whistle commands (at least the good ones are). When training... sometimes they are far away and require a little shock to get a distracted pooch back on task.

Another thing to remember is that these dogs are not your little toy poodles.... these are typically big, beefy dogs who are at their happiest running through the bush and swimming in the water. There is a good layer of fur between the collar and their skin and they certainly aren't hurt by a little shock.

I stick to my original statement about putting it on.

Every hunter I personally know who has used a shock collar to train their dog has in-fact put it on themselves to see. Not a single one of them were hurt by it and they didn't have a layer of fur as protection.... well most of them anyway

I don't mean to be rude either but i do believe using a shock collar is controversial.

Lots of things in this world are. Fortunately, here in America we are free to do "controversial" things despite the opinions of others

 

[snccoulter]

I don't know about the avoidance collars for hunting, but I know the collars that are used for keeping dogs in their yard with an avoidance collar works well. My parents now have my German Short Hair. (My wife and I went on vacation and left her with my parents for a week and they did not want to give her back. With a new baby in the house it was easier to let my parents keep her.) miss her lots. But back to the story. They have one of the wireless fences and the pup will not go near the perimeter and they now not have to worry about her running. It only took her 2 or 3 times to realize that the beep she heard meant if she went further she was going to get it. Oh and it is not like a tazer. It is just a pinch I have been hit with it.

 

[jd3]

Tritronics are great collars. We use them and love them. The big buttons are a plus as they are easy to just use instinctively. Might not seem like a big deal, but it makes it much easier to give timely correction. If it takes you 30 seconds to find the right button it is pretty much useless...

I've got a cabelas branded innotek that works pretty well too. THough the buttons are flat and harder to find without looking.

I'm a fan of pinch collars, they work well and they're cheep. You might try one before you spend a lot of money on a shock collar.

That's not really the answer to you question but I think you would be wise to save the money and spend it on beer.

Pinch Collars aren't really appropriate for off leash field training. They're essentially useless. We're not talking about leash training or basic commands like "sit". More advanced field work, retrieval, etc.

Is it standard to use one for that? I have a hard time believing shocking your dog is ever a good thing, but where I volunteer its 100% positive training. Personally I wouldn't use one on my dog if I wasn't willing to put it on, dial it up and try it myself, but I love my dogs.

I've put mine on. Stings like hell while it happens then done. No damage. My dogs rarely get shocked either. A few times a season, maybe. As soon as you put that collar on them they change. They focus on task better and follow commands better. This isn't bad training on my end, just the nature of high energy dogs.

If you go out and find a serious hunting dog that hasn't been trained using a collar I'd be surprised. Having control over your dog when hunting is important. If you can't see the dog, just saying "stop" doesn't work. They're on task, nose down going after birdts and could easily keep on moving.

Obedience training and field training are two different things. LIke the difference between driving a moped and an 18 wheeler. Sure, they're both vehicles and have wheels, but that is where the similarities end.

BTW, I love my dogs too. Don't be a ******.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

OP didn't ask for a debate about training methods, simply input on a product.

We have a place for debating things.

 

[cfonnes]

Thanks for the suggestions, I am going for the SportDOG 400.

As for training methods, no one wants to hurt there dog. Keep in mind that a gun dog is bred to hunt (and will kill if not properly trained). Often in a pups early training they will get on something's scent and will not stop. This pup is smart, it will not take many corrections for him to learn to break the chase when I command him to. It beats having dead deer, neighbors chickens, or porcupine quills.

 

[jd3]

The reviews of the sport dog are good and for the price it is good, it seems. I've never used one or been around one so no personal experience. Where are you ordering from?

 

[Franco]

Thanks for the suggestions, I am going for the SportDOG 400.

As for training methods, no one wants to hurt there dog. Keep in mind that a gun dog is bred to hunt (and will kill if not properly trained). Often in a pups early training they will get on something's scent and will not stop. This pup is smart, it will not take many corrections for him to learn to break the chase when I command him to. It beats having dead deer, neighbors chickens, or porcupine quills.

Gun Dog Supply has them on sale right now:

http://www.gundogsupply.com/sportdog-field-trainer-sd-400.html

I don't work for them or anything, but I've bought from there before. They ship pretty quickly and had good customer service.

 

[Copbrew133]

I love that as I follow up on this thread there is a shock collar banner ad at the top of the Homebrewtalk page....ahhh technology.

 

[jsv1204]

I used one for a while years ago with my lab. One evening I slapped that thing on my own arm and hit the joy button. Hurt like hell! Never put it on my dog again...