Im certain it must at least in part be me. Dog Collars: The Shock and Prong War An Opinion So many people misuse them, but when used correctly theyre very good tools. (See "Choose a Dog Trainer as Carefully as You Would a Surgeon" and "Dog Training's Dirty Little Secret: Anyone Can Legally Do It."). Every interaction made me terrified someone would try to get our dogs kicked out of the neighborhood, especially since staffies are technically dangerous. At what age do you recommend that people start using a prong Collar? Walks were ok, except if he saw a squirrel or a cat or another dog or wanted to drag me to the park etc. But for a stubborn dog, he may decide the pressure of the prong pulling on his next isnt enough to not go after the rabbit. When it comes to young dogs and puppies, one of the most lethal and scary things in the dog world is Parvovirus, or Parvo. Fast forward to today. No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. What the dogs were bred for has absolutely no relationship to their bad manners (which you have inadvertently taught them). Its kinda like tapping your dog on the shoulder to keep his attention on you. It has been 4 years since I had my last beloved dog. What changes would you like to see? It is so inspiring, it brought tears to my eyes. My energy is much more calm and I sense his is as well. Theyre primed for that. I guess Im an animal abuser from what I read, but I would put the care and loving I provide to my dog above 99.9% of what most humans receive. We adopted our 5-yr-old 18-lb floof in March, and at first she was coughing and choking all the time. I have needed to figure out how to contain this pup that will weigh as much as me at a full grown 130lbs. We have been working at it for 5 months now and occasionally I will just use his regular collar.he pulls every time! My Australian Shepperd is very very active and extremely loveable and he pulls like a German Shepperd. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. Hi! WebShock collars Carry On Bags: Yes Checked Bags: Yes For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' Animal activists have been attempting to issue a Europe-wide ban on their sale and use, while no movement on a ban has been created in the I dont want my dog to fear me or become aggressive towards other people or dogs. 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. Not all prong collars are created equal, the cheap versions can have sharp points and break. My question is I know it can be good for walks but can it also be used in training my dog to stop jumping and biting? But I am also aware of how other people view the prong collar. A bloody Tiger!!! This is a really popular question, and it's something that a lot of dog owners ask me - because there's a lot of conflicting information out there. Gentle Leader no longer works and just bought a front hitch harness which also does not work. He's become a more confident pup with the prong collar training. The dangerous dogs act suggests that an individual only needs to be frightened. Hes my first dog and unfortunately socialization was very difficult and so he was highly reactive to dogs. 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. This is deliberate! Contacted another balanced trainer and he recommended a prong. I have a strong, 1.5 year old, hard headed, 60 pound English Springer Spaniel and he is all over the place on walks. So I started on this years path of advice from experienced rescue owners, 1:1 sessions with a personal trainer ( But this got expensive and she made me feel like i was a big part of the problem by not being able to get over my anxieties when we walked by people, dogs etc) I know I have some work to do there and I am trying. Its better than a choke collar but any pulling gets old on a 2 mile rugged walk. Prong collar was recommended by a co-worker (who received the rec. The guardian did not want to lose control of her dog, so she pulled him back toward her and continued to do so until the dog across the street was out of sight. After our trainer introduced us to the prong collar walking with him is a joy. My teenage daughter begged me to adopt a pitbull puppy. But since I invested so much money in this trainer I figured I'd give it a try. This needs to be done with good training. It is very helpful. Thats what they were built for, is to learn. (If youre struggling to teach a loose leash, this is for you. banned After using it for a while youll notice taking on and off gets easier. 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!!!! I want him to walk ahead of me on a 20-30 lead along my single file trail. I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! Whilst I dont agree with them, that doesnt mean you have to. We have a 4yo female rescue GSD. Prong Collars 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. it seems ugly and embarrassing. I did read Netherlands. I love the prong collar! People would comment on how well-mannered she was on walks and after a few years, I didnt need the prong collar at all. I thought prong collars were for out-of-control vicious dogs! In my years of dog training (at this point, Ive been involved in training over 1300 dogs and won awards), Ive never found a reason for a prong collar that cannot be resolved with positive training. I rescued Shadow, a black Newfoundland, many years ago, that was when I was introduced to the prong collar in an obedience class I took with Shadow. I am so happy you found a way to change the path of you and your dogs life. WebShock collars have been illegal to use on dogs and cats in Wales for more than a decade. They [Prong Collars] are not recommended unless other training methods have been exhausted.. And if you genuinely feel like thats the case? And dogs can be abused even without physical contact, so Im leaving out cases of abuse here). I am in your same boat. ) Dont forget to train them off of it. We recently attended a three week intensive training program for our 4 year old, 50 lb lab mix. Especially for a breed that everyone seems to be initially wary