Anyone use prong collar?

Question

This was usggested to me by a dog trainer to teach my dog to walk nicely on a leash. I tried it and though it seems to help alot, I'm not sure it's a good idea because it just looks like it hurts. I only had to give a slight tug and she walked next to me the rest of the way. (about 20 min.) Never even attempted to pull again. If you have used it, for how long until you were able to go back to a regular collar?

I meant suggested

I just have to respond to the person who said they have seen too many prong collars embedded in a dogs neck- First of all I would never leave it on her for even a second after the walk. Also ANY collar can get embedded in a dogs neck if left on and not checked often for fit. Most of the people that do this are probobly not on this sight looking for advice.

Answer 1

I have used the collar when I use to have Rotties. It never hurt them! The larger dogs don't always know how strong they are and this type of collar works to teach them their limits. They work much better than choke collar which can bind up and harm the dog because it doesn't release as quickly.

The best thing to do, is to try your dog back on her old collar when you think she is ready. If she starts to pull again, switch her back. Eventually she will learn. Good luck!

Answer 2

Prong Collars are really more humane than they look. People just have given them a bad wrap. If people would take the time to learn about all types of training methods. Education is all one needs! You can go back to the other collar whenever you like if you still have the problem go back to the prong. Some people think that prongs are cruel, but they are not. As with any training collar you only have it on when you're with your dog. NEVER LEAVE IT ON when unattended. Another thing you can do when you're walking your dog to keep her attention on you, is to have treats with you. Walk her with the treat in your hand so she knows it's there at your side. Once she has walked with you without pulling give her a treat. Always tell her she's a good girl. Before you know it she'll be by your side with or without the prong. All the best;^)

Answer 3

I have used a similar type collar on my dog. Not a metal prong collar, but a plastic one. It is called the "Good Dog Collar".

It was recommended to me by a licensed dog trainer because when I walk my dog on the leash, he pulls so hard that he literally crushes his throat and begins coughing, hacking, and gagging. The trainer tried small jerks with a regular leash and collar to no avail. To avoid damaging my dog's throat further, we went to the pronged collar.

Just as you experienced, my dog began walking nicely immediately, In other words, one pop on the collar, and he saw the light!

I now use a regular collar. I can give that same pop with the leash and get the same results as with the pronged collar. I have randomly gone back to the pronged collar a couple of times when my dog began getting into the habit of pulling again. When we're under control again, it's back to the regular collar.

I would put a verbal command to go along with when you tug on the collar. That way when you switch to the regular collar, you can reinforce the good behavior with your verbal command.

I do not think this is cruel. It was cruel to let my dog tug and pull and damage his throat. Don't let anyone tell you that you are abusing your dog or any such nonsense when you are asserting your authority. Your dog wants to know how to please you, and you are helping her to figure that out. You have to be the leader, or she will try to be.

Link below to the collar I use.

(PS -- my dog is small, only 15 pounds, but he's a terrier and very stubborn. My SIL has a 120 pound Great Dane and she had to use a metal prong collar because that dog could pull her off her feet. Sometimes these tools are necessary).

Answer 4

Prong collars, if used correctly, do not harm the dog and are an effective method of teaching a dog how to walk nicely when on a leash. They are neither cruel or inhumane and next to choke collars (again, if used correctly) may be the only way to teach a dog that will not learn any other way.

Please do not listen to those that say they are cruel, more then likely, they have never seen one used the way it's meant to be used and as you were able to see, they do work.

Answer 5

They are a training tool. Just like with ANY tool they can be used correctly or abused.

I love prong collars....they are much safer on the dog's neck than a regular collar. Dogs don't fight them as much so you don't harm their neck as easily. ON a regular collar constant tugging and yanking can injure their spine. Head halters can also injure their necks if the dog pulls to hard. Regular halters just teach a dog to pull and make the dog difficult to control !

Yes, they "look" bad, but the dog isn't stupid so they learn to behave and thus the collar rarely ever gets used. Just sitting on the neck does not hurt or your dog would tell you !

It's good to have a backup collar clipped in as well if you have a large/strong dog or if you aren't sure how to put the prong collar on right
http://leerburg.com/fit-prong.htm Scroll down and it shows the safety system of using a second collar.

Some dogs need prongs their whole life (if the owner is not stepping up to becoming a strong leader).

If you hate the look of the prong they make a rubber version, but no idea if it works as well. Or they make covers for prong collars so other people mind their own business.


