Episode 12: All About Ecollars

Episode 12 of the Everyday Trainer Podcast is everything Ecollars. What is an Ecollar? Ecollars are a type of collar you can use with your dog as a way to communicate. Once applied properly, the dog will feel a little tap from the e collar which will let them know that you are trying to get their attention, similar to what they would feel with leash pressure. This reinforcement technique is meant to be stress free and painless. A crucial part of using Ecollars is making sure you find the right placement, working level of the dog, and that they have the proper foundational work in place. When using the Mini-educator E-collar, which is the brand Meg recommends, you want to make sure the electrodes are placed properly on the dog's skin. You then want to find the dogs working level, which is the lowest level the dog will be able to feel the sensation produced. The Mini-educator has levels from 0-100. Starting at level one, you want to tap the button and one by one move up in every level till your dog notices the sensation. Keep in mind, your dog needs to understand what the sensation means, which is where the foundation work comes in. Before putting your dog in an Ecollar, they need to fully understand the commands you’ll be teaching. Training your dog with a leash until they feel confident, and then layering the collar on top is a great way to teach them what that sensation means. Using E collars are a great training tool to help form a communication channel between you and your dog.