Prong Collar-What age to use?

[HeidiMota]

I am fairly new to the forum and had a question about the "Prong Collar"

Is 13 weeks old too soon for this collar? We've been using it for a couple of days now and what a difference. Our dog no longer walks us, we walk her.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

Thank you

[rottielover2004]

MY GOD it is way to young, at this age stick with a buckle collar. Training for a puppy this age is all about fun....GET IT OFF. Do research on the subject, there are many threads.

[rencook]

I agree, way, way too young-and if your are not using it correctly-you could do some severe damage to your young puppy-get a flat collar-and go to training class.

[denverday]

At this young age your puppy should be a recieveing only possitive training...everything should be a possitive experience!....that way you can bond with the puppy....
I could make my kids behave in public buy squeezing their arm, but I try the more possitive approach which is to tell them that I'm proud of their behavior...or maybe sometimes we'll stop for a treat at home....Same thing...

[sage138]

Don't use a prong. Walk with treats and use heel command and try training classes.

[denverday]

Originally Posted by Miabella
Loose Leash Walking

First of all, these are not instructions for attention heeling. We are simply working on having your pup walk with you without any tension on the leash rather than pulling you like a sled dog down the sidewalk.

Why do dogs pull? Because it works! The dog pulls towards something it is interested in, and the harder he pulls, the quicker he gets there. The dog quickly becomes desensitized to leash pressure because pulling gets him where he wants to go. Additionally, dogs have a natural opposition reflex, an instinct to push against pressure. In some sports, like tracking and sledding, you can use this instinct to your advantage. However, lead pressure in loose leash walking can actually lead to even more pulling!

You will be using a flat, buckle collar of leather, nylon, or cotton for this exercise. Since you are starting early before pulling is an ingrained behavior, you can easily teach your pup that pulling will not get him where he wants to go. We will not be giving corrections here, so correction collars are not appropriate. Additionally, head halters and no-pull harnesses only manage the pulling behavior without actually teaching the dog anything about nice leash walking. Additionally, standard harnesses for tracking and carting/sledding are actually designed to encourage the dog to pull, so those are also inappropriate for loose leash walking.

The main principle of this method is that you must make pulling stop working for the dog. Remember, every time your dog pulls and gets to move forward, you have just reinforced the idea that pulling works.

Start with your dog at your side and you holding onto the end of the leash. Say, “Fido, let’s go,” and simply start moving forward. Your pup will soon hit the end of the leash, and you will immediately stop. Do nothing, say nothing, just stand still. It’s likely he will flail around at the end of the leash for a moment. After a bit, he will get confused and look back to you for direction. At this moment, praise and start moving forward again. Stop again when he hits the end of the leash. Repeat ad infinitum.

Dogs that have been allowed to pull for some time have the habit ingrained and will need more time to relearn their habits. You can speed up the process by giving a treat along with your praise when he redirects himself back to you. If it is taking a really long time for your pup to turn back to you, you can say his name once. Remember, you are waiting for the pup to offer you the behavior of turning his attention back to you, which is what you are rewarding. Do not try to bribe a pup while it’s pulling by waving treats in its face.

You must be consistent for this to work! You both need to become sensitive to leash pressure. It will take a lot of time and patience to walk down the street like this, so try to wear your pup out by playing in the yard before you go for a walk.

This is a good way to start!

[ElsasFamily]

Elsa was about 16months old before the prong collar was put on. We only use it out on walks and during training.

I'll agree with everyone that has already posted. Use positive reinforcement for now. You have a tiny baby still that is still learning about the world. Make it a good experience.

Welcome to the forums. There is much to learn from here. Be sure to search the older threads and asks questions should something come to mind that hasn't been covered.