Leash training collars. Your preference?

Question

Choke

Prong

Harness/Halti

Please be detailed on your reasons why. Thanks!

Answer 1

I have an article to help you through the choice of a collar.

Dog collars are an important tool in dog training. The type of collar used in obedience training depends on the type of training and the trainer.

You may have heard of some of these types of collars before and some may be new. I will list the most common types of dog collars and their uses. Some collars work better than others for training. Some collars are easier for the owner to use than others as well.

- CHOKE CHAIN This is the most common style of training collar. It is simply a small chain with a ring at each end. You use it by slipping the chain through one end ring of the collar so it forms a letter P shape. Attach the lead to the other end ring. The prescribed use of this collar is to snap quickly on the lead to perform a correction.

The useability in obedience for the average person is non existent. Most dog owners fail to use this tool properly resulting in inconsistent obedience training.

- PINCH COLLAR Some say this collar looks like a mideval torture device. On the contrary. In its inteded use it doesn't pinch the dog either. This collar is made up of links that are shaped like 2 fingers. You use it by separating 2 of the links and applying it around the dog's neck, re-attaching the links that were separated, similar to putting on a necklace. The prescribed use of this collar is to snap the lead quickly similar to the choke chain.

The useability in obedience for the average person is wonderful. Even the smallest person can correct with this collar with ease. It makes for easy timing and consistent results. If the collar is not fitted properly, or if you don't have formal training with this tool your obedience will suffer and so will your dog.

- REMOTE TRAINING COLLAR or E-COLLAR Absolutely the MOST misunderstood, misused collar available on the market. This collar is electronic. The collar goes on just as a buckle collar does. The remote has different levels of stimulation and a button or two to exert the stimulation.

Most people call this the shock collar, or the zapper. These euphamism draw negative attention to one of the most powerful tools for obedience training available. The stimulation it delivers to the dog is a static shock, akin to walking across the carpet in the winter time and touching a door knob. It DOESN'T electrocute your dog. In responsible hands, and with proper professional dog training this tool is by far the easiest and most reliable way to obedience train your dog.

-HALTIES AND GENTLE LEADERS Although these implements are in the dog collar section at your store they are NOT training collars. These devices work on the principal of dominance. You slip the implement over the dog's nose and neck. This places the dog in a submissive state of mind, TEMPORARILY. The problem with these things is once you take it off, the dog simply goes back to his old habits....yeah the bad ones. So in order for your dog to listen, the implement needs to be on at ALL times. Not such a realistic prospect for the average person.

Ease of use is amazing. You will put the implement on your dog and walk with ease! BUT BE WARNED, as far as TRAINING your dog goes, these are simply band-aids and will NOT do you any help in long term reliability for obedience or behavior modifications. BUYER BEWARE

Answer 2

as a training collar (e.i training how to walk nicely on the leash etc) i 100% prefer a prong collar, but i have had only large dogs. i think it really does depend on the type of dog you are training.
for me halti is a nono (the one that goes around your dogs nose, and neck). improperly using that can cause injury. when the dog quickly jerks its head they can hurt themselves. Choke chain is most often used improperly and can cause serious neck injury as well. prong collars are easier to use and in my experience are the most effective. harness will actually make the dog pull more.
the article someone posted is very good. i would say the biggest thing i have to add is change to injury. of course with any training tool injury could occur but prong collars i feel are less prone to misuse. (my opinion only)

btw i only use it for training, not all the time

Answer 3

Prong!! Make sure the prong collar is high on the neck. Prong collars should never be hanging on a dogs neck. The prongs act like a mother dog grabbing the pup and correcting him. They work wonders.

The choke collar can actually damage their spine. There was a study done on German Shepard's, some raised with prong others with choke. The ones raised with choke collars had damage to their spines upon autopsy.

I have never tried a harness.

Answer 4

For your young 3 month old puppy, you'd be wise to stay away from prong and choke collars. They are correction tools, not training tools for a young puppy that you're trying to teach.

Haltis are, like someone else already said, a dominance tool - you may be dominating the dog, but you're not teaching. Harnesses may work, but again, you're not training the dog. You need to be willing to put in the time and effort to teach a young puppy, the object is not to punish or correct with something like a prong collar. They're for older dogs who have been taught, know what to do, but aren't doing it.

Answer 5

Harnesses are my preferred choice when it comes to leash training.

The most common reaction I've seen from dogs & puppies while they're adjusting to a leash, is the fact they freak out when they feel restriction around their necks. It's only natural for them to do that.

With a harness, the ''pressure'' is evenly applied, and is not directly on the neck/throat. Causes less stress, and won't risk throat damage if the dog/puppy is a 'puller'. (I know someone who has a Papillon with a collapsed trachea because a previous owner yanked/pulled on a plain collar too many times, too hard).

Answer 6

i think it depends on breed of dog, i've used Halti's in the past as one young ***** i had was a bit snappy when walking past people, i've also used and still use half choke collars just for walking my two old dogs. A little tug is all you need with them, plus if you have a livelier dog and it tries getting out of normal collar the half choke holds them better.

Answer 7

Martingale collars are my favorite. Made especially for dogs that try to slip their collar to chase something. They work great on greyhounds for their quick relflexes being a sight hound and high prey drive. I also like them for my basset. We get her a new one every now and then. Got to keep up with the latest fashion.LOL
Martingale collars will be all I ever use.

Answer 8

Depends on the dog. I would have been crazy to not use a Gentle Leader for my young dog - when I got her, I lived on Leftover Chicken Wing street and there were hazardous things everywhere. Instead of battling her by pulling at a collar, I got her used to a GL and then rewarded her heavily for paying attention to me and not to the chicken carcasses everywhere.
I used a harness for my older dog but he just never liked it. He likes his flat collar fine and has never been a puller. I would never use a choke chain or prong on any dog - there are humane ways to get control of a dog's head without punishing them at every turn or causing tracheal damage.

Answer 9

Most definitely a halti. It made a world of difference in the way my English Setter walks now when on a leash. It is actually pleasurable

Answer 10

Definitely harness for me.

I have a smaller dog though (15 lbs)

If your dog does not pull and is well trained I would say a regular collar is fine but I like harnesses.