for various obedience issues like barking, off leash training, digging, etc? the kind that you can control the level of "shock" w/a remote? We've tried everything (training and various non shock bark collars) to no avail. My neighbors have one of these and love it becasue it is so adjustable and THEY control when the dog gets a mild shock, as opposed to "regular schock collars" that just go off. Has worked great for them ,but wanted to hear from others that have used them. Our biggest issue is loud, crazy, excessive barking which is a problem becasue we live in a subdivision.
Dogs - Training
Recommended Answer:Jane, I soo know where you are coming from! I have had my 3 yr old M pit mix in e collar training for a year with fabulous results. But before everyone jumps on the TD button, let me say that it was the LAST stop in my training experience. And I did join one of those 800 dollar classes. The class I chose included the price of the best e collar on the market. It also included 5 one hour private training sessions in and around my home, my neighborhood, my dog park, my friends houses, etc. And finally, it included group classes 2 or 3 x a week for the life of my dog. Personally, I think it is cheap for what you get....if you intend to continue classes...and I have been going for over a year. My dog and I find it fun, social for both of us and it is great constant reinforcement.
I also believe that not every training method works for every dog. I have seen many people who think they know how to train, and do not do it properly. Or who use the training tools in a way not intended. I do agree with some of your answerers...I did not choose e training to correct a barking issue, and I am not sure it is the way to go to correct a barking issue. I will say there is a pager option on the remote and it only buzzes. I have used that to redirect my dog's attention away from anything that makes him seem anxious...another dog, garbage trucks...and when I have his attention I ask him to sit...be quiet...and treat him. This works for us.
I can only tell you that I have had a positive experience with the e collar...and that I have recommended my trainers to others...some of them adamantly against e collar....who later wound up changing their minds and had the training done.
I certainly recommend as much exercise as you possibly can do, regular obedience (if your dog will listen in some areas, it can spill over to other areas), distraction from barking as you are able...and if all else fails, try the ecollar...Hopefully you have a trainer in your area like mine...I did have to scrounge the money up but it was worth it! Good luck!
Finding the Essential Dog Training Supplies
- No, e-collars are abusive. The neck is a very sensitive part of a dog, how about someone shocks you on the neck with a shock collar.
Shock collars are abusive, why not take the time to hire a professional trainer, not all cost $800. Make sure the trainer is a positive reinforcement only trainer and not a dominance trainer, or so-called "balanced trainer."
- There are classes to teach you how to properly use the shock collars, so that you use it at the exact time its needed. They say home training of shock collars can be dangerous. Why dont you look around for an obiendence class with shock collar use. I used one and it worked like a charm,
- Nope, these crutches aren't necessary with proper training. I think that things, such as shock collars, are cruel and inhumane. There are other ways to train your dog. My dogs have all been trained to walk politely with a plain leather buckle collar since they were pups.
- Have you tried obedience classes and exercise first or an Animal Behaviorist? I would not use the collar unless you have tried the other options first and the trainer recommends it and teaches you how to use it properly. Most people buy them and have the setting too high or do not use it at the proper moment or uses it too much.
- I've used- Prongs, Chokers, E-Collars.
They do work, very well.
*I see a gazillion TDs for this, but if needed you can consider debarking. All of the bunnie huggers are going to say it's cruel, they'll say the same for E-Collars, Prongs & Chokes, even when used properly* http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;…
- I haven't used an e-collar (yet) but I'm considering one. Right now I'm using a prong collar and it's working the best it can, but I have a few issues that really can't be corrected with a prong collar.
- prong collars r the way to go
- I use anything it takes to train the dog that I am working with.
- when my dog barks i just throw something at him like a tennis ball and then he chases after it and chews on it for about an hour
- I think E collars have their place (primarily when the dog has to work 500 feet away), but for bark control, I prefer a hands on approach.
That means that when your dog barks, you get up, go out and see what the dog is barking at, make a decision on whether the barking is appropriate, and if not, correct the dog.
You can get your dogs attention pretty easily when you are standing next to him, and when a dog KNOWS that you will show up when he barks, he gives more thought to why he is barking.
