SportDOG FieldTrainer 425XS Stubborn Dog Remote Trainer, 500-Yard Range

Very pleased with this unit. It has a massive number of levels for correction and offers both a tone alert and a vibration alert for your dog. I have a very active and young sporting breed dog. I also live in a rural area with nearly unlimited opportunities for him to run off and chase deer, rabbits and squirrels. This brings him back instantly. It's easy to turn on, has a long batter life and great range. It is a typical three button alert transmitter with a tone or vibration button on the side, a "nick" button and continuous button on the front. There is also an LED light on the receiver that lets you know it is on. It also has an audible tone when you turn it on and off. The receiver is also the only thing you have to turn on when you put the collar on your pet. It's a simple push button on the under side of the receiver. The only negative I have is that I wish it had a "universal" charging port for the two units. You have to use the bi-pin charging cable that comes with the unit rather than something standard like a USB-C. That's far from a deal breaker though as it comes with the cable and plugs in to most any USB charger block. It's a good, solid unit with good range and battery longevity. I mostly use the vibration and the second to lowest level nick for almost all corrections for my dog. That being said, it has a very wide range of levels if you have a stubborn pup. Make sure you pay attention to the three levels of power when you set it up. The dial on the face of the transmitter will give you the multiple levels of correction, but only from the core level you select in the programing. In other words, you have "A" level with the dial intensity, then "B" level with the dial intensity and "C" level with the dial intensity. You need to take the collar off and program to A-B or C levels. It's an easy change, but once you set it for your dog's needed level of correction, you probably will not change it again. I would buy again.

great collar, my dog finally listens for once. We’ve just started using this collar for ourselves, though i used to work at a training facility that used them so i knew how they worked. I have an incredibly stubborn border collie who struggles with a solid heel and stay commands, as she wants to always be moving and exploring. This has been great and i finally was able to walk her on a leash and not have her pulling and trying to strangle herself on her collar. She had a solid loose leash walk and heel the entire time. We will be working on a reliable recall with distractions next. It’s very important that when getting a collar like this you either work with a trainer or already know how to desensitize and train a dog using an e collar and that they already know some commands that you can use to teach them that the collar is an extension of your voice. It’s a incredibly great tool for training and as an owner of a completely self trained stubborn border collie, it’s a great thing to have on hand.

Our children have been begging for a dog for years but our lives are way too busy. Well.. during COVID we fell into the trap and adopted a shelter dog! We love her but it takes a lot to train a dog and she was still running on us. Bolting out the front door, out of the car and we would chase after her. So dangerous with her zipping in and out of streets...creeks..forests. Luckily we have always been able to get a hold of her. I decided to get this collar and after watching the videos, I was going to send it back because they said you needed to have the dog 100% trained to your commands and I just didn't know how long it would take for her to get that down. But.. I decided to use the collar once or twice on walks... and I would take her off the leash and then activate the collar on the lowest setting if she walked in front of me instead of next to me. Amazingly it only took about 2-3 zaps and she would stay next to me. I would always use the command heal before zapping and then after zapping. Then she saw a cat and bolted. I did a stronger zap this time and she broke out of the run and I was able to snag her. A few days later, I took her to an open creek area and with the collar on... she didn't run away. Today, I took her to a larger creek area, she swam in the water and she started to swim to the other side. I called out commands, and nothing. I stated to zap on lowest setting and no response. I increased little by little and nothing. Then I did the highest setting and she responded with a small yelp and immediately turned around and came back to me. I am sold! She was able to have freedom and I was able to ensure she was safe and returned back to me. I am confident eventually the collar and my commands will just be all I need and won't have to use the controller anymoreto control her behavior. Highly recommend!!

really happy with the SportDog FieldTrainer 425XS. Initially tried a cheaper brand and didn't have the variety of settings (none were sensitive enough and terrorized our pooch) that the sportdog has. Since started using the behavioral issues were quickly straightened out. Gave 4 stars because the collar stopped charging after 7 months. However I called manufacturer and they immediately sent a replacement for free. .

Transmitter battery died in 3 months. Worked good until then. Called Sportdog and they sent a new transmitter free. Excellent customer service!

