I went on vacation and decided to send him to dog training school to try to correct some of his bad behaviors and the trainer brought him back and showed me how to use the prong collar. What theyre made to do, and what theyre not made to do.. He likes them, just not enough to be bribed by them. rated as 2021 & 2022 worlds best pet blog! Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! It is cruel to these dogs for them to be abandoned over and over again, adding to their unsuitability as pets, by people who believe themselves humane, when a gentle training session with a prong collar can turn those wonderful dogs into the kind of pet the owner dreams of. And if your trainer tells you that this is not the case, then theyre not a trainer you should be working with. Awe Rachel, this is great news! Prong collars are still legal in the US, but are highly Whilst Herm Sprenger advise that 5-6 months is the minimum? I have tried a few with our foster dogs, and they never truly work. However, loose leash walking has literally been impossible. For my willful, hard-headed, inattentive Doberman yearling, thats definitely a prong collar for training sessions now. We are about to re home our two wire haired dachshunds due to out of control pulling. So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? 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. Since the incident he has been mouthing our son a lot more. However, the tool will work no matter where its been placed. She nearly pulled my partner off her feet in the first week. I have a 120 lb Great Dane Mastiff mix. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? This sort of state is not a state where learning can occur, its a state where all their options have been removed., The analogy used by a lot of people is imagine your worst fear, and then someone sitting there and forcing you to face it., Prong collars are not suitable for anything fear-based, which is where reactivity falls., Regardless of my training preferences. It should be something a little louder and prouder on their site. 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. Yes, the prong trains the dog not to pull and yes eventually your dog will no longer need the collar. with kid number two on the way in just a few weeks). Tried the front clip harness but she would still pull so hard she would flip herself over and on to her side how does that not break ribs?! It is much better than the flat collars we had tried since she doesnt pull now, her trachea isnt under pressure on walks. Numerous people who choose to share their lives with a dog also choose to use various types of collars, including electric shock collars (e-collars), choke collars, or prong collars that are connected to different sorts of leashes, both of which give people varying degrees of control over their canine companions. Ziv, Gal. Most of us have seen dogs straining so hard against their collar in their excitement to move forward that they can hardly breathe and sound a bit like Darth Vader. Ummmm not so fast. Be patient and give your dog the ability to learn. Hello, After doing my research and coming across this website, Im ready to try a prong collar with my rescue Nala. Ive seen collar covers that disguise the prong. I need to be able to use my prong collar! 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. Should the collar only be used while walking? The Ray Allen multi-function harness is designed with a lot of sports in mind. Woodrow doesnt mind it at all. Do not walk or move while he is pulling and turn around in the opposition direction are two ways to stop the pulling even with a standard collar. The other thing to remember is the way it works. No trainers want to work with me because I have him on a prong. Theyre primed for that. Although it is of course immediately effective, I fear hell go back to jumping, etc when not wearing it. My trainer switched her to a prong collar with flat round ends. However, she told me that she uses a prong collar with her two German shepherds for the same reason and offered to demonstrate on my dog while we were there. Thank you for a very informative article. If it works to stop a behaviour, it must be because the animal found it aversive (if they liked it or didnt notice it, it wouldnt reduce the frequency of the behaviour).". Would a prong collar work on a 20-30 lead on a trail? I found the prong collar to be far more humane than say a shock collar, a flat collar, or even an ill fitted harness. We recently attended a three week intensive training program for our 4 year old, 50 lb lab mix. These collars have been the subject of controversy in recent years, with some people arguing that they are inhumane and should be banned, while others claim that they are an effective The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. he wont make eye contact, has to be taken out of his kennel, has to be carried inside after be letting out to go to the bathroom, etc. Many countries, including Austria and Switzerland, have made it illegal to use prong collars for canines. WebWhere are prong collars banned? These are then used when you want to apply a Correction (also called a leash pop) that press into the skin around your dogs neck to apply discomfort or pain in order to communicate that your dog has done something incorrectly. Prongs could help so many dogs and the misinformation out there is terrible. He is clearly lacking in socialization and his behavior and demeanor are indicative of prior abuse. They certainly can be if misused. I was stunned how quickly her behavior improved once I started using the prong collar! Im not finding anything in the ADA that says anything about these collars ( any collars for that matter). Were embarking on our first walk tomorrow!! The puppy resumed her buoyant behavior, this time heading toward Mary and her dog, Buster. I switched him to a prong (Herm Sprenger 2.25mm) and his behavior improved immediately. Unfortunately, I think the rescue society I got her from downplayed the leash issues. (See "Do Dogs Hold Grudges?" This post does contains affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will receive a small commission, but it wont cost you a penny more). It makes all the difference and Blu seldom pulls or lunges. Psychology Today, June 22, 2018. They take the easy route, as opposed to teaching proper, solid cues and commands. My energy is much more calm and I sense his is as well. Most dogs that are terrified of things have never been exposed to them rather than having been beaten by/with the thing theyre exposed to. WebPinch and prong collars are collars with prongs positioned against the neck, or any other protrusion intended to cause pain or discomfort, especially when tightened. The neck and cervical spine are one of the most important energy channels in the body. I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! My 3 year old 70 lb pit bull has always been difficult and stubborn. He was on the road to becoming an uncontrollable pet who would be doomed to being kept outside when the grandkids come to visit, or visitors come into the home. Bekoff, Marc. I enrolled her in puppy class and the prong collar has changed my life and the dogs life. You need to correct the behavior at that point. What size prong collar should I get? The pulling can be very tiring and tiresome. Im thinking about buying for my dog a prong collar so your article is very helpful to me. I can walk him with a regular collar now, but not when he gets 150 pounds. I remember over 10 years ago they seemed to have a bad rap. I spend more than 40 hours a week writing, researching and helping dog owners, I can not do it for free and still feed my family. 