Best thing ever and very very safe when used correctly! 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. I agree 100%, the right collar and training are essential. When used correctly the prong collar will immediately stop your dog from pulling you. In full transparency, we do use the prong collar for our dogs. As sweet as he is, I ended up on the ground numerous times and my husband was tired of having his arm yanked in the wrong direction. Another point that is important to stressa larger systemic issue facing dogs, their guardians, and dog trainersis that there is no regulation in the dog training industry. Thank you for a very informative article. What a great testament to what a life changing training tool the prong collar can be. Small prong collars are for dogs with necks up to 12 inches, and medium prong collars are for dogs with necks 12-16 inches. The prong is not meant to yank, pull or choke a dog. Also, we wear a 2 wide flat collar on our Dobe with the prong so that the prong stays high on his neck where it belongs. As soon as the collar goes on I have total control over him. But I also believe that most people that are dead against the prong collar never experienced a dog with any severe reactive behavior issues. I dont care what breed you have, how strong they are, or how small you are. Not to mention that the window of opportunity for use becomes so slim that these dogs are actually probably really easy to train anyway. Thank you for saving a dogs life! Keep up the good work and dont let the ignorant and uneducated bring you down! Thats what they were built for, is to learn. (If youre struggling to teach a loose leash, this is for you. You can get the standard size: https://amzn.to/2Hwnbzp. We are the first time adoptive fur parents of a Yellow Lab Mix. This is the worst tool you can use for a reactive dog. He eventually started showing extreme aggression towards dogs including my other two rescues. He is now 9 months old, over 90 lbs and still growing! 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. Highnote612 1 yr. ago. _____. Hello, while I dont have a prong collar yet (getting one from work soon) I greatly appreciate your article. These collars can save a dogs life and make him the gentle fur baby the owner wants. Thank you! My guess he was abused while wearing one or was constantly on one. Pssssst Every single image I could find on my stock photo provider was a prong collar being misused. Our dog seems calmer and more self-controlled and pays more attention than all the treats and tugs and words were able to do. Numerous people who choose to share their lives with a dog also choose to use various types of collars, including electric shock collars (e-collars), choke collars, or prong collars that are connected to different sorts of leashes, both of which give people varying degrees of control over their canine companions. _____. They dont hurt them at all to train them. Scotland The use of electric shock collars was If you choose to use a restraining collar, why do you do so? Thank you Patty for sharing your story! 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. Although I am thinking I need to do a research project with every type of collar available on the market today! Thanks so much for sharing your story Jessica! Among Scandinavian countries , Sweden bans e collars. 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! Debi, this is a wonderful article, thank you. Kilian you are very welcome. The United States is yet to follow. So yes, I agree, if used properly no issues, in the grand picture it gave her ultimate freedom in living her best dog life. Our canine companion is usually a part of our life that we love, and humans tend to show affection with a cuddle, An escape artist dog or a hound-ini is another kind of dog that is really stressful to care for. 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. This post does contains affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will receive a small commission, but it wont cost you a penny more). 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. Its all about communicating with the dog, not about pain at all. Some people We also tried the plain slip-chain/choke chain collar (per my Mother in laws recommendation), and found that she still pulled and choked herself despite us -trying- to use it responsibly and kindly, OR she would back out of it and completely slip away. There are no quick fixes, and training is not a one time and done type of thing. 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. 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. However, the first reference to dog collars comes from Ancient Egypt. Do you want to know why he was riding the bus with me to work? Whether or not a dog wearing an e-collar, prong collar, or shock collar is largely happy or living a good life, the reason these devices work is that they cause some degree of discomfort, pain, or distress (regardless of the level of intensity). That it appears on google when people search Prong collar for my dog and they have the opportunity to learn. WebAustria, Germany, maybe Netherlands and some scandinavian countries. Susan, thank you for sharing your story and I have a feeling this is going to change you and your dogs lives for the better! Came to me weighing 43lbs, greatly malnourished (the rescue had fixed all the medical issues and had to adopt him out, so not complaining) since then, he is well nourished at 68 lbs.still pulls like a fiend sometimes. Did not work at all. Hi, I have a 90 lb intact lab that I adopted a week ago. The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. It is much better than the flat collars we had tried since she doesnt pull now, her trachea isnt under pressure on walks. Ive heard about this collar from a Whoodle group Im in but am concerned that I wont use it properly and will hurt her. I did not find it to be a painful experience on my own neck. Ive also used the gentle leader and it helped somewhat but she walked much slower and really hated it always trying to rub it off her face, which created a whole new set of issues. I have used every kind of collar for the pups Ive fostered and adopted. Slip leads and choke collars can do the same and cut off air supply. We rehomed a 8 month old GSD who was full of anxiety and nervousness. We have been working at it for 5 months now and occasionally I will just use his regular collar.he pulls every time! He is a rescue who was only 77 lbs when he came to live with me. He would drag me all over. So, the time to start using it is whenever youve genuinely exhausted your options when youve tried the kinder methodology, youve tried a professional positive trainer, and youve gotten to a point where your dog cannot progress despite your dedication, patience and addressing all of the aspects of your dogs life that may be inhibiting their learning. WebProng collars are legal in most states, but there are some places where they are banned or regulated. I am still hesitant to give a little correction tug. 