And remove links for smaller necks. For their part, humans will be well rewarded for time spent helping their dog understand the how and why of leashes with many happy miles of walking together as a team. Do not walk or move while he is pulling and turn around in the opposition direction are two ways to stop the pulling even with a standard collar. No trainers want to work with me because I have him on a prong. WebIn this Q&A I address the important question:What do I think of countries that ban e-collars? At first, she thought it was OK, but she had a bad feeling about it. On walks, sometimes he pulls on leash, other times does not. WebShock collars have been illegal to use on dogs and cats in Wales for more than a decade. The prong is not meant to yank, pull or choke a dog. But I just wonder if I will ever experience joy in our walks. But theyre not.. I even sustained a back injury when he took off after a dog on a walk. For the first time ever I relaxed and smiled while in a vets waiting room! We are taking it really, really slowly and not forcing her to go anywhere for the walk as far as she is comfortable and I try to avoid triggers but its still stressful for her and I want her to feel more confident. We are the first time adoptive fur parents of a Yellow Lab Mix. I finally gave up on my fears, and holy cow I was in control. Viewfinders, what do you think about the ban on prong collars? This can create a scenario in which, at best, a dog doesn't offer any behaviors due to fear, and at worst, a dog who becomes more reactive, worried, and overtly aggressive, leading to bites.". The dog doesnt know what behavior to offer. Boy was he difficult to walk though. Hannah, Thank you so much for your message. Do not allow any pulling from now on. Free shipping for many products! I agree 100%, the right collar and training are essential. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. My dog loves going on walks and he always wears a prong collar when we leave the house. As a trainer, Mary sees many dogs struggling with fear, reactivity, and aggression toward unfamiliar people and dogs. It is very helpful. This is a really simple. We decide when they eat, what they eat, when and with whom they play and also decide when, where, and for how long dogs get to be outside each day and, perhaps more subtly, by imposing the physical constraints of collars and leashes, which guide the speed and direction of a dogs movements. When we first adopted Bear he had no leash manners at all. The studies seem to show that choke collars are dangerous but not prong collars. There is no negative association for the dogs, and weve even been lucky and not have any people give us looks or comments on their collars either. The San Francisco SPCAs website points out that the skin on a humans neck is ten to fifteen cells thick, whereas the skin on a dogs neck is only three to five cells thick. 3, It definitely forces you to pay attention as youre concerned about pulling too hard but that /should/ be the case no matter what you use. Thank you for this article. Mickey is a 45 lb standard poodle and is 6 months old. This was the same store I had been in days earlier with Bear and could barely hold onto him where he was now sitting next to me at the register!!!! Punishment often appears to work quickly (who wouldnt want to avoid a painful or uncomfortable correction?) Or pulling his owner over, cause owners not to walk their dog? For her leash training she starts with a slip leash but if a dog is particularly difficult shell switch to the prong collar. Misuse covers: poor or incorrect placement on the dog. poorly fitted collars or incorrectly sized. incorrect timing of corrections allowing dog to self correct. used in the car (especially to secure in the car) worn in a crate Attempting to solve incorrect problems with a prong long durations wearing a prong when used on the underaged when used on shy dogs when used on scared dogs when used on aggressive dogs when used whilst not defined training sessions when used whilst unattended when used with anything other than a short leash. Our first walk getting her home she barked and lunged at anything that moved be it person or dog. CodeMiko posted in her Discord yesterday, sharing that she was suspended on Twitch for her use of a shock collar on herself during her Sunday, Feb. 26 stream. Your comments are spot on that trainers are obsessively against this collar so fear there will be no where for me to go to get training if I were to purchase. Do your dogs reach a point that you no longer have to use the prong collar? I didnt even know what that really was until the first week of taking her for walks. Initially I was not crazy about this, especially since our previous trainer was purely positive and I thought thatd be best, but her reasoning made sense to me since it was clear our dogs did not care about the treats in our hands when they saw something they wanted more. 1 1/2 Inch Keeper's Hidden Prong Double Leather Collar Gold and Silver Knots on Black Web with Metallic Gold and Black Leather and Brass Hardware $0.00. Pulls a lot, lunges after wild rabbits and some other dogs etc. The prong collar is the opposite of cruel in the right hands. Recently we were able to do a board and train with an old coworker of mine for a very reasonable price and she told us that she combines positive and negative reinforcements in her training. 