When she looked down, her dog's eye had prolapsed. Chest harnesses that clip in the front are a better choice for hard-pulling dogs because dogs generally dislike the sensation of being pulled to one side. Good to read something siilar to mine! Yes that is the entire purpose of the prong, to use it as a training tool. Just put it on when you are getting ready to take a walk. Thank You!!! The woman left her choke collar at the vet clinic and took with her a donated harness. Not once. With this volume of no-nos its so freaking easy to get wrong that can cause damage to your dog physically, mentally, or just to the bond between you and your dog. Offering him a toy when he attacks me, biting and scratching me, only taught him to attack me in order to get a toy. Her eyes arent red after a walk and she doesnt pant constantly walking now. Teaching pressure & release is fast, easy, and helps build the dogs confidence. Free shipping for many products! These collars have been the subject of controversy in recent years, with some people arguing that they are inhumane and should be banned, while others claim that they are an effective tool for training and managing a dog's behavior. But I urge you to give it a try, as youve read by all the comments below, the prong collar can be life changing. We were told that it was probably allergies. The biggest pup I fostered (who was also a tripaw) did really well with a prong collar but when it was first recommended to me I didnt want to try it. I think hes smart enough to realize that hes in control, if he doesnt pull, his collar is comfortable for him. Thanks for your advice and recommend!! Hes my first dog and unfortunately socialization was very difficult and so he was highly reactive to dogs. During the first class Shadow had his own agenda and set out to personally meet and greet every student in the class. This is something that I will be sure to remember because Im planning to buy handmade dog prong collars for my dogs at home. We have two dogs, both staffies, that are really bad on the leash. The former associates you as a good thing, the latter associates you with bad things.. No matter what treats or happiness we used, she always found a way to push ahead and not pay attention to us at all. Do you think these changes are happening quickly enough in the US? Do your dogs reach a point that you no longer have to use the prong collar? The collar is not designed to hurt the dog, but get the dogs attention. I recently entered the world of dog ownership by adopting a rescue. The Thunderleash is clipped on his back so it stays up high where he cant step on it but he does still pull a bit. Try the stop and go method first, by not moving forward anytime there is any tension on the leash should teach him not to pull. For example, shock collars, sometimes called e-collars or electronic collars, are banned in the United Kingdom, but they are legal in the United States. Good luck! Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! You dont need a prong collar. Is there any advise other than your article on the prong collar you can help with please know though that my intention is to use the collar correctly and for the right reasons, i have paid special attention on how NOT to use the collar.. It could be killedalong with the child flung into the windshield as her mother hits the brake. He was also extremely leash reactive and aggressive towards other dogs in general. The San Francisco SPCAs website points out that the skin on a humans neck is ten to fifteen cells thick, whereas the skin on a dogs neck is only three to five cells thick. This isn't the case in England, where they're legally allowed to be used without restriction. This muddies the water for guardians seeking help with their companion dogs: If a force-free trainer with whom they worked didnt help them, does that push them to work with a trainer who uses force? and know that the collar is the least likely choice of training tools to hurt your dog. I just started using one. rated as 2021 & 2022 worlds best pet blog! I should say that my dog is quite highly trained and in a training environment excels at quite advanced exercises. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If it werent for the prong collar, our super sweet 70+lb lapdog would not have been able to stay with us. Carol, good professional dog trainers ALWAYS recommend a back up collar for a prong collar. Required fields are marked. I have a 5 month old Rottweiler and I need to make sure he does not pull me In the winters . A TWITCH influencer has stunned her fans and was temporarily banned from the platform after a terrifying video. If ur looking to get one please please please invest In a sprenger and not a cheap version as these have point ends that will do damage and please seek a reputable professional to show you how to use it properly.its meant for slow gradual increases in pressure not quick hard yanks. Hi Carol, the prong collar is known to come apart at the most inconvenient times. Or I could actually teach them to love a jellyfish on their head. Its an adaptation of choke chains, the links become larger and there are teeth on each link that encircle the neck. Yes, Yes, Yes!!! And Herm Sprenger agrees. I so hate to see good, effective training tools totally demonized. Then we started a balanced training class, and they showed us how to use the prong collar. As a trainer, Mary sees many dogs struggling with fear, reactivity, and aggression toward unfamiliar people and dogs. Thats not how the tool works and thats not the humane way to go about it. Shell lunge right onto a road sometimes which is so scary for me. I want her to learn the actual commands I give her. I wouldnt recommend trying one without