Kodi will be 2 yrs old in September this year, originates from a rescue center and has been with me from 4 months of age. 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. In addition, although positive punishment can be effective, there is no evidence that it is more effective than positive reinforcement-based training. I want to share a story about a prong collar and how it changed my life. Results were immediate and wonderful with no signs of distress, only a few sounds of surprise. Dogs Watch Us Carefully and Read Our Faces Very Well. I have yet to see one that stops a dog from pulling. Victoria, you and your pup are a perfect example on how the prong collar is such a life-saver! I'm just afraid I'm going to lose the arm muscle I built up from all that pulling! He has someone home with him 24 hrs a day and has all the love and attention he could want. I have yet to find anything in writing that says this is ok. I just want her to be happy and enjoy the world! I have walked him w/ the prong collar here at home several times since our session and he is not pulling or lunging. You will need to read the dogs body language. But I dont want to be cruel, OR injure him. Thank you for providing this resource, however nothing would change my mind about it, ever! I have a 2 yr old Havanese and have had him since he was 8 weeks old. Many dogs will still pull, despite the discomfort, and are at risk of injury to their necks. The prong collar is NOT cruel, it saves dogs lives. But when I have he mostly responds positively if he responds. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. But do you suggest a prong collar for my Great Dane? Thanks for the information. Another story that came our way involved a woman who discovered that a doggy day care center was using a prong collar on her dog without her permission. I knew that if we kept at it, eventually the dogs would figure it out and be better behaved, but the fear of losing our pups made me feel we didnt have the time to be patient. My dogs come running with excitement when they hear their prong collar come out. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. Where do we draw the line? Every dog and situation is unique. WebE-Collars & prong collars are banned in several countries in Europe. 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. Yes, positive training will take longer and will be harder work, but is that any excuse to resort to something that will make your dogs life uncomfortable? I recommend reading https://www.rescuedogs101.com/bringing-new-dog-home-3-3-3-rule/. I love a system, and the Ray Allen Manufacturing designed Nomad Interchangeable Harness System really does the trick. In fact, there is some evidence that the opposite is true.. Loved this post! You wouldnt have any control at 20+ The prong is really meant for a quick snap of the leash not pulling or nagging on the leash. Adding in a prong collar and correcting their fear (aka. (My dog is super sweet and not aggressive just stubborn!) So yes, I agree, if used properly no issues, in the grand picture it gave her ultimate freedom in living her best dog life. The e-collar is not banned in Scotland The Scottish ministers rejected the proposal as their independent reports found insufficient evidence. And not to mention all that pulling also affects me stresses my joints and feet, strains my wrists, has caused me to slip and fall in icy or muddy conditions, and makes me dread walking these problem dogs. We make a concentrated effort to take him as many places as possible and have found some really great dog friendly parks, wineries etc. When I got him, I vowed to use only positive reinforcement in training, so, rather than use a prong collar again, I tried every other alternative easy walk, gentle leader, various harnesses and treats. Thats not the case. My wife bought the plastic" command collar" it did have immediate results, but i cannot get past the fact that they are all plastic. Are you confident the prong collar is fitted properly? I would also suggest finding a good behaviorist trainer in your area that can help you one on one. I am so happy you found a way to change the path of you and your dogs life. I had it too low on the neck and much too loose. Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, said the government is delivering on its election commitment to review the I am a firm believer of the pros of a prong collar and I would never get on other then the Herm brand, the rest always break or corrode. WebCollars with inward facing spikes will be banned from dog shows and training classes under proposals to be discussed by the Kennel Club. No matter how stubborn. I have a 15 lb, 1 year old shih-poo who, because he is overly excited, attempt to pull and lunge to meet other people and dogs. After reading the article on prong collars, went and bought one. Hello, while I dont have a prong collar yet (getting one from work soon) I greatly appreciate your article. The pulling she used to have has almost been eliminated by the training techniques my trainer taught us. 