12. I thought prong collars were for out-of-control vicious dogs! I am trying to gain more knowledge and be a responsible dog owner (esp. By: Evelyn Konopik, RVT Legislators cited prong collars violated their Animal Welfare standards by using pain as punishment.. Debi, this is a wonderful article, thank you. Wish us luck! The prong collar training gets a lot of attention from pure positive or force free dog trainers. The straw that broke the camels back was after her pulling so much with her front-clip Halti harness that she rubbed her armpit bald. I was horrified the first time I saw these collars for sale and thought they were really cruel! The links and ads are a way for me to cover my expenses. The dog didnt even attempt to pull, lunge or drag me anywhere anymore. You dont use it to punish, you use it to guide. Hes pretty good on our boring suburb walks with a regular collar, but any new experience he is almost uncontrollable. Prong Collar What Professionals Have to Say We found out that her dog, while on a choke collar, started pulling when he saw another dog across the street, so much so that his paws came off the ground. Prong collar was recommended by a co-worker (who received the rec. Thank you for sharing your story Gemma. The dogs hear the rattle of the prong collar and get so excited for their walks! What the dogs were bred for has absolutely no relationship to their bad manners (which you have inadvertently taught them). WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. Its a tough call. The dog grew quickly to an incredibly strong dog that could easily jump the fence in the backyard. He eventually started showing extreme aggression towards dogs including my other two rescues. Whilst I know that the potential for misuse is not a reason to call something bad, its mainly a method of training that I see no reason for.. Now I have an American Foxhound, and while she does pull a little bit at the beginning of a walk she settles right in with her harness pretty quick. 2. Weve been using a Ray Allen Brand, the prongs go only partially around his neck/the collar. I work with high drive, hard working dogs. Getting a Second Dog Doesn't Always Double the Fun, 7 Ticking Time Bombs That Destroy Loving Relationships, An Addiction Myth That Needs to Be Revisited, 5 Spiritual Practices That Increase Well-Being. Then, watching YouTube videos last night, I came across Solid K9 Training (Jeff, above in this blog) and discovered that I was using the prong collar ALL WRONG even on my first dog. And if your trainer tells you that this is not the case, then theyre not a trainer you should be working with. But we all need to know the truth about prong collars before passing judgment. I have tried regular collars, a harness, e collar now my last resort is a prong collar. As soon as the collar goes on I have total control over him. I never wanted to try a prong collar because of the negative connotations, especially with a pit bull that people are already afraid of. Id love to hear about your success stories on using the prong collar. How Can I Find a Dog Trainer? The e-collar is not banned in Scotland The Scottish ministers rejected the proposal as their independent reports found insufficient evidence. Yet, some dogs are repeat offenders, and those dogs? We would like to try one more time to change their walking behavior. There are many different types of dog harnesses. I asked him why not? He went on to tell me theyre known for breaking dogs necks. We rescued a super sweet lab mix from down south a few months ago. I would argue a year to 18 months is the minimum you should be considering this tool., Why? and has a loving heart. But every dog is different. I have yet to find anything in writing that says this is ok. A smart, quick, and gentle tug as he came at me, playfully, but vigorously and painfully, biting and scratching, caused him to halt and look at my face, asking me what I need from him, wanting to interact and please. That would be my goal. This leash training is extremely important for puppies, but even adult dogs who havent been properly schooled in polite leash walking can learn to accommodate their human. I have a 140 BRT, and he is only 14 months old. This has been our experience with all three of our rescued dogs as well. Cheers! Every dog and situation is unique. CodeMiko posted in her Discord yesterday, sharing that she was suspended on Twitch for her use of a shock collar on herself during her Sunday, Feb. 26 stream. Weve tried all our trainers suggestions like carrying a stick shaped treat and letting her have a nibble when shes at our knee, spatula with cheese/peanut butter, hot dogs, treat sack at our hip and feeding while walking NOTHING worked. He's become a more confident pup with the prong collar training. You are doing everything right, just take it slow. It could take months or years, depending on your training. Very good training tool. Thank you so much for your story Terry! Im considering a prong, but my question is, can the prong be used as a training tool only, and then the dog can learn and move back to a flat collar? Another asked if perhaps dogs, because they read human faces, including angry faces, very well, might get a "bad feeling" from their human when they choose to use something that causes them pain. Hi Beverly, Yes you can use a prong collar on a short face dog. We need to be responsive to whats happening on both ends of the leash, and a walk should involve ongoing negotiations and mutual tolerance between dog and human. At the moment, different regions are working Your timid poodle may never need one. So, out comes my trusty prong collar. I am looking forward to using this, in an even better way of using. If it hurt him in any way I seriously doubt he would come running for me to put it on him. