Useful

by J.D. Brown

Created on: June 28, 2009

Prong collars and choke collars are only two types of the many dog training aids on the market today. Although both prong and choke collars are effective in quickly and easily correcting unwanted dog behaviors, the majority of novice dog owners and inexperienced dog trainers are shying away from these potentially dangerous devices despite their benefits.

Due to incorrect use, prong and choke collars have earned a bad reputation and are frowned upon by the general public. They are known to be cruel, abusive, ineffective, and even fatal. Some pet enthusiast believe prong and choke collars should be banned due to the alarming number of dogs who have choked to death by these collars. However, I do not believe prong or choke collars should be banned.

Anyone who has ever owned and tried to train a large dominate, aggressive, hyperactive, or other wise unruly dog knows the heartache and frustration which comes with the hours spent trying to control their dogs. Often, inexperienced dog owners struggle with just trying to get their dogs to sit still long enough to teach them a simple command. These owners can benefit from the aid of a prong collar or choke collar. Prong and choke collars are "self correcting" devices which produce instantaneous results using the slightest amount of correction from the owner, thus giving the owner better control over their dog and cutting training in half.

Standard Prong or Pinch Collar

A prong collar, also called a pinch collar, is a type of "training collar", meaning the device is only to be used and worn during training. Prong collars are not meant to be worn all day long, hold your dogs I.D. tags, nor take the place of a regular nylon or leather collar. Prong collars are made of interlocking metal links. Each link has two blunt prongs which are attached to each other in a circle and are further attached to a smaller circle of thinner chain links. The smaller circle is where the leash is attached. When the leash is pulled, either by the dog or the trainer, the larger circle constricts which causes the prongs to pinch the dog's skin.

Proper fit for a prong collar is essential. The first step is to determine what link sizes is appropriate for the dog. Choose a link size that allows the collar to fit snugly around the neck with a minimum of six total links in the collar. The prong collar should fit high up on the neck, just behind the dog's ears, and MUST BE SNUG. Allowing a prong collar to lay loose by the dog's shoulders is a common mistake and one that can lead to injury. Prong collars are not meant to be slipped over the dog's head. Instead, you need to separate the collar at one of the links, place it around the dog's neck, just behind the ears, and reconnect the links. This does take some practice to get used to.

When fitted correctly, there are many benefits to using a prong collar. These devices are designed to cause immediate discomfort to the dog, thus suppressing behavior. This means that each and every time the dog pulls on the leash, the collar will give an automatic "correction" or pinch. The owner or trainer needs to do nothing more than hold onto the leash. If necessary, a very slight tug on the leash by the owner will typically produce instantaneous results and is a blessing to any frustrated dog owner. Unlike a choke collar, prong collars have limited constriction ability. When fitted correctly, it is designed to constrict just enough to allow the pinch action while assuring that the dog's neck does not receive extreme constriction from the collar. A prong collar cannot choke your dog.

Standard Slip or Choke Collar

A slip collar, also known as a choke collar, is another type of training collar available on the market. Again, these collars are to be worn only during training, and must never be left on without supervision. Slip collars are made in a wide variety of materials, from fine link steel chain (commonly used in training), to flat nylon (the only kind allowed in the show ring), to mountain rope. Regardless of the material, they all have the same basic design. Slip collars have a large ring on each end of the of the collar. When the material of the collar is pulled through one of the rings, a noose-like circle is created. One ring of the circle is movable, forming a slip action.

Like prong collars, proper fit is very important when using a slip collar. Most slip collars come in two-inch increments. For most dogs, you simply measure the dog's neck and add two inches. The collar should be able slide over the dog's head without using much force. When in doubt, get a longer size. When used correctly, the movable ring should come from over the dog's neck. The stationary ring should come from under the neck and be attached to the leash. This allows the collar to fully release the instant leash pressure is removed.

Like prong collars, slip collars should be worn high on the neck, behind the dog's ears, and, when fitted correctly, are "self correcting" devices which require little to no effort from the owner or trainer. When the dog pulls or the leash, or when the owner tugs the leash, the collar automatically constricts to apply pressure to the neck. As soon as the tension on the leash is released, so does the collar release the pressure on the dog's neck. Unlike the prong collar, a slip collar can choke your dog when used incorrectly or fitted improperly (hence the nick name "choke collar").

Pros and Cons

As an experienced dog trainer having worked with a variety of breeds, including Dobermans and "Bully Breeds", I have never needed nor recommended a prong or choke collar for any of my students. I firmly believe that all dogs can learn to heal and walk nicely using nothing more than a regular flat buckle collar, nylon leash, a little know-how, and a lot of practice.

However, there are always times in which a student of mine feels overwhelmed, frustrated, and pushed to the edge by their dog's unruly behavior. I have met dozens of dog owners who have come to me as a last resort, being already pushed to the edge and ready to drop their dog off at a shelter if they don't see any change with my training. All too often, students are very demanding and want unrealistic overnight results.

I feel, as a trainer, it is part of my job to keep dogs in their homes and out of shelters, especially for a behavioral blunder that can be fixed. It is part of my job to realize when a dog owner has reached the end of their ropes and have become desperate. I must think about and do what is in the best interest for both the dog and the owner. I always try to talk them into sticking with the program for just a little longer, try just a little more before giving up. Yet, when worse comes to worse, I will have them use a prong or slip collar to ease the training process for that student.

However, I make it very clear that the use of any training aid, especially prong or choke collars, is temporary and should never take the place of obedience training though positive reinforcement and relationship building with their dog. I also carefully instruct them on the proper use of the collar and warn them of the dangers of improper use. It is true that, when not used properly, prong collars and slip collars can cause more harm than good.

Besides the physical damage that can be caused from improper fitting, abusing these collars, as well as abusing any type of training aid on the market, can make a dog's behavior worse instead of better. This is especially true with aggressive, dominate, and shy dogs. Improper training, especially when paired with a training device which causes physical discomfort to the dogs, runs the risk of frustrating and angering the dog, thus causing worse behavior as the dog may lash out from fear. Just because you use a prong collar (or slip collar) to punish your dog, this does not mean your dog understands why it is being punished or which behavior is the correct one. This is why proper obedience training is a must.

Personally, as a trainer, my biggest pet peeve is when a dog owner relies on a prong or choke collar as a training "crutch". For example, I hate it when my students say "Fido is perfectly trained as long as he has his prong collar on!" I beg your pardon, but if your dog cannot obey you without a training device on, then your dog is not really trained. A well trained dog obeys his owner's commands no matter when or where, with a collar or without one. All training aids are designed to help the owner train the dog, to make the training process run more smoothly, and to help even difficult dogs learn. Training aids are designed to be temporarily used, until the dog learns the desired behavior. Once the desired behavior is mastered, the aid should no longer be used. Training aids are not to be used for the life-time of your dog, nor as an excuse to skip over obedience training.

Prong and slip collars are no exception. Because of their benefits, I do not believe prong collars or slip collars should be banned. Instead, I believe awareness and education on the proper fit and use of these items, as well as stressing the importance of obedience training, to all dog owners is a must. At the very least, prong and slip collars should come with step-by-step directions which illustrate proper fit and use. Proper fit alone would curb most, if not all, accidental injuries associated with prong and slip collars, and increase their potential success.

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