bamills1 Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 Is anyone opposed to them? Anyone have a particular brand they like? Otto has been bad at not listening when I call him or command him at the park i.e. when he isnt within arms reach or on lead, so I want to fix that. I still want him to be able to run free and play like the other dogs but not at the expense of him mounting or annoying smaller dogs when they arent interested. Thank in advance, Im pretty upset about everything. I bought a choke collar for him just now to start the new training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormy Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 You will get some strong opinions on these. I don't agree with them personally Keep it clean guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazz Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 Two things you need to be aware of. Huskies have lousy recall. Shock collars are a tool. Unfortunatly, a tool that is often mis-used and mis-applied. Oh and one more: there is no quick fix for modifying a Husky's behaviour. Huskies in the Heartland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 I wouldn't use one myself. They're not really my cup of tea. As huskies grow up their selective hearing kicks in. He's not being naughty, he's just being a husky. Long leads can help give them some freedom whilst still being able to keep tabs on them. [emoji1] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 Getting help from a good trainer is a far better investment in my opinion. I am personally against shock, choke and prong collars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 I would probably agree here against a shock collar. Like Dave said huskies have horrible recall usually, but I would work more on training or use long leads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamills1 Posted September 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Well that's all I needed to hear. I've started to try some new things today with him and he's been more willing to please me. Hopefully I can master it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Is Otton responsive to the squak from those toys? Train with that do not over use and you might get some where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornet Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Rio has been trained with a e- collar( sports dog) and his recall is very good. I rarely use it now unless we are walking where there is lots of wildlife, and then I only need to use the bleep or vibrate. If you do go for one make sure you get a trainer who knows how use it, I have seen them used badly and it can be cruel on the dog but if used properly your dog will have a lot of freedom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 A 100ft lead and treats is all I used to teach skyla a recall , whilst I'd never let her off lead it's worked when she slipped her collar last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare70 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 My sister who owns a cocker spaniel constantly hassles me about using an e collar on my dogs, she's always sending me links about them. I've told her that I would not subject my dogs to one of these devices as I think they are cruel. Why would I want to hurt my dog just because it's doing what is natural to it, ie being a husky! Owning a husky means accepting they have none or very little recall, if you want a dog to play fetch and trot along beside you off lead then you should be owning another breed of dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotTheDogWhisperer Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 E-collars generally have a very bad rep when it comes to training; mainly as a result of owners misusing them. There also seems to be the common belief that a dog is physically electrocuted by the collar. These days, that's not how the collar works. It provides a 'stim', yes. But it doesn't flood the dog with excessive amounts of electricity. It creates a vibration in order to get the dog's attention. But you don't keep stimming the dog, period. The purpose of the tool, for that is what it is at the end of the day, is not to injure the dog for non-compliance. Instead you teach the dog how to respond to the stim. It falls under the category of providing a negative stimuli to decrease a behaviour. But it is not guaranteed to work as not every tool suits every dog. Because the tool has, let's say, a larger capacity to cause harm..I am of the opinion that only professional experienced trainers are allowed to distribute and use these tools. They shouldn't be available in the shops. Risk of animal abuse is too high. When it comes to husky recall...well, that's a pretty hot topic itself. I don't own a husky so I couldn't offer advice on that. What I will say though is be mindful of what the breed was originally intended for. There's a fair bit written about them online but finding unbiased material is a challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 I'd like to put a e-collar on every dog owner that thinks there a good idea start um off on full power till they admitted its cruel, but hey that's just me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markulous Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Illegal in Wales (and there's been at least one prosecution) and should be made illegal worldwide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SibeHush Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 A modern e-collar is one of the absolute best tools available for training dogs. I use one on mine and she is 100% off leash obedient. The only reason my dog ever wears a leash nowadays is because of city bi-laws- and even then much of the time I just drop the leash and let her drag it. The biggest problem I see