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? He already knew all basic commands, house broken and crate trained. Just remember, the collar needs to be high up on the dogs neck, just below the ears. However, the first reference to dog collars comes from Ancient Egypt. I cannot just take the opinions of others because the day WILL COME that I will be challenged by someone out there who tries to bust people for passing their dogs off as service dogs, when indeed, they are not. The positive training methods consist of a verbal correction, which leads to a treat (definitely food motivated dog). I rescued a German Sheppard who is roughly a year old Nov of 2018. If we love our companion animals so very much, the call to treat them kindly should be paramount, and there's no reason why these devices shouldnt be banned in favor of readily available and less aversive force-free alternatives. Not sure what type of training you are looking for, but maybe check out Spirit Dog Training. Forget a regular collar she did nothing but choke herself out the entire walk. If the prong is desingned not to be uncomfortable or cause pain, how does it actually work? I broke down and bought a prong collar for my girls (18 month old pitbulls) theyre the sweetest dogs but pull like crazy especially when they see a person or another dog they want to play with. Ill bet you prong collars and strategic sharp jerks will have your dachshunds (or your wolfhounds) respectfully leaving their leashes slack within the week. I wouldnt recommend trying one without researching how to properly use it but it works really well for some pups. The kennel I work at is very much 50% training, 50% the tools you use. Discuss with you when they should be used and when they shouldnt. Like others have mentioned, Im sure the dog is not afraid of this collar if theyre running to you to put it on for a walk. Eventually you can stop using the collar, once she understands pulling is not acceptable. I went into the city to give him some new experiences besides our boring suburb walks and didnt use the prong collar. I have tried 2 different harnesses and if he gets really excited he can escape both.once after a groundhog, once when a farm combine crossed in front of us he escaped the harness only 4 times total in a year, but each time was dangerous. We adopted our 5-yr-old 18-lb floof in March, and at first she was coughing and choking all the time. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. I am in your same boat. Have your new trainer help you make sure the fit is correct and you will be well on your way to having peaceful walks again. The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. I see you have recommended a few times to use a carabiner and I dont know what you mean. Again 99.9% of the time he is a joy to walk & im walking him and my other dog which could greatly overpower me. However they are illegal here so its very difficult to promote them in a public way. I use to think they were cruel but now I believe they are an invaluable training tool especially for adult rescue dogs with no previous leash training. Its important that the collar is snug around the base of the dogs ears, meaning high up on the neck. So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? Good luck with your future training of your puppy! He wouldnt listen to me or the instructor at all. Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools, Choose a Dog Trainer as Carefully as You Would a Surgeon, Dog Training's Dirty Little Secret: Anyone Can Legally Do It, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. WebShock collars Carry On Bags: Yes Checked Bags: Yes For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' I dont want my dog to fear me or become aggressive towards other people or dogs. Shes a 5 year old Great Pyrenees cross that Ive had the joy of owning for a year now. collars Unlike when our little baby sees her shampoo bottle she knows its bath time and disappears. Just started using one and he is very easy to walk with one hand. If you find that its not working because of the lack of a neck try using a slip lead. Thanks! I wanted to get one for him when we first started having problems with him but my dad seemed so against it so I decided on not getting one. Mary saw her guardian, who looked upset, pick her up and take her to the car after a solid ten minutes of yelling, "Down!" She introduced me to the idea of using a prong collar as a training tool which I initially had strong concerns about having never seen one in use and having just lost a dog to laryngeal damage issues. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! Check Latest Price. Please do more research, because your answer sounded very disturbing. Or can eventually she go off it and into her normal collar/ no leash? I just rescued a 5 month golden husky mix. I hope that this informed guy and the other bus passengers who heard what I had to say stop to think about what theyre doing with their dogs and realize that my success is due to learning how to use a prong. I want to make sure that they wont get hurt when using the collars that I will buy for them. And although I knew they were just barking and pulling because they wanted to investigate and make friends, staffies barks tend to be quite scary, which Im sure intimidate my neighbors. A petite woman in her mid-40s walks her 100 pound rottweiler with some difficulty. I can even run in the park with him without getting dragged or jumped on. However when it comes to walking on a lease he is a puller and aggressive. Results were immediate and wonderful with no signs of distress, only a few sounds of surprise. She gets so over excited in this, and a few other, situations that I have real trouble holding her back she has on occasions pulled me over! If you are consistently pulling the collar he may become numb to any corrections. Just train the right way the first time and dont seek shortcuts.. Not all prong collars are created equal, the cheap versions can have sharp points and break. Dog Collars: The Shock and Prong War An Opinion Physical Damage Choke and Prong Collars: Health Concerns Call for Equipment Change in Dog Training Hes sweet smart and strong. WebProng collars work by causing discomfort (pain/punishment) when the dog pulls against it. Unfortunately, I think the rescue society I got her from downplayed the leash issues. Like anything Im sure using it wrong or without training can be bad but using it as training tool correctly can be a great benefit and my dog has responded amazing to it., I just started training with the prong collar, I immediately