Pup Age For A Shock Collar

[T-Bone]

At what age is it OK to introduce a pup to a shock collar? I have a 6 month old GSP female puppy that is showing great potential, but a reminder buzz would be nice at times.

I have used a shock collar for years on other dogs, but I can't recall at what puppy age I started to use one?

[mburrows]

Depends on the dog. As soon as they understand the commands you're asking them to do, you can reinforce with an e-collar. 

[Bill W]

There's also the vibrate or the noise control on the shock collar.   That's all I use now to get my dog's attention.

[BD1]

 

[eastsidemallard74]

My lab is almost 6mo. old, and he's in one. my last lab was about the same age in one.

[aaronoto]

6 months is what I've generally come across.  I started mine at 6 months.

[T-Bone]

Thanks for all the nice responses. I raised this same question on another forum and besides not answering the question, I got less than a basic civil response...Again, thank you.

[jagermiester]

Let me guess.
Some snowflakes were really upset that you would use a shock collar on a dog.
Things like "I wish someone would put a shock collar on your testicles, and give you a shock when you do something wrong"

 

[jagermiester]

I got a tip for you on the shock collar front.

If you are crate training your dog once your pup understands (fully understands) what you want when you say kennel up introduce the shock collar. Put it on the lowest setting possible and turn on the continuous shock. Tell the pup to kennel up and release the stimulation once the dog is in the kennel. This sets up good things in the future by having the dog go away from you in the initial command. Then the collar can be used in more situations like being able to use the collar for a dog breaking a stay command or place or anything else that is not come. Sometimes dogs assimilate the shock with come because that is what people use it for early on. Only use the collar for come after the dog truly understands this command. 

[T-Bone]

Thanks for the tip jagermeister.

No, not "Oh you sadistic meany!!!", but being talked down to as some pimple faced first timer that has never trained a dog with a shock collar on another site's dog forum.

Yes, well aware of  it doesn't get used until the puppy fully understands the command. I'm an old and cranky 65 year old that has trained my own bird dogs for decades. The question was generated by my loss of my Springer to congestive heart failure and cancer after over 8 years of ownership. In other words, a memory thing on my part..."Just when did I start to use it???"

Thanks again, guys.

[jagermiester]

You know this site has been pretty positive lately. It's cool to see. I think the moderators put in a lot of work to make and keep it that way.

[Backstrap]

I never wanted to put the juice to my dog, but that has changed after he chased a bird across a busy highway, out of control.

So I got a dogtra and decided I would try it on myself first, just to understand it better. With a range of 0-127, I had to set it to 37 before I could feel it. Put it on the wife and had to turn it up to 40 before she reacted. She never really felt it but I saw her flinch ever so slightly.

So I feel a lot better knowing I’m not putting serious pai to my best friend.

[Happy Gilmore]

I got a tip for you on the shock collar front.

If you are crate training your dog once your pup understands (fully understands) what you want when you say kennel up introduce the shock collar. Put it on the lowest setting possible and turn on the continuous shock. Tell the pup to kennel up and release the stimulation once the dog is in the kennel. This sets up good things in the future by having the dog go away from you in the initial command. Then the collar can be used in more situations like being able to use the collar for a dog breaking a stay command or place or anything else that is not come. Sometimes dogs assimilate the shock with come because that is what people use it for early on. Only use the collar for come after the dog truly understands this command. 

So what if you need to turn it up a bit higher or make a mistake and pop the dog a little too hard? Its gonna run to the kennel?

I suggest buying the Mike Lardy, Evan Graham or equivalent video on collar conditioning. The key word, collar conditioning. This is the single only humane way to use and train a dog with a collar.

[Stein]

Each dog has different sensitivities, for my lab, I rarely have to go over 20 (out of 100), if ever.  90% of the time vibration does the trick.

I don't like using it, but I don't like my dog getting shot, run over or drowning, so it seems much better than those options.

I was pretty set on training without, but sometimes the lure of the chase is just too strong for verbal commands and she absolutely loses her mind and needs a gentle reminder.  When she was 1, that was about 5 times per hunt.  Now at 3, its probably once every 5 hunts.

[jagermiester]

I got a tip for you on the shock collar front.

If you are crate training your dog once your pup understands (fully understands) what you want when you say kennel up introduce the shock collar. Put it on the lowest setting possible and turn on the continuous shock. Tell the pup to kennel up and release the stimulation once the dog is in the kennel. This sets up good things in the future by having the dog go away from you in the initial command. Then the collar can be used in more situations like being able to use the collar for a dog breaking a stay command or place or anything else that is not come. Sometimes dogs assimilate the shock with come because that is what people use it for early on. Only use the collar for come after the dog truly understands this command. 

So what if you need to turn it up a bit higher or make a mistake and pop the dog a little too hard? Its gonna run to the kennel?

I suggest buying the Mike Lardy, Evan Graham or equivalent video on collar conditioning. The key word, collar conditioning. This is the single only humane way to use and train a dog with a collar.

Cool I’ll check that out