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. Offering him a toy when he attacks me, biting and scratching me, only taught him to attack me in order to get a toy. In one session she was working roundabout his dog with no issues. She is 14 mos. Whilst I know that the potential for misuse is not a reason to call something bad, its mainly a method of training that I see no reason for.. 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. The collars are adjustable by adding/removing links. I have a 4 month old border collie and the prong used gently allows me to walk him. For small dogs you can get the 2.25 mm. This is supported by Herm Sprenger, the top manufacturer of prong collars in the world., Anything pain based is not suitable for a reactive dog.. Once your dog proper leash etiquette with the prong collar do you have to use it from here on out? My advice would be to give it a try w/ a professionals guidance to see if it could solve your dogs leash pulling habit. This is a really simple. A smart, quick, and gentle tug as he came at me, playfully, but vigorously and painfully, biting and scratching, caused him to halt and look at my face, asking me what I need from him, wanting to interact and please. I can see how someone would see it as dangerous or harmful. Animal welfare law changes to include prong collar ban 9 May 2022 Tony Keim The banning of prong collars used to restrain dogs is one of suite of proposed changes in the Queensland Governments first review of Additionally he pulled my husband to the ground one time. Have you had success on this type of dog which is bred to hunt rodents? I love my dogs prong collar. I recommend prong collars, but only after consulting a certified dog training professional. Negative experiences that they have learned to problem solve with looking mighty scary, scare the other dog away, and then safety is restored. Whoopee! I bought the collar at Petsmart. I heard a trainer once describe the prong collar as power steering for dog training, which I think is a great analogy. Is It Time to Ban Shock Collars for Dogs In All Situations? This leash training is extremely important for puppies, but even adult dogs who havent been properly schooled in polite leash walking can learn to accommodate their human. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? 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? I use to think they were cruel but now I believe they are an invaluable training tool especially for adult rescue dogs with no previous leash training. The information is readily available, but it is a little more buried than I would like to see. 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. Use of the prong/e collar & it has changed their lives all for the better & made some very happy dogs too. Will the collar help all that? At first, she thought it was OK, but she had a bad feeling about it. Thanks for your advice and recommend!! The prong collar (similar to a choke chain or slip lead) works on constriction. We all have that. Your story along with all the others brave enough to share will helps others in your same situation. Also, try having your dog wear a cute bandana it covers the prong collar if you are self-conscious about it. We rescued our pit-lab mix as a puppy and underwent training with him for eight weeks, then again when he was a year old and even had the trainer come to our home to work on specific issues. I have needed to figure out how to contain this pup that will weigh as much as me at a full grown 130lbs. I have a 150lbs St Bernard mix, I cant walk her she is stronger then me. Oftentimes Prong collars are brandished around as the holy grail of owning a dog. At this point, he rarely has to be corrected. Instantly what a difference, no pulling, no zig zag walking. Its especially discouraging because most articles Im reading argue against prong collars. I have a 60kg male rottweiler who got spooked by a kid on a scooter on one of our walks he lunged at the kid out of fear, one correction to my dog he snapped out of it place perfectly back into a heel position, I believe if I had a flat collar or a harness on that kid could well have a huge missing chunk out of his arm, thanks to the prong collar I was able to control my rottie and potentially saved that kids life and my dogs too. We are taking things really slow, but Im concerned if we take them too slow, we will actually be reinforcing behaviors learned from the abuse, i.e. Got a wonderful lab mix last summer; believe he's never been trained or on a leash. Thank you! I contacted a reputable local trainer who I met at a local park the next day. I would argue a year to 18 months is the minimum you should be considering this tool., Why? Therefore you are communicating with your dog when using these tools and the dog will understand what type of work it is going to be doing by recognizing the piece of equipment that you fit ie if you fit a tracking harness the dog will know that it is going to be doing tracking work. I do believe it is each to their own, but to me it is still an aversive tool created for people who do not have time to train their dogs without punishment or the consequence of pain. We just rescued a 2 year old (they think) GSD mix this past Tuesday. Would a prong collar work on a 20-30 lead on a trail? I agree 100%, the right collar and training are essential. However, loose leash walking has literally been impossible. There are other ways to train a puppy to walk nicely on a leash. I really wish I had started using it early in his training program. Is it because it works so rapidly and they don't care what the dog thinks and feels?". When the parents of a large dog (particularly, though small breeds are not exempt) raise the question of loose leash walking or stopping their dog from pulling on their leash, the subject gets heated fast. As in all different sorts of dog-human interactions, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. This is always very stressful for me and I get there praying there wont be another dog in the waiting room. Good luck! 