# Ecollar Suggestions?



## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

Hey all, I'm potentially looking at lower cost ecollar. Or more of anybody have had experience with ang lower cost ($50 or under or thereabouts). If they actually work and such. Reviews seem very mixed. 

I only need a shorter range one not the crazy long distances. A beep and variable shock at the bare minimum but I think vibrating would be useful as well. It really doesn't need to be high tech just need a way to correct at a distance. Needs to fit a neck of 26-28". Nearly got a fancier one but the collar wouldn't have fit on the dog. If you can put the unit on a different collar that could work too.

since I would be working with electricity I don't want to get anything that could malfunction and hurt the dog or just stop working. One company seemed to have decent ones, reviews said some stopped working but if you contacted the company they'd get you a new unit but that doesn't sound ideal.


----------



## Malibu (Jul 27, 2017)

Buy a good one you will have it forever. You never know how far you wish your single will reach until it can't .. waterproof...

buy used but by good..


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

"since I would be working with electricity I don't want to get anything that could malfunction and hurt the dog "

Then don't buy a $50 E Collar. Don't by any E Collar you can go pick up at a store in town.

The only two I think are worth using are Dogtra or Mini Educator, and of those I prefer Dogtra..


----------



## DHwreckage (Dec 16, 2018)

Hey just wanted to give you a little advice, I have seen people and used on my self the cheap $50 e-collars. This biggest difference is my dogtra has 125 sensitivity settings on the dial while the cheaper ones usually have 5-10 settings. So with the cheaper models the #1 setting is most likely around 12-25 on my dogtra so I can go much lower if my gsd is reacting to a lower level stimulant. 

Much better for you dog and for training so you aren't zapping the **** out of him when a lesser shock would have the same effect and not scar him!

Also my dogtra is 100% water proof so swimming is not an issue.


----------



## tc68 (May 31, 2006)

Kazel, I don't know if you know or not, but Chewy.com has a 1 year return policy even if it's opened and used. You might want to check on that if it's important to you. I heard the Sportdog brand is good from other dog owners and I bought one of those.


----------



## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Your dog is worth more than skimping on a cheap collar. I have the ET300 and it works great. I think I’ve seen them on sale for lower than the $170-ish I paid for mine. Some collars can produce inconsistent stim and with this undue stress for the dog, its not worth saving a few bucks in my opinion. I’m not familiar with sport dog, but have heard some good things, still I would research them well before buying.


----------



## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> "since I would be working with electricity I don't want to get anything that could malfunction and hurt the dog "
> 
> Then don't buy a $50 E Collar. Don't by any E Collar you can go pick up at a store in town.
> 
> The only two I think are worth using are Dogtra or Mini Educator, and of those I prefer Dogtra..


Why Dogtra? Range, consistent contact?


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Dogtra is great value for the money. Get the large prongs to be able to contact the skin through the coat. Get a good one from the start. Do you have a plan on how to work with it, intro to the dog etc?


----------



## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

wolfy dog said:


> Dogtra is great value for the money. Get the large prongs to be able to contact the skin through the coat. Get a good one from the start. Do you have a plan on how to work with it, intro to the dog etc?


Yes I have a plan for how I'll be using it and introducing to my pup. And I don't plan on needing it very long or maybe occasionally. I don't want to drop $150 on something I'll barely use. I'm more just using it to brush up on a few things. My dog is great and smart but she has a bit of a bratty side. This is a more of a letting her know I can reach from a distance. I plan on using beep/vibrate more than the actual shock because I don't think I'll need it. 

As far as what somebody else said about distance I know I won't need a super long distance or a water proof swimming one so I don't need it fancy and tricked out. 

If there aren't any solid lower cost ones I'll just continue on without because it's not important enough to get that I'm willing to spend that much on it. I'm a college student so big unnecessary purchases aren't a great idea lol.


----------



## Mei (Mar 30, 2018)

Consider it a Christmas gift for you. I as well highly recommend Dogtra.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Many dogs get collar smart and you will need it for a much longer time. To break Deja from chasing wildlife I bought the Dogtra but it took me about two years before she was consistent without the collar. Initially it worked like a charm but then she got 'collar smart' so I had to keep it on every time we went outside until lately.