researching how to properly use it but it works really well for some pups. Why are these collars still so popular in 2019 when we know better? No one ever claimed it so it became our shop dog and because I opened and closed the shop regularly I was the one in charge of walking him. At what age do you recommend that people start using a prong Collar? We are switching over to a 1 on 1 trainer very soon hoping it will help with his other problems we are having at home. In one session she was working roundabout his dog with no issues. Like others have mentioned, Im sure the dog is not afraid of this collar if theyre running to you to put it on for a walk. I love hearing all the success stories. After using it for a while youll notice taking on and off gets easier. Now that I understand what I was doing wrong, I have all the confidence in the world that Ill be able to correct the problem with my mini Aussie and cant wait to give it a try this afternoon. 2. Thank you Patty for sharing your story! As you go through the article, see if you can tell why theyre wrong. The one thing I dont do is avoid walking her altogether. Why was CodeMiko banned? I used it as you explained back in 1999, maybe for 3 months and periodically as needed over a years time. She introduced me to the idea of using a prong collar as a training tool which I initially had strong concerns about having never seen one in use and having just lost a dog to laryngeal damage issues. He is clearly lacking in socialization and his behavior and demeanor are indicative of prior abuse. I have exacty the same story! Hi Dawn, so sorry your pup pulled you over! You are truly saving lives. He growls a little but I know hes just reacting and not being aggressive. Whilst Herm Sprenger advise that 5-6 months is the minimum? I can't buy one here in Australia so will have to take a chance of ordering from overseas and hope it doesn't get stopped by Customs. There is certainly a lot of misconception around the prong collar, and I feel the only way that will change is when people have a dog like yours and experience how it can be such an invaluable training tool. At first, yes once you take the collar off, he will pull. Its better than a choke collar but any pulling gets old on a 2 mile rugged walk. Like really easily. I can even run in the park with him without getting dragged or jumped on. I love my dogs very much and I know in my heart that I am not a bad dog mom. In other words, the use of violence in dog training is not correlated with particular dogs or with particular behavior problems. New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Switzerland, the Canadian Province of Quebec , and many others have made prong collars (and in many cases choke and shock collars) illegal. The first of its kind, the flagship plan aims to ensure the UK is leading the way in animal welfare and includes a ban on the use of electric shock collars, a move which has been long-campaigned for by The Kennel Club. Im not finding anything in the ADA that says anything about these collars ( any collars for that matter). Shes a 27-ish pound mutt, stocky and short-legged, and still pulls even after working on training and walking her for 4 years, weve had her since she was a pup. But do you suggest a prong collar for my Great Dane? Victoria, you and your pup are a perfect example on how the prong collar is such a life-saver! You can get the standard size: https://amzn.to/2Hwnbzp. So a friend recommended a prong collar, I knew that I had nothing to lose by trying it. Some dog breeds tend to be wanderers, and an intact dog or girls in heat can be problem too. With the prong, he is walking next to me instead of pulling and I can walk him easily with one hand. I have a 140 BRT, and he is only 14 months old. You noted that you have used these devices for a quick fix when you need foster dogs to walk along side yours You also made notes about how to introduce the dog to the prong collar, and with the use of reassuring gestures and being patient with the animal, along side the use of treats why would the prong collar be needed? I can walk him with a regular collar now, but not when he gets 150 pounds. The prong is not meant to yank, pull or choke a dog. Prong collars are legal to use in the UK, but they are not typically recommended by behaviorists or trainers. I bet Sam is looking forward to enjoying his walks with you just as much as you are! Every time, with only a few sessions, the dogs became calm, happy and responsive. My teenage daughter begged me to adopt a pitbull puppy. I dont see dog trainer in your credentials, but do see a link to a product which suggests you make money off of your recommendation. Truth is she was the best dog I could have ever had the privilege of rescuing. We are in 80s and vet says pinch collar will save our lives. There is no negative association for the dogs, and weve even been lucky and not have any people give us looks or comments on their collars either. I cannot just take the opinions of others because the day WILL COME that I will be challenged by someone out there who tries to bust people for passing their dogs off as service dogs, when indeed, they are not. I will make a couple of notes: 1, It was a bit of a trick to fit the thing at first, especially since she has long fur. The Halti works great to end the pulling but the lead runs on the ground between his legs so he steps on it. I have found your article online about using prong collars.. well, i am at my wits end with my darling Border Collie. Prong collars do NOT cause pain. New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Switzerland, the Canadian Province of Quebec, and many others have made prong collars (and in many cases choke and shock collars) illegal.