Sound-only remote training e-collar?

[SJE9]

Hi,
Does anyone know if there’s a product which is a remote training collar that only produces a sound? I want to use it like you would a whistle, for recall. I know you can get vibration or sound ones, but I am hoping to buy just a sound one. It needs to be able to work over a fairly long distance. Eg 300m .

[Pearly]

I’m pretty sure you can get a collar that will produce sound or vibrate only though we wouldn’t encourage the use of one on this site, unless it’s for a deaf dog 

300m is a very long distance for a cocker!

Can I ask why you want to use a collar instead of a whistle?

[Joules]

We don't advocate the use of this sort of thing on COL - only positive, reward based training. 

What's wrong with a whistle? 

[Gazrob]

It's not difficult to teach the dog with the whistle it just takes a bit of time and patience. My dog knows recall and stay with the whistle nothing too advanced. I don't see the point in getting a collar for recall when a whistle is the best tool for recall. You can blow soft or hard with a whistle but you won't be able to with a collar. Plus you have different whistle blows for different commands. I'm not even sure if you can get a collar that produces whistle type sounds.

[SJE9]

We don't advocate the use of this sort of thing on COL - only positive, reward based training. 

What's wrong with a whistle? 

I use only positive, reward based training which is exactly why I said I want to find a collar with sound only (because I have no use for any punitive vibrations and the like). Your reply is making it sound like I am going to use it in a punitive way, when I am not. I clearly stated I wanted to use it like you would a whistle, in a positive training way, rewarding recall. Please don’t jump to conclusions, and/ or take more care reading someone’s post properly.

I have just found with my old dog that they become very deaf as they get older and having a beeping sound emanating form a collar close by can be heard by them, whereas a far-off whistle cannot. Also, it would be much better on a beach when the wind is really up and there is a lot of noise from the sea and kids playing etc.

[bizzylizzy]

I do think its up to each individual to decide how to train his own dog and on reading your description of the sound on the collar, I wouldn‘t put it into the catagory of negative training. I would however have reservations about using one myself for several reasons. [this is not a criticism, just my personal opinion]
Firstly, I believe the best training is team based i.e. the dog and its owner build up a relationship and the training is a mutual cooperation. „Remote“ commands don‘t fit in, the dog should want to return to me because I have called him and, presumeably, its because he’s learned the advantage of doing so. The second disadvantage is that the dog has no point of orientation if the noise is coming from the collar, - are you north, south, east or west of him? How will he know which direction to find you? The third thing I would question is, you say  want to recall him from 300 m? Again, I don‘t wish to sound critical but my dog is never that far away from me - he was trained at the outset with a long lead and he knows the acceptable distance, if he starts to stray further  a „Too Far“ from me will turn him back.
He has, very occasionally caught a scent and gone shooting off but to be quite honest, if the whistle and recall doesn‘t interrupt him in the chase, a sounding collar won‘t either. I can quite honestly, hand on heart, say that he has never left my sight on a walk (and he’s off line 98% of the time) Where I live, there‘s a constant fear of hunters who will shoot any dog straying or hunting so teaching a reliable recall and knowing where my dog is at all times is essential. The collar you describe might sound like a good option but I don‘t think it would replace good training or help you deal with a dog with poor hearing. There are, unfortunately, very few quick fixes. 

[ips]

I do think its up to each individual to decide how to train his own dog and on reading your description of the sound on the collar, I wouldn‘t put it into the catagory of negative training. I would however have reservations about using one myself for several reasons. [this is not a criticism, just my personal opinion]
Firstly, I believe the best training is team based i.e. the dog and its owner build up a relationship and the training is a mutual cooperation. „Remote“ commands don‘t fit in, the dog should want to return to me because I have called him and, presumeably, its because he’s learned the advantage of doing so. The second disadvantage is that the dog has no point of orientation if the noise is coming from the collar, - are you north, south, east or west of him? How will he know which direction to find you? The third thing I would question is, you say  want to recall him from 300 m? Again, I don‘t wish to sound critical but my dog is never that far away from me - he was trained at the outset with a long lead and he knows the acceptable distance, if he starts to stray further  a „Too Far“ from me will turn him back.
He has, very occasionally caught a scent and gone shooting off but to be quite honest, if the whistle and recall doesn‘t interrupt him in the chase, a sounding collar won‘t either. I can quite honestly, hand on heart, say that he has never left my sight on a walk (and he’s off line 98% of the time) Where I live, there‘s a constant fear of hunters who will shoot any dog straying or hunting so teaching a reliable recall and knowing where my dog is at all times is essential. The collar you describe might sound like a good option but I don‘t think it would replace good training or help you deal with a dog with poor hearing. There are, unfortunately, very few quick fixes. 

