# Best age to start shock collar training?



## kl01721

What is the average best age to start shock collar training? Im getting a black lab puppy in a couple of weeks and want to start training him as soon as possible to be a good duck dog.Thanks


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## maker4life

After he already knows his commands and has been collar conditioned .


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## DukTruk

We don't train with an e-collar until we enter "advanced" training.  In our opinion, e-collars are used to reinforce NO at a distance.  Save your time and money and reinforce the basics, and you may not need one at all.  The basics are taught with a choke chain and lead rope.  The more the dog advances, the longer the rope gets.


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## cutem'all1090

X2 on both Do your homework before you start using it don't just throw it on


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## kl01721

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll hold off on getting the shock collar. At first I had the idea that they were used for main training purposes, but I got a lot of feedback basically that its for advanced dogs that already know their main commands. Thanks for the help guys, I want to be sure to train him the right way


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## crackerdave

Shock collars are a very useful and effective tool - IF you read and follow the instructions. Hope your Lab turns out to be a great duck dog!


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## grouper throat

I start mine at around 6-7 months once they learn to run one right and develop the drive to not stop running. They are easier to work with IMO the younger they are. I've shock broke more than a few at 5 months though also. Two females I currently have now were finished at 6 months (one in avatar). 

I don't teach mine but 5 commands but most hounds learn fairly fast and labs seem to learn on the same level (if not faster) so it shouldn't be hard. My buddy has two chocolate labs and both are very smart dogs and were easy to break.


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## RUTTNBUCK

maker4life said:


> After he already knows his commands and has been collar conditioned .


This!!^^^



DukTruk said:


> We don't train with an e-collar until we enter "advanced" training.  In our opinion, e-collars are used to reinforce NO at a distance.  Save your time and money and reinforce the basics, and you may not need one at all.  The basics are taught with a choke chain and lead rope.  The more the dog advances, the longer the rope gets.


And This!!^^^



kl01721 said:


> Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll hold off on getting the shock collar. At first I had the idea that they were used for main training purposes, but I got a lot of feedback basically that its for advanced dogs that already know their main commands. Thanks for the help guys, I want to be sure to train him the right way


The collar should only be used to reinforce known commands!!...........Age has nothing to do with this!!

You will know when your dog understands a command, but just doesn't wan't to comply.


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## grouper throat

You might also want to find a reputable trainer who is experienced with your style dogs and get their tips and ask their opinion. I'm talking about breaking trainers who have broke 20+ dogs, not some guy who has broke their one or two dogs total or even one or two per year. I've seen a few good dogs hammered on with a collar when they shouldn't have that were nearly ruined. I have one in my kennels that was nearly culled because he was mistreated with a collar by an unexperienced person and was given to me to bring him back to normal. A $1,000 dog nearly ruined by a collar and an idjit who had no idea what they were doing because the poor dog wouldn't snap to a track anymore..


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## waddler

The collar I use has a "vibration" feature and I have found it very effective with young dogs, especially when teaching "Here". No shock, just an attention getter and it seems to introduce insecurity making the pup go to its ultimate source of security, ME. Later, I use it as a warning of worse things to come if they are disobeying a known command. 

Invaluable tool, especially for soft or sensitive dogs.


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## Turkey Trax

RUTTNBUCK said:


> The collar should only be used to reinforce known commands!!...........Age has nothing to do with this!!
> 
> You will know when your dog understands a command, but just doesn't wan't to comply.



Exactly...


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## king killer delete

RUTTNBUCK and Turkey Trax are so right!


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