This is the process I use in training dogs to stop barking when told:
I tell the dog to STOP, HUSH, (or whatever word you want the dog to understand means shut up).
If the dog ignores the verbal command, I use the command again, and back it up with a firm touch. This is enough for most dogs.
If the dog ignores the touch, I take a spray bottle out with me.
I give the verbal command, the touch, and then spray the dog.
I have yet to meet a dog that will ignore the water....the water breaks up the dogs concentration on whatever he is barking at, and brings his attention back to you.
Its important not to just spray the dog, but to go through the entire process each time, because you are teaching the dog to eventually respond to the verbal command alone.
I have seven dogs right now (five of my own and two fosters), and they all respond when they are told to stop barking. Even the one who was surrendered to the shelter because of her barking.
It may seem like a pain to get up and go out with the dog, and you may have to do it a lot in the beginning, but it is worth the effort. One of my dogs was barking his head off yesterday, and when I went out to see why he was barking, there was a snake in the yard.
If I had not gone out, I would have assumed he was just being a pain :o)
*****
You dont need to eliminate the "why", just the reaction.
I have terriers, too, and a chihuahua who is worse than any terrier.....all five of my dogs are hunters. I also have a yard with rabbits, squirrels, birds, and frequently the neighbors wandering dog. Nevertheless, my dogs stop barking when told.
- I use a prong and an ecollar (shock) for obedience and field training. I don't use it for barking, for that I would consider training or a bark collar. A regular remote shock collar isn't going to be effective for training not to bark, because you can only correct when you have the remote, when it's on her, when you hear the barking, etc. A no-bark collar shocks automatically, and apparently they work pretty well. If you're dog's not trained though, it's going to act out in other ways once you stop the barking. $800 for training is ridiculous. Look into group obedience classes. I recently paid $185 for 6 months of weekly classes. Train basic obedience with a regular prong collar and lead first, then look into conditioning with a collar.
This is a time consuming process, but that's having a dog. These collars are not a quick problem fix. If you use the collar without the training, then you're just shocking the dog randomly (as far as he knows) and you're not going to get the results you're looking for.
Generally, if the dog's barking, it needs something. More exercise. More mental stimulation. More training. After you've met all of these needs, and in the RARE case the dog still barks, try a bark collar.
http://www.gundogsupply.com/trbalixs.htm…
- i've only ever used E collars on the lowest setting (i tried it on myself, and it's about equivalent to licking a 9v battery) just for proofing in the field for long distance commands. training and eliminating the reasons for the barking comes first, before ANY corrections or surgeries!
consider that it's sometimes easier than it seems, you just have to figure out WHY the dog is barking.
1. is the dog tied up in the backyard all day? it may be suffering separation anxiety. it needs to live in the home with the family.
2. is the dog bored? it needs more exercise with you, and fun toys to play with.
3. are there environmental things that it's barking at? maybe just a certain neighbor, or other dog? what about putting up a section of stockade fence so the dog can no longer see what is exciting it so much?
i have an APBT who almost NEVER barks. really. she's the world's worst watchdog, and very friendly. however, i noticed that every garbage day, she'd bark her fool head off all morning. turns out, she didn't like the garbage men taking the garbage from out house, or the neighbors, and they were back and forth on our street most of the morning for recycles and things. (maybe she thought they were stealing our stuff?) i put up a 16 foot section of stockade fence across the front of the yard (we had only had a chain link fence previously) and she never barked again, because she couldn't see it.
you should also consider a behaviorist- if you can't figure out what's making your dog bark, they probably can.
i agree sometimes with debarking, because frankly, a collar is not going to train the dog, and a dog who barks constantly may be just a really talkative dog. my cousin has a dog who doesn't even realize it's barking. it even barked in its sleep. sometimes they're just wired wrong. but that's an absolute last ditch effort!!