If you liked the 425-S, don't buy the XS. They've eliminated so much of the functionality of the collar, I sincerely regret my purchase, and truly regret recommending Sportdog collars to friends and acquaintances. The older model was fantastic. If the lanyard hadn't snapped, and the remote gotten lost, I never would have needed to, or considered buying a new collar. Older model: Set up allowed the remote three functions; tone/nick/vibrate. One for each button. Other button designations were also available, but this is the one of most value to me, and everyone I know who used it for training a dog. New "X" model: Setup only allows 2 functions. You can use either tone and vibrate, tone and nick, or vibrate and nick. There is no option to have each button perform a different function. Older model: Tone volume was louder. Strength of both vibrate and nick were adjustable. New "X" model: Tone is softer, and it's harder to get the dog's attention when the dog is distracted. The strength of the vibration used to be fully adjustable. I found it to be the BEST attention getter for my dog when he was in pursuit of prey, and to remind him of the property line. This new one doesn't grab the dog's attention at all. She occasionally looks around to see what touched her, but it could never be used as a safety measure. I called the company, because I was certain I was missing something while reading the owner's manual; hoping they'd say "Of course those features are still available! We would never eliminate the fantastic, multifunctional, incredibly useful features!" Sadly, I did not read the manual incorrectly. They really did ruin a great product. The reason? To allow a sustained nick or vibrate. If I could, I'd return this immediately, and go to eBay and find one of the older models, even if I had to buy used. Sadly, I simply don't have the time to waste on shipping. I use an e-collar to help with puppy training, as well as early training for my balance/mobility service dog. Being disabled, raising puppies is a real challenge. The e-collar (in the past) allowed me to "reach out and touch" a pup that moves much faster than I can. It has proven to be an invaluable tool for calling my other dog off pursuit of a deer. This new model of the collar is not only less functional, but also has a slight delay in its delivery. I suspect this is because of the add-a-collar option. (A couple years ago I blew almost three hundred on their 825 model, because I was training a future law enforcement sniffer dog. That model is so bad, I used my original e-collar, and gave the 825 away with the pup when he began his official training classes. The delay with that one is so bad, it renders the collar almost entirely useless. I know that Sportdog caters to the hunting crowd, and that Sportdog really, truly, deeply does NOT care what I think; but prospective buyers need to know that the new model is NOT improved.

SportDOG 425 remote w ecollar: We had serious problem with our male Golden Retriever climbing wooden post bean 6’ tall fence surrounds entire acre of our property; nearly getting over barking insanely at every dog walker, UPS truck, garbage truck every day. The sound of anyone talking, the grind of any delivery vehicles set him into an uncontrolled barking frenzy running at fences to get at anyone in his area. Screaming at him, yelling no, leave it or home, come to return, no effect. We had to use new training method, it was out of control. The thought of shocking our Golden made us cringe. But, we put on the collar read many owners standards of use; magic, worked 100% eliminating all bad behaviors less than 2 weeks. Bit confusing on setting remote; with all options. Read instructions to only set collar on buzz or what we call mild shock. Try it on your hand. This is not abuse in the least but mild current alerts dog, no, stop bad behavior. Once he gets the buzz, an impression is imprinted almost permanently, no. Here is what we recommend: Set the rotating dial on the remote control to 2 on dial only on shock. Charge both collar; remote before use. May think collar is not working if you do not each time put on the collar on pressing middle inside center of collar to activate the collar. Keep the collar fastened on dogs neck fairly tight so sits /right under his chin about as high up on his neck as you can go toward the ears. On crazy behavior, chasing, non stop barking, heel, growling with attack mode, start dial on remote dial at 2. 2 buttons on remote center right one above one another. Lower button delivers milder shock. When see dogs behavior in any crazy state 1st press once/twice sharply twice on lower button; say no home to come back to you. If lower button does not work, press higher of 2 buttons on remote, once, twice sharply; say no, home come back to me. If you see you dog is not responding to the setting at 2 on dial move to 3 on remote dial; same instructions, press buttons as above; if does not work, turn dial to 4; Upon bad behavior press again sharply on lower or upper button quickly with same command, no come, home whatever bad behavior requires to follow the command. Only once did we have to resort to 3rd /button located on the side of the remote. You press; hold 2-3 seconds that sends steady shock at the dog. On this level or on any #4 press, our dog, spins quickly; heads back on any command in an instant but we only used #4 at stopping serious bad behavior, roaming our property; heading toward a coyote or chasing a skunk. After a week or so all we had to do was not press the buzzer on remote at all but yell the commands upon bad behavior as dog knows the buzz might come; he gets it coming with no remote to buzz. Dog will be imprinted if you are patient. The selection noted above used on chasing barking to correct. Most of all, reward him each time he comes back after a buzz to correct bad behavior with multiple good boys; a treat. He will get it. Charging both remote and collar lasts couple of days. Hope this helps.

Update: I reached out to the manufacturer and they sent a new shocker-thingy to replace the one that quit working. So far all is good. This collar worked well from December 2022 until September 2023. The collar when plugged in will charge however when you unplug it and try to turn it on it never powers on. I get a red flashing light. Now I could understand if I had perhaps used it to train a duck dog and it was always in and out of water. However, this thing gets very little use, I put it on to take my dog for a walk or to let her run around in the yard. Overall, it was a great collar, but it's not worth it for the price. It should last more than a year and it didn't. I would not recommend it and will search for another brand.

Mi perra ladraba incesantemente. Ahora ya no ladra. El collarín Sportdog Brand 425 es excelente. Se puede graduar a la intensidad necesaria.

We borrowed one from the in-laws and when we had to give it back we ended up buying different brands off amazon.. that were cheaper to try to save money but it was a huge waste of money as we bought multiple ones that ended up not working for our dog. It might seem pricey but you won’t be second guessing if it’s working properly or not.

Well documented and clear instructions. Good product.

Bien. Sin problemas y llega antes del tiempo indicado.

This is a really nice collar. I would highly recommend it for quality alone. I was looking for one that had an auto bark shock or vibrate and this one did not.