Prong collars have been banned in many countries that have announced them as illegal. Once I started using a prong collar on my girl (along with the time commitment of training! collar The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs: A Review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19 (2017): 5060. She is happy and waiting for me to put it on. Negative experiences that they have learned to problem solve with looking mighty scary, scare the other dog away, and then safety is restored. All Rights Reserved. Required fields are marked. 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. Hi.i have asweet female bullmastiffnamed VODKAPlease guide me when n which sized prong coller fits my VODKA? After our trainer introduced us to the prong collar walking with him is a joy. Research showing that force-free, positive reinforcement-based techniques are better for both human and dog is overwhelming, so much so that there is a growing list of countries that have banned shock collars, for example, Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Slovenia, and some territories in Australia. Is there any advise other than your article on the prong collar you can help with please know though that my intention is to use the collar correctly and for the right reasons, i have paid special attention on how NOT to use the collar.. Though she is a pretty good heeler without it I feel safer and feel like she is calmer with it on. Hes actually spit them out when he hes determined to get to something else. Im not a fan of harnesses, as they provoke pulling. I tried different collars and approaches and nothing worked. 4. He was getting worse and worse out of control. What appealed to me the most in your blog is when you talked about how safe prong collar dogs are because they cant damage your dogs trachea given that they are going to be properly used. The people are told to wait for the dog to offer the behavior. 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. 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. I have needed to figure out how to contain this pup that will weigh as much as me at a full grown 130lbs. Hes the sweet dog I knew him to be. But that is true for a flat collar, letting the dog choke itself by pulling so hard the owner cant control him. The pair review the recent Norwegian breeding bans on English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Marylands newly-passed prohibition on feline declaw surgery, and other recent legal changes in animal law. And by the way, love the name Bear, thats our yellow labs name too . Learn how to fit it and use it properly before employing. I truly appreciate your blog for its resources and insights. 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. What are your thoughts? I laughed out loud and proceeded to tell him how straight front harnesses cause soft tissue injuries to dogs shoulders over time. Specifically, they state that prolonged or extreme pulling of ANY collar can lead to damage. Kelly, I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how quickly it will work. Because I adopted a 90 pound dog that, once he settled in, became seriously dog reactive in a city full of dogs that walk their owners and have no manners. So, out comes my trusty prong collar. Fast forward to today. As in all different sorts of dog-human interactions, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. Where do we draw the line? Dog collars can cause a good deal of physical and psychological harm to dogs. There has to be a clear line of communication between you and you dog and the prong is just a quick reminder of the expectation. I have a 140 BRT, and he is only 14 months old. Suzanne, you are the perfect testimony to how the prong collar can actually change you and your dogs lives. And trust me, my dog knows how to communicate if he doesn't like something. For instance, our sweet River does so well with other dogs and people at the dog park, but once shes on the leash shes much more reactive. She actually does really well but is strong with high prey drive. So glad it is working for your and your big pup! Prong Collar Ive never tried a prong collar on anything but a 6 leash. Debi McKee is a mom of three kids, three dogs and the creator of Rescue Dogs 101 where she guides you in your journey of adopting and raising a rescue dog every step of the way. Exhaust other options Fit it properly Use an experienced trainer (who admits what it is and how it works) Use as designed Pick a quality one (no rubber tips! I followed her to the nearest pet store and purchased a Sprenger prong collar and she fitted it properly for us and instructed me in how to apply it. He eventually started showing extreme aggression towards dogs including my other two rescues. Are you confident the prong collar is fitted properly? The veterinarian was ultimately able to save the dog's eye. Not sure what type of training you are looking for, but maybe check out Spirit Dog Training. I took my unmanageable dog to a basic obedience class and the teacher told me to get one. 1 Beaverdam Rd, NC 28804 US (828) 253-3393 Alternatives to Choke Chains, Prong Collars, and Other Aversive Methods Aversive methods such as choke chains, pinch collars, and shock collars can not only lead to painful injuries, they are less effective than more positive training methods. This has been our experience with all three of our rescued dogs as well. I love my dogs prong collar. We would like to try one more time to change their walking behavior. We want to help your organization become prong-free too! We just have to apply it. We rehomed a 8 month old GSD who was full of anxiety and nervousness. The prong collar has always been a life-saver for me and my dog! Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, and some parts of Australia all currently have a ban on electronic collars for dogs. They are not suitable for all dogs, and if used incorrectly, they can cause injury. Good luck with your future training of your puppy! A petite woman in her mid-40s walks her 100 pound rottweiler with some difficulty. No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. 