Here at Grand View Outdoors, we're working on a little project to help out do-it-yourself waterfowl hunters be more successful in the field.
Part of this new initiative is to train our own hunting dog using the tools and techniques available to the "everyman" hunter — someone who doesn't have the income to invest in a finished dog or to send his dog off to a high-priced trainer for extended periods — and the dog owner who's working full time and has a couple 15-minute chunks before and after the daily grind to work on getting the basics down for a competent "meat hunter" retriever.
One of the tools we've had the fortune to try out is the SD425 electronic collar from SportDog. This is the first time we've worked with an e-collar, and to be honest we started out a bit skeptical of the technology. But trainer after trainer have said the e-collar — when used correctly — is like magic. The key of course is to never introduce the collar too early, and to use it only as a reinforcement of commands already firmly established.
In this video we talk about the basic functions of the SD425 and why we've found that for the first-time DIY retriever trainer, it's a perfect choice to get the job done.
SPECS
- DOG SIZE: 8 pounds or larger
- DOG TEMPERAMENT: Moderate
- CONTINUOUS STIMULATION: 7 levels
- MOMENTARY STIMULATION: 7 levels
- TONE/VIBRATION OPTIONS: Instantly select stimulation, vibration, or tone
- MODES OF OPERATION: 7
- RANGE: Up to 500 yards
- EXPANDABLE SYSTEM: Expandable up to 3 dogs
- WATERPROOF: DRYTEK waterproof and submersible to 25 feet
- NECK SIZE: 5” - 22"
- BATTERY TYPE: Rechargeable Li-Ion
- BATTERY CHARGE TIME: 2-hour quick charge
- MSRP: $175
