Martingale collars

[Ilovemypuppy]

Tried one of these and really quite like it. Mine is flat nylon with chain link closure. I don't really like working with a choke collar, but get the same chain noise from the martingale and Bailey appears to be very comfortable with it. Anyone using these ? During the CGN testing, collars had to be flat buckle or martingale.
The Temperament Test rules call for choke or slip collar..no exceptions.

[Judi W]

There is a good reason for requiring a slip collar. A dog cannot back out of a slip collar and they certainly can back out of a martingale, and since most people do not fasten a flat collar tight enough, many a dog can back out of those as well.

Unless you always have a bit of pressure on the lead with a martingale, a dog can simply shake its head and be out of it.

[Ilovemypuppy]

This one is adjustable on the nylon part and I had it so that fully extended, it JUST fits over Bailey's head in that, I had to take it off slowly working her ears back through it. I have been using it for obedience and she seems happier in it.

[Judi W]

If I were using it, I would put it on and then tighten it. Losen it up to remove it. That way you can have some semblence of a correction if needed and she can't get out of it.

The martingale operates very like a pinch, without the pinching......:) but the pinch is fastened around the neck rather than being designed to go over the head so its size can be more appropriate.

[moondog]

A Sharpei I know has shown his owners first hand how easily a martingale collar is to back out of, TWICE, because he was determined to get at another dog. Even after the first occurrence, when they were sure they were aware enough to prevent a repeat performance, he showed them he was able to do it again easily. No more martingale collar for him.

[Judi W]

Thanks for the supporting report. My objections to the martingale are the backing out and also from a training perspective. I do not like a collar that one cannot give a correction with if one is called for. I did not state that objection, because many people do not want to give a correction ever regardless. They'd rather just pull or be pulled, so I figure that is a personal choice of those who use that type of collar or head halters.

[fbkeays]

I use a martingale style collar for Fizbin. It is also called a limited slip collar. It is all 1" nylon. He uses that when trialling in obedience and being on AKC show grounds. He is ONLY in a choke when he is about to go into the conformation ring. When he is back at the setup, he gets his collar changed. If he isn't in a permier collar(brand name), he is in a prong.
When Fizbin had the sneaky lung infection, the only sign was that he would choke out at the drop of a hat. If the choke collar went tight, and it didn't even have to be that tight, he would fall over and it would look like he was seizing (choking out). Now that he has fully recovered, and there is no radiograph proof of injury to his treacha (he was scoped during the dx process and found to have a completely normal airway), he will still do the choke out thing. I am thinking it is more psychological now, but it is darn scary to see this happen.
In August Fizbin took the ATT temperament test and I was allowed to use the limited slip collar as long as I had him tie-out for the weird stranger part. So there are exceptions.
You can't really get "good" corrections with the martingale style unless you are strong enough to pull the dog off of his feet when needed.
Use whatever collar that works for you and gets the results you want.

[Jango]

Whoa. Learn something every day. I thought that a prong and martingale collar was the same thing. Anyone have any pictures so I can see the difference?

[moondog]

Here's one with the chain that Ilovemypuppy is describing. Others are all nylon.
http://www.wtpets.com/canineequip.htm#collar1

[spidey]

Originally Posted by Jango

Whoa. Learn something every day. I thought that a prong and martingale collar was the same thing. Anyone have any pictures so I can see the difference?

"Martingale" is the style of collar, it basically means a collar which is limited slip (i.e. it can only tighten to a certain point). So a prong is a metal link martingale-style collar with prongs, and what most people call a "martingale collar" is a limited-slip collar without prongs, which come in chain, nylon, leather, and various combinations thereof.

[seldown]

Hi all, I started off talking about martingales and went off subject. We use one, but only because our dog backed out of a flat and I found the martingale easier to use and it felt more secure to me than the flat.

[Jango]

Originally Posted by spidey

"Martingale" is the style of collar, it basically means a collar which is limited slip (i.e. it can only tighten to a certain point). So a prong is a metal link martingale-style collar with prongs, and what most people call a "martingale collar" is a limited-slip collar without prongs, which come in chain, nylon, leather, and various combinations thereof.

Thanks,
Makes sense to me now.

[Ilovemypuppy]

I just got back from a nice long walk with precious Bailey..it's so cool and pretty in the fall..and on the way out I used a Flexi lead and the martingale and let her run out ahead and everywhere she wanted around me..on the way back I shortened up the length and locked the Flexi and had her stay close..about 3 to 4 feet to my side. I put Flexi line BEHIND my legs, so that any forging ahead was almost self correcting and boy did that ever work great !

Each time she would go too far ahead, she would hear the chain noise and correct her position :o)

The more I use it , the more I like this martingale. The prong is too much collar for Bailey as she is quite sensitive and I don't like using a choke at all. With the limited tightening of the martingale, it gives her a chance to use what she understands without too harsh a correction. I also LOVE the way it slides around her neck as we change positions from left to right, etc.

I used the martingale on her in town yesterday walking on the sidewalks and into the hardware store and the bank and it was just great.

It has the added feature of being a viewer friendly training collar.

I have it adjusted to it JUST slips over her head :o)

Just thought I would share :o)