Are e collars necessary? no but they are a good tool to use in training dogs.

Are vehicles necessary? no but they are a good tool to use in life.

This can go on and on.

Robby

Vehicles are neccesary. E-collars and evolution?

Why is it that overseas trainers don't feel the need to use an e-collar but American trainers do?
Are e-collars as common overseas (England/Ireland/Scotland) as they are here?

I don't know this for fact, but European hunting overall has pretty much been an aristocratic endeavor with tradition reigning.

It was three questions. It was not a three part question. I answered one of the questions. I pay attention. I am a detail oriented man.

I asked the question(s) because I would like to train a labrador retriever myself, yet I have no first hand knowledge of using an e-collar. I have befriended an extremely successful trainer in Ireland. He says he has not, nor ever will use an e-collar, but he has seen the use of e-collars gaining popularity overseas. I can certainly see using an e-collar on a hot blooded, fire breathing dragon, but that isn't the type of dog I am in search of. Conversely, I can also visualize the damage/setbacks that could occur during the training process when a complete novice such as myself decides to use an e-collar. I am neutral on the use of e-collars but would prefer not to use one if I had the opportunity to train my own retriever. Granted, I could possibly be doing a disservice to myself and any puppy I may acquire in the future, but this is where I am now in my thought process.

I use one with our bird dog, and will continue to do so. It's good for training, and I seldom use it now, but for a safety feature it's invaluable. My dog minds, even better when hunting, but she's curious and never met a stranger or a danger. The beep to reinforce what I am saying to her is better than her getting hurt.

I bet this guy wishes he could have trained his dog with an e-collar.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bmpONxJ7JSw

Yep his hearing aid is not on.

Wow. It looked like he spent a lot of time with his dog and was even using his big voice too. I just don't understand why the dog wouldn't stop. Oh yeah, I guess it was hypothetical.

I bet he wishes he knew how to actually TRAIN his dog. If you can't train a dog with out a shock collar, you dont need one. I have have been told that and I see that more and more.

If you can't train a dog with out a shock collar, you don't need one.

See, this is the misconception. People that have no idea of what they speak use terms like "shock", "shock collar", " electrocute", and "train with the e collar". They speak of it like it is some sort of mystical magic wand that trains the dogs for the people that use them and therefore the ones that don't use it know how to train and those that do are using a crutch.

First, no dog is trained with the e collar, the collar is used to reinforce known (ie trained) commands. And secondly I can promise you that there is not a dog out there that is wearing the collar that is performing their tasks well that has been " electrocuted" or otherwise abused with the collar.

There is a reason that they are popular, they are the most humane and effective tool for reinforcing commands.

Electricity is involved. Shock, shock collar, and electrocute are words used when you are on the business end of electricity. Put one around your neck, and hit that button. It will bite you. That's another appropriate word.
If this offends you, I don't care.

Lighten up!

Obviously you are not trained in the use of an e-collar and you have never used one. Otherwise you would have a very different opinion. Do you think that all the people using e-collars started that way...No they started the way everyone else does...without the collar. Why do you think they started using the collar if the old amish way worked just fine? They started using the collar because they realized it was a much better tool than the other old tools they were used to. They also learned that it's much more efficient and the timing of the corrections are spot on... not after the fact like they are without it.

Can you train a dog without a collar...sure but that doesn't mean it's the better way to do it. I can travel across the country by foot but it would be much more efficient to travel by plane.

If you don't want to use one that's fine don't...but you won't find high level, well respected retriever trainer in the US that doesn't use them.

It's Coolie. He may not be the THF's top troll, but he is up there.

Y'all are fools to take his hook in here.

I tried to tell them back on page 2. His mamma dropped him on his head when he was a toddler. He hasn't been right since.

Obviously? I wrote that I use them. I will continue to use them. It's not better, it's just different. I've already written as to why I think so. Pay attention. You don't have to agree with me. I don't mind. Why do you?

Having a different opinion is not being a troll. Are they necessary? No. That's not being a troll. That's telling the truth. If that's too much to comprehend, that's not my problem.

It's not a hook! Who knew it was so easy to hook people with logic?

Stick it, Bill!

Why are e-collars not more prevalent across the Big Pond? Different temperaments of dogs and/or trainers?

One guy across the pond said that he didn't use them. No one ever checked out how prevalent the use is over there.

He lives and trains overseas. He stated to me that the use of e-collars is not common practice, at least not in Ireland. Not to be argumentative, but I'll take his word for it.

Tradition. I've already explained that. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Yes sir, I know your opinion. I was asking huck18.

They don't use them. Like everyone has already said its not a necessity but it's a very useful tool. If you don't want to use it don't, but you and your dog would both benefit from learning how to use them properly.

Do some research on guys like Mike Lardy and Chris Akin, watch videos of their dogs. Go search "Freddie King Dog Training" on youtube and watch his videos. Guys in England and Ireland train the old way with a slip lead and a stick. Does it work...yes but the end results are not as good, IMO. I have two dogs one trained the Amish way and one with a collar. Guess which one never breaks, runs hard with tons of style, can handle out to 300 yards and loves doing his job.....the one trained with a collar. The other dog is still useful but is way more of a pain.

The tool(e-collar, stick, slip lead, foot in azz) doesn't matter as much as the person using it. Slip lead or e-collar doesn't really matter to the dog, it's pressure either way. It's all about how you use it. The major difference to me is in the timing of your corrections. With an e-collar you can correct at any distance at the exact moment it's needed. You can't do that the old way and you end up correcting the dog long after it was needed. What's more fair to the dog?