see a difference in my pitt/boxer mix. Instantly what a difference, no pulling, no zig zag walking. My first dog was a female shepherd-mix rescue and I used a prong collar on her to amazing effect. If you decide this is your right path, just make sure that youre going into this as prepared as you can, because you owe it to your dog to do so. It means that youre not in control. Period. A prong collar should sit right behind the ears and Being rather small in size at 5 he darn near out weighed me so it was nearly impossible for me to stop him. Hi Lesa, I appreciate your feedback and the fact youve never needed to use a prong is great. According to a review article published by Gal Ziv, the results show that using aversive training methods (e.g., positive punishment and negative reinforcement) can jeopardize both the physical and mental health of dogs. I swore Id never use a prong, they are cruel, I thought. I have a reactive dog when out, other dogs, cars and people but an absolute gent when in the home. I have more confidence and she listens effectively. Could you post a video or picture of what you are recommending to do? Prongs are widely, widely misunderstood and consequently widely misused., The fact that a reward or a correction can only be given within 2 seconds of the action for either to be of effect means that your reactions have very slim windows to achieve their goal. It is much better than the flat collars we had tried since she doesnt pull now, her trachea isnt under pressure on walks. There is enough research to know they are not humane or safe. By the way, the vet also said to only use the Herm Sprenger brand. The prong collar (similar to a choke chain or slip lead) works on constriction. The prong could help with the jumping and biting if used correctly. I do believe it is each to their own, but to me it is still an aversive tool created for people who do not have time to train their dogs without punishment or the consequence of pain. Bekoff, Marc. My dog has been going through training to be my service dog and I have been researching weather or not its ok to continue using my prong collar with her. Collars She would pull so hard then entire walk with her two front feet in the air. It totally changed our lives!!! I just want him to be the perfectly trained dog I know hes capable of becoming. One is 2.0mm (small) and the other is 3.0mm (medium). In large, older, strong, and/or strong-willed dogs, this would point us to the prong collars. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. People would comment on how well-mannered she was on walks and after a few years, I didnt need the prong collar at all. Twice have hurt my back holding him, and I also have tendonitis in both hands/wrists, so holding on to him when he is distracted can be really painful. The reason why I am so weary of collars is that when dogs pull they can cause a lot of damage. I found the prong collar to be far more humane than say a shock collar, a flat collar, or even an ill fitted harness. However, some suppliers seem to be able to get them and sell them. They started our dog on a martingale collar, then upgraded him to a choke, and finally the prong. He was supposed to be in a down but got up when my son went by with a musical toy so I gave him a small correction back to his down. Thanks! My guess he was abused while wearing one or was constantly on one. No matter how stubborn. Most dogs that are terrified of things have never been exposed to them rather than having been beaten by/with the thing theyre exposed to. I want to share a story about a prong collar and how it changed my life. The reason why I am so weary of collars is that when dogs pull they can cause a lot of damage. Choke and Prong collars have been used to discipline dogs, usually larger and more aggressive breeds. Specifically, they state that prolonged or extreme pulling of ANY collar can lead to damage. Hi Carol, the prong collar is known to come apart at the most inconvenient times. I have a 120 lb Great Dane Mastiff mix. Yes it will help you a lot! Oftentimes, breed is an excuse Oh, hes a German Shepherd, he needs a prong or hell be out of control well no thats not really true is it? The use of any type of restraint, whether a collar that goes around a dog's neck or a front-clip harness, is elective. Yes that is the entire purpose of the prong, to use it as a training tool. It literally saved his life. Now he is eyes on me. Im a dog walker and deal with a lot of dogs of varying size, strength, and leash training. No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. Thanks for sharing this article. I get it, I thought the prong collar was cruel at first too, but quickly learned its the exact opposite. We were working with a purely positive trainer for a while, who was really great, but when it came to real-world practice out and about it was still nearly impossible for me to get my dogs attention with just treats when they saw something they wanted to go after, usually a squirrel but sometimes a friendly neighbor. We started using the collars and the pulling has gotten so much better. Its an adaptation of choke chains, the links become larger and there are teeth on each link that encircle the neck. Dr. Alix Partnow, a neurologist at VCA Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle, and Grisha Stewart, a Seattle dog trainer and author, answer this weeks questions. Are just such huge 2000 2022 Rebarkable LLC. I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. Now that I understand what I was doing wrong, I have all the confidence in the world that Ill be able to correct the problem with my mini Aussie and cant wait to give it a try this afternoon. | rebarkable.comPrivacy Policy|Terms and Conditions, This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Immediately the two dogs got ready to lunge at one another. But Id recommend giving it a try, if he seems too afraid, then take a few steps back.