We're looking at perimeter training Nunya with an E-collar, but what would you guys recommend as a good but affordable one?
We picked up my Grandma's lightly used e-collar, but it doesn't seem to be working right. I've been using it on my hands. It has to be set to 4 for any stimulation at all, and it's VERY inconsistent, half the time I push the button it doesn't stimulate, other times, there's barely anything, a couple times it scared the crap our of me. It didn't hurt, I just wasn't expecting it to be so strong lol. Mom was thinking about getting an underground fence, but we live on a farm and that would really expensive and time consuming to get all 40 acres fences in.
We just got back from the store with the new batteries too, so it's not that :/

perimeter training, as in invisible fence? or as in remote where you push button?

I don't have recommendations on brands, but I can tell you that a really important part of e-collar training is getting good contact with the dog (NOT their fur) and the posts on the collar.

That being said, I'm pretty sure most here are not fans of e-collars. We garbage-trained our lab with one that had a tone, and we would push the tone button, and then the stimulation button. He very quickly picked up on things, and would move away from the garbage can with just the tone, and not long after, go to just a voice command, and then no command at all. But that was a lab. Just sayin.

Do a LOT of reading on proper e-collar training since they are used incorrectly a lot, and people use them as coersion/punishment, rather than a TRAINING tool.

If you're talking about outdoor perimeter training, as in invisible fence, or just teaching your dog to stay in the yard, I'd go back and read the stories about why huskies aren't good off leash.

I'm not saying it's impossible to train them, but I will say that part of our agreement with the husky rescue when we got Dante was that we wouldn't let him free in the yard without a physical fence, and that we wouldn't take him out, off leash. Just something to think about.

If you're doing Electric collar training - I really do hope you're going to a GOOD trainer that specializes in them. There are SO many things that can go wrong with those things. Including making a dog fearful, scaring the dog making it run off. If you wanted a dog to be off leash or to know it's boundaries you should have maybe considered getting a Border Collie.

For an electric collar to actually work you'll probably have to shave an area around the neck right down to the skin since a double coat/thick fur protect the dog they most likely will not feel it.

Personally I'd never use one. IF I did however, I'd be going right to a trainer who specializes with it to show me how to properly use and manage it as they are not supposed to be a lifelong item.

I have been using them for years. Mostly on border collies. Actually a couple husky owners actually recommended them as well. I think I was talking to tiff about it. I have never had any dog to be fearful on them. I recommend the sport-dog ones. They are made for hunting. on 4? That is kinda high Maggie felt one on 1. She doesn't even have it on Ill press a button and she won't leave my side. like I have said before it depends on the dog, to be off leash. You all have seen polar, and I have seen groups of huskies able to do it. Training them off leash is hard work but it can be done. I will not ever have any dog breed off leash near streets. In the mountains on hikes is the only time. I however don't think maggie is one of those dogs...

Yes, like an underground fence, only manually, I guess?
The collar we have is a Sportdog, it says for home and office use on the collar too. Maybe it was damaged from being left around.
If we can't train him to stay in the yard, then we will tie him, but it isn't a problem right now. We have ties, as our dobie wasn't able to be loose either.

I thought you meant elizabethan collars (aka cones) when I read the thread title! I have to say I am not a fan of e-collars. Use of an e-collar causes stress for dogs (as measured by salivary cortisol and heart rate frequency). This is worse if they can't associate the shock with something specific, for example if the timing isn't exactly right. One study of german shepherds comparing shock collars to another (still aversive) training regimen found that those with shock collar showed signs of stress when in the presence of their owners, ie. they weren't associating the shock with specific behaviours, but rather with the presence of their owner. This can also affect subsequent training as the dog might be afraid of showing different behaviours. The other risk of course is that if they are desperate to go chasing after something, they might just keep on going past the range of the device. So I agree with Ceara about consulting a behaviourist.

It does sound like the device you have isn't working properly. Is there a reason you don't want to use the tie-ups? Ultimately of course the best solution is proper containment.

I've looked in to them, the only brand I'd trust is rather expensive, so I'm no help here.

We have a husky rescue around us that recommends NOT to use E-fences with huskies. Apparently, they have dealt with quite a few who have escaped because they were stubborn enough to just deal with the initial shocking. By the time you realize they broke through the barrier, they are blocks away.

I didn't know a dog secreted cortisol, but if it's only one thing, not any other part of his training, I don't think it would stop him from throwing behaviours.
The part of our yard surrounding the house has a lot of trees and cars, and we don't want him to constantly get tangled or have to restrict him to a 20 foot tie or shorter. It doesn't seem fair when he has a huge yard and fields to run through.

We use a forty foot time out chain for Hurley but also use an e-collar so he can run and still be safe. We use a sport dog collar and made sure we followed the training guide and video. Hurley knew all his commands already and only took a few corrections before he fully understood his boundaries. I have only used it higher than level 1 one time when he took off after a rabbit. He gets excited and has no problem when we put it on him. We are always with him and play fetch and run with him when he has it on. The biggest advice is to really follow the training guide and it will function the way it is meant to. I wouldn't trust him with a e fence because I've seen him take off after rabbits so easily and he is not afraid of the road or cars. I hated having him tied up so much since our yard isn't fenced in yet. It's been a great training tool and we haven't hard to use it since the first week we got it. He responds to commands to stay and come and we use the tone when needed.