I got Max fitted with a prong this past Sat because he likes to spend his time in class playing with the other dogs.
I had him on a martingale for about 2-3 weeks, but then noticed last Monday, he really doesn't mind being strangled and will continue to choke himself out and nothing I can do, no toy, no food, will get his attention back to me. I've been making the "ack" sounds to get his attention in class when he looks at other dogs and sometimes it works to redirect his attention back to me, sometimes it doesn't. It's those times that it doesn't that I considered putting him on a prong.
Last Monday, I hurt my knee in class because Max was just not paying any attention to anything except wanting to play with the other dogs. He'd do a command, then want to play. I'd manage to get his attention back, make him do something else and then he'd be off wanting to play again.
Have I failed him? Ever since we brought him home, I've been diligent with training him. Everyday, short sessions, working the commands into daily activities, making things fun. We never stopped classes except for 3 weeks around Christmas. But the past 2 weeks have been difficult. He's much more easily distracted now. I know that's in part to him being an adolescent male and it'll pass. But in the meantime, am I doing the right thing by putting him on a prong?
I've asked the OB trainer and she's fine with Max being on a prong. Like I've mentioned before, they advocate the flat buckle. We've got 3 more classes and then I'm switching to SchH. That's where I got him fitted.
I've been reading all the different threads about prongs (pros and cons and whys) and I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing and not taking the easy way out.
Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give you all some background information that went into me making the decision.
PS - He does love his prong though. It's only been 2 days, but I've tried to make the prong fun since we got it and yesterday, when he heard hubby clinking the metal collar while examining it, he came bounding up to him to see what fun he was going to have.
