by Carrie Frost

Created on: June 07, 2010

Choke and prong collars are not tools of abuse unless they are being used that way. Although I do prefer a prong collar over a choke collar due to the fact that choke chains tend to cut off a dogs airway if the dog or owner is pulling to hard. Prong collars on the other hand are a genius invention. When used properly they perfectly simulate the bite of an alpha dog. In the wild, wolves live in pack and at the head of theses packs are two alpha wolves. When a lesser wolf gets out of hand either by trying to usurp one of the alphas or by just not listening then the alpha wolf will give a warning bite. They do not break the skin, it's just a way of telling the lesser wolf that they can shape up or ship out. If wolves did not do this then their packs would quickly dissolve into chaos.

This alpha wolf idea is true for dog owners as well. You may have witnessed at some time in your life an man or woman walking their dog down the street or on a beach. You may see the dog straining against his leash or trying to run ahead, dragging the owner behind him. This is because that dog thinks of himself as the alpha. He pulls ahead and the owner follows, maybe yelling, maybe not. Prong and choke collars, if used the right way, can help these dog owner get control of their pets. With patience and the right mind set it should be fairly easy to get a dog to do what you want. Tug on the leash just hard enough to make a point. Don't pull so hard it looks like you dogs head might come off. There is no reason for violence or anger. All you want to say is that you are the leader, you are in charge, and you will give the commands.Also remember these three steps which will help you in training your dog whether or not you decide to use a choke or prong collar: exercise, discipline, and then affection. Do these things in this order and you should have a happy, healthy dog that will listen to you and be loyal to you for the rest of its days.

In closing, choke and prong collars are very useful and helpful tools in dog training. As long as they are used humanely then there should be no reason that anyone ever believes that you are harming your dog.

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