of. It is up to you to do your research and make your own opinion. Tried the front clip harness but she would still pull so hard she would flip herself over and on to her side how does that not break ribs?! Not that it wont work, but because he is still young enough to teach him not to pull without it. Still a long way to go but this collar has put us on the right tracks. Her constant coughing and choking has completely gone away. It has been a life-saver. When the client was asked what happened to her dog, she frantically told us that she was just walking him and it happened out of nowhere. Hopefully that has changed. Sure someone could use it to hurt a dog if they want to pull tight and nag on the dogs neck. I am still hesitant to give a little correction tug. This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience, which means I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. About 30% of the time he will heel/sit/stay with the choke collar but there is no real control without constant pulling on him. Should Dogs Be Shocked, Choked, or Pronged? | Psychology Today The other thing to remember is the way it works. Theres a lot of myths and a lack of information because it all comes from a passionate place. Try the stop and go method first, by not moving forward anytime there is any tension on the leash should teach him not to pull. I need to be able to use my prong collar! Contrary to popular belief, dogs dont have thick skin on their necks, nor does their fur protect them from pressure on the neck. In the end, I realize the prong collar is very controversial, but please do not bash it unless youve had experience with a dog that pulls so hard you can not walk him. It makes all the difference and Blu seldom pulls or lunges. I am trying to gain more knowledge and be a responsible dog owner (esp. The prong collar is adjustable in size by adding/removing links. 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. Can a pinch collar be used on short face dogs such as French Bulldogs,Bostons or Pugs? I dont recommend keeping it on 24/7. And, while it's very clear that e-collars and prong collars are used because they cause psychological stress and pain, many people don't realize that choke collars also can cause a good deal of pain, suffering, and injury to dogs who wear them. My advice would be to give it a try w/ a professionals guidance to see if it could solve your dogs leash pulling habit. A trainer can help with that. Along these lines, Mary told me that while she was working as a veterinary technician, before she had much knowledge of training or behavior, a dog was rushed into the vet clinic with a prolapsed eye. Leashes and collars are tools of control and should be used very carefully, In Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible, Jessica Pierce and I write that while tools of control are often necessary, we should remain alert to the diverse ways in which they can inhibit a dogs freedoms and the ways these devices themselves can be harmful., Research tells us that the use of force via aversive equipment is not only ineffective but can be psychologically and physically damaging. Now he is licking me instead of biting, watching me and interacting with me. Prong I have yet to see a dog injured by normal use of a prong collar (of course I only use Herm as well. The prong collar, otherwise known as a pinch collar, has changed so many dog owners lives just scroll down and read some of the comments from people that have tried the prong collar and are brave enough to share their experience with you. I just want him to be the perfectly trained dog I know hes capable of becoming. 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. If you have a stubborn or strongly pulling dog, these collars can change a dogs behavior in literally one short session. It also helps me correct her and keep her focused. I am looking forward to using this, in an even better way of using. (My dog is super sweet and not aggressive just stubborn!) prong collars Can you use the pinch collar on a 26lb puppy? The Prong Collar, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Rescue Dogs 101 As eloquently put by Jean Donaldson of The Academy for Dog Trainers in an essay called "If They Could March," Theyre elective on easy dogs and theyre elective on dogs with behaviors we dislike, including dogs who lunge and pull on leash and growl and snap and bite. And Herm Sprenger agrees. Inevitably inaccuracies get thrown around and overall? I have a 140 BRT, and he is only 14 months old. No matter how prey driven, no matter how strong. It certainly would not work if you kept yanking on it all the time. Stay strong and be confident in knowing you are doing everything right! Front clip harnesses that simply manipulates the dog into not pulling and does NOT FIX the pulling. Additionally he pulled my husband to the ground one time. Collars That collar changed the way Shadow behaved in an instant. Bam. Prongs could help so many dogs and the misinformation out there is terrible. She no longer uses a prong collar to manage her dog and he is easily pulling her down the street as she struggles with her leash and flat collar. 