E-collar testimonials 2

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A big thank you also to Chris Hobster from Fife for taking the time to write this email to me.

"A few months ago I returned home from yet another awful walk with my two young Labs, Bonnie and Barney. Since July 2009 when the pups arrived with me I had worked hard to try and ensure that they were properly trained so that they could lead an active and safe life with me. I had just lost my Chesapeake who through her 12 years of a very active life had been perfectly behaved and a joy to train and work with. So to suddenly have two wilful sibling pups was a real eye opener but at times it was also quite distressing for them and me on our walks. Despite all my efforts they pulled on the lead, ran off like greyhounds if and when they were let off the leads and a walk turned into a nightmare as they totally ignored me. It mattered not if I had one of them or both of them. I walked miles with them on leads and was determined that we would sort this nonsense out. We went to puppy training classes to give them the benefit of socialising and all the other initial training that goes on at these classes. Despite all this, by the time we reached July 2010 our situation had not improved. Around the house and with people they were very good but taking them out was a dread and not a joy Bonnie had pulled the lead so hard that I had to have surgery on my hand to repair a torn ligament. This nonsense had to stop for them and for me.

Enter Mick and Working Canines. I found him by researching on the web so I emailed him outlining our problems. He was extremely supportive when he contacted me and when he said he could help us, I believed him. Mick hasn't just helped us, he has transformed our training and walking. His calm approach to any problem he identified with the pups, and me, enabled all the training I had been working so hard at to finally fall into place.

Like so many other dog people I was very apprehensive about using an e collar on my pups but I listened to Mick (and did some research - as you do). I trusted Mick with my pups and I trusted his advice. So on our second training session Mick demonstrated the e collar by using it on Bonnie as she was the worst offender for 'losing her head and just going hunting". In less than 4 minutes, Bonnie was transformed from a head strong youngster to a calm and very responsive gundog. More importantly she was safe. Barney had been reasonably good at recall but the scent of a hare would render any of my recalls totally worthless. Now we had the e collar on him - one touch of the bleep and now a dog that walked so close to my knee he almost tripped me up. During that session Bonnie walked for an hour at my heel, something I could never have envisaged when I shook hands with Mick on the car park.

I purchased an e collar because I had seen for myself how the proper and controlled use of the training device could help with a structured training programme but for me the safety issue for my young pups was so important. Now I could give them the work they desired and I could keep them safe. I could even enjoy walking and working with them.

So now, we walk anywhere we like, forest tracks, open fields, Tentsmuir beach and West Sands at St Andrew's - all under control (no more legging it across the 12th at the old course!) The pups have learned their boundary and now we have the e collars on but don't even have to use the tone or bleep. Both of them respond to recall by name, the whistle or a hand signal. They actually watch me and now I am the team leader. Both of them are happy young dogs now - they are fulfilling their potential, their behaviour around other dogs is excellent and I have no worries about taking them out anywhere. We had a real test last weekend when Barney put up a hare in the fields near home. Yes he gave chase and Bonnie followed him but a quick recall by whistle for Bonnie and the tone for Barney was all we needed to halt the chase and return to the training work on that walk. Without the introduction of the e collar into our training I would not have had that response and my young dog may well have been in danger.

I am sure that everyone who turns to Mick for help does so because they care about their dogs and about their own sanity in some cases. To anyone hesitating about speaking to Mick or using the e collars to aid their training, please trust me when I say you will see the positive benefits straight away. You will also enjoy seeing your dogs enjoying being under control, staying safe and fulfilling their potential. I am surrounded by so much open countryside and now life is normal again. I go out to train or walk my gundogs and I am proud of the way they behave but I am also relaxed because my dogs are so safe.

Thanks Mick - we could not have reached this point without your help and advice. The e collar has probably saved my sanity but most importantly it has given my dogs freedom to work safely and for that I will be eternally grateful.

I have already recommended Mick to other dog owners. If you have a problem, give him a call - your dog won't regret it.

Chris Hobster, Fife

Barney & Bonnie would sign this if they could write! "

Callum MacLean was good enough to send me this as further proof these collars, used properly, can save dogs lives.

My dog is a five year old male Cocker Spaniel, called Baillie

He runs away, sometimes attacking other dogs and more worryingly for me, runs over main streets which have heavy traffic on them.

The last two occasions he ran across roads it was a miracle he didnt kill himself and a family of five.

Last week he went for a small cocker spaniel, that led to a discussion about them reporting Baillie as a vicious dog.

I wouldnt look at it as a real attack, but it is the other dog owners opinion that would get Baillie in trouble.

I used micks services recently and was very happy with the outcome, but Baillies recent behaviour showed i havent got control of everything.

I thought constantly about the e collar, but dismissed it primarily because i didnt want other owners to see me using it---how could you, your cruel etc, etc.

I gave in and bought one last week.

I used the nick part twice on my first day using it, with the command come, baillie returned to me , without continuing with his negative behaviour.

Over the following week, I used the beep tone on two occasions with no usage of the nick part.

The only negative point is that after the first day, baillie seemed shaky, and I would humanise it and say he was nervous.

Third day onward, no anxiety, no shaking.

From day three onward I havent needed to use the handset at all.

I have walked right beside roads, and he recalls to the come command always.

He walks beside me happily, recalls without issue and happily goes to see other dogs, with no problems at all.

I think it is also important to understand that the owner has no anxiety as you know you can beep beep the collar, if you have to.

I am finding i dont have to use the collar at all. it is still on just in case.

remember i have only used this system for one week.

Today i was congratulated, that my dog recalled even if he saw other dogs.

Thinking of the first two days when he seemed nervous, baillie has always had a tendency to go that way.--he collapses at the vets. I personally think he just had to gain knowledge of what this new thing was.

Other owners dont bother me--when they ask what the collar is, I tell them it is a collar that emits a beep, beep sound to help training.

No problem, no issue.

Mick suggested that Baillie was agitated as he was alpha dog, protecting the humans.

You now find baillie sleeping all over the house, contented and relaxed.

E collar--buy one now, and when you read that people say they shocked once only, it is true, i use it but dont need to use it, how cool is that.

Callum MacLean "