Getting the Right E-Collar

Right-off the start, let's dispel a myth. When e-collars were first deployed in the last century they were cruel, medieval devices that could have come out of the Spanish Inquisition. It's a wonder that more dogs didn't cry-out - in doggy talk - "Don't taze me, man!" Those days are gone.

 

In the current world, they are very humane, have all types of safety elements and, when used correctly, are great training devices for domestic and gun dogs alike.

Shock the Monkey

In some cases, a good e-collar can actually save the life of your canine. Imagine a situation where your best friend is gearing-up to chase a car racing by your house. A simple correction can save the animal from becoming a tasty meal for road kill eaters. Besides that, those who play the cruelty card when trying to talk you out of buying an e-collar is roughly equivalent to those who argue that to drive a Volkswagen supports Hitler because he had something to do with the German vehicle.

Size Matters

For those who have a mutt that's a tiny pup - under 20 pounds - the Tri-Tronics Sport Junior is perfect. Starting with the fact that it's made in America, it has 7 levels of stimulation. Sure, it can fit any sized dog, it's particularly recommended for the tinier breeds. It's waterproof and has a sweet range of distance. And you can use it with one hand. Other biggies include:

• Works up to ¼ of a mile.
• It comes with a light right on the collar.
• The contact points are made of stainless steel.
• There's an indicator that tells you how much power the battery still has left.
• It has a 2-year comprehensive warranty.

Big Dog

Then there's The Sport Combo G3. This can be used for up to 3 dogs and has 20 levels of stimulation (10 momentary and 10 continuous). Another great plus is that you can program the thing to transmit a tone if you don't want to give the mutt a light zap. It runs off a 9-volt battery for up to a ½ mile range.

But wait, there's more:

• The ability to pre-program the mode of choice:
• Medium momentary, low continuous, and medium continuous.
• Medium continuous, low momentary, and medium momentary.
• A tone, medium continuous and medium momentary.
• There's a gray wheel in the upper right corner that lets you pick from 10 levels of stimulation or non-stimulating tone.
• A small light that tells you when any button is are pressed.
• Another 3-position gray wheel allows you to select which dog collar to activate and is color-coded to match the corresponding collar.
• It's made in the good old U.S.A.

Last Words

There's always a pup that doesn't respond to an e-collar. Like a kid, they'll ignore or disobey you. If it's not working, stop zapping your pet. If you get some snarling, biting or growling, cease and desist immediately. It's rare, but it could happen. Get ye - and the mutt - to a dog trainer. They'll help you train your furry buddy so they will act like the chunk of class you want them to become.