Dogtra 2500 T&B Electronic Collar - Any firsthand opinions?

[GrayDawg]

I'm very strongly considering the purchase of a Dogtra 2500 T&B Electronic Collar for my pup. I like this collar for many reasons, but most importantly, when used with a bell and the collar "locate" mode, once you hear the bell stop (indicating a good chance the dog is on point) you can hit the "locate" button on the transmitter to emit a single beep on the collar to help locate the dog on point. This is a HUGE feature for me as I hunt woodcock in SUPER THICK cover and my dog is liver & ticked- so she dissappears in the woods even with a 2" wide flourescent yellow collar on.

Does anyone have any firsthand experience with this model of Dogtra collar? Or at the very least- experience with Dogtra collars in general, customer service, battery life, durability... etc...?

Thanks in advance for any/all comments.

Rob

[dugger13]

i have the 2502, the same thing but 2 dog version. I will say i love the collar. the beepers are fantastic. The charge lasts forever.

One thing i have noticed between the brands is this. The tritronics beepers seem to go off alot. even when the dog is moving and not on point. I have hunted with a friend, and his collars "thinks" his dog is on point, even though it is still running. Beeper was too

I also had a sportdog beeper unit, i liked it, but the all in one design of the dogtra was nice and doesn't slop around on the dogs neck while they are running. i was always having to adjust the collar in the woods while hunting.

I will say this. the Dogtra beeper is a little harder to hear, but you can hear them plain as day out to about 300 yards or so. After that, it a depends on wind, cover etc...

[gdog]

It's "ok". The beeper is not very loud. If your working closer ranges its works fine.

The battery in my transmitter did not last very long. I have an older 1200NC Dogtra collar that is 7 years old that works great and still holds it's charge really well. The battery in the transmitter of the 2500 didn't last 2yrs and Dogtra wasn't about to replace it for me. I know of another guy that had battery issues with this model as well and he returned it for a different one. Replacement battery was $25 from Dogtra or send the whole unit in and they replace it for somewhere around $50. I just bought the replacement and stuck it in there. FWIW...the battery is not the same as the original.

If your hunting in snow, the beeper gets packed with snow and is very muted. If I was going to buy a new system with a beeper, I would probably look at something else.

Just my $.02's

[balerseller]

I dont have first hand knowledge of the 2500, but have a question as im thinking of getting a 2 dog system. Does anyone have problems with the LCD display. That seems to be my only concern is that pesky lcd not being very long lasting.

[dugger13]

THe tritronics collars do not have a locate feature to my knowledge. you have to turn the beeper on and off again, which results in series of beeps and other noises. i may be wrong on this. i do know that the dogtra has a locate button, you push it, it beeps once, you hold it down, it continues to beep. very nice.

i have had my 2 dog system in sub zero weather, hot weather, rain, snow. the batteries last forever, i have no problems with the lcd display.

i think dogtra combined everything into one unit to make is small, lightweight, and a compact system. i personally love it. i will never go back to a beeper on top collar again.

[gdog]

THe tritronics collars do not have a locate feature to my knowledge. you have to turn the beeper on and off again, which results in series of beeps and other noises. i may be wrong on this. i do know that the dogtra has a locate button, you push it, it beeps once, you hold it down, it continues to beep. very nice.

i have had my 2 dog system in sub zero weather, hot weather, rain, snow. the batteries last forever, i have no problems with the lcd display.

i think dogtra combined everything into one unit to make is small, lightweight, and a compact system. i personally love it. i will never go back to a beeper on top collar again.

I really wanted to be a fan on this setup...but the beeper on the bottom isn't showing any benefits to me. Later season chukar/grouse hunting in the snow...the beeper is packed with snow and sound muffled. The sound is directed to the ground first of all with it pointing down...then add the snow and you can't hear it.

I haven't had any issues with the lcd. I'm using an Astor now, so the locate button is not a big deal, BUT it was also one of the selling points of why I bought it in the first place.

[owen]

I guide in two states and work with guys with Tritronics. Their Tritronics are in the shop way too often to suit me. I am on the Dogtra field staff and run an old set of 1502's for everyday training and 2502's for hunting/guiding. The locate feature is a huge time saver. I won't go into heavy cover without it. I run them on dogs that I never use a collar on, but put them on for location. Very good products. I also use their release traps for training. After using about 3 different manufacturers traps I have to say the Dogtra trap is outstanding.
I probably sound like a salesman, but I only use products that have proven themselves to ME.

[Chukar Plucker]

I am brand new to dog training and e-collars so the Dogtra 2500 T&B is the only one that I have used but it came highly recommened from the breeded that I got my GSP from and it has not disappointed. I like the two tone beep, the wide vairety or correction, and it charges super fast and lasts a long time. For what it is worth I have it and have not wanted anything else.

[GrayDawg]

Thank you gents............ exactly the information I was looking for!

Rob

[jkoehler]

I purchased the DT 1850 over the summer and have used it over the summer just running the dog. this unit has a locate button and a run/point or point mode that are all ran from the remote. Very loud, in fact might be too loud for me, but I guess thats better then too soft. Beeper is located up on the collar.
Another feature I like is the collar and remote are both rechargable were as my old tri tronics took batteries in the remote.......not good.

[JakeDD]

Gray - I recently posted on another site about my experience with my 2500. After reading the comments above, either I got a lemon of a collar or I'm much harder on my gear or I'm pickier than most guys. Either way, the beeper volume/placement, cold weather performance, and dial have all been disappointing for me.

2 things to consider living in any cold weather area:

1) Do you do much late season hunting? I do, and my Dogtra LCD screen sucks below freezing. I've had many frustrations changing intensity and not being able to read where I'm at on my 2500. Warm weather, it works nicely.
2) Controls: be sure to go and handle each unit before buying. I thought I'd like the rheostat dial on the Dogtra to "fine tune" the collar. I've learned to hate the dang thing, especially when wearing gloves. I much prefer clicking to preset levels on my old TT and knowing exactly where I'm at without taking my eyes off the dog - that's a key thing I've discovered over the years. Also, the button on my Dogtra feels like it will break at any moment.

Although I like Dogtra stuff, some features on the 2500 really have been disappointing to me. That being said, it's just one man's opinion.

[dawgmama]

We have the Dogtra T&B, and we love it! I wish it had the vibrate feature, but we've conditioned our hard running Setter to check in when we hit the locate button. If she's on point, she won't move, but otherwise, she cruises by for a check in. The speaker does occasionally get packed with snow, but snap off a stick,clear it out, and you are good to go. It is so nice to be able to turn the collar on and off without fumbling for a magnet or switch on an excited, wiggly, dog eager to get out and hunt! The beeper on the bottom just might save the dogs hearing. We had an old TE Scott beeper on top that we used on our GWP, and she's quite deaf now at 13.5. Our older dogs who had beeper on the bottom, didn't seem as deaf in their old age. Great unit, when my old Sonic Pro(which I love) 'dies', we'll be getting another Dogtra.

[Keny Glasscock]

Hated the rheostat, hated the location of the collar, hated not know exactly where I was on the dial, the LCD is really a useless thing, if you have to look at the hand held to know at what stim level you are at it is to late, missed opportunty to correct behavior. I use my collars daily and the Dogtra just didn't get it.