SportDOG

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Neil
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SportDOG

Post by Neil » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:12 pm

I would like some candid reports on SportDOG products, particularly the TEK 1.0. Strenths and weaknesses, how their products compare to Garmin/TriTronics? How is their customer service?

Thanks in advance,

Neil

whoadog
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Re: SportDOG

Post by whoadog » Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:28 pm

I've had personal experiences with two, both lower end models purchased by family members. Both had battery problems and were exchanged within three months for more expensive collars from other brands. But, I have no experience with or opinion of the tek. As for customer service, both collars were actually purchased at Cabela's and failed quickly enough that The Storethat i love most in all the world made the exchanges.

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DonF
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Re: SportDOG

Post by DonF » Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:15 pm

I had the Tec-1. Counting the original one they had to replace four in about five month's. Very inaccurate, extremely inaccurate! Tried to get my money back from them but they wouldn't give it back, said i didn't buy it from them so I couldn't get a refund. Bought it from Gun Dog Supply so talked to them and told them the problem and they had me send it back for a full refund. Instead of the refund, I sent them the difference in price between the Tec-1 and Garmin 320. I get inaccurate readings in close, Garmin said I would. But, this thing as been fabulous! That is an under statement, I can go right to Bodie with this thing. I've had him out near a mile and a half and right to him. In contrast, the Tec-1 would have him out that far and only managed to find him one time but, it had him on the wrong hill and a canyon between us. I do have one thing to say about Sport Dog. Their customer service guy's are very polite! They get nothing done but they are polite about it!
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Re: SportDOG

Post by birddogger » Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:35 pm

whoadog wrote:I've had personal experiences with two, both lower end models purchased by family members. Both had battery problems and were exchanged within three months for more expensive collars from other brands. But, I have no experience with or opinion of the tek. As for customer service, both collars were actually purchased at Cabela's and failed quickly enough that The Storethat i love most in all the world made the exchanges.
Exact same experience.

Charlie
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Re: SportDOG

Post by BigJake » Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:58 pm

I have a1225 and 1825 sporthunter, the 1225 I had 2 years and the collar went dead, called sportdog and it was like a week before the 2 year warranty was up and they sent me a new collar within 3 days. The 1825 has been good so far, I have had it a year. I will say my collars are used every single day of the year, I live in a suburb but have a big yard that is not fenced, in order to get my dog some good work he gets the ecollar on and we walk around the pond and he is able to run through the woods. Even though his recall is great there has been the occasional animal that he figures he needs to investigate or chase. I never hear much good about sportdog but for three years I have been pleased and these collars have been in snow, lakes, ponds and in use every day, for me they have held up good. What is nice with the 1825 is when my new pup comes in April I can just buy a collar and expand it to a two dog. I gave the 1225 to the folks when there 8 year old Tri tronics died and they use it every day to walk there dog. I have no experience with the tek, and would probably lean towards garmin for that technology.

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Re: SportDOG

Post by smittty » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:12 am

I have the TEK and it seems to operate just fine .. But what I like most about it is its simple to operate...as far as the customer service they are second to none dealt with them for the last 10 years

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Vonzeppelinkennels
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Re: SportDOG

Post by Vonzeppelinkennels » Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:48 am

Why you been dealing with customer service for 10 yrs I have TT never had to deal with customer service?? :?

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Re: SportDOG

Post by smittty » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:07 pm

Vonzeppelinkennels wrote:Why you been dealing with customer service for 10 yrs I have TT never had to deal with customer service?? :?
well lets see ..the numbers wore off the dial on my 1850 once after 5-6 years of use ..another was an issue with the tone botton ..... both times they had a new unit at my door before I had time to send the damages ones back I think that is good service.... I also delt with them on an upgrade from a 1850 to a 1825 again great sevice

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Re: SportDOG

Post by ckirsch » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:46 pm

I've had good luck with SportDog - similar issues to some of those posted already, but they took good care of me on them. Had a six-year-old collar fail this fall due to a recharge prong breaking off, obviously not a warranty issue, and way beyond warranty anyway, but they sent a replacement at a significant discount off of retail.

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Vonzeppelinkennels
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Re: SportDOG

Post by Vonzeppelinkennels » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:43 pm

That answers my Question they needed repaired!!

ckirsch
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Re: SportDOG

Post by ckirsch » Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:16 am

I hunt with guys using various brands of collars, and find that they all eventually have an issue of some kind. Not sure the perfect collar has been manufactured yet. Given that, it's nice to know that the manufacturer will stand behind the product. Kudos to SportDog for excelling in that area.

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ezzy333
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Re: SportDOG

Post by ezzy333 » Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:59 am

I have dealt with Collar Clinic several times and they continue to tell me Dogtra is the one they have the least repair calls on. That was primarily why I went with that when I needed a replacement. It has been a good one. I have not gealt with Sportdog but have heard both sides, some have trouble and some love them.

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Re: SportDOG

Post by shags » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:18 am

ckirsch wrote:I hunt with guys using various brands of collars, and find that they all eventually have an issue of some kind. Not sure the perfect collar has been manufactured yet. Given that, it's nice to know that the manufacturer will stand behind the product. Kudos to SportDog for excelling in that area.
I bought a sportdog locally because I needed another collar pdq. It failed within a week under very light use; it didn't just go quirky in a way that could be worked around, it just plain didn't work at all. What does it matter how good customer service is if junk is replaced with more junk? In fifteen years I've had just two Tritronics collars and they have never given me a problem. I'd still be using the first one if I hadn't needed the expandable version.

To the OP, i have no experience with a tek, nor will I take a chance on one. But my Garmin product has been pretty good. It went wonky on me one time when I needed it NOW and that ticked me off. It took me a few minutes to reset then all was good, but given the circumstances it might not have turned out that way. I wish Garmin would limit their dog tracking units to dog tracking only, with maybe other features available to purchase. I bought the Garmin so I can find my daggone dog, and don't need fishing data, geo-cacheing, or other stuff on it.

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Re: SportDOG

Post by ckirsch » Sun Dec 22, 2013 1:32 pm

Sorry I spoke out of turn.

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Re: SportDOG

Post by CDN_Cocker » Sun Dec 22, 2013 2:50 pm

ezzy333 wrote:I have dealt with Collar Clinic several times and they continue to tell me Dogtra is the one they have the least repair calls on. That was primarily why I went with that when I needed a replacement. It has been a good one. I have not gealt with Sportdog but have heard both sides, some have trouble and some love them.

Ezzy
Woo! Go Dogtra! They get my vote
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bonasa
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Re: SportDOG

Post by bonasa » Sun Dec 22, 2013 2:56 pm

I had purchased the tek with ecollar and gps feature. It couldnt hold a signal in fields and it would loose contact way to much for my liking at ranges inside 100 yards. I sent it back to GDS and exchanged it for a Garmin unit. No complaints there. I only give technology and machines 1 chance, living things get a much more lenient grace period.

Edit: A friend of mine has the 1850 , the antennae fell apart, a call to sportdog had a new antennae expedited to his door, I forget the details but I want to say it was free of charge. Never the less , stellar customer service.

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Vonzeppelinkennels
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Re: SportDOG

Post by Vonzeppelinkennels » Sun Dec 22, 2013 3:22 pm

Do you buy Tech or do you buy customer service you have a choice.

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Re: SportDOG

Post by czeger » Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:18 pm

I just got a sport dog sd 425 this is my first bird dog so I don't have a lot of experience with collars but the tone button fell off called sport dog they had a replacement to my door in 2 days happy with the product so far other than the button falling off customer service was helpful figured id use this for awhile and upgrade later

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