Which Collar to get and Why?

[GSP923]

Hello, Have been surfing this forum a long time, along with books and watching DVD's, trying to learn as much as I can about training my first GSP pup. She is just over four months old and as soon as this rough winter breaks up here in Wisconsin, I am going to get her out and start training her for grouse hunting primarily. Have been doing a lot of obedience in the house and she learns quick and is doing very well. My question is basically I am undecided on what to get for a training collar and gps. I really like the Garmin Alpha and would be nice at times to have everything on one collar. But I have a few concerns as far as the e collar training goes. I have read a few things on it and have heard people mention it is an adequate e collar but not great,(I know the training collar part is TT). I have concerns about correcting my dog with it. Have read a few things that say its not as easy as a typical remote that other collars have.(I mean by being able to not look at the remote to correct a dog and switching screens) Is there any advantage for the Alpha besides having everything in one unit? Would I be better off to buy a nice TT collar(or Dogtra) and a garmin astro? Im not too concerned with price I just would like to make this easier on myself and the dog as I have no experience whatsoever training a bird dog. I am not sure one which TT collar I would buy and for the Dogtra I have been looking at the 2300NCP. As for GPS I would get an astro 320. So it comes down to is the Alpha a good system for someone like me?

[USMC]

Who did you get your from?

I have one of the same age from Wisconsin.

It's best to have a training collar and the Alpha for hunting.

[HUNT 24/7]

I decided to go with both, I have a Garmin Alpha & a Dogtra 2,500 T&B training collar.

I bought the Alpha instead of the Astro because I don't want to run 2 collars on my dog but I still want to be able to correct him in the field if needed. The Alpha can be used for training if needed, I don't really find it to be all that difficult. It has 3 hard buttons (not touch screen) at the top of the screen, nick, constant & tone, as soon as you touch either button, the + or ~ shows up on the touch screen immediately to control the level of stimulus, no flipping screens. That being said, the Dogtra is easier, but the Alpha isn't as bad as what I had read beforehand.

[RayGubernat]

Hello, Have been surfing this forum a long time, along with books and watching DVD's, trying to learn as much as I can about training my first GSP pup. She is just over four months old and as soon as this rough winter breaks up here in Wisconsin, I am going to get her out and start training her for grouse hunting primarily. Have been doing a lot of obedience in the house and she learns quick and is doing very well. My question is basically I am undecided on what to get for a training collar and gps. I really like the Garmin Alpha and would be nice at times to have everything on one collar. But I have a few concerns as far as the e collar training goes. I have read a few things on it and have heard people mention it is an adequate e collar but not great,(I know the training collar part is TT). I have concerns about correcting my dog with it. Have read a few things that say its not as easy as a typical remote that other collars have.(I mean by being able to not look at the remote to correct a dog and switching screens) Is there any advantage for the Alpha besides having everything in one unit? Would I be better off to buy a nice TT collar(or Dogtra) and a garmin astro? Im not too concerned with price I just would like to make this easier on myself and the dog as I have no experience whatsoever training a bird dog. I am not sure one which TT collar I would buy and for the Dogtra I have been looking at the 2300NCP. As for GPS I would get an astro 320. So it comes down to is the Alpha a good system for someone like me?

Training a dog is ALL about the timing. If you can get a correction on the dog the absolute INSTANT the dog disobeys or blows you off or otherwise makes a wrong choice...you will be far, far ahead.

Now, how to get to that level of timing? First and foremost you need to plan your work and prepare for the lesson you are about to do with your dog. That is both mental and physical preparation. Think about what you want to accomplish and also think about any tools or training aids you may need and gather them up, make sure they are working..., etc. It is simple stuff, but I cannot tell you how many times I got out to the training field, loaded a bird into the remote launcher and then...when I turned on the launcher...it did not light up, because it had lost its charge...and I had also forgotten to turn it on and check that it worked before left for the training field. Now I have to change my plan because I have a remote launcher that don't work and all my manual ones are back at the house.

You need to go over in your mind exactly what you are going to do and what you are going to do if the dog does this, that or the other. If you know what you want and you know how you are going to react and you are looking closely at the dog, waiting for the response...your timing is going to be pretty good.

As a new trainer, you need to do this every single time you interact with your dog...even now. Get in the habit of thinking about what you are going to do and how you want the pup to respond to you. You will be soooo much better prepared when the pup does something else.

Now...what does this have to do with an e-trainer? LOTS. If you have to pick up the remote and look at it before you punch a button...You have already blown the timing...first because you took your eyes off the dog and second because you HAD to look at the remote to make sure you were hitting the right button.

