Animal activists have been attempting to issue a Europe-wide ban on their sale and use, while no movement on a ban has been created in the Thanks! Anna, if used and fitted properly, the prong collar is going to be a life changer and youll wander why you waited so long to try it! After using it for a while youll notice taking on and off gets easier. He already knew all basic commands, house broken and crate trained. Also, as the author mention, there are huge differences in the quality of a Pet Smart pinch collar and a Herm Sprenger (the recommended brand). And ask yourself, is it better for your dog to drag you through your walk, choking himself on his flat collar or to have a peaceful walk with your dog walking next to you, enjoying the smells and scenery? Have a read of how to train your dog to walk loose leash. Reading this article and the comments made me realize I have to get over what people might think. If you want the bones of how to train your dog to walk on a loose leash without a prong collar? There are different styles of the prong collar. Pulls a lot, lunges after wild rabbits and some other dogs etc. 4. These collars can also injure the salivary glands and salivary lymph nodes on the side of the face underneath both ears. Along these lines, Mary told me that while she was working as a veterinary technician, before she had much knowledge of training or behavior, a dog was rushed into the vet clinic with a prolapsed eye. I have found your article online about using prong collars.. well, i am at my wits end with my darling Border Collie. So please Herm Sprenger! Now before you pass judgment, please read on to learn more and then decide for yourself. As in all different sorts of dog-human interactions, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. The information is readily available, but it is a little more buried than I would like to see. I trust my trainer completely but every single person in my life is telling me my specific dog does not need the prong collar. In other words, the use of violence in dog training is not correlated with particular dogs or with particular behavior problems. Its kinda like tapping your dog on the shoulder to keep his attention on you. The only barbaric thing here Lora, is the human mind. Wasted $100 at PetSmart (clicker training ????). Choke collars and collars with sharp prongs, which are designed to make pulling painful, can also do serious damage if not used with extreme caution and under carefully controlled conditions. I have tried a few with our foster dogs, and they never truly work. Thank you for sharing your story Lindsay! Aversive collars are unfortunately just one side effect of antiquated dog training practices and lack of regulation in the industry. In addition, although positive punishment can be effective, there is no evidence that it is more effective than positive reinforcement-based training. There are other ways to train a puppy to walk nicely on a leash. For this very reason, many countries with a progressive approach to pet safety and health, such as Austria and Switzerland, have already banned prong collars. That means that you have failed in training your dog and have taken a shortcut instead of learning to understand and work with your dog., I mean zookeepers train tigers. Meaning, they are walking well with no correction needed. I do actually have a prong collar, the trainers at his class suggested it. Its a good thing I work out because I can reign her back in but I fear one day shell dislocate my shoulder!! This sort of state is not a state where learning can occur, its a state where all their options have been removed., The analogy used by a lot of people is imagine your worst fear, and then someone sitting there and forcing you to face it., Prong collars are not suitable for anything fear-based, which is where reactivity falls., Regardless of my training preferences. Thank you for this article! Do you want to know why he was riding the bus with me to work? Dog lovers are fighting to extend this ban to prong and choke collars as well. Good luck, I wish you all the best. Its another self-rewarding cycle. If youre going to miss something, would you rather that your dog misunderstood a reward, or a punishment? I would argue a year to 18 months is the minimum you should be considering this tool., Why? It was so bad before that I actually would dread having to take him for his walks and I loved him so much because he was a beautiful loving dog but he literally hurt me on his walks but after we tried the pronged collar and he walked so calmly and correctly I couldnt wait to take him on his walks. My 3 year old 70 lb pit bull has always been difficult and stubborn. I have only used the style that the prongs go all the way around the neck, so I cant speak of the effectiveness of the ones that dont. We were told that it was probably allergies. Forget a regular collar she did nothing but choke herself out the entire walk. Yes, Yes, Yes!!! She is a pretty assertive dog, gets plenty of outdoor time and exercise, and still she is totally happy and excited when we pick up her collar to announce a walk. This also could be possible. Training is a life long learning experience, for dogs and humans! So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? Note: I just received an interesting email asking if it's possible that some dogs hold grudges against their guardians and trainers who mistreat them with aversive collars and "other abusive training techniques." Depending on what you are using it for, you can keep it on during the day, but take it off at night when the dog is sleeping. I bought a new prong collar suggested by person at HS site. During the first class Shadow had his own agenda and set out to personally meet and greet every student in the class. Now he is under control and gentle. But yesterday I had to take my dog, an 8 year old 84lb rottweiler, to the vet. I never wanted to try a prong collar because of the negative connotations, especially with a pit bull that people are already afraid of. Decide which equipment you would like your dog to walk on, and grab a double ended leash, like a halti training leash, and clip the prong to one end of the leash, and the harness or collar to the other., As your need for corrections lessen, allow the balance of the leash to lean towards the harness, and away from the prong.. However when it comes to walking on a lease he is a puller and aggressive. I probably am going to get blisters all over my hands, I had to work so hard to keep him from pulling me. Another asked if perhaps dogs, because they read human faces, including angry faces, very well, might get a "bad feeling" from their human when they choose to use something that causes them pain. