How to Start E-Collar Training: Beginner Guide by Colleen Steckloff

• Meet Colleen Steckloff
• Why E-Collars?
• How to Get Started on an E-Collar
• Tips to E-Collar Buttons
• Recommended Tool: Why Colleen Uses the 200iQ
• Conclusion

Table of Contents

Meet Colleen Steckloff

Colleen Steckloff is a world-class Dog Behaviorist and Master Trainer, as well as the owner of LAK9s, based in Los Angeles, California, with over 25 years of experience transforming dogs and educating owners.

Former Head Trainer to Cesar Milan, Colleen helped shape the Training Cesar's Way Fundamentals Workshops and has worked with dogs from every walk of life — from celebrity pups to rescue transformations.

Overall, the goal of any trainer is to achieve on and off-leash reliability without the e-collar.

The e-collar helps the training connect with the dog much faster than without. For instance, in one case, Colleen has trained a dog in a country where she couldn't use an e-collar and something that could have taken a short time took much longer because of it.

E-Collars reinforce commands dogs already know but you can teach dogs new commands on the e-collar following a similar formula to her tap and turns approach.

Start Low and Find Your Dog's Level

Before anything else, begin at the lowest stimulation level and gradually increase until you see subtle acknowledgment from your dog, like an ear twitch or slight head turn. This is your dog's working level, not a reaction level.

The goal isn't to startle: it's to communicate.

Introduce the "Tap and Turns" Method

Colleen's go-to starting exercise is called Taps and Turns, designed to build clear communication from the beginning.

Here's how it works:

• Place your dog on a long line with the e-collar properly fitted
• Begin walking in one direction
• As you say your recall command, gently tap the Nick button.
• Guide your dog toward you if needed
• Once they reach you, turn and walk in the opposite direction
• Repeat the same process

This back-and-forth pattern helps your dog quickly connect the dots:

Command → Stimulation → Action → Reward

Over time, the repetition builds understanding, and your dog begins responding more naturally and reliably.

Keep It Simple and Consistent

There's no need to overcomplicate the process early on. Focus on:

• Clear timing
• Consistent repetition
• Calm, low-level communication

This sets the stage for everything that comes next—and creates a training experience your dog can confidently follow.

Nick

When introducing the e-collar, Colleen Steckloff primarily relies on the Nick function to create clear, consistent communication.

Using a series of light taps, she reinforces commands until the dog begins to make the connection between the sensation and the desired behavior.

Continuous

If the dog becomes distracted or less responsive, she may briefly switch to Continuous—not to increase intensity, but to change the sensation just enough to recapture the dog's attention.

This subtle shift acts as a gentle "boost," helping the dog refocus without raising the stimulation level, and keeping the training experience calm, clear, and effective.

Tone

While Nick and Continuous are her primary tools, Tone is not often used in her training approach. But it can be useful in certain environments where stimulation isn't permitted.

In these cases, Colleen uses Tone to capture the dog's attention, applying the same structured "Tap and Turns" method to build understanding and reinforce commands.

Pager Vibration

Similarly, the Pager serves as a vibration-based alternative that can be incorporated when appropriate. While it's not her go-to, she remains open to using it based on the dog and the situation—ensuring that communication stays clear, consistent, and tailored to each individual dog.

200iQ

When it comes to choosing the right tool, Colleen favors the Dogtra 200iQ for its simplicity and ease of use. Designed to be straightforward and intuitive, the unit allows her to stay fully focused on the dog rather than the remote.

The clearly marked dial with an arrow indicator makes adjusting levels quick and precise, while the button layout allows her to seamlessly tap Nick and adjust stimulation on the fly. This fluid control supports better timing and communication, making the 200iQ a reliable choice in the field.