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

ausdland said:


> Why Dogtra? Range, consistent contact?


I've just used this brand for about ten years and had very few issues...one did have to be sent back to the manufacturer for a refurb but that was a unit that I had accidentally driven off with on top of my car and it got flung down the highway and still worked afterward but eventually developed some inconsistent issues. Can't say that's their fault as I did fling it off the top of my car at 60 mph.

They do everything I want or need them to do- I really like the new stream lined receivers, especially the Arc for little skinny noodle neck dogs.

One thing is petty- I just can't stand that goofy round remote that Mini Educator uses. That isn't going to fit in my "remote pocket" on my training vest, and it's stupid looking. And this is the other thing--- I have heard an ethical complaint against that company but I have no way of knowing if it's true or not but considering who I heard it from it probably is. 

Dogtra has more levels-- 127 vs 100, and considering I work most dogs under 20 I figure that makes a difference. It won' be a huge difference but if they split the juice 100 ways or 127, 127 is going to have smaller increments. 

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Tritronics/Garmin. You can buy a reconditioned one at collarclinic.com


----------



## Saco (Oct 23, 2018)

Check out GunDog Supply they have a lot of good info on e-collars and some more affordable than others. I like Garmin/Tritronics. They have excellent customer service, and have stood up to a lot of wear.


----------



## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Another reason to buy a good name brand model - if you end up truly not needing it after you reach the proofing threshold you're after, they retain their resale value very well.

Used Educators/Dogtras/Garmins get snapped up fast, for good money. $50 pet store brands, not so much.

Keep the case, keep the instruction manual, keep all parts and pieces, sell it for cash when you're done.


----------



## mmags (Nov 30, 2017)

Sport Dog Trainer.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Don't buy a cheap one. Save your money and get a good quality collar. You will be using it daily for awhile. Then find someone who can show you the correct way to use it. For now, dog stays on some type of line.


----------



## Katsugsd (Jul 7, 2018)

I own two Educators - One mini E-300 and one PE-902 (PE allows multiple collars). My shiba is e-collar trained. Katsu is not (but she has a great recall). I agree with finding a trainer that can show you how to properly acclimate the dog to one of these tools. 


I bought the mini Educator for $170 and I know I can at least make $100 back when I choose to sell it. I barely use mine unless I take all three out to the fields (puppy stays on a long line, shiba on e-collar, Katsu off leash) but I believe it's well worth the money.


----------



## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

Sounds like I'll just pass on getting one for now, seems like there isn't much for what I'm looking for. I don't need advice on how to use one and such. If there aren't any good models at decent prices I just won't worry about it. Thanks for the good intentions though everybody, but continuously advising over budget collars doesn't do me much good.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Check the collar clinic. They might have a good refurbished collar that is closer to your budget.


----------



## deedeearmstrong (Sep 5, 2018)

https://youtu.be/FYr9SPWsPtU Amazon $45.96 but if you have prime there a coupon for $6.00, go these for my 5 year old GSD works great. The instructions say charge for 2 hours but it need to be charged over night.


----------



## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

Please do not buy a 10-50$ amazon e collar

Buy a quality e collar or don’t buy one at all. I love the mini educators.


----------



## Malibu (Jul 27, 2017)

I will repeat..... Look on eBay..... or craigslist... but buy quality.


----------



## Mei (Mar 30, 2018)

I have a friend with a husky mix with who know what. He got a 50$ one from Amazon that has a beep option too and vibrate with like 20 or 30 settings. Bottom line, he doesn't even use it anymore. 

My thought process is if one gets a high drive dog like GSDs, one should invest in the best training, tools, food, ect. I've got better than expected results with the Dogtra 1900s. Came with the training package I did with my trainer.


----------



## Brushbunny (Mar 17, 2018)

I like the Garmin Sport Pro I have. Easy to use, works when I need it to.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I also like the Garmin/tritronics sport pro. I found it easy to learn on and use. I have found the light on the collar being not only a plus but has come in handy often. It is also waterproof.


