How to teach your dog with Off Leash E-Collar Recall
Introduction
Off-leash e-collar recall is a valuable skill for any dog to have. It allows you to have your dog off-leash in a safe and controlled environment. When your dog has a reliable off-leash recall, you can enjoy walks, hikes, and other activities together without having to worry about them running away.
Common Misconceptions
Some people believe that e-collars are cruel and should never be used. However, when used correctly, e-collars can be a very effective tool for training dogs. In fact, many professional dog trainers use e-collars to teach their dogs a variety of behaviors, including off-leash recall.
Another misconception is that e-collars only work for aggressive dogs. This is not true. E-collars can be used to train any dog, regardless of their personality or temperament.
Off Leash E-Collar Recall - Video Walkthrough
Steps to Address
Teaching Phase
- Find the dog's working level on the e-collar.
- Use a long line to create distance and hold the dog accountable if they ignore the recall.
- Let the dog become distracted but keep them close (under 10').
- Give the recall command and hold stim at the same time until they complete the recall.
- Release or stop stim and reward the dog.
- Repeat this process and gradually increase the distance of your recall.
Reinforcing Phase
- With a long line and e-collar still on, recall the dog without stim on the e-collar.
- If they recall, reward them.
- If they do not recall, use the dog's lowest correction level and correct for ignoring and recall again.
- If you're finding you have to correct often, the dog needs more teaching on the e-collar and how to shut it off or avoid the pressure.
Proofing Phase
- Repeat the teaching phase but with distractions or in a new environment.
- With adding new distractions, you don't want to hope the dog recalls. So go backwards using stim pressure on/pressure off to help the dog understand how to turn off the stim.
- Once the dog is recalling well, remove the stim and use the e-collar when the dog does not recall.
- Another way to proof is to give a small stim while the dog is away from you but without giving a verbal command. This creates a situational awareness and the dog understands a small stim means they need to find their handler. It also gives you the trainer an opportunity to see if the dog is understanding what the e-collar stim means when away from their handler.
Maintenance Phase
- Take your obedience session and do it on a long line, even if it's heel work.
- Free up the dog and randomly recall when you can to test that they remember.
- Use e-collar for stim or corrections depending on the dog, the environment and how long it's been since the dog was recalled.
Case Studies
Here are a few case studies of dogs who have learned off-leash e-collar recall:
- Bailey: Bailey is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever who loves to play fetch. Her owner, Sarah, started teaching Bailey off-leash e-collar recall when she was 1 year old. With consistent training, Bailey was able to learn the behavior in a few months. Bailey now enjoys playing fetch off-leash in the park without a problem.
- Charlie: Charlie is a 1-year-old Beagle who is very food motivated. His owner, John, wanted to teach Charlie off-leash e-collar recall so they could go for walks together in the woods. John started by teaching Charlie to come to him on a leash with the e-collar. Once Charlie was reliably coming to him on a leash, John started to practice off-leash in the woods. With consistent training, Charlie was able to learn the behavior in a few months. John and Charlie now go for walks in the woods off-leash together and Charlie always comes back when John calls him.
Pet Parent Coaching Tips
Here are a few pet parent coaching tips for teaching your dog off-leash e-collar recall:
- Be patient and consistent. It may take some time for your dog to learn this behavior.
- Use positive reinforcement training. This means rewarding your dog with treats or praise when they do the behavior correctly.
- Make the training fun. If your dog is having fun, they are more likely to be motivated to learn.
- Don't punish your dog if they make a mistake. Just calmly redirect them back to the training.
- Be sure to praise your dog when they do the behavior correctly. This will help them learn that the behavior is a good thing.
Conclusion
Off-leash e-collar recall is a valuable skill for any dog to have. It can be a great way to enjoy walks, hikes, and other activities together with your dog without having to worry about them running away. With patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement training, you can teach your dog off-leash e-collar recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What if my dog is afraid of the e-collar?
A: If your dog is afraid of the e-collar, you should start by desensitizing them to the collar. This means exposing them to the collar in a controlled environment and rewarding them for being calm and relaxed around it. Once your dog is comfortable with the collar, you can start using it for training. - Q: How much e-collar pressure should I use?
A: The amount of e-collar pressure you use will depend on your dog's individual sensitivity. Start with a low level of pressure and gradually increase it until your dog responds. Be sure to release the pressure as soon as your dog comes to you. - Q: What if my dog doesn't come when I use the e-collar?
A: If your dog doesn't come when you use the e-collar, you may need to increase the level of pressure or use a different training method. It is important to be consistent with your training and to never give up. With patience and persistence, you can teach your dog to come when called, even off leash.