And there are two much better alternatives, halters and walk harnesses https://positively.com/dog-training/methods-equipment/training-equipment/choke-and-prong-collars/. WebProng collars arent banned in Australia. All seemed to be going well with the prong except his reactivity to other dogs while on leash seemed to get worse. We rescued a super sweet lab mix from down south a few months ago. To find out what size prong collar your dog needs, you will need to measure their neck. I am still hesitant to give a little correction tug. Its better than a choke collar but any pulling gets old on a 2 mile rugged walk. Most of the citys bylaws carry a $240 fine for infraction. The answer may seem quite obvious, yet every day we choose option A via aversive devices like electric, choke, and prong collars for our companion dogs when successful, force-free alternatives are readily available. Once I started using a prong collar on my girl (along with the time commitment of training! You should be exhausting other means before resorting to a prong collar.And I know that sometimes it can feel like you have done so, but typically? I want her to learn the actual commands I give her. Thats not the case. If it werent for this collar we would never be able to do that. Being rather small in size at 5 he darn near out weighed me so it was nearly impossible for me to stop him. The absolute best feeling was able to have a family trip to a busy seaside and she walked calmly through crowds, passed dogs, runners and cyclists and she was good as gold. A prong collar will give you a bit of power steering with a larger dog that pulls hard, but its no substitute for training., So if youre training? Now, at age 6 it doesnt seem to be as effective. A strong dog actually puked while I was walking him from the pressure on his throat. This harness is one of few that is genuinely military spec and is still useful for regular pet users. I have a reactive dog when out, other dogs, cars and people but an absolute gent when in the home. 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? Gentle Leader no longer works and just bought a front hitch harness which also does not work. People would comment on how well-mannered she was on walks and after a few years, I didnt need the prong collar at all. 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. I may look into a Herm Sprenger. As subjects go, Prong collars are pretty divisive in the dog world.. Once i got knocked over and broke my pinkie and my cheekbone. The prong collar made the below photo possible my 10-year-old daughter riding her bike with our 95lb yellow lab, Bear. A jerk on the leash to suddenly, quickly restrict airflow as the teeth of the prong squeeze the neck, often misappropriated as a mommy bite Ill discuss that one another time) actually just reinforces the idea that they were right to be scared of the oncoming threat., Over time? 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.. OSPet Dog 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. ), All you have to do to unlock that? Its a tough call. She is 38 lb. Thanks! That creature is way stronger and way more dangerous than a german shepherd so why keep perpetuating the same rubbish?. On walks, sometimes he pulls on leash, other times does not. WebShock collars have been illegal to use on dogs and cats in Wales for more than a decade. She walked normal and actually we all enjoyed our walk instead of dreading it. A large loving pit bull wondered its way up to the shop where I was working and we had decided to take care of it while it was there. Why did I need to try all those tools? I do worry about what other people think, even though I shouldnt. He pulls when i walk him half the time. It does not work by causing pain when used properly. And by the way, love the name Bear, thats our yellow labs name too . Our bet recommends it for our lab puppy. When it is pulled tight the prongs create a pinching effect, which causes pain or discomfort for the dog. She brought to class a prong collar and instructed me how to fit it and how to use it. But do you suggest a prong collar for my Great Dane? It is unfortunate that some people just arent willing to see past that book cover, and see what the prong collar really is a very humane dog training tool. We recently attended a three week intensive training program for our 4 year old, 50 lb lab mix. That would be my goal. this si my best buddy and my soul mutt and i am not going to give up on him, though both he and i need help! 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. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? Some societies and activists are taking action against their use; lets hope for a piece of good news in the future. 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. He is absolutely gorgeous and has the sweetest disposition. The prong collar is the opposite of cruel in the right hands. A type of collar designed to hurt dogs as behavioural punishment is set to be banned in Queensland. I may not have a certificate as a dog trainer, but I have attended more training sessions with dog trainers than I can count. The prong collar is a life saving tool for many dog owners. Thank you for sharing your story Gemma. Our previous 2 dogs were Chocolates so we knew what to expect in regards to energy levels and exercise needs. After 3 weeks of work with our 11 month old, highly excitable rescue dog we saw his behavior getting worse and no amount of treats of any kind could get his attention any more. She is definitely non reactive to squirrels and birds ( her triggers) now. We took different routes, different scenery with woods walks and hikes vs. in the neighborhood nothing helped. _____. I have a 140 BRT, and he is only 14 months old. The dog will be much happier in fact. (see Training Methods and Devices for more details) Still a long way to go but this collar has put us on the right tracks. Thanks. Im over that. At the moment, different regions are working 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! Hes my service dog now. 2. Youre welcome ! Period. Putting a prong collar on him that would make him uncomfortable or hurt him would further harm him mentally. I found the prong collar to be far more humane than say a shock collar, a flat collar, or even an ill fitted harness. Should it be worn during the day and removed at night? I can get away with taking her to off leash parks sometimes but I dont always have the time to drive there as Im also mom to 3 kids. Two, Find a trainer that will work with you and the prong collar. But I am also aware of how other people view the prong collar. I broke down and bought a prong collar for my girls (18 month old pitbulls) theyre the sweetest dogs but pull like crazy especially when they see a person or another dog they want to play with. They also create danger for pet owners who can easily get snagged by the sharp metal prongs. WebHidden Prong Collars. I love my dogs very much and I know in my heart that I am not a bad dog mom. This puppy's social behavior was a gift! I was having a hard time finding others. page. Is it normal to have a few inches of chain that dont have the prongs, and does that work as well? Huge mistake, he was so overwhelmed he was pulling nonstop on our hour walk around the park. Right now. My dog like to take off after rabbits . I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. But pronged collars have been a saving grace for both me and the problem walkers. