Gun Dog Forum

I'm looking at getting my first training collar for my pup and have been looking at the sportdog wetland hunter 400. Any reviews, opinions on the brand or suggestions for other brands would be appreciated. Excuse my ignorance but I am very new to all of this.

Buy a. Different brand. DT, tritronics, dogtra, are a few good ones.

Any particular reason why? Also could you recommend some models of those brands?

One of my good friends decided to go the cheap route(Sportdog).He is not happy,he spends more time on the phone and shipping transmitters than he does using his collar.You usually get what you pay for.

Relatively certain that Sportdog is the new restructured version of Innotek.Which means unless they worked a miricle it's still junk.I had a innoteck and as mentioned by hoosier I spent tons of time with the warranty department on collar failure and transmitter woes.The system which was 600 bucks made it 3 years . The warranty department wasn't bad but it sure seemed like a guy was always loaded up and ready to go waiting for the ups truck.I bought a tri tronics after that fiasco and it's been working flawlessly for 10 years.

If you are serious about training and may have additional dogs over the years then you are going to eventually buy a Tritronics or Dogtra collar. You might as well do it now. I know that it cost more, but in the long run you will save the cost of the sportdog collar because your going to end up buying a tritronics/dogtra any way. Gun Dog Supply certainly has Dogtra/Tritronics collars new, but if your on a budget look around for a slightly used unit. Many times field trialers will win ecollars as prizes at trials, they will often sell these at much less than retail. I believe there is a brand new, in the box Tritronics collar advertised right now on the Cover Dog sight at well under retail.

This is an ad for a Tritronics pro 500 g3, pasted from another site. This is not mine, call the number below if you are interested.




Brand new never used. They sell for $509.00. I will sell for $425.00 and I will pay for shipping. 479-366-1234

I had tritronics for years but with the sport series I started having issues. Also their customer service has been less than great recently. 10 years ago it was THE BEST but now I am concerned they are running off reputation. Hopefully my experience was just a bad few years but I decided to make the switch to sportdog. Looked at Dogtra - but I just have never liked the rheostatic type dial. Another big downside to tritronics is they have yet to add the "pager" types stimulation and are behind the times there I feel. I have had my sport dog collar for just under a year and like it. I would not get the 400 tho. I have the 1825 with 2 collars. I use it for several hours every single day. If you dont mind the rheostat dial, I'd say go with dogtra if you are looking for the very best. But so far sportdog is doing great for me.

IMO, the TT pro 100 is the best collar for consistent stim. Every continuous stim level has low, med, hi buttons so you are never messing around with a dial when your pup is ignoring the first stim level. That feature is really nice. If you're planning on running a beeper, the TT is still behind the curve IMO. I like the locate feature, but the Dogtra has that as well. I hate how you can't change the beeper mode from the transmitter like you can on the dogtra. I also think the hawk scream mode is just a marketing ploy and it simply makes it more difficult to change the beeper mode. The dogtra also has volume control. A combination of the TT dial and stim set up and the dogtra beeper set up would be my perfect collar and I cannot understand why one of these companies hasn't figured this out yet. Especially TT since all they'd be changing would be the ability to change the beeper modes/volume from the transmitter. It'd be a bigger deal for dogtra to redesign their entire dial configuration. Of course, TT is probably making the smartest move by focusing on their trainer/gps collar. That's where the future of collars is headed and they're getting their name out there first....now they just need to figure out how to make them more affordable.

Rant aside, if I were you, I'd figure out what is more useful, the hi, med, low stim or the ability to change beeper settings remotely and then buy either the TT pro 100 (or 200 if you'd rather have low, med, high in momentary stim rather than continuous) or the Dogtra 2500. I think you'll be happy with either of those collars.

I have had good luck with my sportdog ecollar. I have not had any problems with it. There new style beeper is not my favorite.
I also have a d400 beeper and it works good. I had another before this one and after several years the sound went very low. It was well after the warranty but SportDog still treated me very good on a replacement. I just sent them the old one and I think $30 and they sent me a brand new one. I sure didn't feel like they had to do anything since the warranty was up. Also the customer service during this was great.

had a sd800. the transmetter had to be reset sometimes which takes 2 mins and one collar died at about 5 yr mark. They replaced it for 25 bucks. The dogtra 2000 was $135 to replace. Sportdog has been good to me and have great customer service.

