A world of difference. I had to give him a couple of sharp tugs but after that he soon got the message that if he pulled I would tug him back My views of these evil looking collars has changed and I had got to the stage of not taking Sam out for daily walks as I was scared of being injured myself or him injuring or frightening other people. You lost me at suggesting a prong collar for a reactive dog! What changes would you like to see? I asked him why not? He went on to tell me theyre known for breaking dogs necks. I have needed to figure out how to contain this pup that will weigh as much as me at a full grown 130lbs. We were told that it was probably allergies. Its another self-rewarding cycle. Thanks for this article. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! Train with your brain, not with I have won over a few of my clients here in Monaco & France re. WebE-Collars & prong collars are banned in several countries in Europe. 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. No matter how stubborn. Marc thanks Jessica Pierce for her collaboration on this and other projects. 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. I follow Jeff Bellman and Skype with him occasionally and love his transparency & honesty about the training tools he uses. Its better than a choke collar but any pulling gets old on a 2 mile rugged walk. Ive recently joined a couple of Service Dog sites and everyone on there says that it IS OK to use a prong collar on a trained Service Dog. This made walking him difficult as he wanted to get to anyone or anything he saw. Jennifer Cattet, "Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools. My dog trainer helped us find the most comfortable prong collar and fit it properly behind Blu's ears. I have never had him so much as attempt to lunge on the prong collar. Is It Time to Ban Shock Collars for Dogs In All Situations? Great article!! I dont have to pull on her constantly to keep her in heel. I can even run in the park with him without getting dragged or jumped on. That is so scary. The former associates you as a good thing, the latter associates you with bad things.. Hi Lesa, I appreciate your feedback and the fact youve never needed to use a prong is great. At the moment, different regions are working He hates them all except treats, of course, but they have zero effect on his lunging and pulling. Doing so exposes your dog to an inordinate amount of danger, damage and risks that just are not worth talking about. We adopted our 5-yr-old 18-lb floof in March, and at first she was coughing and choking all the time. Wasted $100 at PetSmart (clicker training ????). And by the way, love the name Bear, thats our yellow labs name too . (See "Choose a Dog Trainer as Carefully as You Would a Surgeon" and "Dog Training's Dirty Little Secret: Anyone Can Legally Do It."). These trainers believe that the prong collar is cruel and should be banned. A dog has to have the following floor space available: I took my unmanageable dog to a basic obedience class and the teacher told me to get one. Thanks! However he is 120 lbs and I am 62 and 140 lbs. also, does she always have to use the prong collar? At what age do you recommend that people start using a prong Collar? This is why we often need to devote considerable time and attention to training dogs how to walk nicely when on lead. Thanks for sharing this. Prong, or pinch, collars can look similar to a limited slip or martingale collar, other than they have metal prongs that protrude toward the canines throat when the pet uses the collar. She is passionate about helping puppy parents get things right, right from the start. I have walked him w/ the prong collar here at home several times since our session and he is not pulling or lunging. Thank you for sharing this information!!! Not sure what type of training you are looking for, but maybe check out Spirit Dog Training. Negative experiences that they have learned to problem solve with looking mighty scary, scare the other dog away, and then safety is restored. Hes actually spit them out when he hes determined to get to something else. This includes a flat collar. 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. So far, only a handful of countries have moved to ban shock collars. They dont hurt them at all to train them. 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. The prong collar training gets a lot of attention from pure positive or force free dog trainers. I have exacty the same story! Follow SolidK9Training on Youtube, he offers plenty of training videos on prong collars. Of course, if you see regression, then make sure that the previous training method is reverted to., This is a really subjective question. Nothing worked until I found this site and started using a prong collar. However, the first reference to dog collars comes from Ancient Egypt. Stand behind your product and tell people openly the truth! You may have pure positive trainers tell you there are more humane ways to control your dog. Im a dog walker and deal with a lot of dogs of varying size, strength, and leash training. I switched him to a prong (Herm Sprenger 2.25mm) and his behavior improved immediately. The pulling she used to have has almost been eliminated by the training techniques my trainer taught us. Thank you for saving a dogs life! If I did not get his behavior under control I would have to re-home my dog, if I could not walk him that would be cruel and if he hurt me or someone by lunging that would be even worse. It was like I was walking a totally different dog altogether. Some dogs only need it for 6 months, others will need it for years. Slip leads and choke collars can do the same and cut off air supply. And not to mention all that pulling also affects me stresses my joints and feet, strains my wrists, has caused me to slip and fall in icy or muddy conditions, and makes me dread walking these problem dogs. 