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, and some parts of Australia all currently have a ban on electronic collars for dogs. Many trainers advise against these types of collars altogether, in part because the risk of injury to dogs is significant. Harriet, you need to calm down. These collars are usually made of metal and are NEVER allowed on authorities therapy pet dog sees. Prongs could help so many dogs and the misinformation out there is terrible. I had to give him a couple of sharp tugs but after that he soon got the message that if he pulled I would tug him back My views of these evil looking collars has changed and I had got to the stage of not taking Sam out for daily walks as I was scared of being injured myself or him injuring or frightening other people. I would not use a prong collar for him. He wouldnt listen to me or the instructor at all. I have yet to find anything in writing that says this is ok. Is 3mm what I should use with a lab? large dog in a prong collar getting out of a pool on a leash Are Prong Collars Harmful To My Dog Or Puppy? But we all need to know the truth about prong collars before passing judgment. These tools of control are often necessary, but we should remain alert to the diverse ways in which they can inhibit a dogs freedoms and the ways these devices can themselves be harmful to our dogs and to us. Eye contact, "follower" state was much fasterI was connecting with him like his real mother would. I dont care what breed you have, how strong they are, or how small you are. Can a pinch collar be used on short face dogs such as French Bulldogs,Bostons or Pugs? Immediately Im an abuser, bla bla bla. The fact is, the prong collar, when fitted properly, is designed to be the most humane way to train and to NOT harm your dog. Is it worth it to subdue and suppress behavior, to use the threat of pain to train a dog? No amount of chicken, ham or hotdogs were getting our dogs attention when she reacted. The correctional collars are illegal to import in the country but are only banned in Victoria currently. So glad you found a trainer to guide you! WebE-Collars & prong collars are banned in several countries in Europe. They certainly can be if misused. But there is no getting away from the fact that if they didn't cause the discomfort/pain, they wouldn't work. If you do try the prong collar, make sure its high up on his neck, just below his ears. She is so much happier on her walks and so am I. I exercised and walked my new buddy for 3 weeks using no prong collar. We pull out the prong collar and he come and sits patiently for us to put it on..hes excited knowing hes going for a walk. Ive used regular collars, choke collars, gentle leaders, harnesses and the prong collar. WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. My dog like to take off after rabbits . The state government will introduce legislation into parliament to end the use of pronged dog collars, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Sunday. Once we took her out I was amazed! Putting a prong collar on him that would make him uncomfortable or hurt him would further harm him mentally. The prong collar is a life saving tool for many dog owners. My hope? I just cant say enough positive about the usefulness of a prong collar. Offering him a toy when he attacks me, biting and scratching me, only taught him to attack me in order to get a toy. Kind regards. Regular collars allow the dogs to hurt themselves if they have no leash manners, and Ive personally seen this many times choking, damage to the neck, etc. At this point I dont care at all what people will think of me if they see a prong collar on her. Humane Society, PETA, & SPCA all speak against prong collars. This surely is a win-win for all. As you go through the article, see if you can tell why theyre wrong. He has someone home with him 24 hrs a day and has all the love and attention he could want. Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? Some foster dogs come to us without any leash skills and in order for me to be able to walk them with my dogs, I need to quickly teach them how to walk on the leash without pulling, and a prong collar is a great tool for this. Be patient and give your dog the ability to learn. (see Training Methods and Devices for more details) You may have pure positive trainers tell you there are more humane ways to control your dog. I felt like his regular collar was causing him pain because he was pulling against it so much. No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. You dont use it to punish, you use it to guide. I was horrified the first time I saw these collars for sale and thought they were really cruel! A dog has to have the following floor space available: Why are these collars still so popular in 2019 when we know better? I know Id be doing it for everyones safety, including theirs, and not as a way to punish my dog. Stay strong and be confident in knowing you are doing everything right! A good behavior trainer is best in situations like this. And in the mean time the poor dog is confined to his home? And dogs can be abused even without physical contact, so Im leaving out cases of abuse here). Our campus officially banned prong collars on January 24, 2017. WebDog keeping regulations in Germany 1. Recently we were able to do a board and train with an old coworker of mine for a very reasonable price and she told us that she combines positive and negative reinforcements in her training. The Growing up I had a Doberman who couldnt be walked without it! Every time, with only a few sessions, the dogs became calm, happy and responsive. Got a wonderful lab mix last summer; believe he's never been trained or on a leash. This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience, which means I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Can you tell me why theyre being misused? The Halti works great to end the pulling but the lead runs on the ground between his legs so he steps on it. Im thinking about buying for my dog a prong collar so your article is very helpful to me. The prong collar is not meant to instill fear. Some dog breeds tend to be wanderers, and an intact dog or girls in heat can be problem too. I have won over a few of my clients here in Monaco & France