Put the collar on your arm....it does not hurt unless you pull hard. And even then, it's not going to make you bleed unless you try to kill the dog with it. So use a good tool and stop worrying.

It's a training tool. Google Nothing in LIfe Is Free for other ways to train your dog that you are now in charge. Make sure you go out a door first for example, make your dog wait at the door and only let it come outside once you give permission. That will all add up and once the dog respects you, you may not need a collar at all to control you dog.

I use whatever tools I need to train my dogs. I use a prong on one of my Whippets (yes a delicate Whippet neck)...she is a stubborn girl and will dive and eat anything off the ground and has made herself sick numerous times. With the prong on she respects the collar and me and rarely tries this behavior. I was worried I'd hurt her with her martingale yanking her about trying to get her to stop this. Now a single pop and we go on and she walks nicely.

Using a prong collar in the right way works wonders on many dogs. Training collars of any kind should never be left on a dog when you aren't actually working with the dog. martingales or buckle collars should be the only kind left on and those need to be checked for fit on growing puppies.

As far as embedded prong collars...idiot owners that leave prong collars on dogs should be prosecuted. Embedded collars happen even with buckle collars from the dog growing and the collar not being adjusted....do you want to ban ALL collars???? since any collar can become embedded due to owner neglect !!!

Stupid cruel people abuse any sort of collar when they don't know how to train a dog. Prongs aren't the problem. I've seen people choke dogs with buckle collars when they get angry.

Most people do NOT fit collars properly, prong, choke or buckle. Proper fit can help the dog and the owner. Most people actually leave a prong too loose and thus the dog never gets a proper correction and the owner gets rougher.

I've had to take links out of collars for people and show them a proper correction (pop and release...not a pull or jerk)

Answer 6

They are not cruel, they are meant to mimic the type of correction the dog would receive from its mother. Prong collars are a training tool to help aid you in teaching your dog to walk without pulling. They are an excellent tool because little force, if any, is needed from you and the dog only receives a correction if pulling. How long you need it depends on how much time you dedicate to training. If you do not teach the dog It can not learn not to pull. And yes, you can go back to a regular collar. I had to train one of my dogs with a prong collar and now even without a leash he will heel right next to me so you see it is all a matter of training.

I would not ever use a harness, as it was suggested, because it promotes pulling which is what you are trying to prevent and as for the head halti thing I have seen too many dogs escape those to believe they are safe. For pulling, the only way to really fix it is to teach the dog to not pull. The tree method works for some dogs, if the dog pulls on the leash, the owner stops and refuses to move and you only move forward if the leash is slack. You may want to join an obedience class so you can teach the dog basic obedience and how to focus on you.

Answer 7

Using a prong collar will make the dog think that a walk which should be a pleasurable thing, become very unpleasent. Try using a normal collar, and every time that your dog pulls then stop completely. When shes focused on you again, give the heel command, and hit your thigh, whichever one you feel more comfortable for your dog to walk.

Answer 8

The thing about prong collars and gentle leaders alike is that they dont actually teach the dog to walk with you they teach the dog that while the collar is on they have to behave. You have to teach the dog the heal command which will tell the dog that she needs to work right by your side. If you are looking for a collar that will help you to control her pulling, while you master the heal command, that won't be painful you can try a "halti" style gentle leader. I have three pitbulls who have gone through the pulling stage and each and everyone of them has warn the halti collar so that I dont get pulled down the street.

Answer 9

I would never use a prong collar to train a dog. I really they're too harsh and they can cause serious injury. However, I do use a choke collar which is not cruel. You need to know how to use it correctly though or you won't have any control and the dog could slip it off. If she is behaving all the time, I would try a choke collar just in case she suddenly pulls or tries to get away. A quick pull will remind her who's in charge without hurting her.

Once she is comfortable with that, I would try switching her to a nice, soft, nylon or leather collar.

Answer 10

well the prong collar is used just like a dominant dog would bite to tell whos the boss it does not hurt and would only injure the dog if you kept on pulling really hard.I know it sounds harsh but it is how dogs go with things,just like a dog bites to say go away,this is my food,I'm the dominant dog,this is my bed,and so on and so on.so when you tug on it it is saying to your dog well he is the boss I do what he says if your dog was pulling she/he was leading the way cause she/he saw themself as the dominant one not you.I would use it a coulple more times and see how your dog does without it.