Vibrating Collars

[Vanessa]

So some friends of mine are taking their year old pitbull/boxer mix to the same trainer that i took Ozzy to. He is a great trainer and he helped Oz alot with his aggression problems. He taught us sooooo much about training and handleing dogs... Anyway apparantly he went to a school somewhere, recently and now has a new technique. It's this "vibrating collar". It's not a shock collar and it pretty much feels like a cellphone vibrating when you hold it. It's set at a level determined by your dog's individual needs. When you say a command and the dog doesn't do it you turn it up a bit and (for their dog anyway) the dog responds. It is working really well for Hunter and i am contemplating buying one (they cost 180$) for Oz. His basic obediance is good but i would like him to have off leash recall when we are out in the country... Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Have you guys heard of this?

[a-bull]

I've heard some people say "e-collars" vibrate rather than shock, but I don't know if that's true or not because I don't use them.

I kind of prefer old fashion training with basic commands rather than devices, but that's just me. I know these "training collars" are all the rage these days.

Try it yourself. If it doesn't hurt you and you like the concept, try it maybe? Still not sure I'm sold on this concept at all though.

Let us know!

[Miakoda]

We have a vibrating collar on Sukari, but that's b/c she's deaf & we need someway to get her attention when she running loose about the yard in the daylight (at night we flicker the lights on the back patio). I've never heard of using them for training "aggression" issues.

[a-bull]

That's interesting, Mia. Did you think of training her like that or is that something suggested for deaf dogs?

I wasn't thinking of the "vibrating" collar in terms of being a useful tool for aggressive dogs. I don't know if that would be a good plan or not . . .

[Magnolia618]

That's interesting, Mia. Did you think of training her like that or is that something suggested for deaf dogs?

A friend of mine has a deaf American Bulldog. He uses an e/vibrating collar.

[a-bull]

Pretty interesting. I've always been rather stymied as to how people with deaf dogs go about training them---hand signals, obviously, but how do you get their attention if they can't hear you? Interesting . . .

[Vanessa]

Yes that is a very good idea to use it with a deaf dog. I'm really not sure if i want to spend the money for something that might not work. And it's not so much for his aggression issues as for off leash training. His aggression is a thing of the past i think. He is a really well behaved dog now. I was just thinking it might be worth it for the off leash work...

[a-bull]

Off-leash isn't an option for my dogs, so I really don't know.

I thought there were alot of people on here who used electric collars, though, so maybe they'd know better . . . on the other hand, where are they???

[msvette2u]

That's interesting, Mia. Did you think of training her like that or is that something suggested for deaf dogs?

I wasn't thinking of the "vibrating" collar in terms of being a useful tool for aggressive dogs. I don't know if that would be a good plan or not . . .

It is suggested for deaf dogs. We haven't gotten one (yet) for our deaf mini-Aussie. She wears a big bell on her neck so WE know where she is

[Vanessa]

Off leash isn't an option for us right now since we live in town but we are hoping to buy house in the country sometime soon i would like to have him off leash.

[cheekymunkee]

Off-leash isn't an option for my dogs, so I really don't know.

I thought there were alot of people on here who used electric collars, though, so maybe they'd know better . . . on the other hand, where are they???

Michelle is at a show this weekend, I think.

[a-bull]

That's interesting, Mia. Did you think of training her like that or is that something suggested for deaf dogs?

I wasn't thinking of the "vibrating" collar in terms of being a useful tool for aggressive dogs. I don't know if that would be a good plan or not . . .

It is suggested for deaf dogs. We haven't gotten one (yet) for our deaf mini-Aussie. She wears a big bell on her neck so WE know where she is

Why is that recommended? Just curious . . .

[katiek0417]

So some friends of mine are taking their year old pitbull/boxer mix to the same trainer that i took Ozzy to. He is a great trainer and he helped Oz alot with his aggression problems. He taught us sooooo much about training and handleing dogs... Anyway apparantly he went to a school somewhere, recently and now has a new technique. It's this "vibrating collar". It's not a shock collar and it pretty much feels like a cellphone vibrating when you hold it. It's set at a level determined by your dog's individual needs. When you say a command and the dog doesn't do it you turn it up a bit and (for their dog anyway) the dog responds. It is working really well for Hunter and i am contemplating buying one (they cost 180$) for Oz. His basic obediance is good but i would like him to have off leash recall when we are out in the country... Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Have you guys heard of this?

I have never heard of this type of collar...but my regular e-collar has a vibrate function on it...I have taught it as a "come" command. If Sacha is out running/playing and she can't hear me, I can press this button, and she knows the vibrate means to come to me....

There is only one level for the vibrate, though....

It sounds interesting....if you decide to use one, let me know what you think....

[Miakoda]

I have never heard of this type of collar...but my regular e-collar has a vibrate function on it...