re. If it werent for this collar we would never be able to do that. Pssssst Every single image I could find on my stock photo provider was a prong collar being misused. So, out comes my trusty prong collar. The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs: A Review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19 (2017): 5060. and it is big and clunky. Initially I was not crazy about this, especially since our previous trainer was purely positive and I thought thatd be best, but her reasoning made sense to me since it was clear our dogs did not care about the treats in our hands when they saw something they wanted more. Used well, it gives dogs access to their world and can be a critically important freedom enhancer. But I just wonder if I will ever experience joy in our walks. Yes that is the entire purpose of the prong, to use it as a training tool. We got her at 8 weeks old. When asked why they use a particular type of restraint, people often say something like, Its the thing to do, or someone who knows about dogs told them to do so. We are taking it really, really slowly and not forcing her to go anywhere for the walk as far as she is comfortable and I try to avoid triggers but its still stressful for her and I want her to feel more confident. Is that this information gets shared, lots. Most of us have seen dogs straining so hard against their collar in their excitement to move forward that they can hardly breathe and sound a bit like Darth Vader. This is why we often need to devote considerable time and attention to training dogs how to walk nicely when on lead. My advice would be to give it a try w/ a professionals guidance to see if it could solve your dogs leash pulling habit. To find out what size prong collar your dog needs, you will need to measure their neck. Could you post a video or picture of what you are recommending to do? They take the easy route, as opposed to teaching proper, solid cues and commands. 100% agree if they were hurting the dogs they would be yelping none stop when walking them. If fitting is not the problem, then next review the way you are correcting his pulling, do not pull or nag on the collar, it should always be a quick tug or snap of the collar. Have you witnessed a dog pulled so hard on a flat collar that it chokes it self to the point of gagging? It is like an airbag, you hope it never has to deploy, but when you need, it better be there! My new rescue golden girls neck (just below her ears) measures 14. in. WebHidden Prong Collars. A couple years of extremely hard work and amazing luck in happening upon a rescue dog with an incredible temperament and work drive, and my goals of having a pet to hike with turned into a lifelong passion for training dogs as a hobby and advocating for responsible dog ownership. rated as 2021 & 2022 worlds best pet blog! I still use it, especially on walks and it helps her not pull too hard and injure her neck. Truth is she was the best dog I could have ever had the privilege of rescuing. He was also extremely leash reactive and aggressive towards other dogs in general. So I would not recommend the prong in your scenario. And remove links for smaller necks. Shadow was a big big dog, who loved everyone and everything. I am certainly not here to push, either way, just to give the facts and my opinion on what a great training tool it can be when used properly. Misuse covers: poor or incorrect placement on the dog. poorly fitted collars or incorrectly sized. incorrect timing of corrections allowing dog to self correct. used in the car (especially to secure in the car) worn in a crate Attempting to solve incorrect problems with a prong long durations wearing a prong when used on the underaged when used on shy dogs when used on scared dogs when used on aggressive dogs when used whilst not defined training sessions when used whilst unattended when used with anything other than a short leash. Make sure you buy the Herm Sprenger brand I recommend. 1 1/2 Inch Keeper's Hidden Prong Double Leather Collar Gold and Silver Knots on Black Web with Metallic Gold and Black Leather and Brass Hardware $0.00. So make sure to watch the videos in the post about fitting and training. Shell lunge right onto a road sometimes which is so scary for me. My boy is a saint bernard mix too. Im considering a prong, but my question is, can the prong be used as a training tool only, and then the dog can learn and move back to a flat collar? I have a strong, 1.5 year old, hard headed, 60 pound English Springer Spaniel and he is all over the place on walks. But since I invested so much money in this trainer I figured I'd give it a try. 6. The positive training methods consist of a verbal correction, which leads to a treat (definitely food motivated dog). There was never so much as an indent in his skin and I was able to easily control him for the first time. I want to make sure that they wont get hurt when using the collars that I will buy for them. Though they are legal in the U.S. We make a concentrated effort to take him as many places as possible and have found some really great dog friendly parks, wineries etc. I have a 120 lb Great Dane Mastiff mix. My personal stance? It seems like the use of collars is a readily accepted part of dog guardianship. I dont think so. But in some situations all that goes out the window. Our bet recommends it for our lab puppy. You have to interpret the action, and tell your arm to move at a certain speed/pace/whatever else and deliver it quickly, or else your dog will not understand what youre correcting., If that window is that small and you make a mistake, would you prefer to be delivering confusing rewards, or confusing punishment?, No. Where are prong collars banned? Bam. 12. Ive heard about this collar from a Whoodle group Im in but am concerned that I wont use it properly and will hurt her. With some dogs prong collars are a great tool! Humanely training your dog as with children should be a personal choice not one dictated by supposed do gooders and government policies Thanks for your free download I look forward to reading it and sharing! We have two dogs, both staffies, that are really bad on the leash. Quebec will institute a ban on choke, You will need to read the dogs body language. Mary writes, "I've seen situations like this more times than I can count at local dog parks and trails. The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. Russian/West Germany working/showline. 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?