eTraining Dog Collars

Here are some tips for the “Come” or “Here” command which is often referred to as the Recall command.  After your dog thoroughly understands the sit and stay commands you can introduce the recall.  Choose any word i.e. “come”, “here”  just stick with the same word. Work him at a distance and keep control of your dog by attaching a long line to his petsafe dog collar.  It is important that the dog learns to return directly to you.

Sometimes handlers make the mistake of assuming too much too soon and remove the leash from the petsafe dog collar, expecting the dog to behave off-leash as well as he did on-leash. They lose control of the dog and become discouraged.  Be sure to keep your dog on the leash while he is learning applying low level stimulation as needed.

After your dog has learned these commands: Bed or Kennel, Sit and  Stop it’s a good idea to teach the stay command.  Your dog needs to learn to stay as you walk around him and even when you go out of sight.  As with teaching all commands the first thing you must do is make sure your dog understands the command.  Gently hold him still and say “stay”.  While facing him let go and step away two or three paces.  If he moves quickly put him back on the same spot and repeat the process.  If he stays give him a reward and encouraging words.  Depending on the temperament of your dog this may take a while, but be patient, remember  numerous short training sessions are better than one long one.  Soon your dog will understand the command.

Only when your dog understands the command you can begin formal training because he is not there yet.  Training  dog collars are a must here because they will make the command stick.  Put on  the electronic collar, set at the proper level of stimulation.   Call  your dog over to you and give the command stay and back up.  Continue to back up while saying “stay”.  If he stays give him a reward.  If he moves apply low level stimulation and place him on the spot where you gave the command and turn off the stimulation.  Repeat this process.  Your dog will soon  learn how to avoid the stimulation altogether by obeying the command.  That is your benchmark to move forward in the training  process.

Try this fun game.  Inside the house, play a game of sit and stay.  Go to another room and wait ten seconds.  Then call him to you.  Build up to 2 or 3 minutes or more.  If  your dog disobeys apply stimulation while bringing him back to the spot where he should have stayed.  Continue this process.  When  he understands this the next test is to bring him outdoors.  Have fun with it.

Here’s how to find the proper level of stimulation when using an electronic collar:  We refer to it as “low level stimulation”.

If the stimulation in your electronic collar is so low the dog cannot feel it, or if the stimulation is so high that the dog is in pain, it is at the wrong level. We don’t ever want to cause pain.

To find the proper level of stimulation, place the electronic collar on the dog’s neck. The collar should be at the high side of the dog’s neck, up close to his head. The neck is thinner there, and the collar cannot slide down to the thick portion of the neck.  If you place the collar low on the neck, near the collarbone, the collar may slide it up and cause the censors to fail to make contact; stimulation will thus be inconsistent.  You should be able to slip two fingers under the electronic collar to ensure a proper fit.

With the dog on a check-cord or lead, turn the continuous stimulation on at the lowest level and look for a reaction from the dog.  Maybe the dog looks around curiously.  Perhaps he was wagging his tail and stops wagging, or an involuntary twitch occurs at the neck.  You are trying to find the lowest level that the dog feels.  If the dog does not show any signs of feeling the stimulation,  move up one level and repeat.  Once you have established the lowest level of stimulus the dog feels, that is the proper level to use.

Depending on a dog’s past history and temperament, you may have to use higher levels during training, but always go with the lowest level of stimulus that your dog responds to.

When training our dog and he doesn’t obey my wife tells me that waiting even five to ten minutes to discipline our dog is too long.  Is that an exaggeration?

Your wife has a valid point because dogs learn by association in regards to place and time. Not the time of day but the very moment something happens.  So if you see your dog doing something wrong and you wait for a more convenient time to correct him it’s too late.  Even if only five minutes goes by.  He will associate what he is doing at the time of correction with your discipline which may not be what you intend. This will cause confusion for the dog and
may inhibit future training success.

That’s why today’s training dog collars with a remote is such a useful tool.  It enables you to give correction the moment your dog disobeys a command reducing confusion for your dog and giving you quicker results in your training efforts..

Although my father had a fully stocked gun cabinet when I was growing up, it wasn’t until last weekend that I fired a rifle for the first time. One of my friends lives on a ranch several miles out of town, and we all headed out their on Saturday for a day of shooting. As the only one unacquainted with skeet shooting, I was prepared to fail miserably.

My first few attempts at the clay thrower went about how I expected—with me severely missing the target, causing my friends keel over with laughter. As the day progressed, however, my shooting began to improve. By the time we headed back to the city late that night, I could almost hold my own with the rest of the guys.

