Choke collar??

[jonnyrotten]

Hi to all,

I was thinking of getting a choke collar for my 5 month pup, do any of you think this is a bad idea or that maybe she is too young?
What alternative would you use? i understand that they have to be used correctly, and will not be left on all the time.
If i get one, what size would you recommend? she is 5 months about 45lbs, any help is appreciated.....
Thanks

[Atti's Mom]

I cannot give you any professional advice, only from personal experience.:)
When I got my boy,we used the choke collar, but because (even with training,) he was a puller and I was scared to death he might injure himself so we experimented with several different types of collars and finally settled on the harness.
I am sure that others here on the forums can help you better, but I can tell you that the best way to size the collar is to take your pup with you and try them on. I was always told that you should be able to get two fingers in between the collar and the pups neck, that way it is not too loose and not too tight.
Also, you were right, never leave the choke collar on your dog unattended, not only does the collar break the hair down, it can become caught on things and choke the pup.
Good Luck to you!:)

[Roscoe's dad]

I myself would not use a choke collar on a puppy. If you gave them the chance they would choke themselves out. I would wait for more advice before you make your decision.

[rottielover00]

I used a choker collar on my rottie. I swear it was like I had a regular collar on him because he never even noticed. He would pull just as hard.

Try this though. When you are walking your rottie put the leash under one of his front legs. This way when he goes to pull instead of being able to jump up he will pull himself down and the pulling will stop.

For some reason this works. I used this for a little bit and Hans got the point and now he doesn't pull. But if he starts I tell him to "Heel" and put the leash under his front leg.

Good Luck in finding something that works for you :)

[AngelBunny]

jonnyrotten:

I'm interested in obedience. The only time any of my dogs wear a choke is if we're working or they're being shown. The rest of the time they wear flat nylon buckle collars.

Why do you want your 5 mo old to wear a choke?

[RottnKid1]

At that age, I wouldn't use a choke chain. If he pulls a lot, try using a Halti or Gentle Leader for now - and please be sure to get into some obedience courses. If later on, you still feel that you need something more severe, I'd go for a prong collar over a choke chain. There have been several discussions about prong collars vs. choke chains - try doing a search. Either way, as I already stated, I think your pup is too young for either one. Even with a Halti or Gentle Leader, you need to be taught how to use them properly so as not to injure your pup.

[Sansano]

A 5 month old is way too young for a choke collar. I'd wait until at least a year old and even then I would use a pinch instead.

[LORHEL]

I would recommend either the gentle leader, or a prong collar over the choker. The prong collar is easier on the dog, vs. the choke. You have to make sure it is used properly, though, or it could have a negative effect. We made the mistake of that in the beginning. The gentle leader is becoming more popular, and is similar to what they use on horses, it controls the head more than a prong/pinch collar. There are pros and cons of using the gentle leader. Some people don't like it, others see a major change after using it versus something else. Maybe you could get a video of the gentle leader from a vet, like we did. It will show you how to properly put it on and use it.

Best of luck to you. :)