They are not suitable for all dogs, and if used incorrectly, they can cause injury. So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? When we go for a walk he is well behaved- until he isnt. The studies seem to show that choke collars are dangerous but not prong collars. Hes large for the breed.
Shock collars And if you genuinely feel like thats the case? And there are two much better alternatives, halters and walk harnesses https://positively.com/dog-training/methods-equipment/training-equipment/choke-and-prong-collars/. 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. I can only hope that the prong collar helps as I am having a hard time controlling him when people and animals walk within eyesight. 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. 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. WebHidden Prong Collars. Hes pretty good on walks but pulls to the point of choking himself. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Herm Sprenger HS Ultra Chrome Metal Prong Dog Training Collar 162.25mm New Nice at the best online prices at eBay! I say moderately, because he still pulled and lunged somewhat. I am a 56 year old woman with a mild case of MS that affects my balance. You can do it with patience and guidance.. Remove the prong collar entirely. 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. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! She was especially dialed in when hiking in Alaska, saved me from crossing paths with many bears, moose, & wolverines. You have to interpret the action, and tell your arm to move at a certain speed/pace/whatever else and deliver it quickly, or else your dog will not understand what youre correcting., If that window is that small and you make a mistake, would you prefer to be delivering confusing rewards, or confusing punishment?, No. Many people have never seen a prong or pinch collar properly used in dog training. Humane Society, PETA, & SPCA all speak against prong collars. Do you think there is growing interest in passing laws to improve animal welfare? The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. Ali Smith is the Positive Puppy Expert, dog trainer and is the founder of Rebarkable. We mediate and control access to the physical and social worlds of our dogs quite a bit. Its important that the collar is snug around the base of the dogs ears, meaning high up on the neck. If it hurt him in any way I seriously doubt he would come running for me to put it on him. Therefore you are communicating with your dog when using these tools and the dog will understand what type of work it is going to be doing by recognizing the piece of equipment that you fit ie if you fit a tracking harness the dog will know that it is going to be doing tracking work. I am a 12 year veteran of professional canine training and hands-down a prong collar is absolutely the safest most efficient way to train your fur babies!! I tried different collars and approaches and nothing worked. So now its up to you to decide what you are comfortable using to train your dog. The prong collar is not meant to instill fear. Its kinda like tapping your dog on the shoulder to keep his attention on you. Eventually you can stop using the collar, once she understands pulling is not acceptable. We finished the class and we both learned so much from it. You may have pure positive trainers tell you there are more humane ways to control your dog. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. 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. 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. Did you know that there is research showing head halters could jerk a dogs head, causing neck or spinal injuries? I dont want my dog to fear me or become aggressive towards other people or dogs. 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. Youre welcome ! Quebec will institute a ban on choke, prong, and shock collars in 2020. He was a bully breed mutt and 100 +lbs. I just switched him back to a no-pull collar, and its working much better w/ training him to stick around and not pull, especially w/ positive enforcement and treats. In large, older, strong, and/or strong-willed dogs, this would point us to the prong collars. Adding in a prong collar and correcting their fear (aka. 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. My advice would be to give it a try w/ a professionals guidance to see if it could solve your dogs leash pulling habit. The prong collar has been a life-saver for so many dogs. 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. If we love our companion animals so very much, the call to treat them kindly should be paramount, and there's no reason why these devices shouldnt be banned in favor of readily available and less aversive force-free alternatives. The dog will be much happier in fact. My dog trainer helped us find the most comfortable prong collar and fit it properly behind Blu's ears. I would argue a year to 18 months is the minimum you should be considering this tool., Why? Teacup puppies are incredibly trendy, because of their small size and cuteness. Started training obedience day 1 (8 weeks of age)he (was) a nervous jrtnot fearless at all. He would drag me all over. It can save everyones sanity. I have a feeling you are going to wonder why it took you so long to try the prong collar. That should tell us something. Free shipping for many products! But when I have he mostly responds positively if he responds. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Good luck! I have a strong 100 pound GSD. 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. Suggestions? Hello, while I dont have a prong collar yet (getting one from work soon) I greatly appreciate your article. I have a reactive dog when out, other dogs, cars and people but an absolute gent when in the home. If ur looking to get one please please please invest In a sprenger and not a cheap version as these have point ends that will do damage and please seek a reputable professional to show you how to use it properly.its meant for slow gradual increases in pressure not quick hard yanks. Picking up a prong collar tomorrow. It has been a life-saver.
What We Can Learn From European Dog Culture - The New York I was stunned how quickly her behavior improved once I started using the prong collar! (See "Do Dogs Hold Grudges?" 12. I needed to read this because I didnt want to be too harsh but realized I must have control of him. The prong collar has always been a life-saver for me and my dog! Theyre primed for that. 4 years ago I would have never used it, until my dog trainer trained my dog on it. Prong and choke collars are typically placed on dogs with serious pulling issues. A dog has to have the following floor space available: Im not sure you have the experience to recommend this nor have the dogs best interest in mind. So a friend recommended a prong collar, I knew that I had nothing to lose by trying it. I recently entered the world of dog ownership by adopting a rescue. I hope that this informed guy and the other bus passengers who heard what I had to say stop to think about what theyre doing with their dogs and realize that my success is due to learning how to use a prong. They allow pet parents to walk their pup on a leash and they provide a place to hang ID and vaccination tags. My dogs get excited when they see the prong collars come out, it means they are going for a walk and cant wait to get the collar on! Gentle leaders and the like can cause serious neck injuries like whiplash. Now he is licking me instead of biting, watching me and interacting with me. 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. Now what should I do?
