This collar is a fantastic aid for training dogs, as long as you read the manual. It is imperative that you know what you are doing and only utilize the stimulation in appropriate conditions. I also advise testing out the stimulation levels on your arm so you know what kind of shock your dog is getting on their neck. I appreciate the extra levels because I never want to use too much power, but the operation of this particular transmitter can take some getting used to. You want to find a stimulation level that gets your dogs attention, but the dog SHOULD NOT yelp or even make any noise. (The manual for the old one suggested that after your dog was used to wearing the collar on and off for two weeks with no stimulation you can hide somewhere out of sight and test the lowest level of stimulation. If their ears perk up, or they cock their head, then you have a baseline.)
As for the product itself, this COMBO model's transmitter is a little more confusing than the BASIC or UPLAND models, as it has more levels of stimulation (and as such one more dial on the front.) My older model had just two buttons and a single dial. In this case, the added complexity coincides with added features, and as such, is excusable. As with my previous Tri-Tronics collar, it is basically bulletproof. You can submerge it, take it to the beach, do whatever you want to it, and it will keep on working.
One gripe is that the transmitter is not rechargeable instead it takes 9v batteries but some people might prefer that, so it is not worth taking off a star. All told, I highly recommend this collar on the condition that you take it upon yourself to learn how to use it properly. If you use it responsibly, you will see marked results. (If you do not, you will have a scared dog that simply stands next to you in terror when you put the collar on...)
This training collar allowed my six year old son to connect with a dog I have had for nearly a year and he had been scared to death of! In just a thirty minute session they were hanging out with each other like best friends. Our female border collie had a terrible habit of jumping up on him, tearing his clothes and painfully scratching. All is gone with this collar. Extramely humane when used correctly. Even the dog seems to have a happier outlook now that she understands her boundaries.
As far as theproduct itself, the transmitter and recieving collar are rugged and well made. Made in USA too!
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Jumped in the lake with the Sport Combo still attached to my belt. As this is a primary tool for retriever training and states that it is waterproof, I find it completely unacceptable that the unit allowed enough water into the transmitter to corrode the battery and short the internal electronics.
I give three stars because it did work as advertised in all other areas. It deserves a HUGE knock because many hunters use this product in environments where the unit will be continuously submerged, as all retrievers are water dogs and wherever the dog goes, the owners are close by. I only had the unit for one day, it had not been knocked around, and I even purchased the protective carrying case for it for about $15.
I contacted Tri Tronics and they stated that the transmitter was waterproof but should not be submerged for long periods of time. They immediately shipped a replacement transmitter to me and said that a return package for the damaged transmitter would be enclosed in the box that the replacement would come in.
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I recently purchased the Sport Combo G3 collar from my breeder/trainer. Now my dog was trained for 2 months by the trainer before my picking her up and using this collar. I first must say, that my puppy before training and after training was a complete 180. This definitely gave me the head start I needed. Over the past few days, I have been using the G3 collar (only when necessary however keeping it on her most of the time). Most of the time she will react with a simple "no", as she knows what the consequences are. I use one of the lowest settings (which I have applied to myself first), which seems to do the trick. I think that these collars, when used correctly (and not abusively) make a big difference in the training of one's dog.
It has the ability to train 3 dogs at once (a feature I don't use), but is also water proof (which will be nice when at the dog beach or any other wet weather).
Update (04/01/2013)
I have now had this collar for over 6 months and still love it. I have it on my lab all of the time (whether I need to use it or not)., except when I have to leave her or when she goes to sleep for the night. It seems that just having the collar on has an effect on my dogs behavior. It has really resulted in so much more freedom for her. I take her in the car on multiple occasions, and take her to the park at night and dog beach (which being waterproof is a great feature) as well. She is very well behaved off leash, and will remain in a sit positions when other dogs approach until I let her know its ok to run over to them. However, she was initially trained by the breeder. I would never have another lab without one if these.
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Tri Tronics sport combo. Works great. Seems to be a quality product. Probably a little more than I needed. Look at one of the lesser models if you have limited needs. Happy New Year!
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My dog is solidly trained to go on pee pads, so I cannot comment on how well does the whole "scent" attracts dog thing. Other than that, this pad is a good size, and my dog doesn't have problem going on it. The pad dries fast, and I have less of the "wet paws print" problem compares to other name brands. I usually can leave the pads in for 1-2 days before I have to change it out. Backing is always dry and no leak through. Overall, I am very happy with these pads and would buy again. It would be better if the shipping is lower, but it is still a very good value item even with shipping included.
