When did you get a prong collar for your dog?

[rottlove]

It must be that any injury from a prong collar comes from people using it wrong, like leaving it on around the house unsupervized or something, or letting their dog pull with it for long periods.

The dog boutique lady is actually pretty cool... Some folks are just downright evangelical about their training accessories.

[Emme]

I think that the type of collar depends on the dog. I would love to be able to walk Em on a flat collar everyday - but we haven't mastered that yet. I have found the prong to be a wonderful option for Em. After using a choke for about a year - and being extrememly unsuccessful in properly "popping" the collar with enough force to get her attention, I moved to a prong collar. I would look ridiculous popping and voicing commands with no results - it was uneffective and fustrating to say the least.

Emme took to the prong collar immediately. With a loose leash and a soft touch, it allows our walks to be extremely enjoyable. No yanking, no fussing.

I had a really bad walk where Emme bolted after being frightened by another dog - and didn't respond to my voice, nor my correction with the collar. Needless to say, I had my arm yanked out of its socket while running to keep up with her - very very bad.... I switched to the prong collar shortly after. We walk extensively on a daily basis and the prong provides me with enough control that I can confindantly walk her without fear of her not responding. On occasion, I'll try to walk her on the flat collar , but I find that she pulls and breaks a heel and isn't nearly as responsive - so I always end up back with the prong.

[Jaegergirl]

i agree. maverick almost yanked my arm out of the socket once too. that's when we switched to the prong. at class i have both a flat collar and the prong on so i'm able to switch back and forth when needed.

[Emme]

Do you notice that Maverick "knows" what collar he has on? Emme seems to know, and instantly will test her limits, pull, wander, you name it when she's out on the flat collar. Its been a constant source of fustration for me and I would love to "graduate" to a flat collar all the time.

[Jaegergirl]

emme, he was ok when i'd switch to the flat collar during the training session we were taking before christmas.. but now we have new dogs in this class/session so forget it!! as soon as i switch from the prong to the flat or even the choker... he acts up. as with you, i'd love to be able to eventually use just the flat collar.. i want to show him in obedience and i also want to do therapy dog work. i'm hoping that with age (he's almost 10mo) and with training, it will happen....so we'll see.

[rottlove]

We went for a jog this morning with the Halti and a pocket of treats -- arrgh! Viva kept wrestling with it and stepping on her leash, and balked every block, even sat down twice. And, she defeated it by grabbing the leash and holding it tightly in her mouth so she could keep her head where she wanted it. Clever girl. Plus, the apparatus makes the leash dangle down around her face so she is more apt to do some leash biting, which I had pretty much gotten her to stop doing.

It just wasn't fun! Something hit home that I think spidey said, that dogs with Halti/Gentle Leaders always look sad, and dogs with the prongs look fine. Hmm.

[Anne]

It would probably be a wise move to have someone experienced in using a Halti to give you some tips. If the dog is tripping or getting tangled in the lead then you have it too long.
Yes they do resist having the Halti on initially but that resistance soon disappears. My dog is very happy to have the Halti put on, as soon as I pick it up she turns her head up and closes her mouth to make it easy for me. She is not allowed to leash bite either so there is no problem there.
Don't pull the dogs head sideways with the Halti, just a gentle pop upwards with ah ah for correction works for us.

[Mick Trainer]

Originally posted by rottlove
It just wasn't fun! Something hit home that I think spidey said, that dogs with Halti/Gentle Leaders always look sad, and dogs with the prongs look fine. Hmm.

It is not the equipment that you use on the dog but the way in which you use it that will alter the attitude of the dog wearing it. I have trained many hundreds of dogs now on Halti collars and all are happy workers. The problem with a dog with a poor attitude to work is not the equipment used but is a problem 4 foot back down the lead with the handler.

You can also make a dog have a very poor working attitude with a pinch collar, slip chain or any other piece of equipment that you use.

The fact is that at the moment there are very few trainers who train with Haltis becuase very few understadn them nor the true rules of operant conditioning and are not willing to alter what they do to match the potential of new equipment but as more see the results possible with this equipment more will come around and we will see them used more and more in the training of dogs as their advantages become well know.

I have heard all the negative rubbish that I hear now days used to argue against p[inch collars when they first were being used and once again about Electric collars when they were new. But as time progressed and those trainers with the forsight to see the potential in the equipment became known the use of these apperatice increased and they became more apart of the training enviroment and as thus gained acceptance.

Mick.

[rottlove]

I agree that I need more practice and knowledge and Mick, if you were anywhere near me I'd enlist, or get on the waiting list.

And she wasn't tripping on the apparatus, but deliberately stepping on the leash to give more leverage to try and pull it off. Not to worry, I'm not dragging her around.

Thanks!