E-Collars - Page 1

At what age is it recommended to start using an E-Collar? We are new to this and will be asking questions quite often.

If your dog doesn't need to have one. I suggest don't use E-collar. To those who used Ecollars most of their dogs ages from 2years or older.

Ron

Novice trainers should never use an E-collar without the supervision of an experience trainer. It's very easy to ruin a dog using this device so please go seek help from a professional trainer that has been doing this kind of work for quite some time.

Good question

How old is your dog and what skills are you trying to instill?

i started using my sportdog e collar on my mali at 6 months very low 1 or two he is very stuborn and it always works wonders for me i only use it for obedience so i dont know how brittany says it will ruin your dog..maybe if your an idiot and use it  on a young dog when doing bite work 

The e-collar is a tool, and just like any tool it can be misused. How it is used and how the dog works with it all depends on the trainer and handler. I started my Mal at 7 weeks of age. He has TONS of drive and flash and never looks like his "spirit is broken". Yes thats right at 7 weeks. Does that mean I use it the same as I would on a 7 month old dog or even 7 years. NO. Cause everything is different depending on the dog, the age, the issues you might be having, and the direction you are hoping to go. As long as it is done correctly and not just as a correction, you will have a confident attentive dog. If you are not extrememly familiar with ecollars and training with them then I do highly recommend a professional trainer that is. There are alot of trainers out there, personally I can speak for Sit Means Sit, www.sitmeanssit.com . I'm sure there are others that are just as good. But either way, I would ask to see their dog. Does their dog look happy, confident, and do they listen. Does it look like how you want yours to look. Ask them to show you what they can do for you. And go with your gut. If you don't get a good feeling about a trainer then look for another. You need to like your trainer and work well with them in order to get the most out of their training program.
So again, its not the age that matters as much as how you use it.

And what issues were you having with a 7 week old puppy?  Personally, If I had sold you that puppy, and I knew or found out that later you had put electric on it at 7 weeks, I would have come over to your house, taken the puppy back and given your money back as a bag of pennies.  Do the dog world a favor and get out of it.  Completely irresponsible and just an example of the misuse of not only the "tool" but of the pet training seminars that are commonly given by "geniuses" who took a Jim Dobbs' class and parlayed it into a snake oil dog business.

If I had to give out a very general guideline, a dog should be at the minimum of 1 year of age, many trainers will agree with this.  This is a tool that has high potential to be an aversive to the dog and to be mis-used in a way that can cause psychological damage, this is why everyone is saying find a trainer who is highly proficient with using the collar and can show you the best way to use it.  Are some trainers using it to supress behaviors for pet owners and have them appear to be 'under control' because they are working to avoid stim for the collar, probably, and this is not going to be a good application for your dog.

What applications are you using it for?

I see no reason to use any type of training collar on a 7-week old puppy!!!

you just have to know when and how to use it..although i do think 7 weeks is a little young i wouldnt start until 5 or 6 months but very light and it also depends what your using your dog for..i dont do any sports my dogs are stictly civil  protection dogs so in my case i would not use the collar for any bite work until about 2 when i start introducing the "out" command and that would be as a last resort...