Electronic dog trainers - Do they work well?

Question
Hi I wanted to know if electronic dog trainers are useful when training a dog. Also, which ones would you recommend for a border collie medium size? thanks in advance.

p.s. I want to teach my dog how to sit, stand up, lay down, bark, be quiet, get me the tennis ball, run in circles, dance, etc.  

Answer
Yes, Carlos, they are a wonderful training tool -- when used correctly. Incorrectly used, they can be very inhumane. I recommend that you visit Lou Castle's website at http://www.loucastle.com He has some excellent articles on how to teach your dog to do some of the things you have said you'd like to teach him, and if you send Lou an e-mail, he will respond. I'm sure he could help you with teaching your dog to do the tricks that you're interested in as well. He has been training dogs with electric collars for YEARS, and knows what he's doing. Please contact him with specific questions regarding use of the e-collar. I have only limited knowledge of them, though I do know that Lou's methods work, because I have used them on a few dogs.

I use a Dogtra collar, personally, but Tri-Tronics are also good collars, and I've heard that DT Systems are pretty good as well. For what you're wanting to use the collar for, I'd recommend the Dogtra 175NCP. It has a 400-yard range, and three types of stimulation. The "N" stands for "Nick," and with this button, no matter how long you hold the button down for, it only delivers a half second of electrical stimulation. The "C" stands for "Constant," and with this button, as long as you hold the button down (up to 12 seconds I think), it is delivering electrical stimulation. The "P" stands for "Pager," and with this button, as long as the button is held down, the collar vibrates. With the pager, you do not actually deliver an electrical stimulation - only a vibration. This can be used as a warning, or you can use it as the dog's recall command, as I do. Or, you can not use it at all. I use the Dogtra 200NCP Gold, but with this model, there is sometimes a problem on the lower levels if your dog is very sensitive to the stimulation. Lou can explain this in more detail if you like. There is no difference between the 175 and the 200, other than price, and the 200 model has an 880 yard range. With all of Dogtra's collars, the collar itself is 100% waterproof (my dog swims with hers on), the remote is water-resistent, and it comes with its own charger (you don't replace batteries - you just recharge the remote and collar as needed). I cannot speak for Tri-Tronics or DT Systems collars, as I've never used them, but I have heard they are good.

Please do not hesitate to ask if there's anything else you need, and do get in contact with Lou before you do anything.

Kristen