Can Your Train Recall Without E-Collar?

Seeing as we’ve had quite the discourse going in regards to e-collars and recall training, here’s my stance. In 18 years, and several thousand dogs trained, I’ve never sent a client dog home without clear instruction that for any off-leash work besides the house or fenced yard… all dogs wear an e-collar. Period. Is it because the dogs aren’t trained to recall without one? Nope. Will the dogs almost certainly still recall without it, regardless of circumstances? Yep. Then why the rigid reliance on e-collars for all my clients when they take their dogs anywhere off-leash? Because dogs are dogs, and reality is unpredictable and unforgiving. Because even the most highly trained dogs: -Get distracted -Get spooked -Get overwhelmed by a prey opportunity -Get overwhelmed by a play opportunity And when reality shows up, and it will show up, I will not allow my clients and their dogs to be at the mercy of hope. Hoping that you can get your dog back, because you’ve “Done serious training and proofing” with food, toys, and affection… is not only foolish, it’s wildly irresponsible. It’s placing your dog’s life in the hands of hope. And I want nothing to do with hope. I want my clients to have every possible advantage they can have. When that heart-stopping moment inevitably occurs, and the shit hits the fan, and the immaculately trained dog is for some reason momentarily absent… I want my clients to be able to remind their dog that recall is not optional, and it will happen right now. Because, as many who’ve been through this horrible moment without an e-collar will tell you, you often don’t get a second chance. You only need your dog to make one mistake out of a thousand perfect recalls to have it be life altering or life ending. Can I train a dog to recall extremely well without an e-collar? Of course. It’s not rocket science. Will I ever suggest my clients risk their dog’s lives by being off-leash without one? Never. Because ego, ignorance, or blind adherence to delusional orthodoxy will get your dog killed.