TriTronics pro 100...I can control what I need when I need it with out flipping any toggle switches or move fingers
need momentary press and release
need continuous press and hold

gotpointers wrote:Buy a. Different brand. DT, tritronics, dogtra, are a few good ones.

SPORTDOG TEK 1.0 IS ON SALE FROM 699 TO 499.
REASON FOR THAT.
this is why i went with garmin alpha.garmins are good and tt collars also.

I run excusively Dogtra and havent ever had a problem. 15+ years. The only problem I have ever had with Dogtra products is that the bark collar comes in black and so does the shock collar, when you have the one dog unit. (I honestly cant see the benefit in all the bells and whistles like beepers, trackers, and dual units) This spring I was in a hurry and put the bark collar on the dog when I was ready to work the dog thinking it was the shock collar, never REALLY knew this until my dog started chasing and barking at meadowlarks!
Not Dogtras fault by my own.

buy a different brand. 2 years of malfunctioning 1825 was enough for me. went through 3 collars and 3 transmitters. junk.

I've had and used DT systems, Tritronics and Dog Tra. My favorite was the old DT 300 series. It did one thing and one thing only, it shocked the dog. But for how long depended on the user, immediate shock! I've never had or fooled with a Sport Dog collar but Rick Smith recommends them. Can't be to bad. I do have a Sport Dog tracking collar. Sending it back tomorrow for repair. Hasn't read the angle of the dog to me right one time. But it is guaranteed for two years and cost's $150 less than the Garmin. I don't buy the buy the expensive one because your gonna end up there anyway. A whole lot of people can't just write a check for something like e-collars. If you want to end up with a Tri Tronics or Dog Tra but can't afford it now, get what you can afford. Later the expensive one might be more affordable for you Ya know what? If they were as bad and a lot of people say they would be out of business!

I think the main issue with dog collars is what the dog feels. Dogs as well as people will feel the stimulation at different levels. If you are training your dog and using the collar as an avoidance training tool "teaching the dog it has the ability to turn off the stimulation by complying to the command" , then the collar should have a level of stimulation available, that the dog perceives as significant enough relative to the distraction. This does not mean you need to fry your dog each time it gets something wrong. The collar should be introduced at the lowest level the dog will feel. Then the level you will train at is the level the dog considers significant. These levels will be significantly different from dog to dog. The D.T collar http://www.cabelas.com/electronic-dog-c ... =CSE&WT.mc Is kind of unique in that it has 50 levels of stimulation. This broad range allows you to use a level that does not fall into a range somewhere between too hot and not hot enough. The jump and rise buttons allows you to preset two different levels and go from one to the other without resetting any thing. This feature was designed to use the lowest level of stimulation as notification to the dog that the higher level is coming. When the dog is notified in this manner first, it stops the action in the dogs mind and gives the dog a second to think about what it did wrong before it gets corrected. The corrections become more effective and the dog is not likely to learn to accept the stimulation as a way to get what it wants. This acceptance can lead to a dog that escalates the stim level and causes the trainer to put more pressure on the dog. The rise button allows the trainer to press one button, without changing the settings, to trash break the dog. It rises from one to fifty as you hold the button down over an 8 second time period. The dog stops chasing the deer you let off the button . It automatically hits the level that was significant to the dog for that distraction. No fumbling with dials. It has a screen that shows the levels you are at. These are some of the things that are unique to this collar. I thought it was worth mentioning as well as the money.

I have had great results with the Sport Dog SD 800. Waterproof (more than the package says - I dropped it to 30-35 ft underwater and it still works great), holds charge forever, no problems with the beeper volume dying. Maybe its just luck of the draw.

