Web1.England 1. Where do we draw the line? Viewfinders, what do you think about the ban on prong collars? This is a really simple. There is enough research to know they are not humane or safe. After 5 years we still must put it on him when in public even though we still do training in private with him frequently to get him to behave on a regular collar. You are most likely reading this because your dog pulls on the leash, is leash reactive or you cant control your dog on leash, right? It was suggested that we use the prong collar on our 3 month old Bichon/Shih Tzu who just started training. The first of its kind, the flagship plan aims to ensure the UK is leading the way in animal welfare and includes a ban on the use of electric shock collars, a move which has been long-campaigned for by The Kennel Club. 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. Psychology Today, June 22, 2018. The prong collar made the below photo possible my 10-year-old daughter riding her bike with our 95lb yellow lab, Bear. Sweet dog who is highly, highly excitable and anxious. I used it as you explained back in 1999, maybe for 3 months and periodically as needed over a years time. I have volunteered at numerous rescues that would allow for use of harnesses and Martingale or choke style collars but not prongs. Free shipping for many products! Thank you so much for sharing. A Guide From A Professional Dog Trainer, How To Manage A Dog Who Is An Escape Artist. They also create danger for pet owners who can easily get snagged by the sharp metal prongs. Or I could actually teach them to love a jellyfish on their head. I have a feeling you are going to wonder why it took you so long to try the prong collar. But I now see how wonderful they are in training my dog. This must never happen. Does the prong collar hinder your relationship with your dog? 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. Those who support a ban on shock collars hope that more countries will follow suit. I dont want her to listen to me just because she fears what comes if she doesnt. Suggestions? Im over that. Its important that the collar is snug around the base of the dogs ears, meaning high up on the neck. He was supposed to be in a down but got up when my son went by with a musical toy so I gave him a small correction back to his down. Specifically, they state that prolonged or extreme pulling of ANY collar can lead to damage. Your comments are spot on that trainers are obsessively against this collar so fear there will be no where for me to go to get training if I were to purchase. Stay strong and be confident in knowing you are doing everything right! A short time later, Mary saw the puppy and guardian re-enter the park, with the puppy wearing an e-collar. Prongs could help so many dogs and the misinformation out there is terrible. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. WebAustria, Germany, maybe Netherlands and some scandinavian countries. Debi, this is a wonderful article, thank you. Wish more people would stop and educate themselves to see the value in them! It has been a life-saver. That would be my goal. The prong collar controversy is real! Ive used regular collars, choke collars, gentle leaders, harnesses and the prong collar. I have physical disabilities and any pulling from my 62 pound Labradoodle will hurt me. I still am learning, but it was a good long walk today, which is the whole reason I got a rescue dog.a walk partner, not a 'pull into the road' or 'drag into the ditch & through the woods' partner. Good to read something siilar to mine! No warning, no rhyme or reason as to when it will occur. What a life changer. And be consistent. I want him to walk ahead of me on a 20-30 lead along my single file trail. At the moment, different regions are working I hope that this informed guy and the other bus passengers who heard what I had to say stop to think about what theyre doing with their dogs and realize that my success is due to learning how to use a prong. What a great testament to what a life changing training tool the prong collar can be. The dog didnt even attempt to pull, lunge or drag me anywhere anymore. As a trainer, it breaks my heart, because I know how the story often goeswhile the owner may have been intending to diminish and disrupt jumping, she was likely unintentionally building an association between strangers, dogs, and shock. 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. 4. I just started using one. Youre welcome ! ), she completely changed. I noticed early on that other dog owners or even people who have seen a dog somewhere in their lifetime, have become experts on how to care for MY dog, irrespective of how theyre known me! It minimizes the drag strain of the harness and is an ideal alternative to prong collars. My first dog was a female shepherd-mix rescue and I used a prong collar on her to amazing effect. Prong collars are legal to use in the UK, but they are not typically recommended by behaviorists or trainers. Thank you! A prong collar must be placed around a dog's neck in a specific manner to be safe and helpful for training purposes. A quick, gentle tug is all thats needed. What are your thoughts? Its kinda like tapping your dog on the shoulder to keep his attention on you. The neck and cervical spine are one of the most important energy channels in the body. Hi Im 19 and have a 4 month old Great Dane and he is almost 70Ib I started him out in obedience puppy classes and the trainer there recommend to get a harness but he grew out of it so quickly that wasnt able to train much with him but even with the harness he was very difficult to walk because he pulls so hard and he chews on his leash like he wants to walk himself. Oftentimes Prong collars are brandished around as the holy grail of owning a dog. 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. Ive seen collar covers that disguise the prong. Decided to use the old prong collar on a walk to the post office with Bow today ???? These collars are usually made of metal and are NEVER allowed on authorities therapy pet dog sees. Sometimes it is NOT the owner, but the dog that needs this collar. My wife bought the plastic" command collar" it did have immediate results, but i cannot get past the fact that they are all plastic. I can't buy one here in Australia so will have to take a chance of ordering from overseas and hope it doesn't get stopped by Customs. Growing up I had a Doberman who couldnt be walked without it! 