This post will help you decide if the best shock collar for your dog is the Dogtra 280C Tom Davis Edition.
Two years ago I was consuming every piece of content I possibly could of Tom Davis on YouTube. I was at a stand still with my own dog's reactivity and prey drive and Tom Davis instilled a sense of hope that I could train my dog.
So, for Christmas I asked for a Dogtra 280C Tom Davis Edition to help my dog achieve off leash recall and solve reactivity. After using it for more than a year this is a complete review of the Dogtra 280C Tom Davis E-Collar.
Best Shock Collar for Dog Training
Best Shock Collar for Dogs
Whether you are looking to improve your dog's off-leash recall or work through some behaviors like jumping up or reactivity, ecollars offer a way to have a leash on your dog -without the the leash.
In other words, an ecollar offers your dog a sense of accountability, even at a distance.
If you take nothing else away from this post it's this: Not every collar is right for every owner/dog and there isn't a one-size fits all for how to use the ecollar. The most important thing is that you feel good about using the tool, you're being humane, and the dog understands how you're using it.
How you use the collar depends on many factors.
Dog Shock Collar with Remote
The Dogtra 280C Tom Davis Edition is an ecollar that is controlled with a remote. It is not compatible with electric or underground fences. But, that's a pretty good thing! A dog collar with a remote is so much more versatile than an in-ground, or electric fence.
Dogtra 280C Tom Davis E Collar
The Dogtra 280C Tom Davis E Collar is available on Amazon or in the Dogtra Store
The problem with the underground fence linked to a remote is that once the dog jumps over the wire, they don't get any more aversive pressure from the collar. They are free to do whatever they'd like.
Further more, you have almost no control over when the beep or stimulation/shock is administered. This means, if you want your dog to come when they're outside, the dog isn't worried about what happens if they don't listen to you, they're only worried about what happens if they jump the fence.
Difference Between an E-collar and Shock Collar
The million dollar question: what's the difference between an ecollar and a shock collar?
A shock collar is what most people think of when it comes to these tools. A shock collar delivers a static shock to the dog. They often have a tone, vibrate and shock feature, which owners tend to use in that order because it feels more humane to the human. Hot take: You're only confusing your dog. We'll talk about use later.
An E-Collar, like the Dogtra 280C Tom Davis Edition, uses stimulation like a TENS unit, or muscle relaxer. This is part of why the Dogtra models are more expensive. Most models may also have features like vibrate (otherwise known as a pager) and tone- but not always.
An E-collar offers between 100-127 levels of stimulation to work with, and you use the level that your dog first feels it on when they are doing the behavior you don't want them to do. This means you start your dog at level 1 and role up until they feel it.
While we won't go into all the details of how to use an ecollar, we will discuss the features of the Dogtra 280C Tom Davis.
Where to Buy 280C Tom Davis Edition
The price on this model is in the mid range for Dogtra Pet Training models. While it's not as cheap as a $20-$50 static collar that you can get from Amazon or Chewy, an ecollar is not where you want to skip on price.
The price reflects the top of the line technology in the ecollar to deliver accurate and customized corrections.
There are only a few places you can get ahold of this Dogtra model. The Dogtra website or Amazon.
I chose the 280C Tom Davis Edition because Tom told me to in a youtube video, and between youtube videos and trial and error I figured out what kind of worked for my dog. However, eventually I did hire a very experienced dog trainer who used Dogtra brands to help me.
The process would have gone SOOO much faster if I had hired a dog trainer sooner. I also wouldn't have wasted time being unfair and inconsistent with my dog, which hurt our relationship.
So, whatever E-collar you decide to go with, your dog will appreciate a dog trainer to guide you through the process.
One of the biggest things that separates this collar from other Dogtra models is that it has a boost button. This allows you to work at conditioning levels for regular obedience, and then to quickly switch to a higher level for dangerous behaviors where your dog's adrenaline might be much higher.
This makes this collar a great option for dogs with reactivity or high prey drive.
