E Collar Training For Beginners: Acclimation to Stim

Have you wondered how to get your dog acclimated to an e collar or how to use an e collar correctly? This video will show you how we acclimate a dog to e collar stim. We use the Dogtra 280c in this video which is a great collar! Here is a link if you want to check it out: https://amzn.to/49CKiS5

In this video, we will walk you through a step by step process on how to get your dog acclimated to the stimulation or stim function on the e collar. Many people acclimate dogs to an e collar by training on the recall or come command. We prefer to acclimate a dog to the e collar with the heel command and then use it for recall once the dog understands how the collar works.

The first thing to understand is that you should not teach with E collars. We use these collars to reinforce what dogs already know. So if your dog is untrained, make sure you are evaluating your training goals and make sure they get fully trained before using these collars. NEVER try and teach the command command with an e collar! An e collar is an off leash communication tool and should always be used to reinforce known commands.

Another thing to think about is operant conditioning and what quadrants you will be using when training with your e collar. Many trainers use the collar as a form of negative reinforcement. They have the collar on a low level and then use the stim function as they call the dog and release the stim function when the dog gets to them. This is negative reinforcement because a stimulus is taken away (the stim function) in order to reinforce a behavior (coming to you).

That is not what we are doing in this video. We use the collar as positive punishment if the dog doesn’t listen to the come command. We don’t use the stim function at all unless the dog doesn’t listen. If they don’t listen we then use a low level stim paired with the word “no” to break their focus off of whatever it was on and then call them again. When they listen we reward with praise and pets. One advantage of doing it this way is you proof the word “no” and it takes on a lot of meaning for the dog. This is one of the reasons our client’s dogs are able to listen in so many situations (even when the collar isn’t on). Many dogs become “collar wise” and only listen well when their e collar is on. We have found that training in our method decreases the number of dogs who become collar wise to effectively zero.

If the dog has been properly acclimated to the vibration function we often use it as a “pager” when calling the dog. It is important to acclimate them to the vibration properly because you need to teach them that coming to you when the collar vibrates is a good thing and they get a reward. Very quickly your dog will learn that the vibration is a fun/exciting thing. You can watch a video showing that process here    • E Collar Training For Beginners: Accl...  

One of the most challenging portions of getting your dog acclimating to an e collar is fit. Some dogs who have short fur, this is a breeze. But for breeds who have a lot of fur, getting a good fit can be challenging. E collars need to sit snug, but you also need to be able to get your fingers underneath the collar. If you are having trouble getting a good fit, we recommend using e collar extension points. You can find our review of The Winged Ultra Comfort Pad here:    • Dog Trainer Reviews: Winged Ultra Com...  . Poor contact can lead to turning up the collar too high which can lead to over correcting your dog. Keep in mind, every dog is different and will be on different levels.

The best way to acclimate a dog to an e collar is using the heel command. Start with a very low number and pair the e collar corrections with your normal heel tugs. It is important to work slowly as there is no rush here. Remember that the stim is meant to grab your dog's attention when they are not listening. If your dog does not react to the current level, slowly turn the collar up. This stim should not freak the dog out, but you should see them notice the correction. Keep in mind this can take a few walks!

Once you find the working level for your dog you can then start to use the e collar for their come command. As we mentioned before, we do not teach on an e collar, we only reinforce what they know.

If you have any questions regarding E collars or any other training questions, please comment below!