That's what ours is, however we've never needed the "shock" value.

It's just been with Sukari that I've employed the use of the vibrating collar, but she's the 3rd deaf dog that I've had (fostered 2 previously & just ended up keeping this one). I was sitting around one night thinking of something we could use to get her attention focused on us so she could play off-lead in our back yard (which is a bit bigger than 1/2 acre but is completely fenced in with 8 ft privacy fencing....& actually double fenced at that ). So we slowly got her used to wearing the collar & then got her used to the vibration affect & taught her to focus on us & she'll be "rewarded". To be honest, I've NEVER dealt with a deaf dog such as her as her laid back temperament is beyond belief. She's very easy to train (I train all my dogs with hand signals as well) & knows some basic sign language as well as hand signal training commands. I.e. she knows the sign for "car", "walk", "outside", "inside", & some others. And talk about a dog that doesn't startle! Poor thing, we can jump on her while she's fast asleep & she could care less. Our fun game we play is "mommy puts the garbage bag over her head & chases doggie around" & she LOVES it! (that helped her tremendously with her CGC & TT ).

It's really kind of hard for me to put into type exactly how I've "trained" her (mostly b/c I'm a lazy typer today ), but it's been an experience. I also try to help out clients who've been dupped into buying a deaf dog & so far all's been well.

[a-bull]

That's interesting info. regarding training deaf dogs, guys---thanks.

[katiek0417]

I have never heard of this type of collar...but my regular e-collar has a vibrate function on it...

That's what ours is, however we've never needed the "shock" value.

That's awesome....I WISH I've never had to use the shock....unfortunately, Sacha DOES respond to it...I'm hoping I can keep the puppy out of an e-collar for...well, I hope I NEVER have to put one on her...she's very mommy/handler sensitive, but I'll have to see what happens as she gets older.

[Hoyden]

I've helped train a deaf dalmation with a vibrating collar.

The vibaration was like the "watch" command so that the dog would look at you and see the hand signal.

His foster mom would put a leash on him, then press the button to vibrate the collar and then waive a treat under his nose and bring it up to her face so he would look at her.

Then she worked on it in a room with the door shut, then in the lower part of the house, then in the fenced yard. Evenually, pushing the vibrate button would call the dog to her so he could see the hand signals.

[msvette2u]

That's interesting, Mia. Did you think of training her like that or is that something suggested for deaf dogs?

I wasn't thinking of the "vibrating" collar in terms of being a useful tool for aggressive dogs. I don't know if that would be a good plan or not . . .

It is suggested for deaf dogs. We haven't gotten one (yet) for our deaf mini-Aussie. She wears a big bell on her neck so WE know where she is

Why is that recommended? Just curious . . .

The vibration gets their attention so they'll pay attention to you. I also flip the light on and off at night which signals her to come in. The bell is so we know where she is, she's gotten a bad habit of escaping the yard when the gate is open, and she goes immediately to the barn to find the cat and chase it. So the bell tells us where she is, as long as she's moving! We had a smaller one and it got ripped off there, the keeper wasn't very good or something. I'm using a keychain keeper that's really heavy and this is a mini cowbell or goat bell, so she sounds like a little cow running around the yard.
The main reason we haven't gotten a vibrating collar is the cost factor. If we can get her attention however, she has a GREAT recall. Very smart dog and really easy to train, thank God
eta: she isn't easily startled either, and we trained her using some ASL and some we made up signals. To "come" is signing her name which is "L" in sign language and then we wave our arms as if telling a person "c'mere". She's really quick, we just treated her every time she came to us, and petted her, even if she just inadvertently walked over to us, without us calling her.

[Miakoda]

I have never heard of this type of collar...but my regular e-collar has a vibrate function on it...

That's what ours is, however we've never needed the "shock" value.

That's awesome....I WISH I've never had to use the shock....unfortunately, Sacha DOES respond to it...I'm hoping I can keep the puppy out of an e-collar for...well, I hope I NEVER have to put one on her...she's very mommy/handler sensitive, but I'll have to see what happens as she gets older.

LOL. Now I admit, I've used the "shock" value on some other bad doggies at my house (of course all in good training )

[katiek0417]

I have never heard of this type of collar...but my regular e-collar has a vibrate function on it...

That's what ours is, however we've never needed the "shock" value.

That's awesome....I WISH I've never had to use the shock....unfortunately, Sacha DOES respond to it...I'm hoping I can keep the puppy out of an e-collar for...well, I hope I NEVER have to put one on her...she's very mommy/handler sensitive, but I'll have to see what happens as she gets older.

LOL. Now I admit, I've used the "shock" value on some other bad doggies at my house (of course all in good training )

Well, of course.... I admit I've been using mine a little more lately...I have the 2-dog system...I keep at least one charged at ALL times so Sacha never has to go without one (I'm proofing all her training now)....