is that people are still reminded of the adverse effects of the e-collars that came out in the 60s or 70s. Those put the electric in electric collar. They only had five settings which required the changing of a fuse to alternate the intensity which severely limited their use. They were devices made for animal abuse. E-collars today are incredibly humane and inflict LESS damage both physically and mentally (mentally... provided of course you've conditioned your dog to the collar and they understand that the correction is coming from you, the handler) then your dog receives from pulling on the end of it's leash. The best comparison for a modern e-collar is a tens unit which is often used for physical therapy... what it does is pass a current through the pads placed on your skin and causes your muscles to contract. Tens units do no inflict pain- such is the way of a modern e-collar- it's called low stimulation training. HOWEVER modern e-collars are still capable of higher functions that do allow you to inflict a certain amount of pain as would be inflicted by a snap of a leash- not any more pain then a person could endure while holding conversation. With that being said, maxed out, it's certainly not a pleasurable experience. One thing I do want to mention about e-collars is that they are a layered tool, meaning, you HAVE to layer the device on top of a leash in a way that teaches the dog the collar has the exact same association and meaning as a leash. Conditioning your dog is important otherwise it can become superstitious around certain things, thinking a tree did it, or it may yelp out because you startled it and it's left confused, and worst of all, fearful. With all that being said... I have both a mini educator and the dogtra 300m series e-collar. Love them equally. I bought the mini-e- it's small and discrete, but it's only a one dog system- dogtra will do two dogs independently. p.s. SOME PEOPLE USE E-COLLARS IN PLACE OF A CLICKER! What a horrible device it must be if you can train your dog that getting the electric chair is a pleasurable and worthwhile experience. OH the horror of it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 let's keep any replies civil we all know this topic can become very heated... just reminds me of a conversation I had with a neighbour who just recently moved in to the road, they have an 18 month old beagle that wears an anti-bark collar 24/7 (works on the same principle as an e-collar apart from the fact that as soon as the dog makes a noice it goes off) I asked him why does the dog wear it and the reply was, cause we do not like th dog barking!! Ok I said well you just had a newborn baby so are you going to use it on her as well when she starts crying...no he said because that is abuse...my reply was: oh but it is ok on your dog..neighbour did not reply but huffed and puffed and walked away.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS. Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I'm no expert don't get be wrong but I personaly think it is wrong to use anything that uses physical contact to train a dog and like SibeHush Said, i think it should be against the law in all country's/states Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SibeHush Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 let's keep any replies civil we all know this topic can become very heated... just reminds me of a conversation I had with a neighbour who just recently moved in to the road, they have an 18 month old beagle that wears an anti-bark collar 24/7 (works on the same principle as an e-collar apart from the fact that as soon as the dog makes a noice it goes off) I asked him why does the dog wear it and the reply was, cause we do not like th dog barking!! Ok I said well you just had a newborn baby so are you going to use it on her as well when she starts crying...no he said because that is abuse...my reply was: oh but it is ok on your dog..neighbour did not reply but huffed and puffed and walked away.... I've never used a bark collar so I can't really comment on them in detail, but in theory, the intention of any training device that offers a correction is to modify a dogs behavior. If the behavior is not being modified, then all you're doing is increasing the dogs tolerance to the correction until it enviably becomes useless. Not to mention that if it's like an e-collar in the sense that it has two prongs in direct contact with the dogs skin, that will create a friction burn on the dogs neck with prolonged use as would be the case of 24/7. But going back to the e-collar... I've had a dozen or more people approach me like you did with your neighbor. Once they finish, I offer them the opportunity to try it on for themselves and experience what it does- most turn the opportunity down- obvious +p endorsers- and I simply walk away. The two people who have agreed to try the collar on themselves, those who had an open mind, both completely changed their tune from aggression and hostility to utter puzzlement and fascination. _________ The bottom line when it comes to my thoughts on such things... quality of life... A dog who has the freedom to experience the richness of our world OR one that lives it's life tugging on the end of a leash trying to get to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 While I would not personally use shock collars, I do agree that If it is used at all, it should be used by someone who knows what they are doing, and it requires training. Like you said, you can't just throw a shock collar on a dog with no training and expect results. I can't really pass judgment because I use prong collars on mine, and there are probably just as many people that don't agree with that, however I never have to use it, the dogs are trained to walk nicely. What I don't necessarily agree with is them not having a good quality of life being on a leash. Mine will NEVER be off leash unless in an enclosed space, period. I don't care if they have 100% recall, it only takes once, and I am not willing to take that chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingsolo Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 _________ The bottom line when it comes to my thoughts on such things... quality of life... A dog who has the freedom to experience the richness of our world OR one that lives it's life tugging on the end of a leash trying to get to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 · Hidden Hidden Another thing to consider is that using an e-collar in a dog park is very inappropriate. Sounds like a refresher behavior class is your only need. I'd also ditch the check collar. For what you are trying to accomplish its the wrong tool. Link to comment