Enjoy small game hunting with a dog?   Try hunting with more than one dog at a time. It’s exciting to watch a group of dogs working an area. The excitement even becomes contagious to the  dogs as they compete with each other in sniffing out game.

Electronic collars and petsafe collars are a must here. Remember dogs by their very nature are pack animal’s. You must be the leader of the pack or they will take advantage of the situation and do what ever they want to do. Today’s electric dog collars are able to handle more than one dog at a time. Don’t make the mistake of hunting with more than one dog until you put them through a training process first. If you wait for the day of the hunt it’s too late.

 Most hunters use various hunting came calls as well as a favorite predator call when hunting. Using decoys and hunting game calls are a joy in itself.  Great pride can be gained by using decoys especially if you made them yourself.  Making your own  decoys is a great hobby and a nice way to get ready for the hunting season.

During the hunt just setting up the decoys takes skill, usually learned through trial and error.  If you find a set up  that works stick with it.  Unfortunately even the tried and true set up may not work all  the time.  As you may know the longer you are on post the less effective your decoys are even when using a variety of hunting game calls. That’s’ because the scene that you set up becomes stagnate and needs to be refreshed.  That’s the challenge, because once you leave cover and disturb the area chances are game will be scattered as well.  Best thing to do is to set up  your  prize decoys in a proven arrangement and  stay  put untill lunch break.  When you come back  for the evening  hunt try  onother lay out.

Electric training dog collars function by getting your dog’s attention using a small, but not harmful stimulus. This stimulus comes at the neck where the dog is wearing the electronic collar or receiver.   The best training dog collar is one that has a  transmitter because you can provide  correction some distance away from the dog.  Remember corrective action must be given immidiately when your dog is doing something wrong.  So having a long range transmitter is imperative.

When used effectively, training dog collars can get rid of many adverse actions in dogs. These types of behaviors may consist of  jumping on guests, chasing vehicles, excessive chewing,  digging to many wholes in the yard, excessive barking and other  behaviors that you want to change.

Don’t overlook  training opportunities.  They happen all the time and  because dogs learn  by association when they  disbehave, and  they will, you need to correct them so bad habits are not reinforced.  It’s not only imperative in gundog training but in the training if all dogs.

Look for golden opportunities to reinforce gundog training.  When your dog makes a mistake you must correct him promptly, that goes for all dogs.  If you open the front door and your dog streaks out  make use of that golden opportunity to teach your dog not to go until you issue the command.  On the spot lessons like this can last a lifetime.

Two common problem when teaching the sit command are giving the command several times before the dog actually sits and then allowing the dog to move  once he is seated.  Your dog  and especially a gundog needs to sit promptly the exact moment you give the command and stay in that spot until he is given a release signal. Paying attention to these  details will help develop a dog who will listen.

Have you noticed that no one has ever been shot with a gun or rifle that was unloaded?  The only assumption is that every rifle and gun is loaded.

Other Safety Tips:

•  The muzzle of your fire arm should always be pointed in a safe direction. Control the direction of the muzzle at all times.
• Every time you pick up a firearm, the first thing you should do is check to see if it is loaded. Open the chamber. If you don’t know how to do this ask.
• Do not accept the firearm until someone has safely shown you that it is unloaded.
• Always keep the safety on until ready to fire; however, the safety should never be a substitute for safe firearm handling.
• Unload firearms when not in use. Leave actions open, and store sporting arms in cases when traveling.
• Know how your equipment operates.  Store and transport firearms and ammunition separately and under lock and key.
• Use gun or trigger locks and guards when not in use and of course out of the reach of children..
•  ALWAYS know your target and what’s beyond it. Before you pull the trigger you must properly identify game animals.  Know what is in front of and behind your target.
• When out in the field be sure you know where your companions are at all times.
• When using a clay thrower or shooting skeet don’t get caught up in the moment, know where your muzzle is pointing at all times.
• Always carry handguns with hammers over an empty chamber or cylinder. If you fall,  be sure to disassemble the gun and check the barrel from the breech end for any obstruction
• Alcohol and firearms is not a good mix. Drugs is out of the question.  Horseplay should never happen.
• Control your emotions when it comes to safety. If you lose control of your emotions bad things may result and with firearms it’s never good.
• Be aware of additional circumstances which may require additional caution.
• Be alert at all times. REMEMBER SAFTEY FIRST.