What is the best thing to use to train a dog....choke collar or harness??

Answer 1

Use the slip/choke collar.

You have to learn to use it correctly.

They can brace against a body harness and you are off to the races. You can't teach down or come with one or even heel properly.
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I HATE those "gentle leader" things. First, they are gone good way to give your dog a case of cervical whiplash. Second, the minute you take it off the dog KNOWS that you have no means of making them obey. Third, a lot of the guarding/herd guarding/working breeds (here -boxer) actually panic with those things since they are genetically programmed to be able to move into defensive postures which means being able to open their mouths. Fourth, teaching 'come' or anything where the dog is not at your side is impossible. Forget 'fetch' or 'go' or a 'drop on recall.' They are a shortcut to get temporary - and I do mean temporary control while walking for people too dumb or too lazy to teach their dog proper manners. I spend a lot of time making house to calls to teach puppy to come , sit, stay, down and heel after the owners paid money for 'obedience classes' with someone for 'training' with those head collar things.


Go get a chain slip collar. The nylon are not that effective and with the chain, the dog learns to listen for the rattle of the collar if the leash moves slightly and respond now. Properly fitted, there should be 2 1/2 to 3 fingers of space between the collar and dog. Learn to use it. You SNAP the collar - NEVER pull or drag. It is a fast jerk/release. Put it on your wrist and have someone try pulling and then snapping on you. You do it to someone else. When it feels like a slight whack or bump when the leash is snapped you have the idea. I always put the slip collar on my student's arm to show them the difference in the movement. Gets the point across real fast.

Put the slip collar on the dog so when the junction of the rings is facing you on the side of the dog's neck, the part that slides comes across the back of the dog's neck towards you.


In AKC performance competitons only two collars are allowed:

a flat buckle

a slip/choke

98% of competitors use a slip/choke.


By the way - ignore all those who say "oh -train postively, Collar are awful."

Dogs (and people) learn through postive/negative reinforcement. Would you obey the speed limit 100% of the time if there was not risk of a ticket?

Postive = praise and pets for good behavior.



Negative = snap on collar, reprimands in a sern voice and being physically made to do it.

Dog gets to choose which it prefers.

Using treats is silly because one day you will start to forget the treats or not have them or something, and the next time you call her, she'll remember not getting the treat and figure "why bother?" And with "positive only", what do you do the day the dog decides it would rather chase the rabbit than come and be rewarded with a treat, eh?? Far as the dog is concerned, there is no downside to ignoring you at all.

Clickers are just flat stupid - they are for people who are too dumb to figure out how to quickly say "GOOD DOG" in a happy, excited voice.

You always have your hands and your voice. Use them

Gotta love the poster below - had 2 dogs and knows everything.

I spend a lot of time sorting out behavior problems where the owner is wailing "But I love my dog - why won't he listen?!"

As for CarolinK defending those head halter things - not much chance of hruting a large Dane but for most breeds yes - you can cause cervical whiplash. According to my vet, 60% of his patients whose owners use those, end up at the clinic with a stiff neck sooner or later. ne fast move by the dog and the heaad halter pulls his head back around or stops the movement abruptly.

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Answer 2

First of all, harnesses are useless in training unless you are tracking. Any snug fit collar that is placed at the top of the neck, by the ears is more efficiant. A choke chain will almost always slip down to the base of the dogs neck which is not helpful when training. All the does is provide a tight squeeze, not a correction. I must admit I have used a flat, choke, pinch & a shock collar. I got the most consistant behavior from my dog when using a pinch, however, my dog knows what he can get away with no matter which collar he has used. Train with treats in your none leash holding had and direct your dogs actions and reactions with a treat, he'll stay by you cause you have food. Remember, when training use treats that are like eating out for you. Don't give your dog a dry old bisquit, give him a niblet of chicken or steak or sausage.

Answer 3

Get a proper collar, and a trainer. Not every dog responds to that technique. Putting a harness on a dog to try to teach them NOT to pull is a bit of an oxymoron, since harnesses were designed to allow the strongest parts of the dog (bottom of neck into chest and shoulders) handle the stress of PULLING! There are "no-pull" harnesses on the market, however these can tangle in the fur and really become a burden. Also, you run into the same problems as those who swear to the "halti" head harnesses/collars. What if you have to ONLY put the dog on a leash and collar. No extras. The dog is NOT properly nor completely trained unless you can put a regular collar on him/her and walk with a loose lead. Huskies respond well to prong collars, very few will listen to a choke chain or regular collar with beginning stages of training.

Answer 4

You really can't teach anything with a harness. They are made to make pulling more comfortable for the dog. So if you pull on it to correct the behavior, they don't feel it much.
Choke collars are good if you intend to train the dog. If you are just using it to keep him from pulling, it's pointless. There is a right way and a wrong way to train with a choke collar, it's best to see a trainer. It's not expensive as you think.
Also, there is a right way and a wrong way to put a choke collar on, make sure you have it correct.
I highly recommend a trainer. A class, a book or a private session or two will teach you how to train the dog without driving both of you nuts.
Good Luck


EDIT
Dogs have huge muscles in their necks. Even the smallest dog's neck muscles will protect him from damage. It's not mean to train your dog. It's mean to let him run amok, then take him to the pound when you get sick of his misbehaving.
I have never seen a happy dog on a Halti or Gentle Leader. It bothers them. They are always trying to get it off. But they are effective, especially dogs who don't respect choke collars anymore.
Again, good luck

Answer 5

Depends on what you want to train it for, but generally choke collars, spike collars and otehr aversivves are not as effective as positive reinforcement.