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. The RSPCA deems them to be cruel. The more we can share these real-life stories, the more people can realize that the prong collar is not cruel, but a life saving training tool. 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. Our campus officially banned prong collars on January 24, 2017. Many people have never seen a prong or pinch collar properly used in dog training. But like you mention, fit is crucial. 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 cant agree more. Misuse covers : poor or Of course the length of time it takes for each dog varies. He lunged once and never did it again. Dogs become reactive (largely) through fear or excitement. I will write as unbiasedly as I can, and be informative and factual, allowing you to make your own decisions. How do you know what size collar to purchase ? WebCollars with inward facing spikes will be banned from dog shows and training classes under proposals to be discussed by the Kennel Club. A short time later, Mary saw the puppy and guardian re-enter the park, with the puppy wearing an e-collar. . I agree 100%, the right collar and training are essential. Yes, the prong trains the dog not to pull and yes eventually your dog will no longer need the collar. Have you witnessed a dog pulled so hard on a flat collar that it chokes it self to the point of gagging? We have a 4yo female rescue GSD. Where are prong collars banned? Hi Carol, the prong collar is known to come apart at the most inconvenient times. Shame they dont research the damage done to dogs by flat buckle ! Its important to check that all links are secure before putting on your dog. The prongs simulate another dog's mouth, which makes sense if you've ever taken your dog to the dog park. It literally saved his life. We decided to try a prong collar and WOW what a difference it made! I had it too low on the neck and much too loose. For this very reason, many countries with a progressive approach to pet safety and health, such as Austria and Switzerland, have already banned prong collars. We then moved and tried a force free trainer. This one is really important, before you use any tool with your dog that you understand how they work and why your dog will respond to it especially when they cannot communicate their needs or feelings clearly. 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. 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. WebThere are two recommended sizes of prong collars for dogs. WebShock collars have been illegal to use on dogs and cats in Wales for more than a decade. He responds instantly better when a prong collar is put on him. This forces the dog into a state of learned helplessness. 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. Pulls a lot, lunges after wild rabbits and some other dogs etc. Now he is under control and gentle. And never crate the dog with it on. I dont have to pull on her constantly to keep her in heel. Do your dogs reach a point that you no longer have to use the prong collar? Shes a 27-ish pound mutt, stocky and short-legged, and still pulls even after working on training and walking her for 4 years, weve had her since she was a pup. These countries include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, and parts of Australia. I guess I am one of those 100% pure positive dog trainers and yes their is a more humane way to train the dog. When it comes to young dogs and puppies, one of the most lethal and scary things in the dog world is Parvovirus, or Parvo. This surely is a win-win for all. We have two dogs, both staffies, that are really bad on the leash. Mary saw her guardian, who looked upset, pick her up and take her to the car after a solid ten minutes of yelling, "Down!" 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. Jennifer Cattet, "Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools. Of course I do not know this dog. We have dogs in training classes with prong collars, slip collars, harnesses everything. He came to the pound as a stray but you can tell he has had some training..he can sit, shake, etc. 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. As for the comment about it causing pain, no one has ever mentioned their dog cries out, winces in discomfort. Thank you Melanie for sharing your story! This must never happen. Actually he has never gagged, choked or shown any discomfort to prong where Ive had dogs gag if they pulled hard with flat collar. I may look into a Herm Sprenger. With some dogs prong collars are a great tool! Lab. Hell jump at people and dogs who walk by because he wants to visit, he thinks everyone is his friend. I never wanted to try a prong collar because of the negative connotations, especially with a pit bull that people are already afraid of. 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. I was having a hard time finding others. A world of difference. 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. Tail a waggin. You need to work with him letting him know the leash is a good thing..associate the leash with something positive. I knew that if we kept at it, eventually the dogs would figure it out and be better behaved, but the fear of losing our pups made me feel we didnt have the time to be patient. page. For this reason, more and more trainers and veterinarians are recommending that a dog be walked or run on a chest harness. If they are, the whole world may have collectively hopped in banning But every dog is different. The There are other ways to train a puppy to walk nicely on a leash. However they are illegal here so its very difficult to promote them in a public way. She said doing this just makes the training go faster, which is helpful since she only has the dogs for a limited amount of time. COLLAR