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. So make sure to watch the videos in the post about fitting and training. Do you think there is growing interest in passing laws to improve animal welfare? When we go for a walk he is well behaved- until he isnt. I have a now 2yr old Jack Russell (he's my 5th one)but he's my first reactive, leash aggressive one I've had. I now use it on my foster fail rescue dog, she is a brute Am Staff-Boxer mix who is only 1 years old and loves to dominate those who dont know her. Suggestions? The e-collar is not banned in Scotland The Scottish ministers rejected the proposal as their independent reports found insufficient evidence. However, I am primarily writing here because he recently growled and snapped at our 1.5 year old son while getting a correction with the collar he has never done this before. This is the worst tool you can use for a reactive dog. Is 3mm what I should use with a lab? And harnesses? No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. When presented with alternative methods, many dog guardians are not only readily willing to discontinue the use of force, but relieved to do so. She needs her exercise and fresh air and i will never deny her of that because of my own fears. Were hoping its a temporary training tool only, but Im still happy to have found this. I had a guy ask me yesterday, as my dog and I were riding the bus, why I had a prong collar on him. Our bet recommends it for our lab puppy. I have used the prong collar with my Lab. These countries include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, and parts of Australia. That would be my goal. if you think wearing a prong collar would hurt, imagine how your dog feels. They take the easy route, as opposed to teaching proper, solid cues and commands. However, loose leash walking has literally been impossible. And then comes the debate of aversive vs positive. this si my best buddy and my soul mutt and i am not going to give up on him, though both he and i need help! I know you said you have to be careful with how hard they pull with the prong collar Im just worried my dog pulls too hard and may injure himself because my dad even has a hard time walking him. That means that you have failed in training your dog and have taken a shortcut instead of learning to understand and work with your dog., I mean zookeepers train tigers. 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. The prong collar would be a way to inform the dogs that they have to pay attention to you when you say rather than when they find convenient. 3. Shell lunge right onto a road sometimes which is so scary for me. Depending on what you are using it for, you can keep it on during the day, but take it off at night when the dog is sleeping. If you have experience and skill in reading a study objectively and without bias, you can see that it actually disproves the point you and the citing website are trying to make. I need to be able to use my prong collar! Barely had to use the collar; I mean BARLEY, and we got into the groove. They say it should redirect them, and that worked for a little while, but not well enough, apparently, since she figure out that she could push through it anyway. But I urge you to give it a try, as youve read by all the comments below, the prong collar can be life changing. A petite woman in her mid-40s walks her 100 pound rottweiler with some difficulty. The use of prong collars and other inhumane practices are set to be banned as part of Queenslands biggest animal welfare law reforms in over 20 years. He pulled his previous owner down their porch steps! Collars are known to be associated with whiplash, fainting, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, crushing of the trachea, partial or complete asphyxiation, crushing or fracture of the bones in the larynx, dislocation of the vertebrae in the neck, bruising of the esophagus, damage to the skin and tissue of the neck, prolapsed eyeballs, and brain damage. started a campaign to ban shock, choke, and prong collars in the city, are known to inflict stress, discomfort, and pain, and potentially have long-term negative effects on dogs. Applying pressure to the windpipe is not good for any dog but can be especially serious in brachycephalic dogs who already struggle to breathe.. I recommend prong collars, but only after consulting a certified dog training professional. A video of the electrifying Oh! and know that the collar is the least likely choice of training tools to hurt your dog. From tracking to bite work (agitation work), and even an every day harness! In addition, although positive punishment can be effective, there is no evidence that it is more effective than positive reinforcement-based training. If you can figure that out? I recently entered the world of dog ownership by adopting a rescue. 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. Many trainers advise against these types of collars altogether, in part because the risk of injury to dogs is significant. I signed us up for an obedience class. Good luck. Instantly what a difference, no pulling, no zig zag walking. What a great story Donna, thank you for sharing. I have just had a 1 to 1 training session with a trainer and when he first suggested the prong collar I said NO straight away, but I put the collar around my thigh to see the effect. Right this instant. Just started using one and he is very easy to walk with one hand. Dog collars can cause a good deal of physical and psychological harm to dogs. One just pulls excessively while the other is actually more reactive on the leash. Its important to check that all links are secure before putting on your dog. No warning, no rhyme or reason as to when it will occur. Anyone else has used it on large dogs? As in all different sorts of dog-human interactions, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. Use of the prong/e collar & it has changed their lives all for the better & made some very happy dogs too. It has been 4 years since I had my last beloved dog. Ali Smith is the Positive Puppy Expert, dog trainer and is the founder of Rebarkable. The collars are adjustable by adding/removing links. I work with high drive, hard working dogs. Thanks for the information. Prong collars, also known as pinch collars, are a type of dog collar that is designed to provide a correction to a dog's behavior through the use of prongs. After 3 weeks of work with our 11 month old, highly excitable rescue dog we saw his behavior getting worse and no amount of treats of any kind could get his attention any more. 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. 