I prefer a regular collar and regular leash. If you are having control issues, pulling, etc. then try a Gentle Leader or Halti. These are like a horse's bridle. They work well on the theory that if you control the dog's head you control the dog. Works much better than a harness, and allows for positive reinforcement better than a choke collar which requires aversives.

Answer 6

Harnesses are meant for pulling. They spread out the weight points to the cheast area and not theneck. This allows the dog to pull harder and not interfear with his ability to breathe.
I personally use a choke or prong collar.
When I work with a clients dog I most times start with a prong collar and work my way down to what ever collar the owner chooses to use regularly with the dog.
They are very effective and when used properly they are the quickest way to get the correct response.
Training is the key.
The Halti and Gentle Leaders can casue neck injury my vet has seen a few dogs with it. I do not use one but for my clients who refuse to use the prong or choke collars I will let them use the Haltis if that is what they want.
I feel it is like training a horse with draw reins. I get what I want but when I take off the gadget who knows what you are going to get.
Proper training and work will prodcue a dog who will heel with any or even no collar. ALL of my dogs will heel off lead no matter what is going on around them.

Answer 7

harnesses are for pulling; that's why they are used for freighting,
weight-pull contests, etc.

the front-clip harness by Premier Pets is a good choice, tho, especially for pullers: U can turn the dog toward U and away from their 'goal', thus easily restraining and re-training them.

it's called the EZ Walk harness.
it fits some dogs of in-between sizes better, if put on upside-down (sounds silly, but it's true).

choke collars are not a very good choice: only pro trainers use them correctly, and the chance of serious injury to the dog's neck (cervical, tracheal or other) is pretty high.

even a pro-trainer (and i am one) would admit that a choke, or slip collar, is SLOW. dogs do not get it without repeated yank, yank, yank.

skip the yanking; use a limited-slip collar for training, and use a fairly wide one (relative to Ur dog's size - 1/2 inch is good on a toy under 10 pounds; a giant over 100 pounds who is a huge puller or a lunger, leaping at other dogs or ppl or a fleeing squirrel, needs a 2 inch wide).

martingale is the other name for a limited slip: it goes over the dog's HEAD, so measure their skull just in front of their ears for the max size.

then adjust by slipping the slide, and taking up the extra fabric, until the collar sits as HIGH on the neck as U can get it,

and -snug- ... only Ur pinkie should fit between collar and neck.

think of it as a watchband: U want it to stay up there, not slide down.

the leash goes into the ring in the middle of the fabric loop, and when U or the dog pull on the leash or collar, that loop closes.

BUT: it can only close 1/2 it's diameter: hence, it is very safe.

the dog can't strangle unless actually suspended, without their forefeet touching - which is called 'hanging' a dog, and is frank abuse. it can cause brain damage or hemorrhage, as well as swelling in the throat or of the tongue- the airway can swell shut.

so martingales are very safe, very secure ( the dog can't back up and slip the collar off over their head > IF < U have adjusted it properly), and they won't get their trachea, vertebrae or neck injured, with the load distributed by the coallr.

Gentle Leaders and haltis are very safe; they are, however, NEVER to be used with a Flexi !! very dangerous - the Flexi can put sudden traction on the dog's head, and hurt them. GL's and haltis are for leashes or long-lines, and NO sudden head-yanking; they are 'power-steering' for pppl who have large, poewerful dogs, or dogs who are fearful and try to flee, or dogs who are aggressive with ppl or other dogs.

for any of those problem behaviors, a headcollar is wonderful!
good luck...

Answer 8

I am a strong believer in positive reinforcement training with limited correction. I use a choke collar combo on both of my dogs for training. It can not get too tight and choke them, but you can still give a quick snap of the leash for a correction.

Clickers are awesome because they can mark the behavior the instant your dog does it and you can shape their behavior. With a clicker you can click and treat right when they do the behavior. While there is nothing wrong with just saying good dog, and the clicker should never replace praise,by the time you say good dog your dog may not be sure what they are being rewarded for.

Answer 9

Love is the best way to train a dog. I've never had to use either a choke collar (I hate them) or a harness. Dogs want to please you more than anything else, and they're very smart. Spend at least 15 minutes several times a day training your dog. Make sure you are patient (and never angry) with you dog, and make sure you repeat your instructions: "Stay!" - followed by: "Good dog, stay!!" when s/he does as you ask. I follow each training session with some type of healthy treat, and announce the session is over with: "Good dog! Treat, treat!!" Works fine for me....hope you forget the choke collar. Would you want to be "trained" that way?

Answer 10

I prefer the Martingale style training collars (kind've like a combo choke/ nylong collar) The nylon section of this collar is designed to reduce the loss of neck hair or matting. The choke chain features a unique limited closure that prevents it from becoming too tight. It also works great on my labX because she can't slip it over her head like she can with a regular collar.
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In my opinion a harness harnesses actually teach dogs to pull more comfortably. Pay attention to Search and Rescue dogs, Guide Dogs, sled dogs and even some Protection Training Dogs. All of them are on a harness or something similar to it. Harnesses are designed for these dogs to be able to pull and lead with their whole body weight. They hook right behind the shoulder blades and those strong neck muscles.