The prong collar would be a way to inform the dogs that they have to pay attention to you when you say rather than when they find convenient. Controversial dog collars to be BANNED in Queensland as they 'use pain as punishment', https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10794119/Queensland-Govt-ban-pronged-dog-collars-state.html, Tagged: #veterinary, #veterinarian, #dvm, #vmd, #veterinarymedicine, #vetmed, #veterinaria, #vettech, #veterinarytechnician, #vetlife, #vettechlife, #vetstudentlife, #vettechproblems, #vettechstudent, #vetschool, #cvt, #lvt, #rvt, #cvpm, #podcast, #veterinarypodcast, #vettechpodcast, #pets, #petparents, #dogs, #cats, #animalpodcast, #petpodcast, #vetstudent, #practicemanagement, Prong Collars Banned in Queensland Australia, Gossip in Veterinary Practice: The Good, Bad, and What to Do About It, Chernobyl Dogs Update with Dr. Jennifer Betz. We put it on in the house about half an hour before taking her for a walk to make sure she was comfortable with it on. Period. My question is I know it can be good for walks but can it also be used in training my dog to stop jumping and biting? Is the prong collar training my dog not to pull and then when he no longer pulls then well no longer need to use the collar? I can walk right past other dogs and people and he looks at them and keeps in stride with my pace. And yes I do earn a small commission when someone purchases from one of the links on this page, this commission is tiny and doesnt cost you anything. However, it is good to note that the prong collar works by giving a leash pop or correction through the leash, a quick jerk on the leash results in a sudden constriction of the neck., Now, lots of trainers will tell you that this doesnt hurt the dog, that it merely tells them no in a language they understand., Whilst that may be true, its not something we have data for, and bearing in mind that a dogs neck is 3x more sensitive than ours, and they definitely restrict airflow for a short time, its arguable that this device goes against animal welfare rights and are subsequently banned in certain countries like Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland and the Canadian Province of Quebec., Of course this can be argued as human error, but sometimes its just easier to control the situation than remedy the fallout. I think thats what gets so many people especially with e-collars or prong/choke collars, they just get it thinking it will be a quick fix and have no idea how to use it. What changes would you like to see? 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. I didnt outweigh him by much. Thank you for sharing your story Gemma. As with other training devices, when used under supervision and in combination with proper behavioral training, these collars can be quite effective. Barely had to use the collar; I mean BARLEY, and we got into the groove. Great article!! I am a 56 year old woman with a mild case of MS that affects my balance. The prong collar, otherwise known as a pinch collar, has changed so many dog owners lives just scroll down and read some of the comments from people that have tried the prong collar and are brave enough to share their experience with you. 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. I want to share a story about a prong collar and how it changed my life. Disappointed by the bias. But I now see how wonderful they are in training my dog. As we were completing this essay, Mary told me the following story that horrified me. with kid number two on the way in just a few weeks). But according to a new study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, there is no credible scientific evidence to justify electronic collar use and the use of spray collars or electronic fences for dogs.. This is the information I'l looking for also. You can get the standard size: https://amzn.to/2Hwnbzp. With the prong, he is walking next to me instead of pulling and I can walk him easily with one hand. 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. Leash pulling is certainly one of the most frequent points of contention between human and dog, and it may be one reason that many dogs dont get walked: It can become a real headache for someone to try to walk a dog who constantly tugs and pulls and strains. So as I did my research as a new dog mom, I see all the ominous warnings of the pinch collar. My guess he was abused while wearing one or was constantly on one. Train with your brain, not with Thank you Melanie for sharing your story! I have tried several different collars and leads to stop him from pulling. This is deliberate! I did training and watched several videos regarding the use of the collar and in less than 2 week the lunging was OVER. I recommend using a carabiniere for a back up just in case the links come apart. 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. I would think they would still work as long as you have the collar up high on the neck. Thats all. Thank you for this article devilifying prong collars. I just found this page after admitting to a dog-focused friendly advice group on facebook that I REALLY struggle with walking my dog. You could have taught a loose leash without a prong. Controversial prong dog collars were recently banned by the government of Australias most popular tourist destinations, Queensland, home of the Great Barrier Reef I trust my trainer completely but every single person in my life is telling me my specific dog does not need the prong collar. If you were told you had the option to teach a child how to read by physically punishing them for every word they said incorrectly (option A) or by working incrementally and rewarding the words they got correct (option B), and that you could achieve the same results no matter which way you taught the child, which would you choose? Wow Deanna, what a great transformation story. Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Slovenia, and some territories in Australia. Weve even had comments from people about how well behaved our dog is. When you adopt a dog that pulls so hard you can not walk him, then come talk to me do you want to go through a 6-12-18 month (or more) positive-only training program so this dog can finally take a walk in a public space? Her eyes arent red after a walk and she doesnt pant constantly walking now. A petite woman in her mid-40s walks her 100 pound rottweiler with some difficulty. I was terrified to hurt him during the first 2 sessions, but my son was not and he was getting the dog to listen! Honestly, I know, Ive taught a great, reliable loose leash (even without the leash) a lot with all sorts of dogs, all sorts of breeds. Knowing this and caring about our dogs, we should be looking for the option that most quickly trains the dog not to pull. Shadow was a big big dog, who loved everyone and everything. I have tried a few with our foster dogs, and they never truly work. Boy was he difficult to walk though. No. When the client was asked what happened to her dog, she frantically told us that she was just walking him and it happened out of nowhere. What is Positive Punishment in Dog Training? Dr. Jennifer Cattet notes, "A study of 424 dogs seen by chiropractors revealed that 91% of them who had neck injuries were pullers or had experienced jerking on the leash by the guardian (Hallgren, 1991).". I love hearing all the success stories. Misuse covers : poor or 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. There has to be a clear line of communication between you and you dog and the prong is just a quick reminder of the expectation. Being rather small in size at 5 he darn near out weighed me so it was nearly impossible for me to stop him. I asked him why not? He went on to tell me theyre known for breaking dogs necks. Forget a regular collar she did nothing but choke herself out the entire walk. Jennifer Cattet, "Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools. I can see how someone would see it as dangerous or harmful. 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 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. WebAustria, Germany, maybe Netherlands and some scandinavian countries. Thats not the case. But do you suggest a prong collar for my Great Dane? I am with a training group right now, not training with them at present. He growls a little but I know hes just reacting and not being aggressive. But we all need to know the truth about prong collars before passing judgment. I cant agree more. I used it as you explained back in 1999, maybe for 3 months and periodically as needed over a years time. Do you want to know why he was riding the bus with me to work? Quebec will institute a ban on choke, prong, and shock collars in 2020. Russian/West Germany working/showline. The dog doesnt know what behavior to offer. 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. I somewhat reluctantly use the prong collar because I know I have control regardless of situation & can keep him safe. He only does the right things when he has the prong collar on cause hes smart and knows not to mess around w/ it on. 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? She brought to class a prong collar and instructed me how to fit it and how to use it. She would get all excited to see me get it out and wait for me to put it on because it either meant going fir a walk or training which meant lots of one on one time with lots of praise and lovins. Make sure to check back in, cant wait to hear your success story. The prong collar helps keep his focus on me and makes it a positive experience for both of us. Otherwise, they wouldnt work. They out weigh me, so its important to have them under control. 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. 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. CodeMiko posted in her Discord yesterday, sharing that she was suspended on Twitch for her use of a shock collar on herself during her Sunday, Feb. 26 stream. I laughed out loud and proceeded to tell him how straight front harnesses cause soft tissue injuries to dogs shoulders over time. I remember over 10 years ago they seemed to have a bad rap. You need to measure her neck. If you want the bones of how to train your dog to walk on a loose leash without a prong collar? The prong collar made the below photo possible my 10-year-old daughter riding her bike with our 95lb yellow lab, Bear. 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. Mickey is a 45 lb standard poodle and is 6 months old. One just pulls excessively while the other is actually more reactive on the leash. And never crate the dog with it on. I used to be someone who thought the prong collar was evil and harmful.. until I met a former LEO K-9 trainer who taught ME how to use one, properly, on a GSD. He was also extremely leash reactive and aggressive towards other dogs in general. The studies seem to show that choke collars are dangerous but not prong collars. Should it be worn during the day and removed at night? I enrolled her in puppy class and the prong collar has changed my life and the dogs life. 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 would not use a prong collar for him. Really? Why did I need to try all those tools? Now we're loose leash and enjoying our walks and adventures. Good luck, I wish you all the best. 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. Three jurisdictions in Australia have now banned the use of these collars: Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland, under their Animal Care and Protection Act 2001. If you can figure that out? I have a strong 100 pound GSD. I felt like his regular collar was causing him pain because he was pulling against it so much. Rainalo Once I started using a prong collar on my girl (along with the time commitment of training! 