Training Collars, Which one?

Numerous dog owners discover that their efforts toward training their pet are extensively aided by the use of training collars.

There are many types of collars to choose from and each employs a different device intended to guide your pet, restrain him or discourage bad or disobedient behavior. Some training collars can damage a dog if they are not used properly or are the wrong size; so, you have to research training collars thoroughly before choosing one and consult with a training expert if you are unfamiliar with how to use a chosen collar.

Some familiar dog training collars are: the prong collar, the Halti, the Gentle Leader, the choke collar and the electronic collar.

Prong Collar

The prong collar looks a lot more painful to the dog than it really is. This collar is made up of metal prongs that have been linked together. When you apply a pulling pressure to the collar (via the leash), it gives the dog a little nip that is intended to duplicate the effect of a mother dog's teeth when she grabs her pup by the scruff of the neck.

The prong collar is a safe and useful training tool as long as the fit is correct and the collar is used correctly. The prong collar should not be used if your dog is one to consistently yank at his leash.

The prong collar should fit snugly against the dog's neck. As most prong collars can be adjusted by simply adding or subtracting prongs, the correct fit should be easy to achieve. A correctly fitted collar should leave approximately a half of a finger space in between your dog's neck and the prong tip. A collar that is any looser than that won't do its job and will needlessly chafe the dog's skin.

Halti and Gentle Leader

Both the Halti and Gentle Leader head halter devices look a lot like the harnesses that are used to control horses. While the prong collar is intended to condition behavior and movement, the head halter is designed to restrict or restrain your dog's movements.

The thought behind the halter's design is that if you can control the head, the body will follow its movement. When you pull on the attached leash the device closes the dog's mouth and restrains his head. These types of training collars are great for dogs that lunge, bite or display other aggressive behaviors.

There are drawbacks, however, to using a head halter device. Most dogs will not take very easily to any apparatus that positions a strap over its nose. You may have to struggle with your dog many, many times before he will surrender to wearing it.

Another snag is that pulling at your dog's head makes it a lot more likely that you'll inadvertently injure the dog's neck or back. To avoid injury, you should always make sure you're restraining your dog in the correct manner.

Choke Collar

The choke collar is one of those dog training devices that is often surrounded by controversy. Proponents of the choke collar point to its humane effectiveness, while critics say that the collar is more torture device than training tool.

The truth is that what the collar becomes is largely dependent upon who is using it.A correctly fitted choke collar works by tightening around the dog's throat when the trainer pulls on the leash and then releasing pressure when the trainer does.

If the collar is not put on correctly, however, the pressure will remain and the dog could truly choke to death. These training collars are not meant for dogs that consistently pull at their leash or for inexperienced trainers. As is the case with head halters, the choke collar has the potential to cause injury to the dog's neck.

Electronic Collar

Just mention the option of an electronic dog collar and many dog owners (even some people with no pets at all) will look at you as if you have suggested training your dog with a stun gun.

The fact is that electronic collars can be a very humane way to train a dog. As with any other training device, however, whether or not it is used for purposes of cruelty is completely dependent upon the intentions and knowledge of the trainer.

The electronic collar works by allowing the trainer to give the dog small, electric shocks (via remote control) in order to modify its behavior. The intensity of the shock is left to the trainer. In general, the setting should be strong enough to make the dog's ears twitch. If the dog howls or yelps when the shock is delivered, then the setting is too high. Again, the electronic collar should only be used by experienced trainers.

All the above training collars are useful if applied properly, but only you can decide which one is right for your particular dog.