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Have your new trainer help you make sure the fit is correct and you will be well on your way to having peaceful walks again. The prong collar I bought when he was 1yr old (Sprenger) trust me I've tried everythingthe prong collar worked the best for communication along with his obedience commands. After class the instructor told me that she would bring a collar to the next class that should help with him and asked that I come a little early so she could show me how to use it. I recommend reading https://www.rescuedogs101.com/bringing-new-dog-home-3-3-3-rule/. We were told that it was probably allergies. ID tags should not be put on a prong collar, and your dog should not be left in one for long periods of time. I should say that my dog is quite highly trained and in a training environment excels at quite advanced exercises. But its illegal for individuals to import them. Just read some of the success stories in the comments. What are your thoughts? I mean, afterall, if youve been using a tool for 30 years with your dogs (or even 3 months) you dont want to find out that youve been doing a bad thing, or that if youve been sucking it up and using a harness, you dont want to find theres potentially an easier option., So, I want to discuss one of those options for you now, so that you, my dear puppy parent, understand what youre looking at when assessing these options for you and your little pup. Small prong collars are for dogs with necks up to 12 inches, and medium prong collars are for dogs with necks 12-16 inches. The OSPet offers a prong collar that is ideal for medium and large dogs with the maximum length of the collar at 24 inches and a diameter of 0.14 inches or 3.5 mm. I am a 12 year veteran of professional canine training and hands-down a prong collar is absolutely the safest most efficient way to train your fur babies!! I dont recommend keeping it on 24/7. Some people I have a smart medium drive 5 1/2 month old GSD male pup. 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. Barely had to use the collar; I mean BARLEY, and we got into the groove. Electric shock collars for cats and dogs will be banned in England, the government has announced. Funny how that works. Just remember, the collar doesnt train the dog, its a tool to train your training will train your dog. My Australian Shepperd is very very active and extremely loveable and he pulls like a German Shepperd. Period. I have a now 2yr old Jack Russell (he's my 5th one)but he's my first reactive, leash aggressive one I've had. Before he never watched me. This essay was written with Boulder (Colorado) force-free certified dog trainer, Mary Angilly, who, in December 2017, started a campaign to ban shock, choke, and prong collars in the city. Collars are known to be associated with whiplash, fainting, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, crushing of the trachea, partial or complete asphyxiation, crushing or fracture of the bones in the larynx, dislocation of the vertebrae in the neck, bruising of the esophagus, damage to the skin and tissue of the neck, prolapsed eyeballs, and brain damage. It could take months or years, depending on your training. I have just had a 1 to 1 training session with a trainer and when he first suggested the prong collar I said NO straight away, but I put the collar around my thigh to see the effect. He was much better with not pulling for a period of time when I would take him on a walk, but then he went back to his old ways and now pulls like crazy now even with the prong collar. I cant agree more. So yes, Prong Collars can have the ability to be very harmful, very easily. I have volunteered at numerous rescues that would allow for use of harnesses and Martingale or choke style collars but not prongs. I had the stigma that the prong collars were abusive. The use of any electrical devices for disciplinary purposes (electrical fence, anti-bark, collars with remote control) is not allowed. Where are prong collars banned? Dont be afraid to use it if your trainer suggests it. We want to help your organization become prong-free too! Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? Thanks. We started using the collars and the pulling has gotten so much better. Weve invested a lot of time and money in our training and I feel like we have to go back to the drawing board. Could you post a video or picture of what you are recommending to do? I have exacty the same story! 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. We found out that her dog, while on a choke collar, started pulling when he saw another dog across the street, so much so that his paws came off the ground. Thank you for saving a dogs life! And the difference is quite amazing. 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. Is to figure out how to communicate with them. It is very helpful. This post does contains affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will receive a small commission, but it wont cost you a penny more). He started really being obedient when the trainer put a prong collar on him and she showed him whos boss with a firm tug or two. They say it should redirect them, and that worked for a little while, but not well enough, apparently, since she figure out that she could push through it anyway. Her classes are pure chaos, as nobody has any control with head halters, harnesses and flat collars. I recommend the 3.0 mm size for most medium to large dogs. I felt like his regular collar was causing him pain because he was pulling against it so much. Any advice would be appreciated. I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! 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..