THE USE OF ELECTRIC COLLAR
(texts translated in english by:
Tsagaraki Athanasia
Greek Public School English teacher Graduate of the English Department of the Aristotle University -Thessaloniki)
Many times we fιnd ourselves in the unpleasant position to correct various bad habits of our dog that may cause problems to its health, to hunting or even to our relation with fellow hunters. The most frequent problem is the tendency that many dogs have to eat various garbage that they may find, dead animals or even poison, causing danger to their health. Another thing is that many dogs are rather aggressive causing misunderstandings between us and others. Also many dogs learn to chase domestic animals with disastrous results. But in hunting they can also stop tracing because they have spotted a deer or a fox. 
For people who selectively hunt only the hare, it is annoying and in certain cases it may put us in trouble. Many owners use various ways in order to control their dogs and the most usual is the dog to hear our voice and stop whatever it is doing. Fortunately, the dogs that respond to this technique are the most, but unfortunately there are many which although are excellent hare hunters they are also very stubborn. If the case is such, we can use other methods which are modern and effective. In my opinion, the electric collar is the most effective (and this because I have used it many times). Of course, I approve of its use only when there is danger for our dog or for other domestic animals or prohibited / endangered species). There are some people who insist using it in order to teach the dog how to execute certain commands correctly, but I consider that this is an exaggeration because the use of the collar is rather painful so we must be very careful with its use – only when it is absolutely necessary. 
At first, we should buy a waterproof collar, well-manufactured, not bulky and heavy but also not fragile, because our dog shall be wearing it for long. There are collars which can be operated through a remote control and are easy to handle from far with no need to intervene on the collar. Also, there is a sound warning which is very useful so that you check your dog without necessarily each time ‘stinging’ it with the current. Also, there are remote controls that can check up to 4 dogs, while each one is wearing its own collar but with a different frequency. This I consider is the best. 
With the Cretan Tracer things are a bit complicated and this because its intelligence makes it more crafty and careful. That is why we should be well informed but also calm in order to correctly use the collar without putting our dog in danger. 
At first, we put the collar with the mechanism to our dog, for at least one week in order for it to get used to it on its neck and you must put it on relatively tight so that the dog thinks that it is just a collar. You should take your dog for walks with the collar -without actually using it -so that it gets used to it. Be careful when returning, as the collar should be a bit loose on the neck and the metal spikes don’t come in contact with the skin, because the skin may get polluted. Whenever you go out on the mountain, you will tighten the collar so that it is well-pressed on the skin. For dogs that have a thick coat you will have to tighten it a little more, and you may use larger spikes reaching the skin. Be careful the coat must be dry, because if it gets wet, then the collar is useless. 
There are dogs that understand immediately when you put the collar on them that the pain comes only when it is wearing it and as soon as you take it off they stop listening. That is why it must first get used to the collar, without us using it for training. Provided that all goes well a week or 10 days after, you can take it to the mountain for a first trial. It would be wise to pre-arrange a meeting with a familiar cattle-breeder and his sheep. During the training with the use of the collar we aren’t supposed to speak. You should pretend that your attention is somewhere else. When your dog chases some sheep or goat, wait until it approaches it enough, and a little before it reaches it, press the button with the sound notice. The dog will hear a sharp ‘beeeep’, and if it stops in order to understand what's going on and returns, all is well but if it continues then you’ll have to use the ‘sting’. There are levels of intensity, so, it would be wise to begin with the smallest and progressively increase until you understand the level to which the dog responds. There are dogs that do not perceive anything and then you are supposed to use the highest level through the remote control. In case your dog feels the sting, it shall stop what it is doing and return. Do not comfort it. It may understand what is going on. Certain dogs, after the first sting and specifically if it is low do not perceive the sting as a punishment but as something accidental / as an obstacle and they continue; in this case, without saying anything, you notify the dog with the sound notice and immediately after you use the sting. Be certain that the dog will have second thoughts before repeating the action. 
Also, you shouldn’t insist or repeat another meeting at that time or on the same day, because it is possible for your dog to understand everything. Retry a few days later and in particular in a different place, because there are dogs that follow your order only where the incident happens -not everywhere. You are supposed to repeat this 3-4 times in different parts so as to be successful. Of course, you will notice that there is no need to sting your dog –that only through the sound notice it will immediately stop and it will return. 
Previously we said that we should use the collar only when it approaches the hunted animal and this because in this way the dog thinks that the pain comes from the animal that it persecutes so next time it avoids such meetings.
The same tactic should be used in order to teach your dog not to eat anything from the ground. Here, once again you can cause similar incidents by placing small meat treats in several spots in a large field or better on the mountain. Be careful to have someone else place the treats, otherwise the dog will probably sense your own scent on them, thus may end up avoiding you. Of course, it is needless to say that this method is used strictly on adult dogs- never on a puppy. 
The most basic principle from your part is to be calm so that you don’t get carried away and unwillingly cause any problem to your dog. If you follow the method correctly and without being in a hurry, be certain that the results will be spectacular. If you are in a hurry you may succeed in stopping your dog from behaving wrongly but you will soon find out that it will refuse to hunt when sheep or similar animals are around. This will cause the dog to become ‘useless’ as a hound and you will have to hunt in restricted areas. Of course, there are dogs that are very stubborn and you will need to insist in order to train them. Still, you may need to keep the collar on. But even thus, if it is a good hound dog you won’t have to worry. 
The best tactic in order to avoid such extreme methods is to make your puppy from a small age get used to all that you want it to do. If you do everything rightly and on time be certain that you will not need to cause any pain to it.