# E-Collar Comparison - Review



## Baron (Sep 15, 2006)

Finding it impossible to easily compare products and because every manufacturer publishes different amounts of specifications I decided I would do the research. I called Tritronics, SportDog and Dogtra to get full specs on the top models. I took all the data and put it into an excel file so I could compare.

*Click to see the spread sheet with a side-by-side comparison of features*
http://www.1stomni.com/baron/e-collars.htm

Below are my findings.

*Tritronics Pro 500 G2 EXP*

Pro's
- Industry standard for pro's
- Proven reliability
- Long range
- 2 hour charge time
- Different antenna lenghts
- Easy to use
- 3 dog ready
- 18/18 stimulations

Con's
- No vibrate
- No Tone/Nic
- With antenna it is large
- It is $250 more than all other units

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*Tritronics Sport Combo G3*

Pro's
- Made by industry leader
- Small compact transmitter
- Uses simple 9 volt batter in transmitter that lasts a long time
- Latest technology
- 2 hour charge time on collar
- 3 dog ready
- 20/20 stimulations

Con's
- No vibrate
- No Tone/Nic
- Shorter range of 1/2 mile
- New product with higher chance of defects

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*SportDog Wetland 2000*

Pro's
- Good medium range of 3/4 mile
- Compact transmitter of 6 3/4"
- Camo design
- 2 dog ready

Con's
- No Vibrate
- No Tone/Nic
- Fewer stimulations than others (16/16)
- 12 hour charge time

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*SportDog 1800*

Pro's
- Good medium range of 3/4 mile
- Compact transmitter of 6 3/4"
- Has Tone/Nic
- 3 dog ready 

Con's
- No Vibrate
- Fewer stimulations than others (16/16)
- 12 hour charge time

---

*Dogtra 2200NCP*

Rheostat style of control

Pro's
- Long range of 1 mile
- Has Vibrate
- Has 127/127 Stimulations
- Compact size 6.9" with antenna

Con's
- No tone
- No tone/nic
- The transmitter is either one or two dog. 
- You must the buy two dog transmitter with 2 collars now
- If you loose or damage a collar you must send transmitter back
- 12 hour charge time

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*Dogtra 1700NCP*

Rheostat style of control

Pro's
- Has Vibrate
- Has 127/127 Stimulations
- Compact size 6" with antenna
- Has LCD for stimulation info and battery levels
- Lightweight transmitter of 4.9 oz

Con's
- Shorter range of 1/2 mile
- No tone
- No tone/nic
- The transmitter is either one or two dog. 
- You must buy the two dog transmitter with 2 collars now
- If you loose or damage a collar you must send transmitter back
- 12 hour charge time

There are some features of tritronics that are appealing. The 2 hour charge times, and for the G3 a 9 volt battery in the transmitter that lasts for 6 months. The G3 will not be available for 4 weeks.

All the ones I compared are waterproof for both transmitter and collar. 

I like the camo color of sport dog and the range is in the middle with 3/4 mile. So between Sportdog and Dogta is the extra range more important than vibrate, the extra stim levels and the smaller size of the Dogtra.

TT and sportdog come standard with the capability of 2 or 3 dogs by just getting another collar. The Dotra you need to buy the 2 dog with collars now. 

Many of you recommended the TT 500. From what I can see, this unit is old technology and the only advantage of this model (on paper) over the Dogtra 2200 is that I can charge the battery in 2 hours. The Dogtra has vibrate, it is much smaller, and has more levels (levels of which I am not sure are necessary).

The dotra has vibrate instead of tone. I would think that the vibrate would better because it is consistant (sensation is always on the neck). Am I wrong? Any comments?

The big negative with dogtra is that if you loose or damage a collar the transmitter must be sent in to them. The units do not have tone.

* If I get a 1/2 mile unit, what is the "reliable" range? Is this plenty for field trial training?
* How much of the range is lost when the dog is in the water?
* Is vibrate mode of any value, do any of you use it?
* Do any of you use the tone feature?
* Are the 127 levels of stimulation with Dotra all marketing, would I every need such a range?
* Are my specs right, am I missing anything important???

Thanks,

DB


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## Kenneth Niles Bora (Jul 1, 2004)

Baron said:


> am I missing anything important???
> Thanks,
> DB


Knowing how to use it! :shock: You can have all the futures in the world but if you don't know the why, when and how then you may as well just beat your dog with a shovel. I wonder how many features the first collar Rex Carr used had? While I understand your quest to be an informed shopper, I feel it is more important to learn how to use the collar.
Ken Bora
BTW David check your P.M.'s


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## Baron (Sep 15, 2006)

Ken Bora said:


> While I understand your quest to be an informed shopper, I feel it is more important to learn how to use the collar.
> Ken Bora
> BTW David check your P.M.'s


I have ordered both Mike Lardy's and Evan Graham's and books/dvd's and I won't touch the collar until I have read them.

