Educator ET-800 “The Boss”: 1-Mile Headroom, Real Control
If the ET-300 is the whisperer, the ET-800 is the quiet foreman—still polite, just with a longer reach and more authority when the world gets loud. Big country, big distractions, big dog? This is the unit designed to keep the conversation going when lesser remotes fade to static.
Quick Verdict
The ET-800 is a high-authority, 1-mile class trainer with 100 discrete levels, user-set Boost (1–60), tone & vibration (a.k.a. Educator’s “tapping” sensation), a floating, waterproof transmitter, receiver tracking light, and expansion to a 2-dog system—exactly the toolset you want when recall has to cut through wildlife, wind, and distance. The PetsTEK bundle adds a clicker so you can condition cues with positive reinforcement from day one.
What you actually get
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Range: up to 1 mile (line-of-sight best case; trees/hills/suburbs reduce this).
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Stimulation: 100 levels of static (“blunt stimulation” feel) + user-set Boost (1–60); tone and vibration options; momentary and continuous available on the platform. Water/impact: Waterproof; transmitter floats; spec sheets list submersion robustness up to 500 ft and 5000 G shock resistance for this platform. (You won’t test that, but it tells you how it’s built.)
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Receiver class: ET-800 ships with the RX-120 “large” receiver (muscle for high-drive dogs); 1-inch strap; includes short & long contact points.
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Expandability: 1-dog out of the box; expandable to 2-dog (ET-802) by pairing a second receiver.
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Bundle specifics: The PetsTEK Amazon bundle includes the ET-800 system + PetsTEK clicker; listing confirms floating remote, night light, lost transmitter beeper, quick-charge batteries, and tone/vibe/static.
The ET-800 in your hand
The round transmitter sits like a stout stopwatch. Your index & middle fingers rest on the stimulation buttons; your thumb finds tone/vibe without hunting. The Lock & Set function keeps your level where you left it—no “pocket bumps.” In low light, the backlit display is quick to read, and the receiver LED doubles as a night tracking light for dusk retrieves and after-dark yard checks. If you train around creeks, marsh, or snowmelt, the floating transmitter is not a gimmick; it’s a recovery plan.
Modes that matter
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Tone — treat it like a cue (recall or end-of-behavior), not a random beep. Pair it with food/play so the dog wants to obey it.
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Vibration (Educator “tapping”) — silent attention or pre-cue; helpful in windy fields, blinds, and with hearing-impaired dogs. Response varies by dog; condition it first.Static — the lowest perceivable nudge that cuts through fixation when tone/vibe fail (deer, livestock, roads). Use Momentary for precision; keep Continuous extremely short and purposeful (Educator platforms time-limit continuous).
Fast ladder you’ll actually use: Tone → Vibe → Momentary (lowest perceivable) → Mark & Reward the turn-in. If you’re holding buttons, you’re late—tighten timing, not thumbs.
ET-800 specs
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Range: up to 1 mile • Levels: 100 + Boost (1–60) • Modes: Tone, Vibe, Momentary, Continuous •
Receiver: RX-120 (approx 2.7″ × 1.7″ × 1.2″, ~4.0 oz) • Strap: 1″ biothane • Remote: round, floats, waterproof • Extras: lost-TX beeper, night LED, quick-charge Li-ion packs • Expandable: up to 2 dogs.
Pro’s & Con’s — ET-800 “The Boss”
✅ Pros — Where it shines
- True 1-mile class for big country and hard distractions.
- 100 levels + user-set Boost (1–60) = precise control in calm or chaos.
- Floating, waterproof transmitter with tracking light on the receiver.
- “Blunt” stimulation feel; fine granularity for low-level work.
- Solid RX-120 receiver for driven, stubborn, or large dogs.
- Expandable to 2-dog without changing remotes.
- PetsTEK bundle adds a clicker for clean marker conditioning.
❌ Cons — Know before you buy
- Bigger receiver (RX-120) than ET-300/ME-300—overkill for tiny dogs.
- Range is physics-limited—trees/terrain reduce the 1-mile ideal.
- No GPS/app—this is a training collar, not a tracker.
- Round remote is awesome, but chunkier in pockets than slim wand-style units.
- Requires proper fit and timing—not a shortcut for untrained behaviors.
