Running with Dobermans
- Thread starter Ddski5
- Start date
jazzies mum
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Nice! 
LifeofRubie
Moderator
they're looking wonderful out there!
And no joke about a 5K if you're serious about them!
And no joke about a 5K if you're serious about them!
Love this 
what an awesome sight 
what an awesome sight 
I am far from an expert but what I can tell you is that it is a fantastic tool if used appropriately.
Non ECollar folks tend to perseverate on it being a painful “shock collar”. I use it more of an invisible leash to allow them to roam freely without the binds of a 50-100’ leash. To be free…and enjoy it.
Yes, I have cranked the “shock” stim up before but it really depends on the Doberman in front of you. My first Doberman was a beast that was high drive and if he went into that high drive, it was hell to pay to get him back to logical reasoning. Squirrels, geese, dogs, rabbits, you name it, he would take off and what? cross a road and get hit by a car? scare some unknowledgeable Karens? The ECollar pretty much eliminated the worry of this happening and once the stim was delivered 5-6 times then he learned and we were able to move forward with the vibrate stim and then voice commands. I can’t find it right now but I have a picture of him in my front yard in a sit stay and he is absolutely locked in on some geese across the road. He is dying to bolt and go but he has an ECollar on and he knows he is to adhere to discipline. Jeesh that boy was an independent beast…
Freyja, my current female, is a lot more in-tuned to me and not as wildly independent. Whereas Ragnar had to have the ECollar, I use it with Freyja just as a precautionary measure. She is so damn good that sometimes I don’t use it on our runs. I only use it if we are going to a new place she has not visited before and then I will only have to use the vibrate 1-2 times to get her to adhere. I cannot recall the last time I’ve stim’ed her.
You can’t use it too early in their discipline/age. They must first understand the command given. It’s when they know the command and then choose to not adhere. The ECollar kinda reaches out and taps them on the should and says, “Hey..what are you supposed to be doing right now?” I find that some folks don’t do the necessary work in the younger years and cement the obedience/discipline. They then think they can take the short route by using the ECollar. It doesn’t work like that. The Doberman will only jump and wonder what am I doing wrong. You must put in the disciple/obedience work and have that solid foundation first.
There are a lot of YouTube videos on how to properly introduce the ECollar. I can’t recall them but @Ravenbird knows them and hopefully she will chime in.
One of my fondest memories was having both Ragnar and Freyja walking on a Florida beach with only the ECollar. It was as free as nature could be….they loved every minute of it.
Non ECollar folks tend to perseverate on it being a painful “shock collar”. I use it more of an invisible leash to allow them to roam freely without the binds of a 50-100’ leash. To be free…and enjoy it.
Yes, I have cranked the “shock” stim up before but it really depends on the Doberman in front of you. My first Doberman was a beast that was high drive and if he went into that high drive, it was hell to pay to get him back to logical reasoning. Squirrels, geese, dogs, rabbits, you name it, he would take off and what? cross a road and get hit by a car? scare some unknowledgeable Karens? The ECollar pretty much eliminated the worry of this happening and once the stim was delivered 5-6 times then he learned and we were able to move forward with the vibrate stim and then voice commands. I can’t find it right now but I have a picture of him in my front yard in a sit stay and he is absolutely locked in on some geese across the road. He is dying to bolt and go but he has an ECollar on and he knows he is to adhere to discipline. Jeesh that boy was an independent beast…
Freyja, my current female, is a lot more in-tuned to me and not as wildly independent. Whereas Ragnar had to have the ECollar, I use it with Freyja just as a precautionary measure. She is so damn good that sometimes I don’t use it on our runs. I only use it if we are going to a new place she has not visited before and then I will only have to use the vibrate 1-2 times to get her to adhere. I cannot recall the last time I’ve stim’ed her.
You can’t use it too early in their discipline/age. They must first understand the command given. It’s when they know the command and then choose to not adhere. The ECollar kinda reaches out and taps them on the should and says, “Hey..what are you supposed to be doing right now?” I find that some folks don’t do the necessary work in the younger years and cement the obedience/discipline. They then think they can take the short route by using the ECollar. It doesn’t work like that. The Doberman will only jump and wonder what am I doing wrong. You must put in the disciple/obedience work and have that solid foundation first.
There are a lot of YouTube videos on how to properly introduce the ECollar. I can’t recall them but @Ravenbird knows them and hopefully she will chime in.
One of my fondest memories was having both Ragnar and Freyja walking on a Florida beach with only the ECollar. It was as free as nature could be….they loved every minute of it.
I know there are many threads on e-collar use here on this forum - I'll look later & link them, but just use the search button and they will turn up. As @Ddski5 said the very most important thing is to use it as a reminder/a tap on the shoulder kind of thing when first starting out, but they HAVE to know what it's for. If your dog knows sit and you say sit and he's looking out the window, instead of saying "sit" again, just a tap will remind him that you are talking to him. "oh jeez, sorry, I was looking out the window, I'm sitting now, see?" That's the idea. It's all different depending on the dog, the circumstance, the drive state, but just never start an e-collar on a puppy that knows nothing.
BG1
Hot Topics Subscriber
^^^this.
Start with positive rewards: MUCH verbal praise in your Mickey Mouse voice, pats-->thumps on ribs, high value training treats, high value training toy (many dobies are into tugging, but I defer to others how much you want to stimulate) to build a base by positive reinforcement. The e-collar is to break the focus on whatever it is when they are "over threshhold" and not hearing you. Or to punish/disincent the bad thing when off-leash; eating wood chips or rollng in dead stuff...
The chances of making your dog fearful/anxious/owner directed aggression by incorrect use of the e-collar are high if you dont build the solid base with positive rewards.
BG1
Hot Topics Subscriber
Ddski, forgot to say thanks on your reply- your training objectives are same as mine: safe outdoors walking and running off leash, and your explanation has been highly useful to Bonnie and I. We are not quite up to your standard but working it, and yes the joy she has in running the woods and beach loose but in companionship is ineffable.
