# Started Collar Conditioning



## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Haven't been on much recently because I've been so busy with work and everything. Which is also why I haven't been able to progress as far as I'd like with Ella's training. My work schedule is changing, so hopefully I'll be getting more time for my personal life.

In the training that I have been able to fit in I had come to a stalling point. So I contacted the trainer and we had another training session last night. Day 1 of collar conditioning. First the trainer checked to make sure Ella definitely knows sit, both with verbal and the whistle. She passed that test. Got the collar figured out. Made sure it works. He said the one I have the level 5 is like a 2 on his (mine goes to 18 I think). He started off really low and went from there to figure out the right setting for starting off with her. If you remember, Ella is very sensitive and I did tell him my concern that if it's too high that there is a good chance she would shut down. So we started low. He said the trick is to find the point where she feels it but that it isn't too high. In the end we figured to start with either a 5 or a 6. I've got to see how she reacts. She might be a bit in between.

The trainer explained to me that when he learned, the dog used to get a ton of nics the first lesson. He takes a different approach. Ella only got three nicks last night. We did heeling with a sit. Used a combination of freebies, lead corrections, lead corrections/nicks and nicks. He controlled the ecollar. He has the freebies and lead corrections mixed in so that she doesn't focus on the ecollar and to help keep her spirits up.

The first three days are the combination of the freebies, lead corrections, lead corrections/nicks, and nicks. Days 4 and 5 is avoidance sit collar conditioning, where I'll nick with either a failure to sit or a slow sit. If she keep repeating the failure or slow sits, then I go back to the second two days.

After this it's off leash and we'll work on get her to sit from a distance Take her for a walk off leash where there aren't many distractions, let her run around for 10 minutes, then whistle and nick. Need to make sure she sits where she is when I whistle and not run to my side. We'll build up the distance. Once she can sit at distance of about 30 ft, then our homework is complete and on to the next lesson, when we'll work on recall with the ecollar.

So wish me luck!


----------



## Poppy2 (Jun 23, 2015)

Get rid of the freebies.
Its time to learn ;-)
Instead use praise when the dog sits fast to the pressure. Short sessions( 5 min). Two sessions of sit(nic) will get it done to where your dog will sit when you stop walking and not to your command. If not continue until he does..

You want your dog to beat the pressure!
Once he learns to beat the pressure. You proof it.
This is when feebies come in. He sits fast...No Nick!
If you say sit and you get no quick response... you nick.

Always teach with a leash on your dog. The last thing you want is the dog having a way out.Bolting, Laying down or any other refusal at this point needs to have somthing to lean on... your leash.


----------



## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

From what the trainer explained, his purpose of using the freebies at the beginning is to not make the dog they're thinking they're getting a correction for sitting. Also, with my Ella, there is a good chance she would shut down if she gets nicked too many times right away. 

The freebies are for the first 3 days. For example, yesterday was freebie, leash, leash, freebie, leash, leash/nick, leash, etc. And with Ella she is throwing her butt down on the ground after just the first lesson. The first two days were probably about five minutes worth of the training. Today we'll take away the combination of leash correction with the nick simultaneously and just do the nick. We're trying to get her to keep a good attitude about it.

It might appear I'm babying my dog, which I might be a little bit, but as I mentioned before she is sensitive. Tried the invisible fence with her and she shut down because the trainer for that jacked the collar up to the maximum setting. Because of that I haven't been able to use the invisible fence. I just put that collar on her and she runs back into the house. So we don't want that to repeat itself with the ecollar.


----------



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

ktkins

You have to train the dog that you have. Let that guide you.


----------



## Poppy2 (Jun 23, 2015)

You need to be consistent in your teaching. Giving freebies and then a tug on the leash, then another tug on the leash, then a nic is not consistent. Heck, I'd be confused on what to do too.

Always build on the learned thing and keep it consistent. I have not heard once that you praise your dog either. Making learning fun is the key with dogs such as yours that had a bad experience out of the gates.

Imho,
I would back way up.
Teach dog with leash and treats.
Put prong collar on dog with leash and give treats
Put prong collar on dog plus e collar give treats(collar never turned on)

Once he gets excited about seeing you grab the e collar is telling you he's ready for the next step.

Collar conditioning.
Build on the learned things
He know the leash, he knows the prong collar, he knows the e collar All mean treats! This is reverse phychology for your damage pup.

Now just tug on leash attached to the prong collar, give a nick,,, when he sits,,, give treat 

See how things build on each other?


----------