SibeHush Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I'm no expert don't get be wrong but I personaly think it is wrong to use anything that uses physical contact to train a dog and like SibeHush Said, i think it should be against the law in all country's/states I didn't say it should be against the law I use e-collars- so do the majority of competitive sport dogs, police/military dogs, hunting dogs, etc... almost anyone who requires unquestionable off leash obedience employs the use of an e-collar at some point or another. It's the next natural step between long-lead and off-lead training. Making the e-collar illegal, at least in my mind, would be a travesty to many dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SibeHush Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 _________ The bottom line when it comes to my thoughts on such things... quality of life... A dog who has the freedom to experience the richness of our world OR one that lives it's life tugging on the end of a leash trying to get to it. you live in Canada, I have no idea which part or what it is like but where I live there are busy roads . logistically we can have no front fence or gate and there is a small matter of a by-law that states all dogs must be on lead. I keep my boys safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 let's agree to disagree with what you are saying Brandon but I am glad that there are motions going on in Europe that will ban all types of e-collars and anti bark collars, with an example in Germany, where it is banned and highly illegal to use an e-collar the fine can go up-to €500,- plus a lifetime ban on having any animals...(includes a gold fish) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 When we decided to get a Siberian I did a lot of research on the breed, including the breed's development by the Chukchi tribe over the course of at least a thousand years. When Sarah arrived in our home I understood her behavior a little more than I would have had I not done that research. That said, I chose a front-clip harness for her that provides immediate negative correction based solely upon her own movement. If she lunges, the physics of the harness turn her 180° without my doing anything but standing still. It didn't take her long to figure out that lunging, pulling, etc. result in her being swung around away from her desired direction, and I didn't have to do anything but know what was coming and stand still. The harness does not hurt her in any way. This is critical to me because of my spinal injury, surgery, metal implants and nerve damage. I cannot physically endure pulling, lunging, etc. I wouldn't use a shock collar or prong collar. Training a Sibe is hard work, much harder than I anticipated, but after two years of every minute of every day training (IMO training happens every moment of every day, not only during an hour session) Sarah does very well. She's been in hardware stores, video stores, everywhere a dog is allowed to go, and has amazed people with her good behavior. She is obedience trained for at both home and out in the world at large. She isn't perfect but she's good enough to astonish my veterinarian group and everyone we meet. For me the key is understanding how she thinks, what she wants and what distractions/stimuli are likely to override her training. When presented with those situations I pull the leash in, remind her that I am in charge with a voice command and rarely, if all else fails, remove her from the situation. I also have 3/4 of an acre fenced well enough to contain an elephant so she has plenty of space to run, etc. I've taught her to dig in her "sandbox" and nowhere else, though admittedly she occasionally digs where she shouldn't and has to be corrected for that. IMO, understanding the breed and the individual dog, and then tailoring training to address each, is the ticket to a happy, well-behaved dog of any breed but especially a Siberian. Some behaviors are hardwired into a Siberian and are very difficult to train against, such as Sarah always wanting to be in front of me rather than at my leg. It makes perfect sense to me--the breed was developed to pull sleds, not walk next to the driver. I decided that I'd allow her to walk in front of me about three feet so long as she isn't pulling and isn't in one of those distraction/stimulation situations. This training philosophy takes a lot of time, though. I'm not kidding when I say it took me two solid years, beginning when Sarah was 10 weeks old, to have her solidly obedience trained. Even now I do refresher commands regularly. It's just part of the Siberian experience. While Sarah and I are out, many people tell me they want a Siberian. I've told all but a handful that they do NOT want a Siberian because they don't want to spend the time and effort required to train a dog bred to think for itself. It's like obedience training a Siamese cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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