Spray Collars?

Has anyone had any experience with water spray collars?

Coopers running up to other dogs when out reached a new level yesterday when he ran out of a field leaving a dog who he was playing with to get to another dog.

I used a water spay on him to stop him jumping up, I only needed to use it twice and I had tried for months with other methods.
I would like to try people walking dogs using a spray on him, but finding anyone to help has been difficult, so I have thought about using a water spray collar so that I can do it on my own, but I'm not sure how effective it will be?

See you could make a whole new problem. You spraying him with water when he approaches another dog could make him a little less social - but then it could go further than that and he won't socialise at all - if thats understandable?

Urm put it this way: If I sprayed you in the face everytime you said hello to another person - you would just give up wouldn't you, but after so long of being sprayed in the face - I said OK, you'd be timid about it. Plus you'd have to be very quick on the mark and you cannot fuzz the lines of what is allowed and what isn't..

I would go back to recall, train it everywhere. In the park on a long line - in the fields etc until you are certain he will come 95% of the time around other dogs - that 5% is allowed in my book.

I let Louie say hello - if I know the dog he's bounding up to greet. Then when he's had a hello and a quick play - I shout his name, this way then walk off - 90% of the time it works. 10% of the time we stick with the other dog for a while to drain some of his energy

How would you time the water 'correction'? that would be my main concern. If he was running in the opposite direction from you towards another dog, at what point would you apply the spray collar? also, how will he be able to connect his actions (running towards dog) with getting sprayed? you don't want him associating the presence of other dogs/people with getting sprayed with water, if this is something he doesn't like.

I don't think it would work, sorry. Any type of spray collar device is designed to reinforce known behaviours, NOT teach new ones. Spraying him in the context you describe won't do much besides confuse him.

How old is he and what have you tried before?

I have used an air spray collar to get Celt to recall instantly when he wanted to chase sheep. He had broken through the fence whlle I was clicker training him in the garden and chased the sheep.

I decided it was urgent and I needed a quick solution so I used the collar for an instant recall rather than pairing it with the sheep.

I sprayed him twice when he ignored my command and he has been great ever since. Although recently he has been rushing off to meet and greet all dogs and humans we meet----but that is my fault for allowing him leeway because of his feet and general difficulties.

If you are going to use it don't use it with relation to the other dogs, use it to reinforce the recall. However is it that urgent----there are other nicer ways of doing it and I wouldn't have done it if I could have sorted it any other way fast. The fence has now been changed but that wasn't possible instantly.

rune

That is really interesting. I have also been wondering about trying a spray collar, because nothing else seems to work with teaching Dexter recall.

Can you offer any more detail about how you timed it RUNE? Only if you're not too busy and it's no trouble, many thanks