There are sophisticated trainers and serious professionals who do not use or advocate the use of ecollars for a variety of reasons. They have methods that work for them and I praise them for it.

But generally speaking, I think the ecollar may be the most misunderstood and underappreciated dog training tool. It should be neither. In the right situation and in the right hands it is a wonderful aid. I am not going to get into all the ramifications and how to’s and how not to’s of using an ecollar. And while many people buy one and follow manufacturer’s instructions, I do not recommend that for you. That does not mean it is something you should to fear; just the opposite. I just think you should get advice from a gun dog training professional on why to use one, when to use one, which one is better for your situation, what results you can expect, etc. Not from a guy you met at the trap range; but from a professional gun dog trainer.

There are a few areas in training where I strongly suggest you start with a pro including force fetch training and introducing your dog to the gun. Ecollar use is another. I urge you to not only get educated about ecollars from a pro but also get hands-on instruction and follow up with your dog. Ecollar use is more training for you than the dog. You need to be comfortable with it and that means knowing when to use it and when to lay off it.

In this website, I talk about ‘reading your dog’ and ecollar use is a good example in terms of sensing when to use stimulus.

You can use an ecollar for all types of correction and reinforcement of a command but that doesn’t mean you have to use it for everything. I do not; and personally, I don’t think you should either. Your pro can help you distinguish one from the other for your situation.

Learn about ecollars like your training depends on it !!