Ken's post does make me think about possibly the most important question. Of the tree models, are there usability issues. Everyone says the Pro 500 is very easy to control and handle, what about the sport dog and dogtra models?

DB


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2006)

I don't use any of the features that are listed as "cons" and you really don't need many one million levels of stimulation. The frivolous features that other brands market -- which look wonderful to people who aren't familiar with them -- are useless to me. 

One thing I don't see that you listed, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong... Some of the brands use a rheostat (I think that's what it is) where the dial just moves without any clicks. I don't like that. Tritronics, and some others, click into the level. I cannot see any reason to have a dial that doesn't click (which to me is safer and prevents you from accidentally changing the level). I do know that one thing tritronics does is evaluate their stimulation levels as far as from one to the next. I had a couple of prototypes of the sport dog collars before they went to market. And one had a huge jump in pressure as it goe higher. Of course, I had to test it on myself and in all the excitement I kept forgetting which collar was which... so had to do it over again.

Anyway...

What I want in a collar is FIRST -- reliability. THEN I want features. But all I need is consistent stimulation -- so a 4 is always a 4 and so on... The quick charge time is a HUGE HUGE bonus. And ease of use. Tritronics has all that. I don't need a bunch of extra stuff that I don't use anyway....

-K


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## Evan (Jan 5, 2003)

Ken Bora said:


> Baron said:
> 
> 
> > am I missing anything important???
> ...


Terrific point, Ken!


Ken Bora said:


> I wonder how many features the first collar Rex Carr used had?
> 
> Ken Bora
> BTW David check your P.M.'s


He told me his first was a Hartz leather collar with a motorcycle coil for power and model airplane cervo's contained in an electrical switch box - all around the dog's neck. A regular model airplane remote control was the transmitter. 

The critical point is that all of that 'stone axe' equipment was operated by a master trainer. A poor trainer with a $500 e-collar is still a poor trainer.



Baron said:


> Con's
> - No vibrate
> - No Tone/Nic
> - With antenna it is large
> - It is $250 more than all other units


Personally, the lack of vibration or tones isn't a con. I think selling such gimmicks as having anything to do with effective training is a con, and the Pro 500 is worth its price. But that's just me. BTW, I really like the 80-100 hours of usage time!  

Evan


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## Kenneth Niles Bora (Jul 1, 2004)

Kristie Wilder said:


> I had to test it on myself and in all the excitement I kept forgetting which collar was which... so had to do it over again.
> -K


Everyone should do this, EVERYONE!! When you pull on a rope or thump with a heeling stick, you know how hard you are pulling and thumping. When you buy a new collar you need to know how hard you are shocking. You cannot tell by asking the dog. Some will cry like a little baby on a low 2 and others like some of the Chesapeake's I have worked with will take all the juice you got and just blink their eyes. Totally internalizing the pressure and just getting mad at you. You need to know yourself what those numbers on the transmitter equal in pain. It's kind of fun if you do it in a group setting :wink: .
Ken Bora


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## Bill Billups (Sep 13, 2003)

*collar*

I use 2 different collars. The TT sport 50 is handy for hunting. In training the flexibility and the way the pro 500 feels in my hand is great. The 500 sits in your hand perfectly and you can hold a heeling stick along side of it. 

I like having 2 collars. The sport for hunting and the 500 for training. If I had to have one, it would be the Pro 500.

Bill


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## Baron (Sep 15, 2006)

Does anyone have any feelings on the range?

- Is a 1/2 mile unit perfectly fine for field trial training?

- When the dog is in the water does it greatly affect range?

Thanks.


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## meleagris (May 20, 2003)

Baron:

Tina uses a Dogtra collar that has a 1/2 mile range (I use Tritronics Pro 100). We've never had a problem with range.

That said...as many others here have suggested, get the Tritronics. You will NOT regret buying the best you can get. I 110% agree with Kristie about the click levels. I HATE the dial. On top of all that, others know what you're talking about when you say "I used a high 3" and you might get some better response to help questions here.

John
________
Michigan Dispensaries


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## Bill Billups (Sep 13, 2003)

*range*

Baron,

To me range is not an issue. I am not going to correct my dog if I can't see him. I cannot see my dog at 1 mile so I wouldn't correct at that range. I've never given a correction at 1/2 mile either. 400-500 yds is about as far as most people run blinds.

Bill


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## Vickie Lamb (Jan 6, 2003)

Baron said:


> Below are my findings.
> 
> *Tritronics Pro 500 G2 EXP*
> 
> ...


_*Spec on the TT G2 and G2 EXP is not correct regarding tone*_.