Who it’s for
Buy the ET-800 if you run high-drive, larger dogs, work in big open environments, or need consistent authority when prey drive drowns out your voice. Skip it if your dog is very small or you primarily train in tight suburban spaces—ET-300/ME-300 keep everything smaller and lighter while retaining fine levels. (Educator’s own comparison charts flag ET-800 + RX-120 for normal/stubborn temperaments, 25 lb+.)
Set-up flow (10 minutes to first reps)
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Fit: Receiver at 4–5 o’clock, strap snug enough not to rotate; re-check after 10 minutes as muscles relax. Use long points or trim fur (don’t shave) on thick coats.
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Find recognition level: In low distraction, dial up from 0 to the first consistent orient (ear flick/head turn). Lock it.
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Condition tone or vibration: tone/vibe → come → party (food/toy).
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Proof: If the dog blows off two cues, use Momentary at recognition +1; release pressure the instant the dog orients; mark & reward the turn-in.
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Rotate positions; limit daily wear and do skin checks. (Good practice for all e-collars.)
(These steps mirror brand guidance for training flow and device features.)
Real scenarios (how the ET-800 earns its keep)
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Deer-drunk recall at 150 yards: Tone fails, vibe fails; momentary at recognition +1 clears the fog; dog wheels; you mark and pay. Levels stay low because fit + timing are right.
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Livestock line etiquette: Teach the boundary with tone → step back → pay. For repeat pushers, pair tone with a brief continuous at a very low level only at the line (time-limited), then return to tone-only once the dog respects it.
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Night retrieves or off-lead camp: The receiver LED is worth its weight. And if your remote does a swan dive from the tailgate, it floats—so your weekend isn’t over.
The RX-120 receiver
The ET-800’s RX-120 is the “large” receiver in Educator’s line: 1-inch strap, beefier output headroom, and size to match dogs ~25 lb and up. If your dog is small or you want the slimmest profile possible under a puffer or wet coat, you’ll like the ME-300/ET-300 receivers better; if your dog is a locomotive with ears, the RX-120 is the right yoke.
ET-800 vs alternatives
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Educator ET-300 — ½-mile, smaller receiver, same 100 levels + Boost concept; great for most suburban work.
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Dogtra 1900S — ¾-mile, 0–127 levels, slim receiver; no floating TX; strong pro following for its rock-solid link.
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Garmin Sport PRO — glove-proof “no-look” dial, tone/vibe/static, tool-simple; shorter range but dead-simple controls.
(If you need GPS + training, you’re shopping a different class entirely.)
(These are family/segment comparisons; device specifics are from manufacturer lines.)
Buy it here
Internal linking
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Up-link (pillar):Best Dog Training Collars (2025) → anchor *“our 10 tested e-collars (ET-300, 1900S, Sport PRO, ET-800)” →
/best-dog-training-collars/
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Mode guide: Tone vs Vibration vs Static—When to Use Which → anchor *“choose the right mode for the moment” →
/tone-vs-vibration-vs-static/
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Fit guide: How to Fit an E-Collar Correctly → anchor *“seat the receiver at 4–5 o’clock; snug, non-rotating” →
/how-to-fit-an-e-collar-correctly/
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Sibling review: Educator ET-300 Mini Review → anchor *“same precise control in a smaller package” →
/educator-et-300-mini-review/
FAQ (short & honest)
Will the ET-800 be “too much” for my dog?
Power is a reserve, not a mandate. With 100 levels + Boost you can work at the lowest perceivable nudge—if the fit is correct and timing is clean.
Does the remote really float?
Yes. Multiple listings/retailers document a floating, waterproof transmitter on this platform.
Is it overkill for suburban yards?
If your dog is moderate and your spaces are small, ET-300 is plenty. The ET-800 shines when the world gets loud—distance, prey drive, competition venues, and wind.
Final take
If you need a collar that stays polite at 20 yards and decisive at 200, the ET-800 is the adult in the room. It doesn’t add gimmicks; it adds confidence: range, resolution, and a control scheme you can run without looking. Fit it right, teach with tone/vibe, save momentary static for when the stakes jump, and pay the dog for choosing you over chaos. That’s how this tool earns its keep.