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. If you are just using it to train not to pull, there is no need to keep it on all day. Weve been using a Ray Allen Brand, the prongs go only partially around his neck/the collar. If used correctly prongs are a great tool and can greatly improve your and the dogs quality of life, I have four bouvier dogs whom i love dearly, but using the regular belt type choker, got me dragged under the wheels of truck, which fortunately stopped at the last second, saving my life and the probably the dogs as well, since i walk all four at once, so all i can say, is your information and positive comments on the use of the prong collar seems to be my only and final choice. 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. I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. I had the stigma that the prong collars were abusive. So, they write, if you think wearing a prong collar would hurt, imagine how your dog feels., Along these lines, Dr. Zazie Todd, who runs the Companion Animal Psychology website, notes, We tend to think that since dogs have fur they must be more protected from these things than us with just our skin. Period. Pulls a lot, lunges after wild rabbits and some other dogs etc. The dog grew quickly to an incredibly strong dog that could easily jump the fence in the backyard. 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. Will that be a problem when he wears the prong collar? The dog didnt even attempt to pull, lunge or drag me anywhere anymore. Worked fine for a month then he saw a dog and jerked And the collar broke and went flying and he attacked the dog. Quebec will institute a ban on choke, prong, and shock collars in 2020. The training program we used 20 years ago used a choke collar, so that is what we were used to. Note: I just received an interesting email asking if it's possible that some dogs hold grudges against their guardians and trainers who mistreat them with aversive collars and "other abusive training techniques." I should say that my dog is quite highly trained and in a training environment excels at quite advanced exercises. Our 90 pound puppy who gets excited and pulls on walks. Kelly, I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how quickly it will work. Then, when they do something right, or are questioning themselves, the fact you dont pop the leash means that they get a rush of relief. Thank you Melanie for sharing your story! Prong collars are still legal in the US, but are highly I recommend the 3.0 mm size for most medium to large dogs. I recommend using a carabiniere for a back up just in case the links come apart. It has been a life-saver. I think most people are afraid to publicly admit the prong collar is a great training tool. I went into the city to give him some new experiences besides our boring suburb walks and didnt use the prong collar. You have that. Hi Carol, the prong collar is known to come apart at the most inconvenient times. And ask yourself, is it better for your dog to drag you through your walk, choking himself on his flat collar or to have a peaceful walk with your dog walking next to you, enjoying the smells and scenery? 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. He likes them, just not enough to be bribed by them. I still use it, especially on walks and it helps her not pull too hard and injure her neck. Good to read something siilar to mine! I dont think so. If you have a stubborn or strongly pulling dog, these collars can change a dogs behavior in literally one short session. Legislators cited prong collars violated their Animal Welfare standards by using pain as punishment.. 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! Not to mention that the window of opportunity for use becomes so slim that these dogs are actually probably really easy to train anyway. 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. These are common pet dogs. 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. I finally bought a Herm Sprenger collar and it was moderately helpful. This essay was written with Boulder (Colorado) force-free certified dog trainer, Mary Angilly, who, in December 2017, started a campaign to ban shock, choke, and prong collars in the city. They out weigh me, so its important to have them under control. As for the comment about it causing pain, no one has ever mentioned their dog cries out, winces in discomfort. (We are in the process of training him to be a therapy dog to take to local nursing homes/schools etc)He thinks everyone is his friend and wants to play. Be patient and give your dog the ability to learn. And trust me, my dog knows how to communicate if he doesn't like something. Got a wonderful lab mix last summer; believe he's never been trained or on a leash. Decide which equipment you would like your dog to walk on, and grab a double ended leash, like a halti training leash, and clip the prong to one end of the leash, and the harness or collar to the other., As your need for corrections lessen, allow the balance of the leash to lean towards the harness, and away from the prong.. Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your story. Hes not a bad dog and doesnt have any serious issues just your normal puppy stuff. 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. What is different about a prong collar is that as the martingale tightens it brings in teeth or prongs. Pssssst Every single image I could find on my stock photo provider was a prong collar being misused. Its all a matter of dog and what the owner is comfortable with! Dont be afraid to use it if your trainer suggests it. Youre welcome ! She is slowly getting used to our house and noises but has a very difficult time with walks (shes afraid of everything car, people, loud sounds). Once we took her out I was amazed! I have a 7-month-old Doberman who has been in training classes since he was 3 months old. You can get the standard size: https://amzn.to/2Hwnbzp. I want to make sure that they wont get hurt when using the collars that I will buy for them. Look into Ed Frawley with Leerburg-has many articles, videos, and you can ask his wife Cindy questions, she is a trainer too. 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? We decided to try a prong collar and WOW what a difference it made! According to a review article published by Gal Ziv, are better for both human and dog is overwhelming. I think thats what gets so many people especially with e-collars or prong/choke collars, they just get it thinking it will be a quick fix and have no idea how to use it.