I have been using e-collars for over twelve years to train dogs and believe that when used correctly as a training tool rather than a control tool or punishment device, they can facilitate dogs learning whether they are at 4 feet or 400 yards. Two keys to their use are correct timing and using as little electricity as possible, just enough to feel it. Almost every time before I put a collar on a dog I test it on my skin. I am constantly amazed at how the placement of the collar makes a big difference on how strongly it is felt. Try placing the prongs of an e-collar on your hand shock in on a low constant setting, then move it one inch and try it again. It is surprising how different the perceived level of stimulation is.

I am concerned about how those differences affect a dog if the collar shifts around a little bit, it may be further from a nerve now and require a little higher level of stimulation, then shift closer to a nerve and be felt too strongly. I hoped that the SCG-LBM adapter device would be the solution. The idea is that you would have seven points of contact rather than just two and would therefore have a more consistent level of stimulation.  The advertising promises to revolutionize electronic animal training; dogs will automatically jump 50 IQ points and move to PhD level programs in just a day or two.

I bought one to try it out. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to make any difference. After a fair bit of experimentation on my skin and using it on several dogs, I don’t think there is a difference. It is a novel idea, that with six more prongs that it is more likely to come into contact with a nerve and therefore would only require a low level of stimulation and be more consistent. It just doesn’t prove itself out.

The other advertised feature the SCG-LBM adapter touts is that a dog can wear the device much longer without causing irritation to the skin, whether it is on a bark collar or on a training e-collar. I can definitely see where there would be less wear on a dog’s skin with more contact points. However, it won’t work with any of the three different bark collars I have (Innotek, dogtra and tri-tronics), because either doesn’t fit between the prongs, or it would interfere with the vibration receptor on the collar between the prongs.

I have used this device with both my Tri-tronics G3 and Dogtra 200 training collars. It definitely works, I just don’t see any improvement over the standard prongs that come with the collar.

I was proud of Annie, a little Brittany I started a little over a year ago. Her owner asked me to run her in an AKC hunt test. I was only able to take her out one afternoon for a quick field tune-up before the hunt test.  I was pleased with how quickly she took to me again and followed commands. She did a stellar job in the test, showing excellent hunting and bird finding ability.  She is one of those dogs that just loves to please. When she does, she comes back to you looks you right in the eye and her tail wag starts at her front shoulders and works all the way back through her hips and tail. It was a fun day.

Photo: Working on retrieving with a Braque du Bourbonnais nicknamed Pinto Bean.

You can strengthen both your dog’s desire for birds and willingness to retrieve by playing with them for just a few minutes a night. With the dog on a check cord, show a fresh or frozen bird to the dog, let them smell it, get excited with them over the bird, tease them with it a bit then toss it out for them to get . Keep a hold of the check cord so they don’t run off with it, but keep it loose. If they do try to run off with the bird, praise them while stopping them with the check cord, then provide slack. Call them back to you. When they come back, don’t reach for the bird; let them have it for a moment while you praise them by stroking them down the back. After a moment, take the bird confidently and do it again. If they drop the bird before you reach to take it, immediately stop stroking them (i.e. they are rewarded when they hold the bird and come back to you, the reward stops when they drop the bird). If they don’t want to release the bird, gently lift the under the tender flap of skin between the back leg and hip and take the bird as they look to see what the pressure is; praise them all the while.

All of this should be fun, enthusiastic and positive. You are trying to build a positive, even electric connection between birds, retrieving and you. After about three times, just as the dog is getting really keyed up about the game, act like you are tossing the bird again and hide it behind your back and the bird disappears. Put the dog up and let them grind on just how awesome birds are.

A few brief minutes can really build a pup’s desire for birds and willingness to retrieve.