Non-Stimulation Communication Tone/Buzz vs. Vibration

The innovations and practical uses of electronic dog training collars are greatly increasing every year. Previously, there was direct stimulation training, and that was about it. Eventually, we gained the technology of having three different levels of stimulation, although it was a difficult procedure to actually change the level. Then, the technology advanced sufficiently so that we were able to train our dogs from afar, issues numerous levels and types of stimulation, and in general make better use of the systems on the market. Today, there are even more options. Manufacturers have added features like tones and beeps that can be issued from the collar, and even vibration and pager-like functions to aid you in the proper training and correction of your dog. Very modern systems have remote features that allow a small stream of citronella spray to be emitted in front of the dog's nose. While we all are probably fairly familiar with the electronic stimulation feature of Ecollars, there are a great many of us that were not aware of and do not know the uses of non-stimulation collar controls. Let's focus on the first two types:

The tone feature can be used for a number of purposes. Operated remotely, the receiver on the dog's collar will issue a loud tone. This can be used as a command, a recall, a reward, or a warning. In some units, it can even be used as a locator device- those are known as "beeper" collars. The uses of the tone vary greatly, but consistency should be used in training the dog so that he may comprehend what the tone represents. You should understand the product well, as there are two main problems that may arise with the use of the tone feature. The first is that there are so many different items in our daily life that beep in some way. This could serve to desensitize your dog to tone commands, or cause him to think that an outside or unrelated tone was actually a command. The second problem is if you are working with two dogs. If you are attempting to correct one specific dog, and the other dog hears the tone, you are then undermining their ability to correctly identify and obey your command. For these reasons, use of the tone feature is best accomplished when there is only one dog being trained, and that dog has a strong working knowledge of what the tone means.

Electronic training collars also come equipped with a pager or vibrate option. Like the tone option, this feature can be used remotely to aid in training your dog. You can use this feature to issue completely silent commands that only your dog will be aware of. The vibration option can be used in exactly the same ways as the tone collars: to issue praise, give a command, issue a correction, and so on. If needed, the vibrating equipment itself can be removed from the receiver collar when not in use.
Most electronic dog training collars have either one or the other of these features. Very high end models, however, will often have both in the same unit. Prior to purchasing a system, you should make a clear determination about how you are going to use the collar, and precisely what you want your dog to do. Then, select the options that best suit you and your dog's needs.