I contacted a reputable local trainer who I met at a local park the next day. She is passionate about helping puppy parents get things right, right from the start. _____. He's become a more confident pup with the prong collar training. Actually he has never gagged, choked or shown any discomfort to prong where Ive had dogs gag if they pulled hard with flat collar. Its better than a choke collar but any pulling gets old on a 2 mile rugged walk. We were lead to believe that our Bear was leash trained. Required fields are marked. It is unfortunate that some people just arent willing to see past that book cover, and see what the prong collar really is a very humane dog training tool. Not that it wont work, but because he is still young enough to teach him not to pull without it. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. Immediately Im an abuser, bla bla bla. You still need to train your dog. So, the reason he has to be carried into the house is that he wont move when he has a leash on. For the first time ever I relaxed and smiled while in a vets waiting room! We put it on in the house about half an hour before taking her for a walk to make sure she was comfortable with it on. What changes would you like to see? A prong collar worked wonders on my hooligan, made her walk like a lady. England Shock collars are banned in Wales, but with the help of a new proposal, the cruel devices may be banned in 2. When we go for a walk he is well behaved- until he isnt. My hope? Although it is of course immediately effective, I fear hell go back to jumping, etc when not wearing it. We dog sat for a friends dog last week that has no leash manners, and the way he pulled on his flat collar scared me! Unfortunately, Kodi is one of those dogs that take you for a walk and not the other way around.. so i am wanting to try a prong collar, he gets so over stimulated when we go for a walk its almost unbearable.. pulling, barking, hyper over the top behaviour. With the prong, he is walking next to me instead of pulling and I can walk him easily with one hand. Dogs become reactive (largely) through fear or excitement. It is like tapping the dog on the shoulder to get his attention. The answer may seem quite obvious, yet every day we choose option A via aversive devices like electric, choke, and prong collars for our companion dogs when successful, force-free alternatives are readily available. Its another self-rewarding cycle. 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. 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. I have a 2 year old, big strong 50kg male rottweiler who my ex was supposed to have trained, but only really had him off the lead, Sam doesnt listen to a word I say when were out walking and literally drags me, causing me injury. What size prong collar should I get? 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. And if you genuinely feel like thats the case? I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! Its important to keep in mind that using harmful collars are elective. It's pretty effortless. Are you confident the prong collar is fitted properly? It does not lend them any credibility. Follow SolidK9Training on Youtube, he offers plenty of training videos on prong collars. 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. To help create a puppy capable of being a confident and adaptable family member and keep puppies out of shelters. Hell jump at people and dogs who walk by because he wants to visit, he thinks everyone is his friend. Not all prong collars are created equal, the cheap versions can have sharp points and break. For this reason, more and more trainers and veterinarians are recommending that a dog be walked or run on a chest harness. It hasnt had any negative impact on his love or desire to go on walks. Some of the above is excerpted from Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible. WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. Thanks Karen for sharing your story. When my German Shepherd was very young she had a lot of behavior issues and I was worried she would grow up to become an aggressive dog. I'm just afraid I'm going to lose the arm muscle I built up from all that pulling! Some dog breeds tend to be wanderers, and an intact dog or girls in heat can be problem too. We have read numerous articles and watched dog training videos. Very good training tool. The prong collar is the opposite of cruel in the right hands. As we were completing this essay, Mary told me the following story that horrified me. These collars have been the subject of controversy in recent years, with some people arguing that they are inhumane and should be banned, while others claim that they are an effective tool for training and managing a dog's behavior. 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. We would like to try one more time to change their walking behavior. I am a 56 year old woman with a mild case of MS that affects my balance. Great, checked that off the list. from his dog trainer) and immediately she ceased the pulling. 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. He growls a little but I know hes just reacting and not being aggressive. Shock collars have been banned in many states of Australia after considering the damaging effects of these e collars on dogs. I recommend reading https://www.rescuedogs101.com/bringing-new-dog-home-3-3-3-rule/. He is doing well but, as he is getting older, he is pulling toward other dogs and people. Technically yes. He started really being obedient when the trainer put a prong collar on him and she showed him whos boss with a firm tug or two. Not to mention that the window of opportunity for use becomes so slim that these dogs are actually probably really easy to train anyway. Small prong collars are for dogs with necks up to 12 inches, and medium prong collars are for dogs with necks 12-16 inches. Its a good thing I work out because I can reign her back in but I fear one day shell dislocate my shoulder!! Anyways, she had so much leash reactivity when I first adopted her. The He is a happy go lucky great dog. You wont ever get to this stage, because youll be practising a loose leash long before theyre large and unruly! I havent used the collar since. Shadow was a big big dog, who loved everyone and everything. I will post my update soon! 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. It is up to you to do your research and make your own opinion. You noted that you have used these devices for a quick fix when you need foster dogs to walk along side yours You also made notes about how to introduce the dog to the prong collar, and with the use of reassuring gestures and being patient with the animal, along side the use of treats why would the prong collar be needed? Filter by 1 Inch Custom Hidden Prong Embroidered Collar $0.00. 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. You wouldnt have any control at 20+ The prong is really meant for a quick snap of the leash not pulling or nagging on the leash. Dont be afraid to use it if your trainer suggests it. If not used properly, it can be cruel. Inevitably inaccuracies get thrown around and overall? After our trainer introduced us to the prong collar walking with him is a joy. Hello, After doing my research and coming across this website, Im ready to try a prong collar with my rescue Nala. Walking on a leash is not a natural behavior for a dog, and indeed it goes against their natural instincts to run and explore. However, it is good to note that the prong collar works by giving a leash pop or correction through the leash, a quick jerk on the leash results in a sudden constriction of the neck., Now, lots of trainers will tell you that this doesnt hurt the dog, that it merely tells them no in a language they understand., Whilst that may be true, its not something we have data for, and bearing in mind that a dogs neck is 3x more sensitive than ours, and they definitely restrict airflow for a short time, its arguable that this device goes against animal welfare rights and are subsequently banned in certain countries like Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland and the Canadian Province of Quebec., Of course this can be argued as human error, but sometimes its just easier to control the situation than remedy the fallout. I asked him why not? He went on to tell me theyre known for breaking dogs necks. 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. That would be my goal. When the parents of a large dog (particularly, though small breeds are not exempt) raise the question of loose leash walking or stopping their dog from pulling on their leash, the subject gets heated fast. I can see how someone would see it as dangerous or harmful. _____. And if your trainer tells you that this is not the case, then theyre not a trainer you should be working with. But after reading your points and the testimonies of other people here, I feel a little more confident that I can find a safe and humane way of using this tool when doing further training. Or will we always have to use the prong collar? Please see our, how to train your dog to walk loose leash, How Much are Teacup Puppies? So yes, I agree, if used properly no issues, in the grand picture it gave her ultimate freedom in living her best dog life. It takes time and a lot of consistency. Now what should I do? I dont see dog trainer in your credentials, but do see a link to a product which suggests you make money off of your recommendation. This sort of state is not a state where learning can occur, its a state where all their options have been removed., The analogy used by a lot of people is imagine your worst fear, and then someone sitting there and forcing you to face it., Prong collars are not suitable for anything fear-based, which is where reactivity falls., Regardless of my training preferences. Id love to hear about your success stories on using the prong collar. We have been trying positive reinforcement with him but he goes over threshold quickly if were out on a hike. 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.