Jim-
I am always try to do better when it comes to dog training. If you have time, would you be willing to go into details of how you worked with the e-collar and Boomer's dog-aggression? I'm curious if it is similar to how I've ended up using (and not using) the collar for my reactive dog, or if there is more for me to learn! (which is probably the case).
@Muskeg,
Here is how I use the E collar, it is probably similar to how you use the E collar.
I spend time conditioning my dogs to the E collar. They wear it for a couple of weeks with it turned off during training. Then I find the stimulation level where the dog first feels the stim. I then begin training with the collar paired with leash corrections. I do not "stim" dogs and give commands they already know. I do not "teach" dogs to turn the stimulation off, like some trainers do. I do not give a command and automatically "stim" my dog, regardless of whether or not the dog is obeying or disobeying the command. This is what you saw in the video the OP posted. I do not "punish" my dogs for correct behaviors and obedience.
First, I teach behaviors motivationally. With food, toys and praise. Then I train the behavior or command, again motivationally. Once a dog understands a behavior or command and has been trained to perform that command then I move to the next phase of training which is proofing. When I give a command my dog has between 1 1/2 - 2 seconds to perform that command. For example, all of my dogs know what "sit" means. If I tell one of my dogs to sit, I expect their butt to be going to the ground with in a 2 seconds. If the dog does not do that, it is disobedience ad I will correct my dogs for disobedience. I do not like to repeat commands, I say the command once and then will enforce the command within 2 seconds or less. Two seconds is a fair time frame, it gives the dog plenty of time to hear, process and perform the command.
I will not use an E collar to teach a dog to sit, down or recall. I will not use compulsion to teach a recall or any other command. I will never use an E collar stimulation to teach a dog to sit combined with pops with the leash as some E collar trainers recommend. I will never use an E collar to teach a dog to recall and "turn" the Stimulation off as some goofy websites or trainers recommend.
I use the E collar to correct disobedience and the level of the correction varies depending on the infraction and the hardness level and drive of the dog. I use a prong collar for training on all my dogs, I can adjust the level of correction with the prong from a mere tap, to a much stronger correction. When I start training wth the E collar I pair low level corrections with corrections I give with the prong collar. I absolutely want the dog to know that the E collar correction is coming from me. It is not a secret and the dog knows what it did wrong and why it was corrected.
With Boomer I have zero tolerance for dog aggression, simply put "avoidance" can be a good thing at times. He is a strong, hard dog and is dog aggressive. I taught him at 6 months old that he was not allowed to bark at dogs or show any aggression to dogs. I was at SchH / IPO training he reacted to a dog and was corrected strongly. He immediately learned that dog aggressive behavior would not be tolerated.
What is important to realize for most folks is the "hardness level" of their dog and the appropriate level of correction for their dog. On my scale of hardness (0-10), Boomer is about an 8. That is a fairly hard dog, not the hardest dog I've ever seen but pretty hard. Hardness also has to do with resiliency and the ability to take a correction and bounce back into drive unphased. When in drive, Boomer is even harder. A good correction has to higher than the drive level. Correcting Boomer and 6 or 7 would be nagging, an 8 would be marginally effective. The correction would have to be at a level higher than his hardness level of 8 for example.
The other thing for people to keep in mind is that after every correction, the instant the dog is correct the level of praise and reward must be higher than the correction. If the dog is corrected at a 9, in the dog's mind, the level of praise and reward must be off the charts for that dog.
So what did I do for Boomer's dog aggression, first I gave him something to do. Like a "watch me" command or heel. If he decides to bark at or even look at another dog, when I have given a "watch me" he will be corrected strongly for disobedience. The correction is hard enough, one time to guarantee he will obey and will instantly stop the undesirable behavior. I will correct him strongly with either a prong or E collar for any sign of dog aggression. The tool doesn't matter, he knows what both are and what they mean. I am very clear and fair to my dogs. I praise so much and so well that my dogs rarely disobey, they work for the joy of working. Because working is fun and rewarding.
It is important to keep in mind that Boomer is a clear headed dog with little or no handler aggression. He can handle a strong correction and will not redirect at me. Boru is handled differently and the corrections are applied differently. He is also not dog aggressive.