4dabirds wrote:I think the main issue with dog collars is what the dog feels. Dogs as well as people will feel the stimulation at different levels. If you are training your dog and using the collar as an avoidance training tool "teaching the dog it has the ability to turn off the stimulation by complying to the command" , then the collar should have a level of stimulation available, that the dog perceives as significant enough relative to the distraction. This does not mean you need to fry your dog each time it gets something wrong. The collar should be introduced at the lowest level the dog will feel. Then the level you will train at is the level the dog considers significant. These levels will be significantly different from dog to dog. The D.T collar http://www.cabelas.com/electronic-dog-c ... =CSE&WT.mc Is kind of unique in that it has 50 levels of stimulation. This broad range allows you to use a level that does not fall into a range somewhere between too hot and not hot enough. The jump and rise buttons allows you to preset two different levels and go from one to the other without resetting any thing. This feature was designed to use the lowest level of stimulation as notification to the dog that the higher level is coming. When the dog is notified in this manner first, it stops the action in the dogs mind and gives the dog a second to think about what it did wrong before it gets corrected. The corrections become more effective and the dog is not likely to learn to accept the stimulation as a way to get what it wants. This acceptance can lead to a dog that escalates the stim level and causes the trainer to put more pressure on the dog. The rise button allows the trainer to press one button, without changing the settings, to trash break the dog. It rises from one to fifty as you hold the button down over an 8 second time period. The dog stops chasing the deer you let off the button . It automatically hits the level that was significant to the dog for that distraction. No fumbling with dials. It has a screen that shows the levels you are at. These are some of the things that are unique to this collar. I thought it was worth mentioning as well as the money.

Good pick, I have one of these dt s and love it. I went through the deal already with sport dog, innotek and petsafe, they are all one company.
They are nice on the phone but their products are lacking

I have the SD 1825 and the TT Pro 100, and the TT G3. The SD works, but is MUCH HOTTER on the lowest setting than the TT on the lowest setting. Too hot for the Britts, but ok on the lab. I like TT much better.

If you are willing to part with a couple extra hundred bucks (retail $799 for a one dog combo) the Garmin Alpha is unbelievable. Unlimited number of programmed corrections settings for each dog (up to 20 dogs) and all with one simple button for corrections without fumbling through different settings or switching from the tracking mode to stim mode. With the new Garmin Base Station Software (free) and the Birdseye Sat imagery (29.00 downloaded) you can track and record your entire season on your computer for later hunting locations (ie... number of birds flushed/shot over time in each area). I'm no computer geek and it is extremely easy to use and does everything and more....

The SD 1825 come programmed at a "mid" level intensity. You can program it to low or high also. My 1825 low 2 is about the starting point of my TT 1 i think. And that is about as high as i personally test... if i can help it.

UpNorthHuntin wrote:If you are willing to part with a couple extra hundred bucks (retail $799 for a one dog combo) the Garmin Alpha is unbelievable. Unlimited number of programmed corrections settings for each dog (up to 20 dogs) and all with one simple button for corrections without fumbling through different settings or switching from the tracking mode to stim mode. With the new Garmin Base Station Software (free) and the Birdseye Sat imagery (29.00 downloaded) you can track and record your entire season on your computer for later hunting locations (ie... number of birds flushed/shot over time in each area). I'm no computer geek and it is extremely easy to use and does everything and more....

who makes a unit that requires switching from tracking mode to stim mode to make a correction? I can run up to three dogs on the TEK at one time and each dog has its own button for stim, how many can you run at one time on the Alpha with each dog having its own stim button? I would hate to have to some how switch dogs through a series of screen touches so i can make a correction on a certain dog then go back through it again to correct the other dog. timing is everything with a e-collar and would think that would be a little difficult at times. Lots of bells and whistles on the Alpha though, looks pretty cool for tinkerers and such.

"who makes a unit that requires switching from tracking mode to stim mode to make a correction?"

As far as I know, the Alpha is the only collar that tracks and is an e-collar combined into one unit? Are there others as well? It is actually pretty easy to use. Each dog has it's own stim buttons. While in tracking mode the dogs names are at the top of the screen. It is a touch screen so you just touch the dog name that needs the correction and press one of three buttons. You can pre-program each button for each dog for either just tone, continuous, or momentary stim. It is actually pretty easy to use. I wanted the tracking and stim in one collar and thought it would be more diffculy to use than what it is. It is a little pricey, but if you were to buy a tracking collar, and an e-collar, you would have paid just as much and have to deal with two handheld devices.. I also like the attachment to the computer as a base station to record your hunts. All of the map data from the Alpha transfers right to the computer including marked waypoints, coveys, flushes etc... I've used other e-collars that worked fine too, I just am really impressed by the job Garmin did in combining them.

