E collar for police dogs? - Page 3

OH and the innotec!! I just about forgot.When i had it on my one GSD...he was SUPEr dog and man aggressive(why I used it and was trained on what to do) it was on the same setting...that stupid setting thing...as another trainer that was training a dog in the training hall.When she went to correct her dog with the ecollar MINE got shocked!!! I didn't understand why he jumped and ran to me.I didn't touch mine!! Then we figured it out.I felt so bad!! My dog was being good and laying on a down a ways away and not trying to kill anyone and then he got zapped!! I later borrowed someone elses ecollar so it wouldn't do that.

I have to say I really watched the other depts dogs and asked a lot of questions about brand and collar tech from one of our more seasoned state trainers before I tried it again.  Looking back at our exp. with innotec no wonder a lot of old school people think it is something from hades, I  had forgotten about the check the settings of switches x, y and z to make sure you aren't on the same freq.  until you mentioned it.   I remember mine would sometimes transmit and sometimes not, pretty random.

I have a dog now that I really don't want to use the ecollar on.He is super dog aggressive(hmmm some how they tend to end up in my hands) and i am hoping that I can train him to be like the other and except other dogs.....he doesn't have to like them....but to be like my other dog and if anything ignore them.My other dog I could have another dog walk over him when he was in a down or sit on another dog ...all kinds of things.He even later on ended up teaching pups I had the ropes of being confident.Nothing bothered him.He ended up being the best dog i have ever had.You can search him on here.Etu von Kuhnhof.

In NJ we have both schools of thought being utilized. Every police K9 in NJ must be recertified every year to stay on the streets.....I know of one of the certifying instructors who advocates use of remote and is a remote instructor. Other academies in NJ do not utilize remotes. Some have strong feelings against, but more are starting to use them.
To me it is a tool that in good hands works very well and in not good hands can ruin a dog. But I've also seen dogs ruined with bad handlers, and a variety of other things. My feeling is when the time for certification or recert comes around, I'm holding the remote people to the same standard as the non remote. I am interested in "outcomes". If dog passes with remote fine....if not then shouldn't be on streets...same with officers without remote.

I just got off the phone with Larry Filo and he uses Hans thinking about the E collar and doesnt use it in his training  but in the  liability phase of his police officers training he works with.......and it is quite funny we discussed this tonight..I spent over 2 hours with him. on the phone..

\We just caught up as he is the one who sold me my foundation many years ago..we discussed his wifes recent  handling of her gsd at Nationals and had a really great talk.  We even discussed tables.., which he does not use..

Larry Filo is the owner of SteinigTal and the Police Academy in Campbellsport, WI. He just celebrated his 59th birthday..And said he was leaving the hard sport competition to Angie his wife. He trains the dogs and leaves the handling to her..lol...He has his hands full with all the police depts and the officers and their dogs..

lol

YR

I will add this to try to clear up some of the confusion regarding K9 officers and e collars.  In our K9 school there is a 4 hour block of instruction on the proper use of an E collar, both classroom and practical instruction.  There is also a separate block of instruction on every other training collar available, prong, choke, fur saver, harness, leather, etc.  Pros and cons are discussed for each type of collar.  For example the reasons a fur saver is a poor training collar.  Handlers can then make an educated choice regarding the best collar and training methods for them and their dog.  The E collar training is rather in depth and not for every dog or handler.  I have already listed my reasons for using the collar.  

We certify our dogs every year under a Master Trainer.  Certification is one day and the Patrol dogs are tested in tracking, article searches, obedience, agility and aggression control.  We do aggression control with gunfire, "call offs", recalls and apprehensions with clean outs and handler protection.  We do not use E collars for certification and our dogs do not need them to certify.  All my dog has is a flat leather collar and I do everything off lead except tracking.  

I just got home from work at 0230 and had a busy night as always.  Had a felon (19 prior felony arrests) run from a traffic stop because he had dope in his car.  Popped the door and deployed dog, tackled the guy and stopped the dog before he bit the guy. Stopping my dog before biting a bad guy is a really good thing and not easy for my dog because he wants to fight.  A couple of building searches, utilized the dog for officer safety with some domestic calls and traffic stops and never used the E collar.  even when the guided missile deployed from my car after the running dope dealer I didn't need the collar, but it was there just in case I needed it.  I have a "holster" for my transmitter which sits on my duty belt between my OC spray and gun.  I can knick or stim or correct with  my eyes closed just as I can draw my gun, OC, ASP, or Flashlight  with my eyes closed.  

Mindhunt, 
I use a tritronics collar.  I also use a Bumper boy E collar stretch strap that I purchased and it makes the collar fit better and function more reliably.  The collar does not need to be fitted as tight and will not slide around the dog's neck.  

I can only speak for the K9 guys in my city and surrounding jurisdictions (about 60 or more dogs in total), we spend time on how to properly use the E collar.  I've gone to may other training seminars and bring the info back to share.  I would disagree from my experience that the K9 guys in my area do not know how to properly use E collars.  Some use it, some don't it's personal preference.

JMO FWIW,

Jim

 

I do agree with those that think the Innotek colars stink.  That is the worst collar I ever used.  I am happy with the tri-tronics and was very impressed with the dogtra as well.

Jim

I personally like my dog to respond to me and not to some doohickey on his neck. Just my personal preference. E collar is a brake away in thousands of years of  relationship which we have with the dog. OK, dog with e collar may work little better if used properly by certain few with proper discipline, skill and knowledge. Itis a new tool.   But what about implant the dog with electrodes directly in the brain. That is not that far fetched as it may sound. Then the dog will be really excellent, accurate and reliable.....  machine?  Well I do not want a machine I want a dog. I want a buddy who works with me because he enjoys it because we are a team. Yes he messes up sometimes, but so do I. I am lucky that I do not have a shock collar on my neck...yet.  I do not want a cyborg..... I do not like cyborgs they creep me out. I need a partner and a  friend.
Prager Hans
http://www.alpinek9.com

You mean you don't want a furry robot? lol I have to agree although I have used the e collar....I rather my dog listen to ME because he is bonded with me and respects the training that we have done. If he isn't clear on something then it is most likely my fault for not being consistant or making sure that it was clear in his head.Like kids though....they don't always do their homework.Even "machines" break down or don't work the way we want them to.Even the highest tech computers have cliches. Everyone has their method of training and what works best for one might not be what the other does but as long as you are being fair to the dog and you get what you want from it then so be it.JMO