There *IS* a tone feature on the G2 and G2 EXP. It is a stand-alone tone.

I use the tone feature. With my retrievers I use it for a praise tone and have been doing so for many years. With my hounds, depending on the dog, it is used as a praise tone or for silent recall. 

Hope this helps.


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## Doug Main (Mar 26, 2003)

I could be mistaken, but I thought the Pro series G2 do have a tone without stimulation. (although most don't use it) The flyaway G2 does not. 

Personally, I like the Flyaway G2. It is the same as the Pro-200 without the tone (which I don't use) for about $50 less. The Pro-200 is about $50 less than the Pro 500. So the flyaway is about $100 less than the Pro-500. 

I have had both the Pro-500 and the Flyaway. I like the flyaway better. The down side is the flyaway only has 6 levels of continuous. However, the plus side is you don't have to flip a switch to change from momentry to continous. Just use the continuous button. Most of my corrections are "nicks" given in momentary mode, even with the Pro-500. However, sometimes, I need a "burn" with the continous. I don't have to change the switch. 

I know many of the Pros, like Lardy, mostly use continuous mode. But they are much better at getting a consistent "nick" on the continous mode than I am. If I am too fast, I can get no correction, or too slow I get too much. 

Consistency is the dog trainer's friend. The less I have to think about the more consistent I can be. Since we are making decisions on how much correction to give at a split second. I like that I only have to determine which button to push.


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## Golddogs (Feb 3, 2004)

The 500 in the hands of an experienced trainer is one thing. In the hands of an average person, myself inlcude, it is IMO overkill. MOST of what you will need to properly correct can be obtained in a Pro 200 or Flyway Special. One has tone. One does not.
I do not like the reostat and much prefer the positive level adjustments of TT.


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## tom sawyer (Sep 13, 2006)

I got the Sportdog 400S, an economy model. It has a rheostat and no it doesn't click, but the way it is made, you cannot accidentally turn it up/down. The dial is not at all loose or extremely easy to change. I'm not sure if turning it halfway beteen levels gives an in-between stim, that was what Dogtra advertized. Anyone know?

This collar has a variety of modes to choose from, so you can choose the way you want to set it up.

I'll have to look into using the tone for a reward signal, that is interesting. I'd originally intended to use it as a warning.

I've used it on myself of course. The level my dog is responding to, is pretty mild in my opinion. When I first tested her she responded to a 2, that has now gone to a three (out of 8). I use a mode that lets me select the high or low end of the range so I have options at my fingertips.


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## kjrice (May 19, 2003)

I have a TT Pro 100 XLS for training and a TT G2 80C for backup and hunting. I have been happy with the quality and service.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

*Dogtra 1800*

Probably the weak part of any of the brands being discussed is the operator...

Like Doug, I couldn't get nicks with a TT 100 I had (bad operator perhaps). I use the collar sparingly and 95% on momentary. I believe the newer 100s have momentary at the button. I liked the 200 Lite & Flyway better, but I had trouble with a TT Flyway (pre G-series) and switched to Dogtra 2000 and 1800.

The Dogtra 1800 is my favorite of all the collars I've used. 1 mi range 8/8 levels on clicks (level hardly ever changed for an individual dog). Compact and durable in my experience.


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## Baron (Sep 15, 2006)

Vickie Lamb said:


> Baron said:
> 
> 
> > Below are my findings.
> ...


Hi Vicky,

The Tone/Nic is a feature of SportDog where with one button it will make the tone right before a nic. The Tritronics have a tone only.

----

The new Tritronics G3 looks perfect for my needs. The transmitter is compact, it charges fast, it has plenty of stimulation range, Its made by tritronics. The only difference between this and the Pro 500 is range and the shape of the transmitter. What is holding me back is clarity on range. 

Advertised range is 1/2 mile, but what is the reality. Meaning, if the dog is in heavy grass, is the range 1/4 mile or worse. If the dog is in water is it reduced to 1/8 mile, etc. 

DB


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## taggbro (Sep 28, 2005)

Ken Bora said:


> Kristie Wilder said:
> 
> 
> > I had to test it on myself and in all the excitement I kept forgetting which collar was which... so had to do it over again.
> ...


I use a TT500 g2.
I've found painful discomfort at a 5 low which I would not subject my dog to. But that is me. I have also found that a 4 medium is not painful but is uncomfortable. I will use a 4 high if necessary but only if the dog is totally ignoring my command. For the most part, I use a 4 low nic for both my lab and GSP. I use the tone for call back. When both dogs were being trained, I used the continuous every once in a while but mostly just the nic. And like I said, never above a 4 high.


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## Howard N (Jan 3, 2003)

> The Tone/Nic is a feature of SportDog where with one button it will make the tone right before a nic. The Tritronics have a tone only.