- When does this "loud, crazy, excessive barking" occur? There are many reasons for barking, and dealing with the actual cause of the barking may be much simpler. In some cases, a change in location of crate, or covering the crate, helps, or simply closing the blinds when you are gone. In others, teaching the dog that alerting you is fine, then "thanking" the dog, which cues that barking should now stop, works great for alarm barking. Dogs left outside on their own will often start to bark excessively, in part due to boredom, and then also reinforced by people moving away (even if they would have moved on anyway!) Bringing dogs inside will often solve that issue. Many dogs bark due to boredom, leaving them something to do, like feeding them from a stuffed Kong or busyball type feeder can help. Increasing the amount of exercise the dog gets before being left alone will also help with many dogs,regardless of the reason- if the dog is sleeping, he isn't barking!
Kudos to you for wanting to not get rid of the dog! Since you want a collar that works when you push it, I'm guessing you are there for most of the barking (otherwise, getting a shock collar that only works when you press it wouldn't make sense.) The "Thank You" procedure works like this:
Teach the dog (classically condition) that Thank You means a treat is coming. You do this by saying thank you, then popping a treat in his mouth. Pretty simply, just make sure the timing is such that the Thank You happens BEFORE you give the treat, or even reach in your pocket etc, but promptly afterwards. Do this for several sessions, over several days, in several locations.
Set up a situations, such as someone coming over, where your dog would bark. Make sure you are in control of when and if things happen. Use a leash and collar if the dog would run and jump on the person, to avoid this happening. Dog starts barking, get in his space, say Thank You, and pop treat in dog's mouth, whether or not he shut up on his own. Repeat. Start expecting dog to give a second or so of silence after you say Thank You before you pop the treat in.
Does the dog start barking again? Most won't, some will. If he does, use the silent time to reinforce going over to a mat and lying down with some sort of chewy (need to teach this separately) and teach appropriate greeting behavior (also need to teach separately if dog doesn't already know.)
Do several sessions where you are in control before expecting to use this for unplanned barking. Repeat, repeat, repeate. Increase the time between Thank You and the treat to 30-60 seconds.
Now keep some kind of treat fairly handy and wait for the opportunity to present itself. You'll do exactly the same procedure as you did during your training sessions. Allow the dog to bark a few times, say Thank You, then pop the treat in his mouth, regardless of whether he stoped on his own or not (you're starting back at the beginning, but don't worry, it will go quickly!) Very shortly you will have a dog that will at least stop barking when you say Thank You, and many will stop on their own after a few barks, in anticipation of the Thank You and treat routine.
Good Luck!
Add- so she's outside alone? Bring her in. Outside time is for when you are interacting with her. Yes, wildlife is very enticing to JRTs- and what you are doing is allowing the behavior to happen, which makes it harder to get rid of. You mention a turtle on the other side of the fence, so adding a visual barrier may also help- either a different kind of fencing, or as a more long term solution, some kind of bush. If you MUST keep the dog outside (why?) what is inside the fence that could be made more enticing? Things such as giggle balls, tricky treat balls, a tug toy suspended from a rope, a sand pit in a kiddie pool with toys and treats buried in it. Really, if the only issue is when he is outside by himself, why not just bring him in unless you can be outside interacting with him? This is actually one of the reasons I give for not leaving dogs outside on their own- they are far more likely to become barky, dig things up, and attempt escapes. Dogs don't need time outside alone, they need time outside spent with you, and time inside spent with you. Increase the time outside spent with you, but don't leave him alone out there. Try it for 2 weeks, and see how the barking goes.
- They are a form of animal abuse and should never be used on any animal.
Training and patience is all you need do to stop any behavior.
To stop a dog from barking, you need to catch them being quiet. When they are sitting and being quiet or walking around and being quiet, tell them "good boy quiet" and give a treat and pet them.
Only do this when they are not barking. After a long while (took my two dogs 2 weeks and a million treats) they will understand that when quiet they get a treat.
Something they normally do not get.
Then when they start or before they start to bark, tell them quiet and get a treat ready. If they bark, put away the treat and walk away. Then when they stop, tell them good boy and treat them.
In time and with effort, you can train your dog in a positive way.
