Remote Trainer FAQS
1. How Does a Remote Training Collar Work?
A remote training collar has two main components; A remote transmitter and a receiver collar.
When you press a button on your remote trainer transmitter, the system sends a radio signal to your dog's receiver collar. This programs your dog's receiver collar to deliver the selected stimulation. With consistent training, your dog will learn to associate the stimulation with a specific command or behaviour.
2. What Type of Remote Training Collars are Available?
Static electric remote training collars and citronella spray remote training collars.
3. Are Static Electric Remote Training Collars Safe to use?
Yes. Static electric remote training collars are now safer than ever (when purchased from reputable manufacturers). Remote training collars deliver a static stimulation lower than 2% of what is required to create a thermal burn. Thanks to the advancement in technology, modern-day remote trainers now feature reliable activation, safety cut-offs and a waterproof or water-resistant, durable design. The thing you need to remember is that the level of correction is all in your control. All the correction levels are the same strength. When you increase the correction actual 'strength' of the static stimulation, you're increasing the number of zaps within each stimulation. They work like a tens machine, stimulating your pet's muscles. It is not a voltage.
Please DO NOT purchase from unauthorised companies selling extremely cheap remote training collars. These collars have NOT been tested safe for dogs, they are made from cheap, unreliable materials and offer no warranties on their products.
4. Can I use a Remote Trainer to Stop my Dog Pulling on the Lead?
Absolutely! Nuisance behaviours like this are exactly what remote training collars are designed for.
5. What other Nuisance Behaviours can I use a Remote Training Collar for?
You can use a remote training collar to stop most nusiance behaviours including pulling on the lead, jumping up on people, destructive chewing, scratching at the door, pulling washing off the line, chasing animals, running along the fence line when people pass, digging up the yard, stealing food, and more.
If your dog is excessively barking, we recommend using a bark control collar.
If your dog is escaping your property, we recommend installing a dog containment fence system.
6. Can I use a Remote Trainer for my Working Dog?
Absolutely. Remote training collars are used by canine professionals around the world. Whether you need a remote training collar for field work, farming, herding, hunting, security dogs, K9 training or other working conditions, there's a remote trainer built for the demanding conditions you need the system for.
7. Can Anyone use a Remote Training Collar? Are they Easy to Use?
Yes. Remote training collars are very easy to use. Included with your remote training collar is an instruction manual that goes through how your trainer works. The instruction manual can also be found on each product page. If you ever have any questions, feel free to let us know. We're more than happy to help.
8. What is the Difference Between a Pet and Working Dog Training Collar?
The biggest differences between pet dog trainers and working dog trainers are the range, durability, and stimulation levels.
Pet Dog Remote Training Collars
Pet dog training collars are usually for small to medium dogs that need close range training around the house and the park to stop nuisance behaviours such as pulling on the lead, digging up the yard, jumping up on people and more. These trainers have a short line-of-sight range of 300m or less. Pet dog remote training collars are available in two models; citronella spray collars and static electric collars. Pet dog remote training collars are not recommended for use in working conditions because they have not been built with the same durability as working dog remote training collars.
Working Dog Remote Training Collars
Working dog training collars are used for small to giant hunting dogs, working dogs, trial dogs, stubborn dogs and performance dogs. Farmers, hunters, and professional dog trainers use remote training collars to improve performance, stop dogs rushing stock and more. These remote trainers are built more durable than pet dog remote trainers. They are designed to withstand the demanding conditions, knocks, and bumps that hunting and working dogs will put it through in the field. All working dog remote training collars deliver a static electric stimulation and offer a wider range of stimulation strengths (up to 127 levels on some models). Working dog remote trainers are completely waterproof and rechargeable and the maximum line-of-sight range for these systems is between 350m and 1,600m depending on the model. Working dog remote trainers can also be used for pet breed behaviour training.
9. What are the Benefits in Using a Dog Training Collar?
A remote trainer is a tool to assist in training your dog, whether it's a pet or working dog. Remote training collars serve a two-fold purpose;
- Training and Command Reinforcement
- Curbing Bad and Unwanted Behaviours
Your dog has an electric collar (receiver) and you have the remote trainer handset (transmitter). You can use the remote training collar to get your dog's attention, for training purposes and to stop certain behaviours, like pulling clothes off the line.
