Nico and I went on a 2-mile bushwhacking adventure this afternoon. I prefer bushwhacking with him over hiking on trails because I can let him roam freely without worrying about encountering people or unfriendly dogs. He’s so good being off leash that I rarely have to call him, though, at times, he wanders pretty far away from me; a quick recall, and he’s right back by my side. We keep his Dogtra Tom Davis Edition 280C e-collar on, which can be useful if he is so far away that I’m not sure he can hear my voice or stop him from chasing after something. Though, to be honest, it’s a safety measure, I can’t recall the last time I had to use the e-collar while we were out walking in the woods. Many people misunderstand the proper use of an e-collar and underappreciate the safety and freedom it can provide your dog. We use a very low-level stimulation as a way to make it clear to Nico that we are speaking with him; it’s the equivalent of getting tapped on the shoulder. Lots of conditioning training goes into this, and at this point, it isn’t really necessary for him unless there are lots of distractions around. A slightly higher level is used if he doesn’t respond to a command. We’ve had numerous people hold the collar, and no one can even feel the highest level of stimulation we use with Nico.

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Gear Used For This Shot

Sony A7RIV - Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM - Dogtra Tom Davis 280C E-Collar - Lupine Originals Wet Paint Collar - LuckyPet Rive-On Pet ID

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