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. Its important to understand your pup is still adjusting and pushing the limits. Quebec will institute a ban on choke, prong, and shock collars in 2020. We have two dogs, both staffies, that are really bad on the leash. What a great story Donna, thank you for sharing. They [Prong Collars] are not recommended unless other training methods have been exhausted.. Hes the sweet dog I knew him to be. Our campus officially banned prong collars on January 24, 2017. Could you post a video or picture of what you are recommending to do? 2. A prong collar is a device that has metal fang-shaped prongs on it that is worn around a dogs neck. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. Actually he has never gagged, choked or shown any discomfort to prong where Ive had dogs gag if they pulled hard with flat collar. Thank you, I dont have one, but found this in a Google search: Source: precisionk9training.com. I had held out at first because I was skeptical, but as I said, once I started using the prong collar it was like night and day! Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Its a tough call. The correctional collars are illegal to import in the country but are only banned in Victoria currently. Hes pretty good on our boring suburb walks with a regular collar, but any new experience he is almost uncontrollable. Thanks. Though they are legal in the U.S. So yes, Prong Collars can have the ability to be very harmful, very easily. I wouldnt recommend trying one without researching how to properly use it but it works really well for some pups. I bought a Herm Spengler for my 3 year old 100lb. If you were told you had the option to teach a child how to read by physically punishing them for every word they said incorrectly (option A) or by working incrementally and rewarding the words they got correct (option B), and that you could achieve the same results no matter which way you taught the child, which would you choose? I have tried a few with our foster dogs, and they never truly work. He came out of two regular collars so I get a herm sprenger. 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. But more importantly is the age of the puppy. For her leash training she starts with a slip leash but if a dog is particularly difficult shell switch to the prong collar. If you decide you want to try a prong collar with your dog, make sure your purchase the Herm Sprenger brand (this is the exact one I have). The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs: A Review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19 (2017): 5060. Or I could actually teach them to love a jellyfish on their head. Thank you for sharing this information!!! Im sorry to hear that you havent found a trainer that will work with you. However, the first reference to dog collars comes from Ancient Egypt. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! So happy that your tool worked out for you and your dobie. Until Jackson was 10 or so and slowing down did he really walk loose leash style even with a Gentle Leader head collar. Once your dog proper leash etiquette with the prong collar do you have to use it from here on out? Every dog and situation is unique. But Id recommend giving it a try, if he seems too afraid, then take a few steps back. Way to go Shadow!! Hi! She is 14 mos. Forget a regular collar she did nothing but choke herself out the entire walk. I do worry about what other people think, even though I shouldnt. The use of these tools in any body of work (such as on police k9s) is not an excuse for you to use them on a pet dog. Some times he forgets its on and tries to run and its clear hes in pain. I dont think its inhumane to use the collar w/o any jerking or quick pulling motions, but if youre one of those people who yanks, or if you have a dog that will abruptly yank, you need to do more than use a prong collar. And Herm Sprenger agrees. I am certainly not here to push, either way, just to give the facts and my opinion on what a great training tool it can be when used properly. You will hear strong opinions about prong collars on both sides, for and against. We were told that it was probably allergies. But every dog is different. Whilst I would hope youd use it right (though, I dont think I would trust myself to use it right consistently over long periods of time), it also doesnt surpass the fact that you can probably achieve your loose leash walking goals way easier than banishing your pup or dog to this device., No, they are not suitable for use on a puppy. 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. (see Training Methods and Devices for more details) Teaching pressure & release is fast, easy, and helps build the dogs confidence. Thank you for this resource. I will make a couple of notes: 1, It was a bit of a trick to fit the thing at first, especially since she has long fur. 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. Many dogs will still pull, despite the discomfort, and are at risk of injury to their necks. So glad it is working for your and your big pup! Slowly, youll transfer all the leash to the harness or collar, and leave the prong collar on, but unattached (still for short periods please, and under constant supervision!) Or pulling his owner over, cause owners not to walk their dog? I think, a prong collar, having the constant fear and discomfort creates a different situation for a smart dog, and when they dont have that worry or fear, they just drop all their training. It is not OK. Familiarise yourself with canine body language, particularly stress signs. A prong collar is a device that has good and bad points to it, but as well go into later, its ripe for misuse. It's good to know that when many people learn how bad they really are, they stop using them. Its important that the collar is snug around the base of the dogs ears, meaning high up on the neck. When I got him, I vowed to use only positive reinforcement in training, so, rather than use a prong collar again, I tried every other alternative easy walk, gentle leader, various harnesses and treats. And then comes the debate of aversive vs positive. We tried everything, several different harnesses, chokers, e-collar hed refuse to allow us to even put an Easy-walker or Gentle Leader on him, wed have to chase him and then wrestle with him before wed even get out the door. My only complaint is that it is a bit of a bitch to put on and take off. The prong collar is the opposite of cruel in the right hands. Why would he still be so excited to go on walks if the prong collar was so terrible? 