For my willful, hard-headed, inattentive Doberman yearling, thats definitely a prong collar for training sessions now. The prong collar made the below photo possible my 10-year-old daughter riding her bike with our 95lb yellow lab, Bear. He was much better with not pulling for a period of time when I would take him on a walk, but then he went back to his old ways and now pulls like crazy now even with the prong collar. with kid number two on the way in just a few weeks). Yours and the fur baby. Prong collars have been banned in many countries that have announced them as illegal. Ive never tried a prong collar on anything but a 6 leash.
Prong Advocacy Kit - SF SPCA The prong is simply a tool as if to tap the dogs shoulder to get her attention. And in the mean time the poor dog is confined to his home? Of course the length of time it takes for each dog varies. Thank you for sharing your story Lindsay! Teaching pressure & release is fast, easy, and helps build the dogs confidence. So now Im looking to eliminate the lunging at joggers, bikes, people walking towards us with or without dogs and the occasional car that she decides is a threat?? Being rather small in size at 5 he darn near out weighed me so it was nearly impossible for me to stop him. We look forward to walks now!! A prong collar worked wonders on my hooligan, made her walk like a lady.
Veterinary Q&A: Prong collars are safe fact or fiction? I knew that I had to learn how to control him if I wanted to be able to walk him without it being a dangerous task. I spent a year night after night, hours in all weathers, trying thresholds etc to help our dog and while we saw improvement she was still had some reactivity issues. It was life saving for me. This includes a flat collar. Its a large part of what drove me to write this blog post was because people are using these tools and are not actually looking at the whole page, reading all the information and are consequently making poorly informed decisions., Or, theyre making their decision based on the word of a trainer who is practicing with outdated techniques which is a really easy mistake to make.. 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. A word of caution thoughif you do use one expect criticism from others. Once your dog proper leash etiquette with the prong collar do you have to use it from here on out? I can see how someone would see it as dangerous or harmful. I wouldnt recommend trying one without researching how to properly use it but it works really well for some pups. . Prong collar is the only way, Headcollar training harness with a front point Balance harness etc etc. We have read numerous articles and watched dog training videos. A large loving pit bull wondered its way up to the shop where I was working and we had decided to take care of it while it was there. We praised and rewarded him and he was getting it so quickly; finally!! Yes that is the entire purpose of the prong, to use it as a training tool. She is so much happier on her walks and so am I. 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. His triggers are squirrels, any wonderful smells, etc. Our bet recommends it for our lab puppy. However, loose leash walking has literally been impossible. Sarah, I totally understand your hesitation. Toronto (Canada) attempted a ban on prong and choke collars, and it passed, but was then turned over within the next month. 3 months is too young for a prong collar in my opinion. 2. 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. (It is really hard to stay positive and calm when your shoulder and arm are being ripped away from your body!) Anyways, she had so much leash reactivity when I first adopted her. The use of any electrical devices for disciplinary purposes (electrical fence, anti-bark, collars with remote control) is not allowed. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. Time, time is all it takes. 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. 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. Filter by 1 Inch Custom Hidden Prong Embroidered Collar $0.00. 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. 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.
Prong Collars: Everything you need to know (2023) - Rebarkable Places That Have Banned Shock Collars and Why You Should Karen. It literally saved his life. Wow Deanna, what a great transformation story. Im not a fan of harnesses, as they provoke pulling. Kind regards. I rescued a German Sheppard who is roughly a year old Nov of 2018. What have you got to lose? Just train the right way the first time and dont seek shortcuts.. 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 cannot just take the opinions of others because the day WILL COME that I will be challenged by someone out there who tries to bust people for passing their dogs off as service dogs, when indeed, they are not. Contrary to popular belief, dogs dont have thick skin on their necks, nor does their fur protect them from pressure on the neck. Its a tool that I believe, like headcollars, people use as a shortcut in their training. It is made up of a metal She is passionate about helping puppy parents get things right, right from the start. Yes. 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. Yes, the prong collar can cause damage, but so can a flat collar or harness. Ive come to the conclusion that the people bashing the prong collar never had a dog like yours. 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. I know that he understands what I want him to do when I tell him to walk close and he does it on occasion, but is too wired and easily distracted even at three years old to maintain a loose leash. Ive noticed several times that ours become lodged and arent connected all the way, leading to it easily being able to break apart when the dog pulls. Yes it will help you a lot! It is like an airbag, you hope it never has to deploy, but when you need, it better be there! He gets to decide to eliminate that discomfort by not pulling. WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Are shock collars banned in Europe? Thank you, the bandana is a good idea. Our dog is very responsive to positive training with treats, but he is also food aggressive which makes me nervous to use around my son (and he is sometimes so excited about the treats he cant pay attention to training). ), All you have to do to unlock that? We're based in South Australia where purchasing a prong collar from outside Australia is illegal, however, it is not banned in some States, one of them being South Australia. What is Positive Punishment in Dog Training?
banned There is certainly a lot of misconception around the prong collar, and I feel the only way that will change is when people have a dog like yours and experience how it can be such an invaluable training tool. The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. This is deliberate! A petite woman in her mid-40s walks her 100 pound rottweiler with some difficulty. As you go through the article, see if you can tell why theyre wrong. With the prong, he is walking next to me instead of pulling and I can walk him easily with one hand. 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!