1 1/2 Inch Keeper's Hidden Prong Double Leather Collar Gold and Silver Knots on Black Web with Metallic Gold and Black Leather and Brass Hardware $0.00. We put it on her and it was like she was a different dog I could take her anywhere . I dont see dog trainer in your credentials, but do see a link to a product which suggests you make money off of your recommendation. Consult with Virginia from Olivers Travels dog training. Yes, Yes, Yes!!! She may also just be going through a fear period. 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. The bans on them are sad as so many people jump on the band wagon without fully knowing the full story. No matter what treats or happiness we used, she always found a way to push ahead and not pay attention to us at all. I have been lectured by multiple people and even had someone who found my dog once remove the collar and refuse to give it back. It is unfortunate that some people just arent willing to see past that book cover, and see what the prong collar really is a very humane dog training tool. Every time, with only a few sessions, the dogs became calm, happy and responsive. Thank you for this article! Reminder, not all prong collars are created equal. I have used prong collars before with fantastic success. With his prong collar, I barely even have to hold the leash. I was having a hard time finding others. He was also extremely leash reactive and aggressive towards other dogs in general. Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, said the government is delivering on its election commitment to review the How do you know what size collar to purchase ? That is a misconception. He is now 9 months old, over 90 lbs and still growing! However when it comes to walking on a lease he is a puller and aggressive. He is a rescue who was only 77 lbs when he came to live with me. My question is I know it can be good for walks but can it also be used in training my dog to stop jumping and biting? Summary of eRumor: This warning about the dangers of pronged collars, a tool used for training dogs, appeared on social media. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. Misuse covers: poor or incorrect placement on the dog. poorly fitted collars or incorrectly sized. incorrect timing of corrections allowing dog to self correct. used in the car (especially to secure in the car) worn in a crate Attempting to solve incorrect problems with a prong long durations wearing a prong when used on the underaged when used on shy dogs when used on scared dogs when used on aggressive dogs when used whilst not defined training sessions when used whilst unattended when used with anything other than a short leash. I felt like his regular collar was causing him pain because he was pulling against it so much. Honestly, I know, Ive taught a great, reliable loose leash (even without the leash) a lot with all sorts of dogs, all sorts of breeds. I just found this page after admitting to a dog-focused friendly advice group on facebook that I REALLY struggle with walking my dog. This is an awesome example of how great of a tool the prong collar can be under the right training. Use lots of love and positive reinforcement with a no pull harness. Kodi will be 2 yrs old in September this year, originates from a rescue center and has been with me from 4 months of age. Why was CodeMiko banned? I would argue a year to 18 months is the minimum you should be considering this tool., Why? But its illegal for individuals to import them. We are switching over to a 1 on 1 trainer very soon hoping it will help with his other problems we are having at home. A prong collar (also called a pinch collar) is an example of a dog training collar, and usually replaces a flat collar. Is it normal to have a few inches of chain that dont have the prongs, and does that work as well? He wouldnt listen to me or the instructor at all. WebThere are two recommended sizes of prong collars for dogs. In addition, although positive punishment can be effective, there is no evidence that it is more effective than positive reinforcement-based training. They are not suitable for all dogs, and if used incorrectly, they can cause injury. The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. I highly recommend following a couple of trainers online: https://www.facebook.com/MajorsAcademyDogTraining/ and https://www.facebook.com/SolidK9TrainingRI/ both of these trainers offer a lot of free advice. The pulling she used to have has almost been eliminated by the training techniques my trainer taught us. But do you suggest a prong collar for my Great Dane? This will then tighten around the dogs neck while he is hanging and obviously suffocate him to death (I am sure that you do not wish this upon your family pet). Sincerely Brian Kelly. 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. But since I invested so much money in this trainer I figured I'd give it a try. If you are consistently pulling the collar he may become numb to any corrections. The use of any electrical devices for disciplinary purposes (electrical fence, anti-bark, collars with remote control) is not allowed. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! I saw a short article on a dog training Facebook page, about prong collars. Marc thanks Jessica Pierce for her collaboration on this and other projects. Wish more people would stop and educate themselves to see the value in them! I may not have a certificate as a dog trainer, but I have attended more training sessions with dog trainers than I can count. Learn how to fit it and use it properly before employing. We were lead to believe that our Bear was leash trained. There are different styles of the prong collar. My wife bought the plastic" command collar" it did have immediate results, but i cannot get past the fact that they are all plastic. if you think wearing a prong collar would hurt, imagine how your dog feels. 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. And Herm Sprenger agrees. With the collar we walked last night and twice today hes a totally different dog .A real gentlepup. WebProng collars are legal in most states, but there are some places where they are banned or regulated. However they are illegal here so its very difficult to promote them in a public way. The dog didnt even attempt to pull, lunge or drag me anywhere anymore. When we first adopted Bear he had no leash manners at all. Scotland The use of electric shock collars was We got her at 8 weeks old. So, the reason he has to be carried into the house is that he wont move when he has a leash on. Thank you so much for sharing your story! Im a 68-year-old skinny woman I dont have the strength for this dog and dont know what to do. Now he is under control and gentle. So far, only a handful of countries have moved to ban shock collars. Should e-collars, prong collars, or choke collars be banned? Its about patience and consistency.