I used to be a staunch opponent of electronic collars. But living with dogs has convinced me otherwise. The opinion I had in the past I started to change over time. I tried clicker training etc. However, my dogs and I needed more than just a "clicker reward". And that was the need for long distance communication.
I have 9 dogs, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, for whom an electronic training collar was never needed. He's a mellow dog and when he was running after game he stopped after 100 yards on recall. Looking at the fleeing game and thinking: "Why would I chase you, I've got food at home." :D
But then came the gradual acquisition of European Sled Dogs and Eurohounds. The activity is quite different with them. They have strong hunting and trail instincts. Every one of my dogs has a certainty of being called. But with a dog that is fully focused on his job (totally preoccupied, experiencing selective deafness, we all know this), or a stronger wind blowing, it is often a big problem to establish a signal.
We have a common link thanks to electronic collars. All it takes is one beep, which my dogs are used to. It's a signal to them, "Look around where I am and follow me." This allows me to give the dogs freedom in places where many people and dogs may have problems.
Plus, I use the collars for additional commands and praise. I approach the animal in a way that I understand its thinking. Not mine. And I look for ways to connect our common language. We are in a world of social media, constantly online, and we often expect dogs to understand this world as we do.
For me, an electronic training collar is like a walkie-talkie, where we communicate with each other remotely and set the boundaries we need to maintain. Just like the message I leave for my friends on Messenger.
I've been using d-control electronic collars for a few years now for 8 dogs out of 9. It was challenging to lug around 4 transmitters, so I was looking for ways to go. On a visit to Dogtrace, I was offered the d-control Edge training collar which communicates with up to 6 dogs from one transmitter.
My heart skipped a beat, but I was slightly skeptical. I still took the d-control Edge away to try it out. The first few days were challenging. I couldn't remember which dog was in which place. :D But after a few days, when I divided the dogs according to the need to use the collar, everything started to seem like a great solution.
The dogs I need to interact with more often I put in positions 1, 2. The dogs I interact with less I set in the other positions. The only thing I would still use is setting a position to call all of them at once. The functions on the transmitter are on 3 separate buttons - stimulation impulse, sound and vibration. There remains a custom setting saved for each dog.
I would definitely recommend the d-control Edge training collar to dog owners with a large pack. It has simplified our life. At least for me, since I no longer have 4 transmitters around my neck. It definitely takes a little practice and thought to remember which position to put the dog in, but for me it's just a few days.
For me, the biggest reward is keeping my dogs safe. We can walk all 9 dogs free in the woods. Our hunters in the region know about us and admire them every time for how good and obedient they are. Of course we behave in the woods and do not disturb the peace and symbiosis of nature and animals. When we find an animal in trouble, we help, and we also pick up litter left by visitors to the forest. We try to give back to the forest what it gives us.
If you have dogs that you want to take into the woods, meadows or anywhere else where you are not sure of 100% obedience, I recommend you talk to someone who uses an electronic collar with head and sense.
An electronic training collar does not have to be a device to stress and punish the animal, but a device to improve communication between you and your dog, protect the dog and the environment, and make life with your dog much easier for you.
We thank Dogtrace for making meaningful products and wish that it will be used by people with love and reason for their dogs.
Aneta Konvalinová and Europeans CZ
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