Whatever e-trainer you get, make sure you can hang it off your belt or your training vest in such a way that your hand falls right on the button you need to push. I feel that the fewer buttons...the better. If you can reach, grasp the remote and hit the correct button in a split second, without taking your eyes off the dog, you have a good chance of getting the timing right.

I use a TT, one dog, Flyway Special and have it in a holster that hangs off my shoulder. I have used the same unit for over 20 years and it is always RIGHT where I need it. I can grab that unit in a dark room and , just by feel, know what to do. The holster strap is adjusted so that my hand falls right on the button area(it has 3 buttons). top is continuous, next is 1/3 level nick and bottom is 2/3 level nick. Holding the bottom 2 gives the full level nick. I can also change the intensity level(knob is on the top of the unit) without looking, but ,honestly, I seldom need to. You see, I know what level to use on each dog and I have PLANNED AHEAD, but setting the top dial to the correct intensity.
That is just an example of how it works for me. You need whatever you get ...to work that seamlessly and effortlessly... for you. Spend the time with the unit to get a really good feel for using it without looking.

I have a Garmin so I do not lose track of where the dog is and what it is doing when it is out of sight. A lot of the time, the Garmin is a more useful training tool than the e-collar, because it tells me not only exactly where the dog is and where it is headed... it gives me nearly instant feedback on what the dog is doing. if the dog is heading away and I call... I know in about five or ten seconds if the dog is turning back or still heading away. If the dog is blowing me off...a little tickle as a reminder in conjunction with the second call to turn usually has the desired effect.

A really good trainer once told me: "Plan your work...Then go out and work you plan." Them is woids to live by for a dog jockey.

Good luck and have fun.

RayG

[roaniecowpony]

I decided to go with both, I have a Garmin Alpha & a Dogtra 2,500 T&B training collar.

I bought the Alpha instead of the Astro because I don't want to run 2 collars on my dog but I still want to be able to correct him in the field if needed. The Alpha can be used for training if needed, I don't really find it to be all that difficult. It has 3 hard buttons (not touch screen) at the top of the screen, nick, constant & tone, as soon as you touch either button, the + or ~ shows up on the touch screen immediately to control the level of stimulus, no flipping screens. That being said, the Dogtra is easier, but the Alpha isn't as bad as what I had read beforehand.

I agree the Alpha can be used as a training collar. Its actually more flexible than any other TT collar, although they say it is essentially the Pro 500 incorporated into a GPS. The advantage it has over the TT P500 is that you can assign any level or tone, continuous or nick, to each of the three buttons or assign each button to a different collar. You just dont have that kind of choice with a TT P500.

[ruffbritt4]

I have a tri-tronics sport basic g3 and an Astro 320 with dc40. I went with this because I do not need my dog running around our house with the gps collar on. This way He has an ecollar for around the house and gps and ecollar for hunting. If one dies while hunting I still have the other.

[GSP923]

Thank you guys for giving me advice and giving me some tips on which one and why. I appreciate the replies and will keep them in mind for when I go to the pheasant fest and quail classic in a couple weeks to look at all the different collars. might be where I buy a collar if they have deals.

USMC, I got her from Brian Swetlik from Maribel Wi which is near Green Bay area.

Im thinking I will go the route of getting two separate collars for my dog. I will be using the e-collar a lot and probably have it on her inside also so I don't want to have a gps on her at the same time. I like the Alpha Idea I think its great but Im thinking less may be more in my case seeing I have never trained before. I have no problem with using technology so that wouldn't be an issue but I think id rather carry a remote than a gps unit all the time. also be able to focus on just the e collar for right now. With that being said Im not a 100% sure which TT collar would be the best? Its between any of the TT collars and a dogtra 2300ncp which I have heard good about both collar manufactures. But I do really like TT due to the fact its US made and has been around for a long time with good reviews. If I get a TT for one dog what is the best one to get?

[roaniecowpony]

I have a tri-tronics sport basic g3 and an Astro 320 with dc40. I went with this because I do not need my dog running around our house with the gps collar on. This way He has a ecollar for around the house and gps and ecollar for hunting. If one dies while hunting I still have the other.

Good idea.

I have the Alpha w/2 collars, TT P100 w/2 collars, & DT SPT 2420. The DT SPT 2420 is my yard training collar because of the. precise stimulation control and the jump stimulation button. The TT P100 gets used when I take out both dogs together for general exercise. The Alpha is primarily for the pointer and I have a backup collar if the battery in the collar dies or for someone elses dog to if they need it to save the hunt for them which has come in handy.