I searched for the best electronic dog training collar and came up with a winner – even though I was a little bit unsure if I should even use it. Ultimately, the results made me realize we picked the best of the best dog training collars.The PetSafe PDBDT-305 Deluxe Big-Dog Trainer is a big winner in my book.

See, Cooper is just a high-spirited, fun loving kind of guy. The first time we took him for a walk I thought he would choke himself he was so excited to get going 9using a choke collar – aptly named). Next, we tried a Halti type collar (head collar) and it worked pretty well. But when we started going to a professional dog trainer he discouraged it due to the possibility of neck injury. We then used a pinch collar (or sometimes called a prong collar) and it was like something magical happened.

So, what does this have to do with a shock collar? We learned that quick, firm corrections are very effective. And this is a lot more humane to the dog than repeated ineffective punishment. The Petsafe correction collar was the perfect solution to bad behavior when not leashed.

Note: We believe that positive reinforcement is the best way to train. Unfortunately, much to my dismay, dogs naturally develop undesirable behaviors. They must be corrected not just for my convenience but for the dog’s safety. That is why, when positive methods don’t work, I am more than willing to use a prong collar or shock collar to get quick effective dog training results.

Also, I think it is a good idea to get professional dog training help to make sure your training methods are right for your particular dog and that the proper dog/master relationship is established.

OK, now that I’m off my soapbox, let’s look at the petsafe electronic training collar. This thing is great. Here are the features:

Remote trainer for dogs over 40 pounds – range of up to 100 yards
10 easily adjustable levels of stimulation, from 250 volts to 7000 volts
Option for negative tone with or without correction
Low-battery indicator light; expanded training manual and batteries included
Transmitter measures 1 by 1-1/2 by 6 inches; receiver 1-1/4 by 2-1/2 by 1 inches; limited lifetime warranty
Waterproof  collar system – even while swimming
Full-featured training system comes with an expanded training manual written by the professional dog trainers at Triple Crown Dog Academy

Amazon Customer Reviews

Over 125 customer reviews confirm this is a great product. Yes there are some cons as well as pros but the overall opinion is positive for the Petsafe training collars. One complaint is the waterproof claim – some people had problems when the collar was exposed to lots of the wet stuff.

Sadly, I have a dog that enjoys the sprinkler system….and I found out that the collar was not waterproof…
I contacted PetSafe and braced myself for a fight… but was pleasantly surprised that they were both responsive and courteous…
The support employee on the phone immediately stated that he was not comfortable with trying to repair a unit that had been wet on the interior, and he immediately shipped a new unit with a return postage label for the broken unit.

You will find numerous stories of great customer service from PetSafe. They are a great example of a company that cares about people – and pets!

I was very hesitant to use a shock collar on my dog so I tried everything else I could think of to control his jumping, barking and general disobedience. I worked with him myself, hired a trainer, and purchased an audio and spray correction device but nothing worked.
After trying each stimulation setting on myself (even at level 10 it is not painful but it does command your attention), I adjusted the collar and placed it on my puppy. Saying that there was an almost instant change in his demeanor would be an understatement.
Within 2 days I only had to use the sound to correct him. And now, only a few weeks later, I don’t even need to turn the collar on. He is a pleasure and I know that this product is the reason for his change. Thank you Petsafe for this wonderful product.

My Overall Rating of the PetSafe PDBDT-305 Deluxe Big-Dog Trainer

I give this collar a solid A Grade of 97. This review is based on personal experience and I can vouch for the quality and workability of the product. While I don’t have personal experience with the product division of PetSafe (every Petsafe dog training product I have works great!) I do have experience with their company. See, we live in the city where Petsafe is headquartered. We take Cooper to PetSafe Village for grooming and daycamp. The people there are absolutely great. I can’t say enough for the great service and integrity of this company.

Bottom Line Opinion On The Petsafe Training Collar

You can’t lose. Period. The product works great and if for some reason it doesn’t work properly you have terrific customer service to back it up. Plus, if you just don’t like it, you can return it (when purchased from a dealer or Amazon).
Check out the PetSafe PDBDT-305 Deluxe Big-Dog Trainer

We’re sure glad we got one. Cooper is too!

You don’t want your dog to chew on things he isn’t supposed to. To keep your dog from chewing, learn these basic steps and utilize the “secret” method that works almost every time.

Chewing is natural, for puppies and grown dogs alike.  Dogs think that chewing is normal (and for them it is!).  However, it is not necessarily the right thing to do.  If your dog has problems with chewing on things he shouldn’t, you will need to correct the problem as soon as you notice it.

There are some dogs that will chew anything that they can get their teeth on.  That includes shoes, clothes and furniture.  Some will even chew rocks! Of course, these are things that you would rather them keep away from.  It’s not a good feeling to have to keep buying replacements. (Although you probably don’t buy replacement rocks.)

One of the easiest solutions to this problem is to get your dog a variety of dog toys that they can chew on.  Using these toys can teach them what they can chew on and what they cannot.  Plus, having a variety of dog toys for them to chew on will keep them occupied. It’s a good idea to have a variety of textures for them to choose from as well.

Chewing on the toys will also keep their teeth and gums healthy.  Some of the better choices for dog toys to chew on are ones that are scented or flavored.  Consistently encourage your dog to play with the toys.

Another thing you can do is teach them to get a toy every time they come in your presence.  Even if they greet someone else, still teach them to get one of their toys.

While you are training them, also teach them not to chew on items they are not supposed to be chewing on.  It is also important that the area where the dog plays is kept free of clutter.  For your part, make sure that there are no shoes or other items that can provoke them to start chewing on them.

