Finding the working level
What level should an e-collar be set to?
There is no correct number to set and forget, and anyone who gives you one without meeting your dog is guessing. What follows is how our trainers find the level, how to read the dog, and the rules that keep the tool fair.
Last reviewed September 29, 2026 · by the Best Dog University Team
The rule
Set it to the lowest level your dog notices, and let the dog tell you what that is.
Start at zero with the dog calm, in a quiet yard, and raise the dial one step at a time, pressing the tap once at each step. At some point the dog reacts in a small way: an ear twitches, the head turns, it scratches at the collar or stops sniffing for a moment. That is the working level. The dog is not hurt or frightened; it simply noticed something.
Look at the dog, not the remote. Two dogs of the same breed and size can have very different working levels, and a sensitive Vizsla may notice a setting a sturdy Lab ignores. Coat, skin, fit and temperament all move the number, which is why copying a setting from a friend or a forum is a mistake.
- An ear flick or a head turn
- A scratch at the collar
- A brief pause in sniffing
- A glance back toward you
Reading the dog
A small sign means the level is right, and a big reaction means it is far too high.
A dog that yelps, jumps, tucks its tail or freezes did not get a working level; it got a startle, and startles teach fear rather than a command. Drop right back down, end the session on something easy and start the search again another day. A dog that shows nothing at all may not be feeling it because the contact points are sitting on fur, so check the fit before you raise the dial.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| An ear flick, a head turn, a glance | Working level | Stay here and pair it with a known cue |
| No change at all | Too low, or a poor fit | Check contact on the skin, then go up one step |
| Scratching at the collar repeatedly | At or just above the level | Hold here and watch the next few taps |
| A yelp, a jump, a tucked tail | Far too high | Drop back down and end the session calmly |
It moves
The working level shifts with the place, the weather and the dog's excitement.
A dog at the lake with ducks on the water notices less than the same dog in the kitchen, so the working level outdoors may be a few steps higher. That small adjustment is normal. A dog that needs a much higher level to respond in a busy place is telling you something else: it is too aroused to learn there. The fix is more distance and an easier setting, the same way you would handle a dog that stops taking food.
Weather plays a part too. A wet coat after a swim, or a sweaty neck on a humid Houston evening, can change how the stimulation is felt, so recheck the level when conditions change. From May to September, sessions run in early morning or at dusk, and the fit is checked after every outing.
- Busier place: a small step up, not a leap
- Needs a big jump: the dog is over its limit
- Wet coat or sweaty neck: recheck the level
- Fit checked after every summer session
Finding it at home
Find the level fresh each session, in a calm place, before the real work starts.
Five minutes at the start of a session saves the dog from a guess. Our trainers teach families this routine at the handover.
Fit the collar high and snug with the contact points on skin.
Start the dial at zero with the dog relaxed in a familiar, quiet spot.
Tap once, wait a few seconds and watch the dog closely.
Raise the dial a single step and tap again, repeating until you see the first small sign.
Note that number as today's starting point, not a permanent setting.
Pair the level with a command the dog knows well and reward the response.
At Best Dog University
We find the level with your dog in VIP and teach you to find it yourself.
The Mini-Educator is included in the six-week VIP program at $10,000. Our trainers find your dog's working level, build it on commands the dog already knows, and teach you the whole routine in the in-home handover, with unlimited in-home lessons afterward. The rule we hold ourselves to is the rule we teach: a level the dog can barely feel, after the command is understood, and never for fear.
That last point matters in Houston, where July 4 and New Year fireworks and spring thunderstorms send dogs bolting. A frightened dog is never corrected with the collar at any level. Families outside VIP who own a collar can book a lesson, $160 in Cypress or $220 at home, to have the level and the fit checked.
The programs
The level is taught, not guessed.
VIP includes the collar and the handover where you learn the working level; a lesson checks the fit and level on a collar you already own.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this.
Is a higher number crueler than a lower one?
The number alone does not tell you, because collars and dogs differ. What matters is how the dog responds. A level that produces a small, calm sign of noticing is fair; a level that produces a yelp or a flinch is too high on any collar, whatever the dial reads.
What if my dog ignores a low level?
First check the fit, because contact points sitting on fur deliver very little. Then ask whether the dog knows the command. A dog that does not understand the cue will not understand the tap either. More level is rarely the answer; more teaching usually is.
Should I feel it on my own hand first?
Many people do, and it helps them see how mild a working level is. Your hand is not the dog's neck, so treat it as a rough reference only. The dog's reaction is the real measure, and you still start from zero with the dog.
My dog yelped once. Is the damage done?
One mistake is rarely permanent. Drop the level, end on an easy success and go back to leash work for a few days so the collar means nothing again. If the dog now worries when the collar goes on, stop and book a lesson before you continue.
Does the level stay the same once it is found?
No. Expect it to shift slightly with the place, the weather and the dog's excitement. The working level you find in the yard is a starting point for that day. Recheck it whenever the setting changes, and write down the numbers for your usual places so you can see if one starts creeping upward.
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