Training Collars?

cantari · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:03 pm Post subject: Training Collars?

My Weim is currently 12 weeks old, but I wanted to do some research and such. Does anyone use any training type collars? noise or shock collars? I hope to use my Weim for a bit of bird/duck hunting. I would like to try to train him myself, with the help of people who have done so and books/magazines. I haven't done much research as of yet, but was just curious if people use collars to help in training. Thanks

emily · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject:

Most weims do not do well with those types of training collars. I know many who have trained using a beeper collar. I would suggest that you join your local weimaraner club and talk to some people experienced in training weims to hunt. You might even get some help training from them!
If you go to a professional bird dog trainer they will most likely use these methods as other bird dogs aren't as soft(like vizslas and gsp's). Hopefully anne will pop in and help you too. She's pretty experienced in training weims and might have some ideas for you.
What area of the country do you live in?

cantari · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks, yah I noticed some of the collars just have the different noises as well as shocks.

I live near Tampa, FL.

Are the noise collars just as effective?

DucksWild · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:02 pm Post subject:

The breeder I am currently training with has advised me not to use the collar to 'teach' Grace. She believes the collar should be a reinforcement once the dog is out working out away from you and truly knows what is expected, but needs a reminder. She says too many Weims are 'ruined' by using the collar too soon, due to their sometimes sensitive nature. She does use collars on her trained dogs, and even has her younger dogs 'wear' the collar as part of getting dressed up for hunting, but doesn't turn it on. Since your pup is only 12 weeks, it might be a little soon for this. I am sure it probably depends on personality as well.

emily · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:10 pm Post subject:

There are 3 weimaraner clubs in florida:

Florida Gulf Coast Weimaraner Club
Barbara Cook
460 S. Shore Dr.
Sarasota, FL 34234-3749
941-351-7222
barbara.a.cook@gsk.com
Web: http://www.floridaweimclub.com
Lic. Specialty Shows

Timucuan Weimaraner Club of Florida
Toni Fow,Secretary
3100 Lafayette Landings Dr
DeLeon Springs, Fl 32130
386-738-7381
wingitweims@cs.com

Weimaraner Club of South Florida
Marge Davis, Secretary
13188 Flamingo Terrace
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
561-626-5544
Email: TopWeim@aol.com
Website : http://wcsfl.weiminfo.com
Lic. Specialty shows and Obedience

Another good thing to get involved in for hunting is NAVHDA(North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association)
Here's thier website:
http://www.navhda.org/
And the Florida Chapter:
Florida Florida Palmetto
~Dave Brewer Panama City Beach FL 32407 850/230-3767
~Steve Greger Jacksonville FL 32205 904/535-5126

anne · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:52 pm Post subject:

There is a time and place for electric collars and it should never be used on a young puppy. I would suggest working with someone experienced for your puppy, using a shock collar can ruin a dog for the field for good easily. This not to discourage you from training your own dog however! You have at least 1 full year of experience and exposure to give your pup before even thinking about e-collars and breaking your dog. What you should be doing now is socializing your dog to everything, in addition to running your pup in as many fields as possible. He needs to learn how to be independent and bold, he needs to learn where birds are, how to use his nose, how to navigate terrain, how to swim and exposure to gunfire. All these things are about exposure, exposure, exposure -- and fun! Starting a pup in the field is definitely fun, and the key is FUN, no pressure! In the mean time try to find someone that can mentor you. The true training doesn't start until 1 or even 2 years old, depending on the dog.

If you are a WCA member, I am writing an article for the magazine about how to start a puppy in the field. It should appear in the February issue.

h20fwlkillr · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

You can use an e-collar, but not until your dog is older ( 6 months + ) and after being collar conditioned. Weims develope hunting skills a little later than alot of breeds, so don't push your pup. Keep training sessions short and fun. Work on obedience over and over. It will pay off big time later in the field.

anne · Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:51 pm Post subject:

House manners, definitely, but I personally would not drill obedience, especially at a young age. You want a young pup to think he's the biggest baddest thing out in the field (confidence). Obedience drills (drills and high level obedience, not day-to-day house obedience) teaches a dog to look to you for everything. A finished dog is going to have to work away from you, navigate terrain, be bold enough to bust through cover and so on. Teaching independence and doing so by exposing your pup to as many field situations as possible is what the focus should be on at this age, IMHO.