PRONG COLLARS

Here is my article on Prong Collars.

Using a prong collar on a dog often attracts angry stares from dog walkers because of the way it looks- some people believe the prong collar must be an inhumane torture device since they have seen photos online of dogs with severe wounds on their necks caused by the prongs. 

If a quality prong collar is always fitted and used properly on a dog who understands pressure and how to release it, they don’t damage the dog. The prong collar looks scary- but it was actually designed to put pressure evenly around the neck and protect the trachea, and it cannot choke the dog out because it’s a martingale style collar which has a limited amount of slip.

-QUALITY: Many prong collars available today are made of inferior metal and have sharp saw cut prong points. These WILL damage your dog!  I recommend using ONLY Herm Sprenger prong collars, they are made in Germany with quality metals and have completely rounded points.  Herm Sprenger knockoffs made in China are counterfeit, and should be avoided at all costs.

-FITTING: The prong collar should be the appropriate size for the dog, most breeds use the 2.25mm prong. The collar itself should sit high and snug on the dog’s neck, just below their ears. I highly recommend having a safety strap/or carabiner between ALL prong collars and a secondary collar- as the prongs themselves can unhook if the dog kicks it just right, plus the “quick release” style collar is sometimes grabbed by handlers and unexpectedly releases the dog. Safety’s save lives.

-USE: Never use a prong collar to tie out a dog on a cable run, when the dog hits the end of the line at full speed they can drive even rounded prongs into themselves.  Never use a prong collar with an extendable leash, for the same reason.  Some dogs, if allowed, will learn to pull against the prong collars- this is NOT acceptable. Prong collars are meant to be used for a structured walk, and then removed from the dog. I have a very detailed article on “Structured Walks” which will help you achieve your goals.

-TRAINING: Many dogs don’t understand leash pressure- putting on prong collar on a dog who doesn’t understand this can be disastrous, because they feel the prongs and panic, often throwing themselves against the collar and fighting for their lives. I use a slip lead on the dog first, before introducing a prong collar. I have a great article called “Training Pressure and Release - introduction to collar and leash” at my blog.

For those that don’t want the added attention from strangers- there are prong collar covers available nowadays, as well as the Herm Sprenger Neck-Tech prong collars- which from the outside look a lot like a flat buckle collar.

Unfortunately, most dogs are going to pull on leash unless there is a consequence for not doing it- or a reward more powerful than ANY distraction. 

Note: Prong collars are NOT ideal for every dog- some dogs have a very soft temperament, and some will even get aggressive in a prong.  My article on Training Collars discusses the varies options in detail.

More articles like Building Engagement With Your Dog, Stranger Danger!, Dog to Dog Reactivity, Muzzle Conditioning, and Deterrents For Aggressive Loose Dogs are available at All Basics-Dog Training blog. My blog is open to the public, and free of charge.

https://allbasics-dogtraining.blogspot.com/

                                                 Kenji