[Storm]

Haven't read the other posts, but must say that firstly I do not believe that electric should be used for the developmentel stages of training, a little off topic, secondly your interaction and basics should be in place purely through motivational training where the dogs desire to interact is worked on. If you don't have this then all you can resort to is compulsion and at the end of the day very unhappy, unwilling dog. Dogs need a certain temperament, level of handler dog interaction, which has been developed and a foundation which is positive through which all various actions/commands have been imprinted and reinforced whilst through all this maintaining good attitude. Now when we create problems, normally unknowingly, then there is the corrective area in order to get things back on track again, but the corrective side is not to put the dog in a hole but rather to redirect the dog positively into a desired behavior. My point? How much of the basics have you addressed? How much and what type of foundation is in place? How clear is the dog's head? Is the dog truly proficient enough to handle any sort of correction and able to process it through having a clear understanding of why there is correction? There is nothing more damaging then applying correction and the dog is in a grey area where sure to the human anology it seems so clear and simple yet to the dog he can not process or understand the correction and respond correctly to alleviate the pressure etc. I believe in electric, I use it myself BUT, it is not a magic wand, there to zap what to the human mind seems correct, as usually incorrect. We so many times fall so short in the obedience aspect, we are incosistent, we are confused, we are so lacking yet we expect perfect clarity from our dogs, our dog's performance and clarity is a direct reflection of the imprinting from the person who handles, trains or owns the dog. So we must always ask ourselves and be aware that in many instances everything our dogs do has been allowed, created, reinforced somewhere down the line, by us! I wouldn't allow someone to handle my dog. But that's me.