If the dog should happen to get something that they’re not suppose to have, get their attention and remove it.  Then replace it with a dog toy.  Each time they do that, applaud them for doing the right thing.  If they take the allowable replacement, you can even give them a treat as a reward. You can also prevent them from not chewing your items by applying something that will make them step away from it, like bitter apple, cayenne pepper or tabasco sauce. I prefer the bitter apple because it works well and doesn’t burn the dog’s mouth like pepper or tabasco.

• Keep an eye on your dog all the time (especially puppies)
• Give your dog an alternate “OK thing” to chew on
• Praise your dog when he chews on the right thing
• Treat your dog when she chews on the right thing
• Use bitter apple on forbidden items

Even though biting is considered as a normal behavior, you should also keep in mind that when dogs get older, it could pose a serious risk to others including yourself.

It may be cute in the puppy stage, but as they grow, it’s not cute anymore.  You have to start when you still have a puppy to get them to change their behavior regarding biting.

As a puppy, biting is a learned behavior that comes from their mother and additional litter.  Because they are not always with their mother, the human that takes care of them must be responsible for making the change.

While still in the puppy stage, allow the puppy to play with other puppies.  They like to interact with each other and sometimes that will include biting.  As they do this, they can learn to control themselves.

If there is one puppy that is overly aggressive, the others will get after the aggressive puppy for being too rough.  As they continue to play with each other, the puppy will learn to subside with the biting.

You can start very early while they are still a puppy when they are at least four to six weeks old.  Here are some tips that you can take to get an advantage:

• Let the puppy know that you hurt when they bit you.  You can be stern and say “no” or “ouch” to let the puppy know that it hurt you.  The puppy will know that they have gone too far and they will think about what they’ve done.

• Slowly take your hand away.  Doing this too fast can cause more damage.

• If they bite you again, repeat your verbal reaction.  Step away from the puppy for a while. They will realize that you don’t appreciate what they did and will figure out that you don’t want to be around them.

• Give them a toy to chew on.

• Reward the puppy when they are good and not biting you.

• Be consistent when you are training them to stop biting.  Continue to let the puppy know that bites are not acceptable.

• Your puppy should take an obedience class.  That way he can interact with other dogs as he gets older.  He will learn about limits with humans and other dogs.

• As your puppy gets older and grows into a dog, he needs lots of physical activity, including regular exercise.  Also, give them a chance to play outside so that he can get some fresh air.  Make sure he gets to walk and play fetch.  This can help them not think about biting.

• Keep them on a schedule with their physical activities.  They will get used to doing things and will come to enjoy doing them.

• Keep young children out of harm’s way by not leaving them alone with the puppy.  The puppy may still be in the learning stage and may bite the child.

• Refrain from aggressive behavior with them.  That can influence them to continue biting.

• If they continue to bite despite your best efforts, contact your veterinarian or a dog trainer for assistance.

Your dog is your best friend. He is always there when you return home, happily wagging his tail to greet you at the door. He is the well-behaved dog you envisioned when you considered getting a pet.

However, he was not always the obedient pet he is now. When he was a newcomer to your home, there were some issues that definitely needed work. Every trip outside for exercise and fresh air became a war of wills. You have to admit, his was somewhat stronger for awhile.

What made him change? How did you turn him into the well-behaved pet he is today? The discovery of the most humane way of training your dog was the turning point. The right collar to help train him to behave and follow your commands was responsible for the almost instant improvement.

The Types of Training Collars

There are several collars employed for training dogs, but there are a few that people are more comfortable with than others. In addition, the collars are safe and do not harm your dog. Let’s look at the types and what benefit they can provide.

Choke Collar – The choke collar tightens around the dog’s neck when they pull. The consensus is that this type of collar could potentially harm a dog’s wind pipe by pressing against it. The more the dog pulls against the leash or chain that is attached to the choke collar the tighter it gets.

Halti Collar – A halti collar fits around the dog’s head and may remind you somewhat of a horse halter. When using this type of collar, if the dog goes in the direction you want, the collar is not tight. If he tries to head in the other direction, it tightens around his snout. The more he tries going in the wrong direction, the tighter the collar will get. He will quickly want to relieve the pressure.

Some dogs respond well to this type of collar, but others never seem to get used to it. They will fight with the collar and try to take it off the entire time they are wearing it. There is also a small resemblance to a muzzle, which could cause some people to think your dog bites.

These two collars seem to be effective and are preferred by many trainers when teaching dogs the basic behavior expected of them.

Pinch Collar – This type, also called a prong collar, gives the dog a pinch when they pull against the leash or chain. Rather than focusing on the wind pipe, this collar delivers even pressure around the entire neck. There is a general feeling among some that this type of collar is not a good choice for an aggressive dog. But this type collar can be ideal for dogs that want to pull against the leash when the proper training is used.

Electronic Collar – This collar has had very good results with dogs that do not come when called or are just generally not very good listeners. The collar works by delivering small static shocks to the dog using a remote control when it does not respond to your commands.

There are many people who will tell you this is inhumane and just plain mean. The truth is this can be a very effective way to train your dog. If you perform a simple test, you can rest assured this is not harming your dog. Put the collar on your arm or leg and start with the lowest setting. Shock yourself using the remote and see what the shock feels like. Go to the next setting and try it. This will allow you to feel what the dog will feel.

Always Use Training Collars Responsibly

Remember one thing. The person in control of the collar is responsible for using it properly. None of the collars are meant to harm the dog. Used responsibly, they are effective for training your pet. This is the sole purpose of using any type of collar made for training. A dog should never be harmed in an attempt to try and make it mind.

If you are interested in the success others have had with training collars, you will want to check out some of the reviews on this site. They are written by people just like you who have used different training collars. You will be amazed at how quickly some have had a positive response from dogs that were totally out of control.