When NOT to Use an E-Collar on Your Hunting Dog

In the right hands, e-collars can be a rocket-propelled jumpstart to learning for your dog. But there are a lot of times in hunting and dog training when “STOP” is the most important action, including many instances when you’re tempted to hit the red button.

Remember, your dog works at his best when he can trust you and stimulating him when he doesn’t deserve it destroys that relationship. Here are some situations when you should put the control in your pocket and focus on the dog.

(Ever tried an e-collar on yourself? On the meaty part of your palm is a good place. Once you do, you’ll probably think twice before pushing the red button. Good human!)

1. First and foremost, stay off the button any time your dog is near, working, or carrying a bird: Dogs learn by association, and a shock then could sour him on anything with feathers. If someone slapped you enough while watching football, eventually you’d change the channel, wouldn’t you?
2. If there’s any chance he doesn’t understand the command, cut him some slack. He may be trying to comply the best he can, and stimulation might throw you back to Square One … minus. Go back to the training table instead.
3. Depending on where your dog is in the learning process, you can’t go wrong if you err on the side of positive. Avoid correction if he’s doing something, or trying his best to do something, right. He may associate your slow button-pushing with the wrong part of the command. For example: he ran out at “fetch,” but played with the bird before heading back to you. If you hit him on the return, he won’t know it’s for his dawdling – he might think bringing it back is the rule he broke. Yikes!
4. When your dog meets his first Angus bull is not a good time to stimulate. In the face of unfamiliar situations or new distractions, his priority is self-preservation, even over-compliance with your command. Train for it with more socialization, new surroundings and every conceivable “threat.” Most of my dogs grew up on the other side of the fence from cattle and horses, but if yours didn’t, start the process. Ditto cars, tractors, windmills, and ugly hunting partners.
5. If you can’t see your dog, you really, truly don’t know what he’s up to. Why risk it? He could be on point, or working a bird, coming back to you, or taking a leak. He's probably not lollygagging or disobeying your command.
6. Around other dogs, yours might think the stimulation came from his four-footed hunting buddy and therefore avoid him or get aggressive. Who needs a dog fight?
7. In water, or on a wet dog, the strength of the stimulation is boosted. Best to wait until he’s dry.
8. Many dogs will come back to you when they’re hit by the collar. Consider it a complement – he trusts you. But it’s not what you want when he sticks a covey of bobwhites. Again, back to the table to work on steadiness.

These are some of the many reasons I like a check cord, or a collar’s vibration and tone settings. They’re like gentle nudges compared to the slap-upside-the-head of stimulation.

And one more tip: you’re light years ahead if you let your dog think that infrequent stimulation comes not from you but from an invisible higher power that sees all and knows all. Try to hide the control when you’re using it, and depending on the situation, zip your lips, too. That trust thing, again.

Take the moments while your e-collar is powering up to reflect. If your dog needs frequent stimulation, there’s a good chance you haven’t trained him well enough. Go back to the yard and the check cord and re-visit the commands that are giving you a headache … and him a sore neck.

--Scott Linden