----------



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Not all e-collars are created equal. Spend the money and get a good one. It's not all about the "features" a collar has but the quality and consistency of the stim. I've owned Tri-tronics, dogtra and e-collar tech collars. I use almost exclusively e-collar tech now days. I'm also a huge dogtra fan. Used them for a few years without any issues or complaints. I wasn't a fan of my tri-tronics. It wasn't a quality or stim issue, I just felt that I could never get it dialed in for my dogs. It was either too low or too high. I have had dogtra 280's and 1900's. I really liked them a lot and have zero complaints about them. I use e-collar tech now, and find them to be very comfortable and I like some of the extra functions that the others don't have like the boost function. I use their et-300's and their K9-Tactical 800's. Most importantly, get with a trainer to teach you how to properly use it. The stim needs to be explained to the dog for the collar to work.


----------



## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

Bought a used tri-tronics and I was either scammed or have terrible luck. It was working fine. Acclimated the dog to wearing it for several days. Then the day before I was going to introduce the stim to find out working level I tested it on myself all that. Next day it won't work. Collar won't turn on. Nothing changed at all but it's gone wonky. Was turned off and put away and got out and nada. 

Supposedly a reliable collar brand the reviews looked good. I am kind of surprised though that a $200 brand new collar only has 5 stim levels and a tone. 

So looks like I might as well have gotten a cheap one at this point. At least I could have returned it if it didn't work. I checked out the collar clinic but prices at least on the items I checked didn't seem competitive at all. I found a brand new collar for $5 more than the clinic price. 

I did see a sport dog collar for sale near me but no idea if they're a decent brand and now I'm wary of buying used. Got an expensive piece of worthless equipment already sitting in my room now!


----------



## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Kazel said:


> Bought a used tri-tronics and I was either scammed or have terrible luck. It was working fine. Acclimated the dog to wearing it for several days. Then the day before I was going to introduce the stim to find out working level I tested it on myself all that. Next day it won't work. Collar won't turn on. Nothing changed at all but it's gone wonky. Was turned off and put away and got out and nada.
> 
> Supposedly a reliable collar brand the reviews looked good. I am kind of surprised though that a $200 brand new collar only has 5 stim levels and a tone.
> 
> ...


That is terrible...but all is not lost. It is likely a battery issue. If you bought it on ebay, they offer buyer protection. If you complain, you will likely get a refund. If the buyer has a good rating they will likely want to keep you happy. 

As an example, I have a ecollar that costs about $250-300 new. Not sure what I paid for it. About 2 weeks ago, I couldn't turn it on. I contacted the company and was told it is likely the battery. I bought a new battery, opened it up and sure enough, the battery that was in the collar was busted. Replaced it and everything is working fine. Worse case, most of the manufacturers offer service. You can probably send it back to them and they can fix it. 

Here is the one I have and had a dead battery. 

https://www.educatorcollars.com/pro-educator-pe-900.html


Good luck.


----------



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

eddie1976E said:


> Kazel said:
> 
> 
> > Bought a used tri-tronics and I was either scammed or have terrible luck. It was working fine. Acclimated the dog to wearing it for several days. Then the day before I was going to introduce the stim to find out working level I tested it on myself all that. Next day it won't work. Collar won't turn on. Nothing changed at all but it's gone wonky. Was turned off and put away and got out and nada.
> ...




E-collar technologies has the best customer service hands down. I talk to them multiple times a month, and they are absolutely amazing. That alone makes their collars worth it. Ive been happy with everyone I have from them so far. Ive got six et-300s an et-302, 2 K9 handler 800s and six of their bark collars. I love them all! 

The tritonics should have ten settings. There is a half level between each of the numbers. I believe there is also a low, medium and high setting. So it gives you ten levels for each setting. That being said, I wasnt a fan of my tri-Tronics.


----------



## pooch495 (Jan 12, 2019)

I agree with everyone saying buy quality. We bought some cheapo ecollar and it stopped working after a week. Waste of time and money.


----------



## deedeearmstrong (Sep 5, 2018)

I bought Bre Fac from Amazon and they had a $6.00 off coupon. It was the best thing I ever bought. It has sound, vibrate, and shock ( never use that). When I got Zoya last May , She was 5 years old and very dog aggressive. I tried everything and this was the answer, she now can be with other dogs in the dog park.


----------

