Ok thought of another question last night.... It says that it is water proof.... Does that mean you can use it while they are in the water?  We seem to be having all of our issues at the lake..... Mostly when he gets out he runs like a crazy man!

-Chris

My e collar is Tritronics 100 LR. I think I bought it in 1995 so I knew it was old. What I didn't know is how far collars have come and all the new choices available. I wanted to feel the collar and transmitter so I made a trip to Cabela's. The guy there suggested a Dogtra 2500 with tone and beep. Felt solid and well made. He explained the locate mode and then hit the button. I was surprised at how loud it was. He said the dog would get used to it. My concern is for the birds. Will the loud sound clear the area of birds?

I didn't buy a new one yet so I would be interested in hearing thoughts about the locate feature. Also, it can be set to "beep" different "beeps" when the dog is running vs. stopped or on point. I wouldn't have called it a "beep". Sounded really loud to me.

This link may come too late but it's a pretty cool place to start for anyone who is looking for an e-collar and is trying to navigate the sea of choices:

www.gundogsupply.com/dog-training-collars-buyers-guide.html

I am also interested in buying an e- collar.   I do a lot of grouse hunting, so i was wondering about the distance and how much you lose when you are in the woods.

I don't think there is a set equation, it depends on too many factors and a combination thereof, but here this may be helpful in answering your questions:

Quoted from gundogsupply.com/Steve Snell:

Too much range will never hurt, but too little is a problem. Keep in mind that maximum range is based on "line of sight." This means that to get the full range out of a system there should be nothing between the transmitter and the receiver, and the terrain should be flat and open. This isn't going to happen in most places that we spend time with our dogs. Your range on any system that we carry will come down from the maximum based on training conditions, including weather, terrain, and the presence of cover.

As a general rule, most folks can get by with a 1/2 mile range collar. 1/2 mile range is going to be enough for all pet and companion dogs, most retrievers, and flushing breeds and closer working pointing breeds. 1 mile range collars are a better choice for medium to big-running bird dogs, beagles and some hounds. If you are trying to stop chasing unwanted game, you will want at least a mile. Most hound owners prefer the two mile range Tri-Tronics Trashbreaker.

Some folks that may not need the extra range of a 1 mile collar (say, your average retriever owner) will still want the other features of the Pro units. Range isn't the only factor to consider when you are picking a collar, but you want to make sure you cover this first.

I have a 4yrd old GSP. I started using an ecollar when he was a pup, say 4+ months old. I still put it on the dog whenever he is off lead, whether on a walk or hunting. I bought a Dogtra. I still use the same original collar, with the same original re-charge batteries. It has a lot of hours of use and is reliable. The model I bought has a nick,tone, and a continuous with 8 level settings. They are great for training because you can provide an immediate correction without being close to the dog.

As far as how to use it, read the book. This was my first experience using an ecollar with a dog and I'll always use one.

Before you use it on the dog, try shocking yourself! I did because I needed to know the difference between a level 1 and a level 4, or 8.

good luck

I started slow. My dogtra has a 1 to 9 dial. 1 and 2, I could tolerate. Level 3 was a little annoying and decided the experiment didn't have to continue

Well hopefully, that's how our dogs feel about it " align="absMiddle" border="0" src="/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/blue/emoticons/smile.gif" />