HAS ANYONE USED AN ELECTRIC COLLAR

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

Hey everyone.. i have a 7 month old Goldendoodle.. he is about 65 pounds now and is very wild..he jumps on everyone.. counter surfs.. and is VERY mouthy still!! i am contemplating getting an electric collar..set on VERY low just for in the house use.. when he is jumping up on people and nipping and things of that nature.. he goes to puppy classes has a trainer and gets several walks a day. this behavior is just not acceptable, as i cannot even have friends over the house. if i ever have a child he cannot be nipping and jumping like he is now.. he is in a teenage bratty stage i guess and is refusing to listen to me. anyways has anyone tried one of these collars? if so how did it work.. which did u use? and when will this behavior stop?? at what age?? thanks again

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

In my opinion, a shock collar should be a last resort and only used under the guidance of a certified trainer. I think your dog is in a stage and needs lots of dedicated training by you first. There are so many other methods that can work with jumping, etc., and some of this will get better with age.  I am not opposed to shock collars when used correctly, but I feel I would exhaust all other possibilities first.

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

thank you... yes i would have my trainer there..and honestly with the biting and nipping.. we have tried EVERYTHING and NOTHING stops him...i am desperate at this point :(

[Adina P]

I have used one to break Rosco of his counter surfing habit.  The reason we used that was because he only did it when we were not home and we had to convince him it's a bad idea. 

But, here's the thing...all that you describe is the behavior of a dog that needs training overall and has more freedom than he is responsible with..AND is at the age (7 months) that is considered the teenage rebellious period for dogs.  I think you may need a better trainer, rather than an electronic collar.  Because most bad behavior doesn't just 'stop' on its own. 

It's one thing to use an electronic collar to stop a VERY specific behavior that is also NEVER allowed to happen outside of the training period.  It's another to have a dog with a list of bad behaviors and expect that ALL those will go away or be stopped merely with a stronger more convincing punishment. It rarely works that way.

I don't consider it a 'last resort' really as much as a way to control from a distance away or for very specific behavior. 

I would love to hear what you have tried (yes list EVERYTHING) and specifically how you did it and for how long and what was the result of each TYPE of thing you tried.  I'm serious.  Sometimes you might do the right thing but do it wrong.  I've done LOTS of training 'wrong' so it's not like I'm trying to 'out' you on making mistakes.  FEW people don't make mistakes in dog training.  I think I'm fairly adept when I'm out training (not anywhere near "GOOD" mind you) and I still screw up a lot of moves.   So tell us what you've gone through and as many details as you can list for each thing and maybe we can help you trouble shoot.  But I'm telling you if your trainer hasn't been able to spot what's going on and give you a workable plan...GET A NEW TRAINER.  Because this really is solvable stuff.

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

I commented on someone else's comment all the things I've tried.. Yelp, spray water bottle, bitter apple, can of coins, hot sauce on hands, squeeze lip into his teeth.. Nothing stops the nipping.. And I wrote how they all worked out.. Please if u have any ideas please help!

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

thank you! im glad u said this is solvable stuff..because i was starting to believe it would never stop.. lol.. i cant find my comment of things i have tried..but i tried yelping.. spray bottle with water.. bitter apple.. pressure on his lips with his teeth..can of coins.. a drop of hot sauce on my hands.. nothing works.. if u are just rubbing his belly hes nipping.. from the moment he wakes up.. i can put a treat in my hand and say leave it and he backs off..but if hes biting and i say leave it he wont.. i can put a treat on the floor in front of him and say leave it he wont touch it..when i come home he is in his crate and i say stay stay...and he wont come out until i release him.. but if like mymom or sister comes over he is flying in the air up at them and he can really knock them over.. i say "off" and yank him down by his collar...but he keeps flying up again.. i say sit ,, he is too crazed to sit.. i do obedience in the house with him.. and he is good because he is focused.. but if he looses it he starts jumping up and nipping.. and if i play frisebee and i go to throw it outside.. if i dont throw it right away he jumps up and one time he got my arm so bad that he literally ripped it open.. he doesnt take a treat gentle either..id like to teach him that.. hes very rough..and as big as he is is dangerous. lets say im in the living room with him and hes standing up on the computer desk...and i say off or leave it.. he will NOT get off because he knows i have to get up and go take him off.. he is like acting very stubbon lately... he flys up on the couch..maybe i should have ever let him on the couch until hes older adn more calm.. but he has no regard for someone sitting there.. like he will step on ur head in bed.. or ur neck.. this is alot but im trying to write whatever i could think..

[Adina P]

Another thing to keep in mind is usually we think of STOPPING a dog from running away, STOPPING a dog from jumping, STOPPING a dog from X, Y, Z, etc.  But most of that stuff requires teaching a dog what they should be doing instead.

You can't even touch the jumping on people until you have a strong, reliable sit stay or down stay.  Does your dog have a strong, reliable sit stay or down stay?  If not, that really should be your focus.  Or crate your dog when people are over, or keep your dog on a leash and sit a few feet away from your guests...but you can NOT allow your dog to practice the naughty stuff or he will just get better at it.  It's a pain, I know.  I've let all sorts of things slip since having kids and will have to fix them later.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I fully agree with what Adina is saying.  I really don't think that puppy classes do much beyond providing dogs with a socialization opportunity and teaching some of the basic commands....which they usually do quite well in the class setting, but not necessarily at home (unless there's lots of follow-through and practice).  I have the same basic question.....what is your current training method?  Do you correct when your Doodle gets into one of these behaviors....how?  Have you taught a good down/stay.....this command has totally solved our jumping problem since they can't jump if they're in a solid down/stay.  I'd really need to know a lot more about how the trainer is working with you and what his/her philosophy is.  I also believe that training doesn't stop....it's not something that happens in a "session"....it's all day every day in how you are relating to your dog.

I do use an e-collar as part of a program specifically tailored to one of my Doodle's behavioral concerns.  It is only used as a "last resort" when I need to get his attention immediately and he is not responding to other training queues.  It is only a tool and it should be used as part of a specific training program.  Please tell us a little more....

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

I commented what I have been doing on one of the comments if you could check it out and let me know what do to.. Also what e collar do u use?

[Christine & Shelby]

I'm of the mind that shock collars are cruel and should only be used as a last resort.   This may sound overly simple... but have you tried a penny can?  Take a empty soup/vegetable can, put a good handful of pennies in it, tape the top closed with packing tape or duct tape. 

When the undesireable behavior occurs, shake the can.  It is a loud and very distracting noise.  I finally tried it with my Shelby and she was so startled she went outside (she has a dog door) and didn't come back in for a good 15-20 minutes.  I rarely have to use it, but it sure has been effective for us. 

You might consider making several cans and placing them in areas when unacceptable behavior is occurring as it is important to shake the can during the behavior so the dog associates the unplesant noise with the behavior and will think twice before trying again in an effort to avoid the noise. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Cans are good, so are squirt bottles if you have a dog who loves loud noises.  Another idea. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

You mentioned above you have a trainer come to the house.  What does the trainer say? 

These should not be attempted without the guidance of a good trainer who has experience. So again, what did your trainer say about this?

I have seen them used successfully, but my trainer was at the controls, and so were the other trainers who were training dogs who had ALREADY had years and years of training as service dogs.

I agree with Adina, the Fundamental training methods: Sit, Stay, Wait, Stop, etc need to be really established first.

I really loved going to an Obedience Class with all the other dogs and hands on. I did have trainers come to the home, but I learned more from the classes.  Training takes a long time, practiced everyday, and 7 months passes.

Keep working on these things daily. You will get there

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Again, what is your trainer recommending?