I doubt you will ever use the tone nick. In a collar you want repeatability each time you use the collar and reliability. After that, I like momentary and continuous. 

After that everything is pretty frivolous. I do use the tone to make sure the collar is on and I have the right collar for the transmitter. So I guess that's kinda handy.


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## Vickie Lamb (Jan 6, 2003)

Baron said:


> Hi Vicky,
> 
> The Tone/Nic is a feature of SportDog where with one button it will make the tone right before a nic. The Tritronics have a tone only.
> DB


Hello, 10-4, I see what you mean. TT used to have a warning buzz/stim...but there are limitations there. When the two are married, you can never use the warning as a warning only.

When the tone stands alone, you can choose what to use it for, if at all. You can choose to use the tone as a warning, as praise, as a recall, or whatever. 

What SportDog model does a tone/nick? I know there is a tone available...


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## Baron (Sep 15, 2006)

Vickie Lamb said:


> Baron said:
> 
> 
> > When the tone stands alone, you can choose what to use it for, if at all. You can choose to use the tone as a warning, as praise, as a recall, or whatever.
> ...


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## Jeff Kolanski (Dec 9, 2005)

Baron said:


> Most people here say don't use the camo because it will only be hard to find when you drop the receiver.


This just happened to me in a field training today. I have a Dogtra 1202NCP and always wear the transmitter around my neck with the lanyard. I walked out into the field to help my dog out and when I got back to the line, I noticed that it was gone!! I walked the entire 100 X 50 yard path that it 'may' have been in. After 1 hour and 15 minutes I decided that it was time to give up looking, go home, and order a Dogtra 1702NCP. I took one quick last walk, and would you believe, I saw my 1202 on the ground. I was thrilled to death!! The transmitter is black and I just caught a glimpse of it. Would a camo trans. be any harder to find than a black one? Probably not when you're talking about grass from 4" high to 2'. However, do NOT make your e-collar decision based on available colors. Decide on features. The Dogtra 1202NCP (now replaced by the 1600 & 1700 series) is as simple to use as it can get.


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## farley (May 11, 2005)

Baron said:


> The new Tritronics G3 looks perfect for my needs. The transmitter is compact, it charges fast, it has plenty of stimulation range, Its made by tritronics. The only difference between this and the Pro 500 is range and the shape of the transmitter. What is holding me back is clarity on range.
> 
> Advertised range is 1/2 mile, but what is the reality. Meaning, if the dog is in heavy grass, is the range 1/4 mile or worse. If the dog is in water is it reduced to 1/8 mile, etc.
> 
> DB


Hi Baron,

I have 3 dogs. I had a TT 50 (not a G2) and replaced it with a TT 80C (not a G2), I also have a Dogtra 200 NCP Gold, and I just ordered a TT 500 G2. Basically - one collar per dog. As I added a dog I added a collar.

The TT 50, 80 and Dogtra models I have all had a 1/2 mile range. I only train for hunt tests - not field trials - and I have never run out of range. As someone else said, I wouldn't correct if I can't see my dog anyway. 

I use the collars both for field training and for walks. I wanted a small transmitter size for "discreet" use in the city. For that purpose I have found the dogtra best. Also, one of my dogs is very sensitive and I can use the vibrate instead of a correction to get her attention - I found the tone wasn't as good a non-stimulation reminder. I love the vibrate feature and use it all the time with that particular dog.

I have just bought a TT 500 G2, not for the range but for the levels, the quality and because the pros and really knowledgable people I have trained with use it. I don't like training with the dogtra because I can't "click up" without looking at the transmitter. Also, while it has more levels I found I was pretty well stuck at around 20, after that it gets too hot for my dogs. I learned how to collar condition with a TT, not a dogtra, so I am only comfortable using the dogtra on my dogs once I have collar conditioned them with a TT, but that's just me. As an aside, the particular model of Dogtra I have doesn't have a belt clip which is really annoying. 

The TT 50 was too basic for me. It only had 6 levels so basically my dog was a 2 and a 3 was too hot and 1 was not noticed, so I had just one level to work with. The TT 80C was better because I had 6 levels but a low and high for each which level actually was a big improvement because I now had 3 usable level - 2 low, 2 high and 3 low for that dog. However, I would definitely trade it in for a new G3 - the more levels the more finesse I can get in my training. 

I will be using the 500 for training only. If the G3 had been out for 6 months and was glitch-free I probably would have bought that instead. I expect I'll replace my TT 80C (not a g2) with the g3 next summer.

In my ideal world I would have a G3 or a Dogtra 200 NCP (with a click wheel and belt clip) for each of my dogs for when we are hiking or walking. For training I'd use a TT 500 G2. 

Its possible that all I need is the G3 and I will look at those carefully next summer and check out what people say about them!


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