Gun Dog Forum

New to the forums and new to french brittneys. I have a 6 month old that i am starting to work with in the field and after reading and watching this dog work i understand how they describe them properly as a "close working" dog. I am looking for an E-collar and am trying to get a straight answer for this breed as to wether i will be just fine with a 1/2 mile range or if i really "NEED" the 1 mile. Mainly hunting quail and retrieving dove. Might once in a blue moon hunt pheasant.

1/2 mile will be sufficient.

No matter the dog the more range the better. A dog chasing a deer, fox, coyote, etc..can cover a ½ mile in no time flat.

The ranges listed are under ideal conditions. Those conditions do not exist in the field. 1/2 mile range may not work at 200 yards in some instances. More power is better in this instance.

You would probably be fine with 1/2 mile range, but I would recommend buying the better unit any way. Buy a good Dogtra or Tritronics unit and it will last you your next several dogs. The dog you have now may be close working, but you may need every inch of the mile range with your next dog.

bushcraftarizona -

I do agree that the longer the range that you can "reach out and touch" your dog...the better.

However, you are quite right that, under almost any circumstance, you should not need more than a half mile range. Even in heavy cover, or rolling terrain, a half mile unit should give you 400 yards of range...which is a lot.

I would encourage you to buy a unit from one of the major players, for a variety of reasons. With that in mind, I may have found a compromise that will interest you. I was just surfing , in response to your question and I found the following:

There is a Garmin Delta sport unit that has 3/4 mile range. It is a Garmin/Tritronics unit, and that company is at the head of the class for reliability and functionality. It has 36 levels of momentary OR continuous stim, a buzzer AND a bark collar function...all for about $250.

That is probably going to be hard to beat.

RayG

1/2 mile, but best to limit it to a distance where you can see what the dog is doing.

The TT field and pro units are the better...Range of collars will be effected by the slightest of obstacles ...Better to be safe and get the best you can save up for then regret that day when you need it and the low end collar fails to reach out.

Personally specially with training I find those digital faced units to be worthless..fine for the ole trained dog that you do not need to possibly change the intensity quickly and accurately like the unwanted quarry chasing then back to a normal range. requires to much time to have your eyes off the dog while waiting for the intensity to get where you want it. There is something to be said for some older technology to be able to feel the turn and a quick glance versus that digital stuff. Pretty sad that they don't make the good old sport basic hope they wise up and bring it back.

You probably already know this but I will say it anyway. It's not a good idea to correct (stimulate) a dog you can't see. I rarely use my ecollar for things other than training at a closer range. Not to say I won't use it if I see my dog on a "Pronghorn" at 400 yards. I also used it one time when I saw one of my girls chasing a coyote. I recommend the TT products. Spend the money one time for a good product and you won't regret it. It will save you money in the long run.

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:You probably already know this but I will say it anyway. It's not a good idea to correct (stimulate) a dog you can't see. I rarely use my ecollar for things other than training at a closer range. Not to say I won't use it if I see my dog on a "Pronghorn" at 400 yards. I also used it one time when I saw one of my girls chasing a coyote. I recommend the TT products. Spend the money one time for a good product and you won't regret it. It will save you money in the long run.

While once true, GPS has changed it. You can tell what the dog is doing, and correct them when out of sight.

To the OP buy the best you can afford, a T-T Pro will last the lifetime of the dog.

Neil wrote:

AZ Brittany Guy wrote:You probably already know this but I will say it anyway. It's not a good idea to correct (stimulate) a dog you can't see. I rarely use my ecollar for things other than training at a closer range. Not to say I won't use it if I see my dog on a "Pronghorn" at 400 yards. I also used it one time when I saw one of my girls chasing a coyote. I recommend the TT products. Spend the money one time for a good product and you won't regret it. It will save you money in the long run.

While once true, GPS has changed it. You can tell what the dog is doing, and correct them when out of sight.

To the OP buy the best you can afford, a T-T Pro will last the lifetime of the dog.

Good point, but for those of us who don't have the GPS technology yet, I still think you need to not correct a dog you can't see.

AZ Brittany Guy wrote: Good point, but for those of us who don't have the GPS technology yet, I still think you need to not correct a dog you can't see.

1/2 mile is more than enough. If you can't see the dog you have no right correcting it.

At 6 months, I might wait awhile to order an e-collar....both for the puppy's sake and so that, perhaps, the ever advancing designs may deliver a unit to the market this Spring that appeals with some new geejaw or another.

The out-of-sight know-all deal does concern me a bit if it involves the lag time of, at least, my GPS unit for some features.
I reckon it depends upon both what reason the dog needs the juice and what experience has been developed over time behind the button...to me, a new user might well be advised to withhold the e-collar use when out of sight.
But, that is likely an unpopular idea.

I also might ask why you believe you need an e-collar at all...yet.

Like most threads on this board I think this one is getting a little off topic. I have a tritronics collar with a one mile range. I have never shocked a dog from a mile away nor do I ever intend to, nor do I suggest that you do. Based on my experience and observations the higher end units that have a mile range are a little heavier and better made. I suspect that they last longer. I know that the higher end Dogtra and Tritronics collars are more expensive, but they should last long enough to train your next several dogs. Years ago when I bought my first ecollar, I bought a less expensive one with a shorter range. Within a year or so I bought a Tritronics with a mile range. I would have saved my self the cost of the first collar if I would have just bought a good one in the first place.

As far as needing a collar for a six month old dogs goes, I will give my opinion on that also. I start my dogs wearing a collar the moment that they are big enough, usually at three months or so of age. Each time they are taken to the field they are wearing an ecollar that is turned on. The transmittor is sitting on the charger at home. By the time my dogs are six months old they have worn an ecollar at least one hundred times. My six month old puppies will go crazy with excitement when I walk towards them with an ecollar in my hand, they know they are going to the field.

Re 6 mo....some folks new to the game may not display such restraint or have developed such wisdom.
I was addressing those folks....and my dogs show excitement with various visible clues to fun ahead.
Most do, I reckon.