Most remote trainers have a tone and/or vibration button used to signal your dog; what is known as a continuous button that is used for training and command reinforcement; and finally is the momentary or nick button which addresses bad or destructive behaviours. A remote training collar is to aid in training your dog.
10. Is My Dog Ready for a Remote Trainer?
When it comes to remote dog training collars, there are no specific criteria as to when a dog is ready. It really comes down to each individual dog and their learning capacity. We generally recommend training collars for dogs above 6 months old. By this age, most dogs will be able to understand that the negative stimulation is a result of their behaviour or a specific command. If your dog is under 6 months and you're considering using a remote training collar, feel free to give us a call on 0800 144 869 to discuss your options.
11. Can I Add Dogs to my Remote Trainer?
Yes - depending on the remote training collar model. Some remote trainers only have single-dog capability whereas some other models are expandable up to 6 dogs. All remote training collars include at least one receiver collar. You can find the expandability information and the number of receiver collars included with purchase on each product page. Additional receivers collars sold separately.
12. If a Remote Trainer says it's Expandable up to 4 dogs, do I Need to Connect 4 Collars to the System?
No, but you can. A remote trainer's 'number of dogs expandability' is the maximum number of receiver collars the system can handle. You can use a 4-dog remote training system as a 1-dog system, 2-dog system, 3-dog system or 4-dog system.
13. What Sort of Range Do I Need with My Remote Trainer?
In terms of range, the general rule of thumb in the industry is to always get more range than you need. Dog training collars operate with the handset (transmitter) sending radio signals to the receiver collar. This radio signal is subject to some interference from buildings, sheds, terrain, foliage, other radio signals and more.
If you only need about 50m in range, most pet dog training collars will be sufficient.
If you need about 200m in range, look for a remote training collar that offers 400m.
If you need about 800m in range, look for a remote training collar that offers between 1100m and 1600m of range.
If you need about 1100m in range, look for a remote training collar that offers a 1600m range.
Certain brands use an FM radio signal with their remote training collars, which means they are less prone to this sort of interference. One of these brands is Dogtra.
14. Can I use a Remote Training Collar on my Small Dog?
Yes. We have remote training collars available for dogs as small as 3kg.
15. Can I use a Remote Training Collar on my Big Dog?
Yes. We have remote training collars available for dogs 100kg+. If your dog has a really large neck, you can connect two collar straps together to fit your dog.
16. My Dog is Really Stubborn. Are these Trainers strong enough for my dog?
Yes, and because you have a stubborn dog, we only recommend using a static electric remote trainer. Static electric remote trainers have the capability to reach higher static stimulation levels to match your dog's high drive.
17. If Someone else is Using a Remote Trainer Near me, will my Dog Receive an Accidental Correction?
No. Each remote training collar has a unique code that pairs with your transmitter. The only time your dog's receiver collar will deliver a stimulation is when you pair your dog's collar with the transmitter and press a button on YOUR transmitter.
18. What does "Momentary" and "Continuous" Stimulation Mean?
Momentary stimulation
Momentary stimulation (also known as a "nick stimulation") provides an instant static stimulation that lasts a split second. No matter how long you press the button for, the static stimulation will automatically stop after the split second. If you need to use the momentary stimulation button again, release your finger from the button and press down again. The momentary stimulation is used to quickly grab the attention of your dog. If your dog doesn't respond to the momentary stimulation, you may need to use continuous stimulation.
Continuous stimulation
The continuous stimulation delivers an ongoing stimulation for the length of time you hold down the button for. As a safety feature, most remote training collars will automatically cut-off after 10-15 seconds. To continue the correction, release your finger from the button and press down again.
19. What does "Tone" and "Vibration" (Pager) Mode Mean?
Tone mode means the collar will deliver an audible tone.
The vibration (pager) mode means the collar module will vibrate.
These non-static stimulations are used as a warning to remind your dog about the static electric consequence that may occur if they continue what they're doing.
