Gun Dog Forum

Hi All,

We have a 12-wk old lab puppy and I'd like to invest in a shock collar for further training in her future. Right now I'm looking at the Garmin Pro Sport for $250.

Is this shock collar overkill if I do not intend to hunt with her? I simply want a good quality collar to assist with obedience training. Puppy will be raised on 2-acres and spend most of her time a 1-acre fenced back yard, but we may occasionally let her outside the fence. We will walk her through the neighborhood, the goal being unleashed. We are a social family, so puppy will get to see lots of visitors at our house and also at other peoples' houses as we travel, so I want here to be well-behaved for these situations.

From the searching I have done, it sure seems like if I spend any less, then I may run into issues with lower quality collars. I like the features of the Pro Sport, and I think the lights are a really cool feature as well. I just don't want to overlook something if I can save a little $$$

Thanks.

I don’t personally own that collar, but it would be a great choice for what you need. I believe it also has a bark limiter function as well, labs can be noisy! I have been happy with all the Garmin products I have purchased.

Make sure you know how to use it properly and it has been introduced properly. Collars are not used to train the dog, they are used to reinforce what the dog has already been trained.

This board is hosted by gundogsupply.com, I have always been really happy with their pricing and customer service. He also posts videos of the products and features you can check out.

Garrison

how about just finding a good obedience trainer for your dog? you might want to check your city ordinance about walking a unleashed dog. I would look at Dogtra collars in your search. I've had both Dogtra and Garmin products. Dogtra has been the most reliable for me.

I like that collar set up. Be sure to read up on proper introduction and use of the collar.
The bark collar feature is nice because it offers a hands off auto ride for deterrence or set it to a desired level. I think the later choice is the best for 2 reasons.1 it is set with the transmitter so you can turn it off with the transmitter. 2 it is a negative response to all barking not allowing for a couple barks every now and then.