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. Yes, Yes, Yes!!! By: Evelyn Konopik, RVT I highly recommend following a couple of trainers online: https://www.facebook.com/MajorsAcademyDogTraining/ and https://www.facebook.com/SolidK9TrainingRI/ both of these trainers offer a lot of free advice. Since the incident he has been mouthing our son a lot more. You can do it with patience and guidance.. Period. I rescued a German Sheppard who is roughly a year old Nov of 2018. It was like I was walking a totally different dog altogether. Hes not a bad dog and doesnt have any serious issues just your normal puppy stuff. Her classes are pure chaos, as nobody has any control with head halters, harnesses and flat collars. We told our dog trainer all about this today and he introduced us to the prong collar with lots of instruction about how to gently tug the leash with just 2 fingers to get the dogs attention. 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. If you want to advocate for using aversive tools, thats fine, but lying and telling people that the prong doesnt hurt , only makes you look ridiculous . Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, and some parts of Australia all currently have a ban on electronic collars for dogs. Patty, its worth a try. I have not used one so cant recommend anything specific, but you can find them on Amazon: https://amzn.to/32rG40v. Keep up to date with the Rebarkable Newsletter! Positive only trainers will disagree, but no it will not make him more aggressive. I always enjoyed walking my dog because I love him and I like to get out and walk, but now walking him is sooooooo much better. Hi Debi, I have a pit Pyrenees rescue and have been in weekly training. 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. He likes them, just not enough to be bribed by them. Of course, if you see regression, then make sure that the previous training method is reverted to., This is a really subjective question. I have yet to find anything in writing that says this is ok. Dont be afraid to use it if your trainer suggests it. I asked him why not? He went on to tell me theyre known for breaking dogs necks. I can walk right past other dogs and people and he looks at them and keeps in stride with my pace. 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. He did well about 75% of the time but at some point he figured out that he was bigger and stronger than me and started to lung at people and other dogs (he loves people and dogs what can I say). 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 used to be someone who thought the prong collar was evil and harmful.. until I met a former LEO K-9 trainer who taught ME how to use one, properly, on a GSD. To find out what size prong collar your dog needs, you will need to measure their neck. Prongs could help so many dogs and the misinformation out there is terrible. Good to read something siilar to mine! But pronged collars have been a saving grace for both me and the problem walkers. Watch the video on proper fitting and you will be fine. Truly modifying behavior takes time and consistency. Please do more research, because your answer sounded very disturbing. The prong collar training gets a lot of attention from pure positive or force free dog trainers. I know thats easier said than done. Im thinking about buying for my dog a prong collar so your article is very helpful to me. In large, older, strong, and/or strong-willed dogs, this would point us to the prong collars. Bekoff, Marc. This is where a lot of pro-prong people will say But my dog loves their prong which is great, but in the same way youve conditioned them to love that prong? My Australian Shepperd is very very active and extremely loveable and he pulls like a German Shepperd. She is a pretty assertive dog, gets plenty of outdoor time and exercise, and still she is totally happy and excited when we pick up her collar to announce a walk. The prong collar is not meant to instill fear. 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). As a trainer, it breaks my heart, because I know how the story often goeswhile the owner may have been intending to diminish and disrupt jumping, she was likely unintentionally building an association between strangers, dogs, and shock. Gentle Leader no longer works and just bought a front hitch harness which also does not work. After I brought him home I tried to take him for walks but he would literally drag me down the street at a pretty fast pace. Am thinking of getting a prong collar for my dog because he recently lunged at a cat he saw and pulled me over. No matter how stubborn. Training is a life long learning experience, for dogs and humans! Ive never tried a prong collar on anything but a 6 leash. Leashes restrict dogs' ability to have control of their lives and to make choices. Prong and choke collars are typically placed on dogs with serious pulling issues. 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? Used well, it gives dogs access to their world and can be a critically important freedom enhancer. 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. The dog will be much happier in fact. I have a 2 yr old Havanese and have had him since he was 8 weeks old. Thats not the case. If you are consistently pulling the collar he may become numb to any corrections. We recently attended a three week intensive training program for our 4 year old, 50 lb lab mix. Reading this article and the comments made me realize I have to get over what people might think. She brought to class a prong collar and instructed me how to fit it and 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. Its a good thing I work out because I can reign her back in but I fear one day shell dislocate my shoulder!! We are both currently undergoing some intensive training with a professional who recommended this collar and so far has been the only tool that has allowed me to correct his behaviours, even on the first session we were able to be within a few feet of another dog with no reaction and for me and for him has literally been a life saver. Thank You!!! Needless to say Shadow and I were able to participate in class and he wasnt the class clown he was in the first class. A strong dog actually puked while I was walking him from the pressure on his throat. After reading the article on prong collars, went and bought one. So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? Some foster dogs come to us without any leash skills and in order for me to be able to walk them with my dogs, I need to quickly teach them how to walk on the leash without pulling, and a prong collar is a great tool for this. Can a pinch collar be used on short face dogs such as French Bulldogs,Bostons or Pugs? 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. There is enough research to know they are not humane or safe.