harness/halti vs prong coller

Hi, there,

An important thing in choosing a dog training collar is that they must cater to your needs and should not be damaging to any of the dog’s anatomy. It is also important to weigh the pros and cons of each kind of collar so that both you and your dog will be benefited from that dog training collar you have chosen. You must be careful of the throat area and use caution as to not crush their trachea. Any collar used in the wrong way can be harmful, both to the body and mind and spirit of the animal.

Not all dogs need a prong collar. Some dogs react very negatively with any kind of force. The prong collar is the most humane of all “choke” type collars. But beware… the tension that is made to the dog around his neck might send him right up the leash to you to get away. First and foremost, is the training for respect. Dogs should be exercised before going “out” to play with other dogs mostly because of the pent up energy they have. If they meet under less stressful times, and have a relationship with their master built on trust, this activity will prove more beneficial. I would suggest “walking” all the dogs together on leash first, getting some of the energy out of the way, and at the same time stimulating their minds. This is also a good time for you to teach your dog to “focus” on you, the leader.

And you need to “read” the dog. Just as humans, some dogs are more shy, timid, or aggressive, or may be the pack bully.

Putting together a pack of unexercised, untrained dogs only makes for a real let down for you and your dog(s). They need training both in an individual setting and in a controlled environment with other dogs; then move on to group play. Also, remember the chain of leadership in the pack. Again, you need to “read” the dog.

Number one rule: always be in control of your dog. You want your dog to be safe and you and others to be safe, as well as not to invoke a real fight amongst the pack.

Dogs in a play group will “role” play as well, trying to figure out “where they stand” in the pack. It is a natural chain of events. However, before you expect your dog to “come” back to you from within the play group, he must be able to do this under controlled distractions first… otherwise, you set both of you up for failure. Dogs do not really want conflict and will avoid it if possible. If you call your dog to come back to you from within a dog group and he doesn’t come back right away, he is probably settling some dog-to-dog situation – let him do his thing. Once he is done with that (to avoid conflict), he will happily come back to you

Here are some websites to get you started:

http://flyingdogpress.com/prong.html

http://www.canis.no/rugaas/index.php

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/309

Good Luck and Play Safe!!

I agree with the article on this website regarding the types of collars available. I hope you read the article from Suzanne Clothier – the flydogpress website. She is the one from where I get my training techniques from. I will never train any other way now. This article explains your training equipment.

All dogs are not the same. Do your research and present it to your Committee. Maybe offer to find a speaker or trainer to come in. Some will do this for free. Does anyone evaluate the dogs at the shelter?

I used a prong collar on one of my dogs who needed it without incident. And it was only used for training. Once we established who was the boss and she understood that, it was no longer necessary. It was used to have her focus more on me. She was the noisiest dog in class!! She would vocalize her displeasure of having to stay by my side instead of running around and playing. She was one of my best trained dogs and went on to become a registered Therapy Dog and truly enjoyed her work. One of my other dogs was way too soft… he did better with more focus work. I teach my dogs with positive reinforcement. Remember, the collar and leash are only your tools. You need to pick the right one for the right dog— including harnesses. Sometimes a harness may indeed make a dog pull even harder. But then you need to redirect his pulling forward, including this behavior even when using a flat buckle collar, with positive reinforcement and having him focus on you. I find the redirection works best and dogs “get it” quicker. Once they understand that being by your side is the best place to be, you will have a most beautiful relationship with your dog. Yes, it takes work, but it’s the best work you will ever do.

However, I always start out with a flat buckle collar. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.

Let us know how you’re doing.

Sincerely

Put the collars on loose and walk away. You won’t do any harm and it will save your arm and make the walks much more enjoyable. Don’t expect the dogs to learn much from this experience except not to hit the end of the leash when the collar is on, but it’s better than them having to sit in a pen with no one to play with them. I would suggest that you get a fanny pack and put treats in it. On your walk be quick to reward with your voice and follow up with a treat anytime the dog is paying attention to you and not pulling on the leash. You will quickly find that the dog avoids hitting the end of the leash since it hurts and starts paying more and more attention to his handler since that gains them rewards. Dogs that pay attention to humans often find themselves adopted. Dogs that pull on the leash and maul their handlers often find themselves dead. Sad, but a fact.