Gun Dog Forum

Good Morning-
My Vizsla has been making huge strides and is starting to push out further and further. This is a good thing because that is what I have been trying to get him to do. However, i now need a way to know where he is and also be able to control him at that distance. Originally, I got a cheap sport dog collar and it has been working great but I want to upgrade to something with more features and ability. I'd like some thoughts/opinions on beepers. Does it mess with the dog if he already is trained with a beep as a silent command? Also, did it take long for the dog to get used to it? I would want it to beep when he is on point so i can find him. I am definitely going with a Garmin. I have many of their products and have always been pleased. Does anyone have thoughts on the delta upland xc vs. the pro 550? As someone who has never used a tritronics- isnt the remote too big to carry around while hunting? I guess i really need to know if the beeper is worth it!

You should consider the Garmin Alpha, it will allow you to track and train, no need for a beeper today.

I looked at it- figured I could buy more stuff with the 400 I'd save getting a different collar.

The beeper and the tone on the collar shouldn't be an issue at all.

However, I hate listening to a beeper, and can't see a situation where I'd go back to using one.

Currently I'm using a SportDog Tek 1.0 and have been very happy with it.

I've used a Dogtra 2500T&B on my Brittany for several years and been very happy with it. You do have to get your dog accustom to the beep but once the dog is use to it you shouldn't have any problems. I am concerned about your comment "Does it mess with the dog if he already is trained with a beep as a silent command?" I know some guys that use the "Locate" beep on their unit as a recall similar to a whistle. If the dog is conditioned for this signal it probably would really screw them up when they go on point and the collar starts to beep.

I run my dog's collar in "Point Only" mode and I really like the ability to locate my dog on point. But beeper collars do have their limitations. They can be difficult to hear on windy days and as I have gotten older and have some hearing loss it is difficult to hear the collar. A GPS collar may be in my future.