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. Dr. Jean Dodds says choke or prong collars are not recommended as they can easily injure the delicate butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that sits just below the larynx and in front of the trachea. They also create danger for pet owners who can easily get snagged by the sharp metal prongs. Teacup puppies are incredibly trendy, because of their small size and cuteness. When it comes to young dogs and puppies, one of the most lethal and scary things in the dog world is Parvovirus, or Parvo. Lets be realistic, Im not here to change your mind, and you will never be able to change mine. Im not finding anything in the ADA that says anything about these collars ( any collars for that matter). 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. We have tried positive reinforcement with food items, turning to head a different direction when he pulls (hoping he will learn to follow the human), and have tried at least another half dozen other recommended methods. Our first walk getting her home she barked and lunged at anything that moved be it person or dog. 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 So a friend recommended a prong collar, I knew that I had nothing to lose by trying it. WebPinch and prong collars are collars with prongs positioned against the neck, or any other protrusion intended to cause pain or discomfort, especially when tightened. We just have to apply it. Thanks! Keep up the good work and dont let the ignorant and uneducated bring you down! Shame they dont research the damage done to dogs by flat buckle ! Although I am thinking I need to do a research project with every type of collar available on the market today! We recently moved to a suburb of Boston where walks are now exercise but also to do her business. I had the stigma that the prong collars were abusive. I will write as unbiasedly as I can, and be informative and factual, allowing you to make your own decisions. Ive seen collar covers that disguise the prong. Im a dog walker and deal with a lot of dogs of varying size, strength, and leash training. When shown attention, she licked human hands and dog faces with something that could only be described as joy. And then comes the debate of aversive vs positive. The content in this post is a breath of fresh air. Our canine companion is usually a part of our life that we love, and humans tend to show affection with a cuddle, An escape artist dog or a hound-ini is another kind of dog that is really stressful to care for. Required fields are marked. (See "Dogs Watch Us Carefully and Read Our Faces Very Well.") A lot of peer pressure and uneducated people spreading rumors about a training tool they have no experience with. 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 finally bought a Herm Sprenger collar and it was moderately helpful. Ive noticed several times that ours become lodged and arent connected all the way, leading to it easily being able to break apart when the dog pulls. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Herm Sprenger HS Ultra Chrome Metal Prong Dog Training Collar 162.25mm New Nice at the best online prices at eBay! Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! Thanks! WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. 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. Most dogs that are terrified of things have never been exposed to them rather than having been beaten by/with the thing theyre exposed to. Another point that is important to stressa larger systemic issue facing dogs, their guardians, and dog trainersis that there is no regulation in the dog training industry. Oh! 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. I used it as you explained back in 1999, maybe for 3 months and periodically as needed over a years time. Way to go Shadow!! He is a happy go lucky great dog. And she did it using a prong collar. Keep up to date with the Rebarkable Newsletter! You are truly saving lives. Once i got knocked over and broke my pinkie and my cheekbone. Ive never tried a prong collar on anything but a 6 leash. Hi Debi, I have a pit Pyrenees rescue and have been in weekly training. Be patient and give your dog the ability to learn. I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! Thank you for sharing your story Gemma. But that is true for a flat collar, letting the dog choke itself by pulling so hard the owner cant control him. We were very skeptical at first because it does look a bit barbaric. They also wondered if this could have long-term "trust issues."