An excellent post 👍

[Ben's mum]

I understand better now you've explained more and I looked for something similar for my old boy Ben when he went deaf but with no luck.

Ben had a brilliant recall to the whistle and he stayed close when we walked and checked in by looking at us often which we taught by click and reward for looking at us. In big areas where he was allowed to run further he would come back to the whistle. When we were walking if we stopped for any reason and he was in front he would turn to see what we were doing and stop too, if he didn't a verbal check worked. At first when he lost his hearing the verbal checks were no good but a single toot to the whistle did the trick and he quicly learned hand signals for wait or come.  As his hearing went completely which it did quickly he stopped being able to hear the whistle if there was any other noise or wind, so we had no way of stopping him unless he looked at us. It was sad he was only 11 and very very fit, still walking miles off lead. Because he couldn't hear us he stopped checking we were there as often and I was scared he would get too far away and we wouldn't be able to recall him.

We ended up having him on a longline more often than i wanted to ensure he was safe, all because of his hearing. I looked for something like a loop system that hearing impaired people use to amplify sound because I knew if he heard me whistle or make a noise he would look at me then i could use a hand signal. I couldn't find anything that would do the job, but will watch this with interest as my Harry is now 10 and if there was something out there that made a noise only and no smell or pain I would begin now whilst his hearing is perfect teaching him to look at me if he heard a certain sound. He already responds to hand signals as he learnt them with Ben.

I do get why people are twitchy about training collars, nothing beats putting in the time and work to get a good recall in the beginning, but as your dog gets older you have to get inventive to keep them are independent as possible and I would rather start the training now before Harry needs it and will look at any options as long as they don't harm him xx

[Mudmagnets]

GReat post Ben's Mum, always helps if someone understands and appreciates the problem from personal experience.

[Joules]

OK, so now you've explained, it's obviously not the usual e-collar you are looking for. 

Not sure that such a thing exists - you can get one that vibrates though.  But I don't understand how it would help with recall very much as it does not help the dog identify where they should recall to

Coco is 100% deaf now (she is 14 in August) and we are managing so far with hand signals.  I am pleased that I always used a hand signal when teaching her commands as that is invaluable now.  Luckily she has never been one for going too far away from me and tends to look for me at regular intervals.    I am loathe to keep her on a lead or long line as she has never been used to it, so I just try and manage it by making sure she is keeping an eye on me and getting her back on the lead long before we get near to a road etc.   Apart from one time when she took off following completely the wrong person and I couldn't call her back, so far it has worked OK - fortunately she eventually realised it wasn't me and turned round in a panic! 

[SJE9]

Yes, I am training my puppy with hand signals as well as verbal commands, and a whistle for recall because I know how invaluable hand signals were for my previous dog when she became deaf. The problem lies, if they’re deaf, when you need to get their attention quickly and they’re not looking at you, which is why I was wondering if such a thing existed as a sound-only remote collar (a nice sound, not a nasty sound designed for them to not like) so that you can get them to look up immediately but I can’t seem to find one. But maybe that wouldn’t work anyway because the dog might not be able to hear something even if it’s close up if they’re extremely deaf. Maybe a vibration collar would be the answer when the time comes.
Friend of mine had a dog that is deaf and has very poor eye sight too, but is still quite active, so that’s a real challenge for her.
I only suggested 300m as a distance because, in my experience, most things are never as good as the manufacturers claim them to be and I reckon something that states it will work over 300m probably won’t but might do 100m ok! 
Guess I’ll just have to cross that bridge when (or if) we get to it, after all she may never even go deaf!