E-Collar Conditioning

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Lance-CO
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E-Collar Conditioning

Post by Lance-CO » Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:52 am

Hi! I'm newbie in this forum and in training a pointing dog. I currently have a lab w/ a pro that will be running FT hopefully by next year. However, I'm thinking about getting a GSP at the early part of next year w/ the intention of training him/her myself. Before I had my current FT pup, I have trained a retriever but without using an e-collar.

I was hoping those books I've recieved today would have something about e-collar conditioning -- they don't. I have also been reading the other thread about not teaching "Sit or not sit"at the early stage of the pup. In the retriever world or at least in the Mike Lardy's method, sit and heeling command is used in introducing e-collar conditioning.

Is there any books about e-collar conditioning that are specific to pointers?


Angelo

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gonehuntin'
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Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by gonehuntin' » Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:43 am

Perfect Start, and Perfect Finish DVDS have a nice section on it.
LIFE WITHOUT BIRD DOGS AND FLY RODS REALLY ISN'T LIFE AT ALL.

raptor5618

Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by raptor5618 » Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:08 pm

If you do not own a collar I would hold off a while until you see what the new pup is like. I used a collar on a lab many years back to good effect but my last few dogs did not require or would not tolerate a collar. I think if you work with the pup from the day you get it using no force until it is 6 months you may find that having the force that a collar gives you might not be needed or beneficial. Sounds like you are new to hunting dog training so in my view you might do more harm than good with a collar. I have some people I hunt with from time to time that use a collar in the wrong way.

I think that only giving commands when you can ensure it is followed and doing that over and over gets you a dog that will do as commanded. My last dog would just stop doing anything if you put any pressure on it. The dog listened well and was all business while hunting so I do not think that he would have done any better if I used a collar.

I read a lot of that post on training to sit and I think that if you have to train 100 dogs not training sit might make your job a bit easier. I always train for sit from the beginning and never had a dog sit on point. The last dog would come to heel if I hurt his feelings but he never sat. I think that the methods used by trainers are different than those of us who train the dog in our home. Perhaps their way is more efficient but I think that they will fail more often with a dog that is on the sensitive side. I am not being negative on trainers at all but think those of us who train our own dog can or will spend more time working with a dog that for what ever reason is not getting with the program. I spent two years working with a dog that was never properly socialized so was incredibly timid. A trainer could never keep a dog that long.

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M1Tanker
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Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by M1Tanker » Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:58 pm

I really like the method Hickox uses with the kennel to collar condition. It can be found on just about any of his videos and I have used it on three dogs with good results.

No birds or anything hunting involved and you teach the dog to kennel on command.

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mudhunter
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Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by mudhunter » Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:53 pm

I second Hickox for the ecollar work. If you follow his program it allows the ecollar to be used for almost any type of training.

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nitrex
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Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by nitrex » Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:51 pm

I too like the Hickox e-collar conditioning. Buy the videos and if possible attend one of his seminars.

Nitrex

wfkgsps
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Re: E-Collar Conditioning

Post by wfkgsps » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:59 pm

nitrex wrote: I too like the Hickox e-collar conditioning. Buy the videos and if possible attend one of his seminars.
Ditto

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