# e Collar protection from traffic



## VizMom123 (Nov 22, 2021)

I have a 9 month old Vizsla who is absolutely great. He is everything to us. I live on a farm and he has tonnes of space although he doesn't roam far from me being a velcro dog. So far our training has gone well using positive reinforcement and he's naturally a very confident and non aggressive pup. My concern is that our farm house is located close to a very busy road where it isn't possible to put gates due to the frequent deliveries. The entire front of the property is dog proof except for one 14' drive entrance.

We have conducted as much training as we feel is safe to do so discouraging going anywhere near the drive entrance. In fact, NEVER in the lifetime of the dog have we ever walked him out of the drive - instead we always leave in the car if we're going on a dog walk elsewhere.

We recently had an incident where our dog left the driveway and ran down the road. I've noticed he seems to be attracted to the odd piece of litter blowing around on the road. Once he got out there was probably scared by the fast traffic and ran in the wrong direction. Since the incident I've had to ensure that we're constantly on a long lead outside the house just in case. I'm still worried that I'll slip up some day and the dog will find his way onto the road and not be so lucky.

I am not a fan of e-collars (personal choice - no offence intended to those finding that path is effective for them). I can't help but feel that an e-collar would be a better option for my dog's happiness and safety right now. If my dog ever leaves the drive again his life will be in danger - he could die or kill a car full of people. Allowing my dog to roam many acres but having an e-collar to save his life stopping him from crossing a single 14' gap leading to the road seems like a good deal.

Putting a gate on or having an additional fence further back just isn’t a practical option. If there is better training I could do, I'm happy to listen to any advice to discourage ever going on the road.

For anyone with any e-collar experience, any recommendations gratefully received. I can easily have mains electric to the entrance post but I've got a tarmac drive, any wire would need to go over the top, potentially I could hollow out a groove or put a rubber strip on top. Does anyone know what kind of e-collar would fit my limited needs?

Without making me feel like a terrible person for considering this, has anyone any advice? Please no hate!


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

No hate here, i actually fully understand your concern. My first dog was over 4 and my second over 2 with good recall when i had to put an e collar on them for our off leash walks as due to COVID our usual running spot became like an overnight party place for many with all sorts of dangerous food and whatever else rest left laying on the ground, way to exciting for them unfortunately. And as the leave it command from 300 years is just not practical, i needed an extended arm for safety reasons. They learned it both within half an hour what it means, and i mostly use the tone or vibe function, not the shock. 
So are you considering something like this, which you can operate manually or did you mean to have more of the invisible fence version? Latter one i have no experience with but i have been told some dogs would blow it in case the urge to get to the other side is very big, so i would probably not trust my dogs with something like that.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I've been using electronic boundary collars on my dogs for 30 years. They work, they're effective, and they're safe.
Mine have always been a combinatin of "Contain and Train". Same collar for both the fence and training.
In the US we have quite a few manufactures of these fence system. The biggest being "Invisible Fence". I use the Sport Dog System.
I don;t know what brands are available where you're at, or if you can order a US brand, then convert the voltage power to your standard, but a simple wire loop system, without a remote transmitter, shouldn't be to expensive.
My fences are all a "Loop" off the back of the house. None of my dogs have ever seen the front of the house except from the car, and there is no need. Doing it this way makes the closest point to the road that they can get, is over 100 feet. There is more than enough room out the back door for them.


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

We use an e collar for containment and also when running them. . Rarely have to use the correction but just yesterday they were on the trail of a Coyote a quick tickle snapped them out of pursuit. All our dogs learned the e fence very quickly.

There are units that you can get that send out a signal to guard an area. No wires. We have used them to stop the beasts from eating cat Poo.


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## TrumpetBlast (Jun 27, 2020)

I use the Dogtra 2700 collar. I never even use the 'nick' option, I just beep her and she comes running back. We have worked at her recall probably more than any other command, so the collar is just a reinforcement if she gets too independent or on a strong trail that she decides is more enticing than obeying  It really can be life or death sometimes, so you are being a good parent by having this second line of defense.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

It sounds like you are looking for an invisible fence as mentioned in prior replies. They run a wire underground and if the dog gets too close they get some warning beeps, after a bit of that buffer warning they will get a warning stimulation. There is a training period typically with flags so the dog understands that area with the flags is off limits. Eventually the flags are removed after the dog understands. As for the tarmac, the installers can usually cut a shallow thin line across it where they place the wire, then seal it with caulk material. I would suggest the dual use collar that also works with a handheld controller.

Perhaps once you dig into e-collars more and experience their usage first hand you may change your mind about them. When properly used they help form a stronger bond with the handler by establishing an additional communicative channel. Of course like anything else in life they can be abused in the wrong hands and unfortunately it is those stories that tend to stick.

Proper introduction and training with the help of the installer/expert is just as important as the equipment.


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