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. He is a pandemic puppy but I had actually had my name down to get him 8 mths prior so he was very much wanted not a knee jerk. On walks, sometimes he pulls on leash, other times does not. Are Prong Collars Safe for My Dog? - WagWalking Some people Excellent post!! Also, the result of positive training isnt dependent on the presence of the device which is definitely a good thing., The other reason I would advise against prong collar usage is because of the time in which you have to apply the correction., You have 2 seconds to capture a behaviour, right or wrong, reward or correction., With positive reinforcement, you can use a marker word, and reward to give you a little longer for the treat/play reward. After class the instructor told me that she would bring a collar to the next class that should help with him and asked that I come a little early so she could show me how to use it. New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Switzerland, the Canadian Province of Quebec, and many others have made prong collars (and in many cases choke and shock collars) illegal. Russian/West Germany working/showline. A prong collar will give you a bit of power steering with a larger dog that pulls hard, but its no substitute for training., So if youre training? I can get away with taking her to off leash parks sometimes but I dont always have the time to drive there as Im also mom to 3 kids. I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. My 3 year old 70 lb pit bull has always been difficult and stubborn. Use exactly the amount of sharp jerk that produces an immediate reaction. Shadow received an award at the end of the class for Most Improved. This isn't the case in England, where they're legally allowed to be used without restriction. Thank you so much for your story Terry! 2. Positive only trainers will disagree, but no it will not make him more aggressive. Misuse covers : poor or As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks so much for sharing your story Jessica! The neck and cervical spine are one of the most important energy channels in the body. In other words, the use of violence in dog training is not correlated with particular dogs or with particular behavior problems. Science Shows Positive Reward-Based Dog Training is Best, What and Who Dogs Want and Need: Love, Not Shocks, Living With a Dog Is Good, If It's Good for You and the Dog. You need to measure her neck. Its a good thing I work out because I can reign her back in but I fear one day shell dislocate my shoulder!! I had an amazingly trained companion who was really an off the leash dog (always carried a leash), used mostly hand signal commands. No more choking off the trachea. 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. collar How do you know what size collar to purchase ? The Ray Allen multi-function harness is designed with a lot of sports in mind. Prong collars have been banned in many countries that have announced them as illegal. Awe Rachel, this is great news! I urge you to not shy away from the prong collar just because of what it looks like or what youve heard about it in the past. When asked why they use a particular type of restraint, people often say something like, Its the thing to do, or someone who knows about dogs told them to do so. According to a review article published by Gal Ziv, are better for both human and dog is overwhelming. The information is readily available, but it is a little more buried than I would like to see. I have a 150lbs St Bernard mix, I cant walk her she is stronger then me. Why? For small dogs you can get the 2.25 mm. She fitted the prong collar and leashed him and literally within MINUTES he was no longer lunging or pulling even though there were loud cars, people, and other dogs coming and going around us. Thinking it looked barbaric and painful, and not wanting to subject my dog to torture, I put it on myself and gave it a tug before I ever used it on him. 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. I have never been more grateful for this training tool, I love my dog and have put a lot of work and money into training him. PRONG Hello, while I dont have a prong collar yet (getting one from work soon) I greatly appreciate your article. Im over that. Thanks. Hi Lesa, I appreciate your feedback and the fact youve never needed to use a prong is great. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Its cruel not to be able to walk your dog. I can walk him with a regular collar now, but not when he gets 150 pounds. Its especially discouraging because most articles Im reading argue against prong collars. These are then used when you want to apply a Correction (also called a leash pop) that press into the skin around your dogs neck to apply discomfort or pain in order to communicate that your dog has done something incorrectly. It used to be he wouldnt move at all when we set him down, but now he runs to go outside it runs away from us when were outside (we have a fenced in yard so he cant get away). Prong Advocacy Kit - SF SPCA I whole heartedly believe the prong collar can change peoples and dogs lives. We pull out the prong collar and he come and sits patiently for us to put it on..hes excited knowing hes going for a walk. But I will never be completely relaxed walking her if shes going to lunge and bark at every person, bike, dog we see on our walks. Choke collars and collars with sharp prongs, which are designed to make pulling painful, can also do serious damage if not used with extreme caution and under carefully controlled conditions. I work with high drive, hard working dogs. Thank you for saving a dogs life! The prong collar training gets a lot of attention from pure positive or force free dog trainers. I am with a training group right now, not training with them at present. Ultimately, a leash is simply a tool, a kind of umbilical cord between human and dog that can be used well or poorly. Thank you, I dont have one, but found this in a Google search: Source: precisionk9training.com. Flat collars can cause tracheal damage. And the difference is quite amazing. Will that be a problem when he wears the prong collar? And if your trainer tells you that this is not the case, then theyre not a trainer you should be working with. 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. Tail a waggin. This puppy's social behavior was a gift! When shown attention, she licked human hands and dog faces with something that could only be described as joy. Youll never know whose life youve saved. I want her to learn the actual commands I give her. He pulled his previous owner down their porch steps! At the very least, as a thoughtful species, we can most certainly begin to question and ponder the use of clearly aversive equipment such as electric, choke, and prong collars. I have a 36-pound mini Australian shepherd who is an epic puller and leash reactive to a ridiculous and, I must say, embarrassing degree.