Getting Started with Your 280C Tom Davis
The set up of your Dogtra Ecollar is super easy! When you open the box there is a QR code with a video from Tom telling you exactly how to set up your collar and how to use it. Don't skip this video- you'll need to set up your boost to use all the features of your collar.
Quick Ecollar Training Tip: Don't use the recommended 10+ for your boost. You bought an ecollar so that you can use the level that works for YOUR dog. Some dogs +10 is too much, other dogs this is not enough.
My personal dog works on a 6-9 depending on the setting, but needed corrected for reactivity at a 28. So I set my boost for +19. Don't get to hung up on numbers as you need to do what works for your dog.
The Pros
Here's what I love about this collar:
1. The stimulation
This is why you buy the collar. This is why you spend so much money on this collar. It offers 127 levels so you can really customize to the individual dog. Plus, the levels start low enough that humans can't even feel them up until levels 12-32 depending on the person.
2. The boost button
The boost feature is really worth it's weight in gold for us. It is so easy to work on our heel, sit and other obedience commands, but then if a dog passes, I'm able to jump up to a customized level to get my dog's attention back.
3. There is no tone
I know some people won't like this feature but hear me out. Tones are not as useful for dog training as people think. There are so many tones happening in your own home, like the mircowave, oven timer, fire alarm, just train your dog with your voice. That should be your tone. Leaving the tone out of this collar is a great way to discourage people from relying on a tone to communicate with their dog when their voice should be the reason the dog listens.
4. The range
1/2 a mile is a pretty far distance. I don't know that my dogs will ever be that far away, but it's good to know that I can count on the ecollar working from whatever distance they're at.
The Cons
1. Only available in a one dog system.
So for those with two dogs, or who just like to have two collars for charging purposes, you'll have to buy two of these collars. This Dogtra collar can only be paired with one or look into a two dog system like the Dogtra ARC.
2. There is no way to lock the stimulation
The dial to turn up the stimulation is very sensitive and there's no way to lock it on a specific level. If I have the collar in my pocket, it has turned up accidentally. Just be sure to monitor the level to make sure the dial hasn't moved.
3. The Bungee Collar
The biggest reason to use a Dogtra collar is the adjustable stimulation. It's super important to get the fit of the collar consistent each time. The tighter the collar, the stronger the stimulation.
The 280C comes with a bungee collar. While this looks cool, it doesn't offer a consistent tightness. It could be tighter one day and looser the next. Nor is the bungee collar small enough for dogs with a less than a 12" neck. If you decide to grab the 280C Tom Davis, you'll want to also grab a collar that can be put on with the same consistency each time. like this one:
Dogtra 3/4" Collar
Sport Dog Shock Collar
If you have a sport dog collar, or any other electronic collar, put your collar on the lowest stimulation/shock level. Can you feel it? If not move up each level and test until you do feel. If you can feel any of the first five levels of stimulation, your collar is not sensitive enough for a dog.
Best Shock Collar for Large Dogs
The 280C Tom Davis Edition is a great pick for large dogs! It has up to 127 levels and is rated for dogs greater than 10 pounds.
Dogtra 280C Tom Davis
Sport Dog Collar
Best Shock Collar for Small Dogs
This collar is rated for dogs as little as 10 pounds. If you are looking for an ecollar for a dog less than 10 pounds, the micro educator or Mini IQ offer a similar technology and features but created for small dogs.
Best Training Collar for Stubborn Dogs
Stubborn dogs are often very smart. They understand what is worth working for and what is not worth working for. These dogs usually do very well with ecollar work when the E-collar is applied properly and consistently.
How fast you see your results with any dog will depend on your knowledge, consistency and comfort level with using an ecollar.
One of the biggest things that separates this collar from other models is that it has a boost button. This allows you to work at conditioning levels for regular obedience, and then to quickly switch to a higher level for dangerous behaviors where adrenaline might be higher. This makes the Tom Davis Ecollar a great option for dogs with reactivity or high prey drive.
