by Melissa Arnold

Created on: July 31, 2010

Far from what the name of the collar would make one think, the idea of this collar is not to choke the dog. It is quite possible to choke a dog with a choke collar, and that is why it is an Owner’s job to get informed and learn the proper and improper use of these training tools before ever using them.

On the news, one may hear that a dog had been choked to death because the collar had snagged on  a fence or other object and hung the dog, or perhaps someone had choked the dog themselves. These horrible incidents are far from the actual intent of the collar. The only one to blame for these incidents is the Owner for being irresponsible, not the collars themselves.

There is however a right way to use these collars, and the benefits you can reap from these collars can make a Dog’s life a more pleasant one. Not every dog needs a choke collar, and like all Trainers may say – seek other methods first. Sometimes a problem dog has an easy fix, but if not, here is when a Choke collar should be worn and when it is necessary.

Training Sessions with a Choke Collar

During training sessions is the first time it is ideal for a dog to wear a choke collar. Don’t use the collar until you have learned the proper and improper ways to use these choke collars, as they can be put on backwards or injure the dog.

Some breeds are generally more passive (but there are even exceptions within a breed) and don’t require a choke collar for training, but there are breeds of dogs that are twice our own weight and may not notice when we give corrections with a tug on a leash with a regular collar. Perhaps the dog is slow to be obedient as it tests your authority. A choke collar is a quick snap and release, mimicking an Alpha dog’s bite. This is how dogs are corrected among each other, and can be best observed by a bitch and her pups and even older dogs towards other puppies. You will notice that with these corrections among each other, the puppies never yelp or scream in pain. So using the choke collar when the dog fails to listen to a command reinforces your status as an Alpha.

Positive reinforcement is a good idea, but there are situations where it will not work. Treats can distract a dog from bad behaviour such as barking and lunging at other dogs, but it does not correct the behaviour so that the dog is more relaxed and accepting of other dogs. Aversion is not a safe way to train dogs when they have a behavioural problem (distracting dog with treats

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