Since I am new to this forum, how do you respond directly to another member so the quote shows up in the response?

On the Alpha, all 20 dogs have there own stim button. You can pre-program each dog to have it's own level of stim. You just touch the dogs name and press the button and the desired level of stimulation is given. It probably would get pretty confusing though with twenty dogs, but they are color coded. You match the dog name with the color collar and select the matching color on the unit to represent each dog.

UpNorthHuntin wrote:Since I am new to this forum, how do you respond directly to another member so the quote shows up in the response?

press the quote button by the avatar picture on the post you would like to quote.

UpNorthHuntin wrote:On the Alpha, all 20 dogs have there own stim button. You can pre-program each dog to have it's own level of stim. You just touch the dogs name and press the button and the desired level of stimulation is given. It probably would get pretty confusing though with twenty dogs, but they are color coded. You match the dog name with the color collar and select the matching color on the unit to represent each dog.

Found it on GDS site... maximum of three without some process involved in switching dogs. I admire anyone that can run 20 dogs at once and has fast enough fingers to effectively correct 20 dogs in a timely manner. Useless to birddoggers, but can see the advantages for beaglers and coonhounders as far as dogs location is concerned. I think the birds eye and all that jazz is cool, but prefer to keep it simple myself with just the stuff I actually need. Especially for 300 bucks cheaper!

Yeah. I agree it would be pretty difficult. When I was young we used to run coon dogs. aometimes 10-12 at a time and it would be nice to be able to track all of them at once, but I would never correct a dog I couldn't see in bird hunting. In coon hunting, it was pretty easy to tell if a dog had broken away and was chasing a deer or something. I like the extra GIZMO's on it because here in Michigan the wild birds on public land are few and far between, so I like to be able to mark any birds on the GPS unit while in the field, transfer them back to the computer when I get home for future hunts. If I hunt an area several times with no birds, I won't go back and concentrate on the locations where I've seen birds. I only have one dog on now, but I do like the ability to pre-set three different levels for the one dog at a time, so during training if he needs just a tone, say a mid-level 3, or a high-level 1 or 2 correction, I don't have to change any settings, just touch the corresponding button. Very quick for the timeliness of the correction. I do a lot of deer hunting as well, and we go to Wyoming quite a bit for Mule Deer Hunting, so the GPS is what I wanted most. The fact that I have the e-collar combined is just a bonus.

SportDog....ugh!

Had mine for more than a year now. Works good very simple. (which is good for me). But If I were using it with two collars I would not like it because I would forget to switcht he dogs over.
It is rugged, water proof and good for one dog.

Just like the old innojunk,people that got good ones loved them but seemed to be just as many if not more bad ones & those people hate not having a collar they can depend on!!

I am equipped with SD. Good customers service, excellent in fact. But friends who use tritronics don't know how good customer service is cause they never use it.

Dogtra and Sportdog owner here. Out of the two SD by far has the better customer service, replacement collar was $25! SD is 10 years old now and has needed reprogramming, which takes 1 min, and one collar replaced. Overall i recommend them....but there does seem to be alot of complaints about them on this board. I have had no real problems with the 1825 unit.

Have had two sportdogs, one given to me new as a gift, and one I gave $50 for. They are the two collars I liked least. I have had or trained with Tritronics, DT, Dogtra, Innotek, and Sportdog. That list is also my order of preference. The biggest problem I had with the Sportdog collars was battery life. If money is a concern, you can often buy a used collar on ebay for about 1/3 the cost of new. My most recent purchase was a two-dog DT unit that I gave $5 more than it would have cost to replace the transmitter I lost on my one dog unit.

marysburg wrote:I have the SD 1825 and the TT Pro 100, and the TT G3. The SD works, but is MUCH HOTTER on the lowest setting than the TT on the lowest setting. Too hot for the Britts, but ok on the lab. I like TT much better.

My friend and neighbor has a sd1825 that was too hot for his Britt at the lowest setting. When he looked closer at the manual he found there were other levels that could be set up for the collar. The factory setting was at medium and when he went in at set it to low, he solved the "too hot" problem on the lowest stimulation level.