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. 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 have tried regular collars, a harness, e collar now my last resort is a prong collar. It is made up of a metal I guess I am one of those 100% pure positive dog trainers and yes their is a more humane way to train the dog. 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? I rescued Shadow, a black Newfoundland, many years ago, that was when I was introduced to the prong collar in an obedience class I took with Shadow. I do agree positive reinforcement is key in fear based cases. As subjects go, Prong collars are pretty divisive in the dog world.. I cannot just take the opinions of others because the day WILL COME that I will be challenged by someone out there who tries to bust people for passing their dogs off as service dogs, when indeed, they are not. He is amazing on it, but I dont always use it because Im worried about what people might think. I had an amazingly trained companion who was really an off the leash dog (always carried a leash), used mostly hand signal commands. As soon as the prong collar is on her, she is in full listen mode. Its another self-rewarding cycle. 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. Am thinking of getting a prong collar for my dog because he recently lunged at a cat he saw and pulled me over. As a trainer, Mary sees many dogs struggling with fear, reactivity, and aggression toward unfamiliar people and dogs. Thank you for sharing your story Lindsay! Research showing that force-free, positive reinforcement-based techniques are better for both human and dog is overwhelming, so much so that there is a growing list of countries that have banned shock collars, for example, Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Slovenia, and some territories in Australia. I want my dog to be off leash if we move there. You lost me at suggesting a prong collar for a reactive dog! Why do so many people choose to use various devices that make direct contact with a dog's neck and are known to inflict stress, discomfort, and pain, and potentially have long-term negative effects on dogs? I can only hope that the prong collar helps as I am having a hard time controlling him when people and animals walk within eyesight. All Rights Reserved. I recently entered the world of dog ownership by adopting a rescue. Eye contact, "follower" state was much fasterI was connecting with him like his real mother would. I did not find it to be a painful experience on my own neck. I think our dog is fearful that our son is causing him to get negative corrections. 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. These trainers believe that the prong collar is cruel and should be banned. Immediately the two dogs got ready to lunge at one another. I have had 0 success teaching dogs to walk correctly using a harness. Just remember, the collar doesnt train the dog, its a tool to train your training will train your dog. I want her to learn the actual commands I give her. I was on the verge of having to give him up when I was introduced to the Herm Springer. Before that, we tried the gentle-leader head harness, which she HATED, and either shut down when we put it on or she would often push through it anyway, to where I worried that she would hurt her neck. My boy is a saint bernard mix too. 2. 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. He is a pretty stubborn dog (my understanding is that the breed tends to be that way). My dogs immediately focused on me rather than being ramped up and anxious or hyper. 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. 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. Our campus officially banned prong collars on January 24, 2017. I thought it was very well written and informative but also not an any other method is terrible. WebThank you for downloading the San Francisco SPCAs Prong Collar Advocacy Kit. Disappointed by the bias. No collar will permanently fix a dogs bad behavior. This needs to be done with good training. Now he is under control and gentle. Victoria, you and your pup are a perfect example on how the prong collar is such a life-saver! From tracking to bite work (agitation work), and even an every day harness! Kind regards. _____. I havent used the collar since. 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. This collar is used to treat injured dogs. Ill let you know how our first walk goes! he wont make eye contact, has to be taken out of his kennel, has to be carried inside after be letting out to go to the bathroom, etc. A world of difference. Use exactly the amount of sharp jerk that produces an immediate reaction. I was overjoyed when I was handed the leash and he did so for me as well!! Its all about communicating with the dog, not about pain at all. After using it for a while youll notice taking on and off gets easier. It is not allowed to permanently keep a dog in a box; only two hours per day at the most. Is It Time to Ban Shock Collars for Dogs In All Situations? The only barbaric thing here Lora, is the human mind. He's become a more confident pup with the prong collar training. Yes it will help you a lot! Thank you for this article devilifying prong collars. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss the increase in global rules and regulations aiming to improve animal welfare. He was on the road to becoming an uncontrollable pet who would be doomed to being kept outside when the grandkids come to visit, or visitors come into the home. Diana, I love your story, thank you so much for sharing! And dogs can be abused even without physical contact, so Im leaving out cases of abuse here). With his prong collar, I barely even have to hold the leash. Our first walk getting her home she barked and lunged at anything that moved be it person or dog. He has started jumping, and biting and it seems more aggressive. If we love our companion animals so very much, the call to treat them kindly should be paramount, and there's no reason why these devices shouldnt be banned in favor of readily available and less aversive force-free alternatives. We have been trying positive reinforcement with him but he goes over threshold quickly if were out on a hike. Its structured like a martingale collar, where the bulk of the collar is tightened by a cinching chain which attaches to your leash. How, Mary wondered, can anyone be upset with having a social puppy? Thanks Karen for sharing your story. There is no need to be heavy handed using a prong collar. A lot of peer pressure and uneducated people spreading rumors about a training tool they have no experience with. But after reading your points and the testimonies of other people here, I feel a little more confident that I can find a safe and humane way of using this tool when doing further training. So glad you found a trainer to guide you! I have a strong, 1.5 year old, hard headed, 60 pound English Springer Spaniel and he is all over the place on walks. This is always very stressful for me and I get there praying there wont be another dog in the waiting room. 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. Unfortunately, I think the rescue society I got her from downplayed the leash issues. it seems ugly and embarrassing. 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. Once I started using a prong collar on my girl (along with the time commitment of training! The former associates you as a good thing, the latter associates you with bad things.. No matter how prey driven, no matter how strong. Our shih-poo is VERY smart and learns quick so we know it isnt an intelligence issue. They also wondered if this could have long-term "trust issues." Should the collar only be used while walking? As in all different sorts of dog-human interactions, what's good for the human must be good for the dog. Ive recently joined a couple of Service Dog sites and everyone on there says that it IS OK to use a prong collar on a trained Service Dog. The one linked in the article above fits dogs with up to a 18-inch neck. 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. Three jurisdictions in Australia have now banned the use of these collars: Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland, under their Animal Care and Protection Act 2001. The guardian did not want to lose control of her dog, so she pulled him back toward her and continued to do so until the dog across the street was out of sight. I know that I could have accomplished this with positive reinforcement but it would have taken me another year and based on his size I did not have the luxury of time. When he hears me pick it up he comes running because he knows were going out. It can save everyones sanity. I love the prong collar! If youre going to miss something, would you rather that your dog misunderstood a reward, or a punishment? Sometimes they dont even know this is happening. Just remember, the collar needs to be high up on the dogs neck, just below the ears. Thank you so much for sharing your story Carole! Hi Debi, I have a pit Pyrenees rescue and have been in weekly training. Otherwise, they wouldnt work. Thank you for sharing your story Gemma. Exhaust other options Fit it properly Use an experienced trainer (who admits what it is and how it works) Use as designed Pick a quality one (no rubber tips! Now he is licking me instead of biting, watching me and interacting with me. I used a pinch collar on Chester and he and I were happy walkers for 10+ years. So make sure to watch the videos in the post about fitting and training. He will be an 80 pound dog. I have since gone on to do board and train with dogs on the side, have taken in numerous problematic foster dogs and trained them for easier placement, and intend to continue doing both so that I can help dog owners and their dogs live calmer, happier lives. 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. Thanks. They dont hurt them at all to train them. Some times he forgets its on and tries to run and its clear hes in pain. Hell jump at people and dogs who walk by because he wants to visit, he thinks everyone is his friend. Hes the sweet dog I knew him to be. These countries include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, and parts of Australia. What size prong collar should I get? Consult with Virginia from Olivers Travels dog training. What a great story Donna, thank you for sharing. I went on vacation and decided to send him to dog training school to try to correct some of his bad behaviors and the trainer brought him back and showed me how to use the prong collar. also, does she always have to use the prong collar? Unfortunately, Kodi is one of those dogs that take you for a walk and not the other way around.. so i am wanting to try a prong collar, he gets so over stimulated when we go for a walk its almost unbearable.. pulling, barking, hyper over the top behaviour. My guess he was abused while wearing one or was constantly on one. Its all a matter of dog and what the owner is comfortable with! If you have experience and skill in reading a study objectively and without bias, you can see that it actually disproves the point you and the citing website are trying to make. As we were completing this essay, Mary told me the following story that horrified me. Just last week, while at a local dog park, she saw a very social puppy who was running up to every strange human and dog she passed, excitedly soliciting attention, with a loose, exuberantly waggy body. if you think wearing a prong collar would hurt, imagine how your dog feels. Fast forward to today. Why did I need to try all those tools? The use of prong collars and other inhumane practices are set to be banned as part of Queenslands biggest animal welfare law reforms in over 20 years. 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. They got lucky. Awe Rachel, this is great news! Had him two years now he has also been attacked by other stray pitbulls. Doing this is utterly unacceptable and thoroughly unprofessional. I have exacty the same story! 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.