E-collars can be a highly effective, positive training tool when used properly.
Training with this tool may offer your dog more freedom than he otherwise would have been able to have.
The Mini Educator E-Collar is a quality collar and controller with a bit of style.
It is strong enough to offer a noticeable sensation even to very large dogs who are highly driven, but it’s gentle and adjustable enough to work even for very small dogs.
What Are E-collars For?
An e-collar, short for electronic collar, is an effective way to communicate with your dog at a distance without you having to yell or whistle and without your dog having to look back at you for a hand signal.
By tying the sound of a beep and the feel of vibration to commands and rewards, you can communicate with your dog from a distance.
E-collars are often more effective than other tactics for getting the attention of a dog who is focused on something else.
Some dogs tend to concentrate more intensely on whatever catches their interest.
Breeds that have been bred for hunting, like hound dogs, are often prone to getting lost in a scent and seem not to even hear your commands.
An e-collar delivers a clear message that is tied to a well-known reward that can get through to dogs who you thought were ignoring you before.
In reality, most dogs are very committed to obeying their owners when they have learned a command.
The problem is that the world can be very distracting, and sometimes they don’t seem to hear us. An e-collar is a great way to bridge that gap.
The Difference Between E-collars and Shock Collars
Electronic collars often get a bad rap because they are mistaken for or confused with old-fashioned shock collars.
However, an e-collar is not necessarily equipped with a shock feature.
Electronic collars are simply devices that your dog wears that can carry a communication from you.
High-quality, humane, electronic collars do not shock dogs. They use beeps and vibration to communicate quietly from a distance.
What’s Wrong With Shock Collars?
Shock collars were used in punitive training techniques to deliver punishment from a distance.
Respected trainers now warn against all punitive training techniques, as well as shock collars.
Shocking the dog can often cause an unexpected reaction, such as triggering aggression or fear to an uninvolved stimulus in the environment.
Good trainers find that using electronic collars that do not have a shock feature are a very effective and humane way to increase a dog’s freedom without damaging the bond between human and dog or causing unintended negative consequences.
How Does the Mini Educator E-collar Work?
The mini educator is an excellent humane e-collar that offers a range of vibration with a tapping sensation and a Pavlovian (conditioning) tone.
How to Train With a Mini Educator E-collar
There are all kinds of training opportunities using this e-collar.
It’s a good idea to look up a good trainer who utilizes e-collar training or positive training books on e-collar training to use this tool as effectively as possible.
You’ll find the video below helps you understand how powerful a training tool the e-collar can be when it is used correctly.
One effective method is to tie a lower stimulus to a reasonably high-value reward and tie the more intense stimulus, the one that’s sure to get your dog’s attention even when he’s focused on something else, to an extremely high-value reward.
As soon as your dog feels the vibration, he will know that coming to you means that he is about to get one of his favorite rewards.
The Pavlovian tone is a very effective way to encourage behaviors you like with various treats as a reward.
Whatever training technique you use, what’s important is to use the necessary stimulus to break your dog out of his focus and make sure that you are consistently tying that stimulus to desirable rewards.
With consistent training, even dogs who are highly distractible may learn to respond appropriately.
If you are using a stimulation level that appears to hurt or startled your dog rather than just getting his attention and causing him to look at and come to you, you’re using too high a level.
Mini Educator ET-300 E-Collar
This is a very effective e-collar that gives you a significant range at a ½ or ¾ of a mile. It delivers a Pavlovian tone that is easy to tie to a reward.
Various settings of vibration with a tapping sensation can be customized from zero to 100 to your dog’s exact stimulus level.
Such specificity in sensation lets you get your dog’s attention with only one vibration and turn his attention to you for a reward.
The bright LCD display window clearly shows the current stimulation level, and the LED light on the collar help you keep track of your dog after dark.
Unlike so many remote collars that are bulky and ugly, this collar has a sleek design.
There are a variety of hand device color options that are convenient to hold.
This device provides a fair amount of stimulus designed to get the attention of dogs who are highly focused in prey drive or about to engage in a chase.
Very well-trained dogs may still need a high level of stimulus to snap through their focus and remind them to come for a reward.
Therefore, it is very important that you raise the stimulus very slowly and only use high levels on very large, highly driven dogs who are in the midst of high focus.
For most dogs who are handled and trained properly, you shouldn’t need more than the lowest vibration settings or the beep to get their attention and get them to come back to you or perform a desired behavior.
Pros:
- Comes in a range of colors to fit your style, including purple, black, yellow, and the fun “zen” design.
- Choose from several settings, including one or two dogs and ½ or ¾ mile range.
- Slim, lightweight collar is not bothersome for most dogs.
- Tapping sensation is like vibration but more likely to get your dog’s attention.
- Stimulation levels from 1 to 100 with a boost from 1 to 60 so you can choose the exact level to get your dog’s attention depending on the situation.
- Tracking light so you can see your dog at a distance even in the dark.
- The receiver and transmitter are both waterproof.
- Pavlovian tone is excellent for getting your dog’s attention and tying it to a reward.
- Dogs trained properly do not show any discomfort or pain like with shock collars.
Cons:
- When used incorrectly, you can scare your dog and even cause pain.
- When used frequently, the battery life may not last as long as you would like.
- May not work properly for very long-haired or fluffy dogs.
FAQ
Is This Effective for Large Dogs?
This educator is quite small and discreet, so you may wonder whether it’s a good choice for larger dogs.
In fact, this is a rather powerful tool that is effective for small dogs all the way up to very large dogs.
It is important to remember that no matter the size of your dog, careful and continuous training is necessary to tie rewards to the sounds and sensations from the device effectively.
How Is It Charged and How Long Does the Charge Last?
There are two chargers included so that the transmitter and receiver can both be charged at the same time.
Charging is simple; just plug it into a regular outlet.
Most people only use the device actively for a couple of hours a day at most and only need to charge every couple of weeks.
Is It Effective for Two Dogs at Once?
Both distance models come in two-dog options. It takes some time to learn how to control the receiver for both dogs at once.
It is very effective once you get the hang of it, but it may be best to practice with one dog at a time until you are used to changing commands back and forth.
Is It Waterproof?
Both the collar and the receiver are waterproof, so feel free to use them wherever you and your dog like to train, even if your dog is a fan of plunging into the water on occasion.
When Can You Stop Using the E-Collar?
Every dog and situation is different.
If you are using the e-collar to get your dog’s attention when he’s close to you and may be reactive or want to bark on walks, you may be able to transfer to using another form of communication, like a tug on the collar, to get your dog’s attention and offer a reward.
However, if you are using the e-collar for long-distance training and communication, it may be a lot harder to offer a substitute command and reward system.
Is It Effective for Deaf Dogs?
This is an excellent option if you are having a hard time getting your deaf dog’s attention.
With repetitive training and tying a great reward to the tone or vibration, you can get your deaf dog’s attention even when he’s locked onto a scent or an object and very unlikely to turn and look at you otherwise.
Last update on 2024-04-22 at 23:59 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