20. Is there a System that has the Remote Training Collar Functionality Combined with a Bark Collar?
This is a question we get asked a lot and unfortunately, the answer is no. This is because the training methods are approached in different ways.
With bark collars, you want your dog to know that when the collar is on, they can't bark.
With remote training collars, you don't want your dog to know that they're wearing a training collar. You want your dog to associate the correction as a result of their behaviour, not the training collar.
If you have a dog that barks excessively and misbehaves, we recommend resolving the issue that needs to be fixed first. If you have any questions in regards to your dog's behaviour, feel free to give us a call on 0800 144 869.
21. Is there a System that has the Remote Training Collar Functionality combined with a Dog Fence?
There sure is! The SportDOG Contain + Train SDF-CT-22.
22. How do I fit the Remote Training Collar on my Dog?
The remote training collar needs to be fitted at the highest part of your dog's neck (just underneath their jawline) with the collar module placed at the front or the side of your dog's neck. Once in this position, tighten the collar strap one hole at a time until you can't move the collar module side to side. Finally, give the module a quick shake up and down so that the probes are touching your dog's skin.
The contact probes must be consistently touching your dog's skin.
23. How do I find the Right Correction Level for my Dog?
Before finding the right correction level for your dog, you will need to make sure the collar is fitted correctly. Once it's in the correct position, set your dog's collar to the lowest level (level 1) on your transmitter. Press a stimulation button. If your dog doesn't respond, increase the level two and press a stimulation button. If your dog still doesn't respond, increase level to level three and so on until you see a reaction from your dog. The reaction you should see from your dog is an ear twitch or a shake of the head.
We recommend going through this process in a controlled environment so that you know what the minimum level you need is. You may need to use different correction levels in different scenarios. For example, if your dog is chasing after animals off-lead, you may need to use higher stimulation levels than what you would need to stop your dog from pulling on the lead during walks.
24. What Does the Electric Shock Feel Like?
The static electric shock feels similar to the little zap you when you rub your feet on carpet and touch a metal door handle. Unpleasant, but harmless.
25. Can I test the Static Electric Collar on Myself?
You can. If you do this, we recommend holding your arm out with your palm facing downwards and placing the probes in the middle of your forearm. Start from the lowest level and work your way up. On the lowest levels, you'll barely feel anything at all. As you increase through the low to medium levels, you'll feel your muscles twitch slightly. As you increase further through the higher levels you'll feel more of that 'zap' sensation. It's important to remember that we feel the static stimulation a lot more than dogs do because we have sweat glands on our skin.
26. Will the Citronella Spray Collar Remote Trainer Work on my Dog?
It depends on your dog. We only recommend citronella spray collars for timid, sensitive, or easily startled pet breed dogs and senior dogs. Citronella spray collars deliver a burst of citronella spray that is effective for some dogs, but not all dogs.
If you have a pet breed dog with a mild to stubborn temperament, we recommend using a static electric remote training collar. If you have a working dog, we recommend using a static electric remote training collar. If you have a puppy above 6 months old that understands basic commands, we recommend using a static electric remote training collar.
27. How Long Can my Dog Wear the Dog Training Collar for?
Dogs can wear the remote training collar for a maximum of 10-12 hours per day. The reason for this limit is to avoid the probes causing irritation to the skin or pressure necrosis sores which can occur with prolonged use. We recommend that you check your dog's neck each time you fit their collar and give the probes and the dog’s neck a good wash weekly.
28. Are Remote Training Collars Waterproof?
Most are, but not all. All working dog remote training collars are waterproof. Some pet dog remote training collars are only water resistant. You can find this information on each product page.
29. Do you have Warranties on your Remote Training Collars?
Definitely! All Dogtra, SportDOG and PetSafe remote training collars are covered under a 3-year warranty. We also have our very own Dogtra technician in the office Monday to Friday. Do not trust companies that don't offer warranties on their products.
30. Can I Ask You if I need help with my Training?
Of course! That's what we're here for. If you have any questions regarding any of our remote training collars for your dog, feel free to contact us on 0800 144 869.