4 years ago I would have never used it, until my dog trainer trained my dog on it. I was horrified the first time I saw these collars for sale and thought they were really cruel! She is passionate about helping puppy parents get things right, right from the start. Will the collar help all that? 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. Shame they dont research the damage done to dogs by flat buckle ! We're based in South Australia where purchasing a prong collar from outside Australia is illegal, however, it is not banned in some States, one of them being South Australia. Our bet recommends it for our lab puppy. You may get evil looks from other dog owners that just dont understand the power of the prong collar. I do agree positive reinforcement is key in fear based cases. Have you read the other comments here? Check Latest Price. Our shih-poo is VERY smart and learns quick so we know it isnt an intelligence issue. I have a feeling you are going to wonder why it took you so long to try the prong collar. Like really easily. 100% agree if they were hurting the dogs they would be yelping none stop when walking them. He is a happy go lucky great dog. I may not have a certificate as a dog trainer, but I have attended more training sessions with dog trainers than I can count. But I also believe that most people that are dead against the prong collar never experienced a dog with any severe reactive behavior issues. The RSPCA deems them to be cruel. So yes, Prong Collars can have the ability to be very harmful, very easily. Thank you for the article it helped ease my mind in using this for our pups. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. I have exacty the same story! Lately, I am getting hounded on social media about responding to a post saying it was a great tool for training. It is not allowed to permanently keep a dog in a box; only two hours per day at the most. Are you supposed to leave the spike collar on all the time? A prong collar (also called a pinch collar) is an example of a dog training collar, and usually replaces a flat collar. If you think prong collars are cruel, think about it this way. A short time later, Mary saw the puppy and guardian re-enter the park, with the puppy wearing an e-collar. If they are, the whole world may have collectively hopped in banning I wouldnt recommend trying one without researching how to properly use it but it works really well for some pups. also, does she always have to use the prong collar? Because puppies learn really easily. Thanks for this info. Prong, or pinch, collars can look similar to a limited slip or martingale collar, other than they have metal prongs that protrude toward the canines throat when the pet uses the collar. Our campus officially banned prong collars on January 24, 2017. Lets join this trend!. Filter by 1 Inch Custom Hidden Prong Embroidered Collar $0.00. I have tried regular collars, a harness, e collar now my last resort is a prong collar. It is up to you to do your research and make your own opinion. Adding in a prong collar and correcting their fear (aka. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Thank you so much for sharing. The dog grew quickly to an incredibly strong dog that could easily jump the fence in the backyard. If the prong is desingned not to be uncomfortable or cause pain, how does it actually work? Could the use of the collar be creating more fear and anxiety in our already anxious dog? 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. She lived to be 17 yrs and 4 months, still hiked up until the last 4 months of her life. Hell jump at people and dogs who walk by because he wants to visit, he thinks everyone is his friend. Very pleased with the purchase and have recommended it to other dog owners. For my willful, hard-headed, inattentive Doberman yearling, thats definitely a prong collar for training sessions now. Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your story. This will then tighten around the dogs neck while he is hanging and obviously suffocate him to death (I am sure that you do not wish this upon your family pet). The only barbaric thing here Lora, is the human mind. The dangerous dogs act suggests that an individual only needs to be frightened. What is different about a prong collar is that as the martingale tightens it brings in teeth or prongs. Their use is discretionary, optional, or voluntary. Science Shows Positive Reward-Based Dog Training is Best, What and Who Dogs Want and Need: Love, Not Shocks, Living With a Dog Is Good, If It's Good for You and the Dog. If it hurt him in any way I seriously doubt he would come running for me to put it on him. I think most people are afraid to publicly admit the prong collar is a great training tool. Now he is licking me instead of biting, watching me and interacting with me. You can walk your dog around without a collar, harness, leash (please dont do it in public, there are laws in place) and they will listen to you every step of the way.. Sarah, I totally understand your hesitation. It's good to know that when many people learn how bad they really are, they stop using them. I will post my update soon! I spend more than 40 hours a week writing, researching and helping dog owners, I can not do it for free and still feed my family. He did bite me once but that was clearly situational and hasnt happened again. I despise using harnesses because I find they ALWAYS encourage pulling. The positive training methods consist of a verbal correction, which leads to a treat (definitely food motivated dog). Oftentimes Prong collars are brandished around as the holy grail of owning a dog. Is it normal to have a few inches of chain that dont have the prongs, and does that work as well? On our first walk, with a 20 minute session he was heeling, sitting, and responding to down and stay commands like never before.