Training Collars

 Here is my article on Training Collars.

With very young pups I like to start with just a flat buckle collar and lead. Lupine makes very good collars, which have a lifetime guarantee.
Pressure and release and all basic obedience is taught by guiding and luring, using the pups daily meals as rewards.
As they get a bit older, bigger, stronger, and more independent I often switch to training collars . 

I have a separate article on training pressure and release, if you are interested. 

Breeds like Greyhounds which have very long thin necks would be best suited with very wide martingale type collars.

I do NOT use nor recommend the no pull harnesses, as they restrict the dogs natural movement and have been proven to damage the pups muscles and joints. Regular harnesses are actually designed to encourage dogs to lean into them and pull- think about sled dogs.....

There are many different training collars on the market, here are the ones I have found to be the most effective and humane when used properly. Training collars should be used just for training, then taken off the dog. 
Any collar can get caught on objects, and potentially choke the dog. I generally remove all collars when I cannot fully supervise the pup. 

When using training collars, verbal cues should be added, along with praise and rewards using the pups daily meals for a job well done. Hand feeding gives the human “value” to the dog, which is a huge advantage in our favor.

Martingale collars. I use the Cetecea brand-  which are well made, with high quality materials. The quick snap allows the collar to be adjusted for proper size off the dog, and then just clipped on. 
When fitted it should sit high up on the dogs neck, just below the ears for the best results. 
I prefer the one which is mostly nylon webbing, but has a chain in the martingale area. Cetacea also makes a fully web type martingale, which will be fine for softer temperament pups to start out on.

For prong collars I generally use a slip lead with safety strap, or dominant dog collar first to teach pressure and release to the pup - once learned, a quality properly fitted prong collar can be used at whatever age the pup needs one. 
I prefer Herm Sprenger (made in Germany ) collars, as the prongs are always fully rounded, and these collars are specifically designed to NOT do damage to the dog when used properly, cheaper versions are often sharp and poorly made. 
My second choice would be the Starmark  plastic prong collars, which are not as effective , but work well on softer dogs. 
There are colorful prong collars covers available for those who are hesitant to use one in public.😊
I always use a safety strap or carabiner connecting the prong collar to another collar on the dog, in the event the prongs release themselves. It is rare, but can happen.

Dominant Dog collars are a braided nylon rope with a metal O ring and snap. I use and recommend these collars primarily because of their safety feature - fitted properly the pup cannot back out of them. The collar fits very snug, and is high up on the pups neck, just below their ears-  which is where it will be the most effective. I gives a very fast pressure and release, and very clear communication to the pup. I always purchase a quality name brand.

I also recommend a Transitional Leash by K9Lifeline. They are a type of head halter, though different and better accepted by dogs than other brands I’ve tried.The leash comes off behind the dogs head instead of under the dogs jaw,  plus the size, shape, and material which is used to make the collar makes it more effective. 

The Pager only PG-300 by e collar technologies is a 100 level vibration electronic collar. This is the only vibration collar I use and recommend, as a vibration sensation to a dog can be unnerving because this doesn’t normally occur in nature. 
The lower levels are extremely subtle, and once conditioned to this vibration collar the pup can be more easily distracted at a distance and then redirected verbally to making better choices.  
This vibration only collar has proven to be very effective as communication with deaf dogs as well. 

For a stimulation electronic collar- I use and recommend a Mini Educator by e collar technologies. Cheaper imported e collars are often unreliable, inconsistent,and the stimulation too hot- and you can inadvertently hurt the pup with one.  Your pups life may depend on it, a quality electronic collar is well worth the money and time spend properly conditioning the pup to it. 
Kenji was fully conditioned to a Mini Educator by 6 months old.

If you are using the e collars for basic obedience as well, then the pup would need to know sit, down, and heel first, then layer the e collar over them. 

I recommend having a balanced trainer properly condition the pup to the e collar- so the pup understands when they feel the low level stimulation from the e collar they are to look to the handler for information, now the handler can give an already learned verbal command to the pup to instruct it. 
I then have the balanced trainer teach the owner how to use the transmitter responsibility.
I have another article specifically on low level remote electronic collars, if you are interested in more information.

I use a “Delmar Smith Wonder lead” on older, harder to handle pups. It is highly effective.This is a slip lead, made from lasso type material. I added a safety strap to mine, so if the dog does manage to back out of it the safety is connected to another collar and we still have control of the dog.  

More articles on dog training and care are available at my site below, which is open to the public and free of charge.❤️🐺❤️

https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/