inexpensive shock collar?

[rollick]

Hello,
I'm not sure if my topic thread is valid (is there such a thing as an inexpensive e-collar?! ), but I am looking to buy a simple collar with not a ton of bells and whistles to use on my 6 month old bluetick coonhound. (I realize this is a Gun Dog forum, and I apologize, but I haven't found any other forum with folks as knowledgeable as y'all). I need something to get his attention and stop him when he puts his nose down. I'm not looking to ever hunt him. He's in obedience class now and getting good at "come," and he's broke to the invisible fence. I'd like to be able to let him off lead when I'm out with my older GWP, but twice now he's put his nose down on a cold line, and it was all I could do with voice and whistle to turn him. I know as he gets older it's all a matter of time before I can't, and he's too darned nice to lose. I'm not letting him off lead again til I have some sure-fire way to get his attention. I'm also looking for one for a friend's Brittany pup, although she's probably going to hunt her dog, so she might need something fancier? Or maybe not. I don't know: I'm a neophyte. I don't even know who sells them or even what brand to look for, so any advise would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Andie

[CherrystoneWeims]

Take a look on the Dogs Unlimited website. Check out the Tritronics brand. It's a good brand and will last. Don't skimp too much on a collar by buying an off brand that may fail in a short time.

[j-tatro]

Sounds to me like you should get a tracking collar and hunt him

[rollick]

Sounds to me like you should get a tracking collar and hunt him

Ack! You must have been talking to an old buddy of mine, the exhuntsman of a fine old fox hunt around these parts. He's been trying to convince me to do that very same thing. He was also the one, though, who convinced me I need a collar for the pup.

[Sharon]

http://www.collarclinic.com/

refurbished Tritronics collars ( Better not to call them shock collars but electronic training collars.)

[Ricky Ticky Shorthairs]

( Better not to call them shock collars but electronic training collars.)

That's funny. All of the old timers I know call them hot collars!! :roll: :roll:

I agree, get a Tri Tronics.

Doug

[rollick]

http://www.collarclinic.com/

refurbished Tritronics collars ( Better not to call them shock collars but electronic training collars.)

Ouch. Whoops! Sorry. You're correct, and I'm SO not PC. But thanks to all of you re Tritronics. I'm thinking Tritronics should consider sponsoring GDF!

[ElhewPointer]

I run SportDOG collars and am very pleased.

[RayGubernat]

Rollick -

The big three in elecronic collars are TriTronics, DT Systems and Dogtra. Sportdog is a relative newcomer. The first three are roughly comparable, price wise with Sport Dog coming in a good bit less expensive for similar features.

For your purposes, any unit with a half mile range or more would probably be fine. A hound dog can cover an amazing amount of territory...very quickly... so a one mile range unit might not be a bad idea. Continuous stimulation only is probably what you need, since you are esentially doing trashbreaking and getting the dog to listen when called.

I do not do hounds, but I do understand that when they put their noses down on a scent trail, their brains kinda throw a switch and that scent trail becomes their whole world. You are going to need something besides a voice or whistle to get him to come back into your world.

The only negative I have heard about SportDog units is that there is a small delay between the press of the button and the delivery of the stim. For what you are wanting to do, that is probably not a matter of concern.

Hope some of this helps.

RayG

[jt807]

Do you want a piece of crap that is made in China, that might work when you need it? There is a cheap brand on E-bay.

If you want something that is good, and made in america, then Tritronics is it. They are the only ones. In this economy, if you are going to spend the money, spend it on american made. It might come back to you!

As for the refurbished link above, that is what I bought. I got it at Cabella's, in thier bargan cove. I called the factory, and made sure it was still covered by their warranty, which it is.

[Boliep]

What you see people saying above is correct. Tri-Tronics is the only way to go. With electronic collars, your cheapest price is not your best price.

[ElhewPointer]

Do you want a piece of crap that is made in China, that might work when you need it? There is a cheap brand on E-bay.

If you want something that is good, and made in america, then Tritronics is it. They are the only ones. In this economy, if you are going to spend the money, spend it on american made. It might come back to you!

As for the refurbished link above, that is what I bought. I got it at Cabella's, in thier bargan cove. I called the factory, and made sure it was still covered by their warranty, which it is.

Look on the back of your charger, sorry, made in china. So the whole tritronics made in USA doesn't work for me. Also for the hound. SportDOG makes a unit called the hound hunter. Trust me, I've worked in retail(hunting) for quite some time. Ten years ago was Tritronics the best, with out a doubt. But with anything in technology, times change. This is just what I've seen running a major hunting dept. for a few years.

[scout_on_38s]

I just got a Sport Dog 2500 Pro Hunter yesterday. Getting it charged up and ready to use. I paid $289.99 at cabelas but had 2 coupons, a couple gift cards and some points built up. I think I ended up paying $21-$22 out of pocket. It has 1.5 mile range with 30 continous and quite a few momentary settings. Good Luck, If he has the desire to hunt you should take advantage of it. Even with a collar you are going to continually have problems. Its his instict to track. Just my .02

[rollick]

"If he has the desire to hunt you should take advantage of it."
Funny you should say that. I just got back from visiting my foxhound exhuntsman pal, and he tried to convince me to put the pup on the coyotes living behind his house. He was only half kidding. (And I was sorely tempted.) Friends like that, who needs enemies? Y'all are really being helpful; I can't thank you enough.
Cheers,
Andie

[bwjohn]

Andie,
He is a coon hound, I am not for sure if you will ever be able to stop him from putting his nose down. That is what he is made for, I could be wrong, but you might be fighting a losing battle.

I would suggest, instead of using the collar every time he puts his nose down, use the collar to teach the here (come) command until he/she always listens. If not I feel like you may be shocking your dog a lot with out a lot of directions.

As far as the collar, someone suggested earlier not to go to cheap, I think that is sound advice.

brandon

[rollick]

Brandon,
Thanks, I really appreciate your feedback, and I couldn't agree more with you. I had planned on doing exactly as you recommend, but it's nice to have confirmation of my plan!Now I just have to save my $$$ for this unexpected new expense. (Never planned on an Invisible Fence, either.) For a cheap hound, he sure got expensive in a hurry. But he's worth it.
Cheers,
Andie

[bwjohn]

no matter what, they always seem to cost more than you plan on. Just part of the joy of having them around.

Glad to hear I was not way off from what you were thinking. Good luck for the training.

brandon

[snips]

I have a Basis G3 TT, 239. at Cabelas. They usually have a 2 yr warranty.