E-collars can be an extremely useful tool for controlling bird dogs at a distance. (Photo courtesy of Garmin)
Electronic collars have revolutionized the way we train and handle our dogs. They can help us to control our dogs, reinforce commands at a distance, or correct a dog when they’ve made a mistake. Proper e-collar use begins with properly introducing your dog to the collar, as well as its functions (static stimulation, tone, and vibration). And the beauty of these tools is that you can customize their functionality for the specific way you train and hunt with your dog.
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Garmin – TT 15X & T 5X TT 15X & T 5X The two new collars can be paired with the Garmin Alpha, Astro 430, and PRO 550 Plus dog tracking units and now provide handlers with up to 80 hours of use from a single charge. Additionally, users can put the collars to “sleep” through their tracking units to help further extend battery life. This functions as a remote on/off switch in case your dog’s collar is close to dead in the field. When you “sleep” the collar, the live tracking turns off but remains on standby to start tracking again when you wake up the collar. This is especially helpful when you have a lost dog and want to make sure its collar doesn’t go dead before you can locate he or she. Simply put the collar in sleep mode, navigate to the dog’s last known position, then activate the collar to receive an updated tracking point. Range is key, especially to hound dog owners. The TT 15X and T 5X collars can track dogs up to nine miles away thanks to GPS and GLONASS satellite networks. These two working together provide advanced location tracking with access to a greater number of satellites working to keep track of your four-legged hunter.
$300-$350; garmin.com
SportDOG – SportTrainer SD-1275E SportDOG – SportTrainer SD-1275E If you’re running multiple dogs in the field at once, the SportDOG SD-1275E is the perfect match. Oversized buttons on the front of the remote make it simple to toggle between collars to control up to six dogs at once. A large display screen makes it easy to see the selected dog, stimulation level, mode, and battery level. The SD-1275E ranges up to ¾ mile and also features 10 levels of static stimulation, vibration and tone to fit any dog and hunting situation.
$250; sportdog.com
DT Systems - R.A.P.T. 1450 DT Systems - R.A.P.T. 1450 Which of your dogs is on point? The R.A.P.T. 1450 makes it easy to tell with separate beeper tones for up to three dogs. The R.A.P.T. 1450 features a unique curved transmitter with a strap to easily affix to your hand for quick corrections in the field. Reaching ¾ mile, the transmitter provides 16 levels of nick and continuous stimulation, as well as vibration. Beeper modes can be adjusted to your needs including run/point, point only, or manual locate.
$290; dtsystems.com
Garmin - Sport PRO Garmin - Sport PRO When your hands are gloved to fight late season cold or soaking wet from grabbing mallards from your retriever, you need a remote that is simple to operate. The Sport PRO is compact and gives you simple one-handed operation for up to three dogs. It even floats if you drop it in the heat of the moment! A quick turn dial gives you 10 stimulation levels, including continuous and momentary stim, as well as vibrate and tone. Have a dog that barks too much? The Sport PRO has a built-in BarkLimiter that allows you to set stimulation levels to stop unwanted barking.
$300; garmin.com
SportDOG - SportHunter 825x SportDOG - SportHunter 825x Designed to withstand the rigors of your specific training and hunting conditions, the SportHunter 825x uses the smallest collar in the family but boasts a big set of features. Program custom controls for the way you train and communicate with your dog, including the use of tone, vibration, or any one of 21 levels of static stimulation. The 825x is expandable for up to three dogs, completely waterproof, and has a range of ½ mile. The intuitive, no-look transmitter’s easy-to-use buttons and dial allow you to keep your eyes on your dog and deliver a proper correction at exactly the right time.
$200; sportdog.com
Dogtra - T&B Dual 2-Dog Dogtra - T&B Dual 2-Dog For the hunter running a brace of dogs, the T&B Dual 2-dog system from Dogtra is a go-to. The package comes with two training and beeper collars which are paired with a unique handheld remote that features two Rheostat Dials and buttons that are dedicated to each collar making it easy to make corrections without having to toggle back and forth between collars. The dual dial transmitter features 127 nick/constant stimulation levels, HPP vibration, locate beeper, and run/point beeper modes.
$550; dogtra.com