How to handle a collar wise dog?

[mudpuppy1299]

My 18 month old pup handles well while wearing the e-collar, but doesn't listen quite as well without it. I'm not very experienced, but I think she has become "collar wise". What can be done about this? I would eventually like to run her in some hunt tests and field trials where e-collars can't be used. Is this maybe something she might mature out of? Thanks for your input!

[Maurice]

Put the ecollar on everytime you train or run the dog, be consistent with the training. When the dog is ready to trial or test you will know it.. The only time they run without the collar would be at a trial or test. The training needs to really be ingrained in the dog before you run it in a test imo. One thing I will do is place the active ecollar on the dog 1 or 2 hours before I work it, by then the dog has forgot that I put it on him. If he is going to act a fool he will do it pretty quick, then surprise surprise <BG> I do this as a test and also use it with dogs that are just real smart.

Mo

[mudpuppy1299]

Thanks Mo!

[Knightfarms]

If you find yourself relying on the collar and worrying about running the dog without, go back and proof the commands you're nervous about on a check cord. I've always gone by the rule that a dog must comply in 3 different locations under different conditions before you can consider them to know a command.

I was saavy to the possibility of this happening and have tried very carefully to avoid it. These are some of the things I do to switch it up.

I'll run the dog sometimes without the collar, but with good treats (like hotdogs) in my pocket
Collar on the dog, but off- this is a good test of how reliant you are on it.
I've switched collars with training buddies so they are different sizes and weights
Put it in different places on the neck.
I swap places of the tracker collar and e-collar.
At home, I take on and off their regular collars, put them on at different holes.
Let the dog wear the collar for a few hours before or even just for an evening without even having it on- they'll forget about it.

I try to hide my transmitter when training too. I don't want the dog thinking anything different when I pick up the thing, or reach for my pocket or belt.

They follow our habits and body language much more than we will ever know, so just try to keep the training consistent (words, corrections, etc.) while adding variations to the way the collar is presented.