While establishing a governing body regulating the dog training industry is essential and necessary now, it will take time. Veterinary Q&A: Prong collars are safe fact or fiction? Hi Lesa, I appreciate your feedback and the fact youve never needed to use a prong is great. Collars Discussion] Prong Collars, they're Keep doing what you are doing . The rescues and shelters are full of dogs that were not trained properly by their owners and so were abandoned. The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs: A Review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19 (2017): 5060. But when it came down to either his discomfort or my injuries I agreed to try it. (It is really hard to stay positive and calm when your shoulder and arm are being ripped away from your body!) Kelly, I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how quickly it will work. from his dog trainer) and immediately she ceased the pulling. I can only hope that the prong collar helps as I am having a hard time controlling him when people and animals walk within eyesight. What changes would you like to see? But I now see how wonderful they are in training my dog. Therefore you are communicating with your dog when using these tools and the dog will understand what type of work it is going to be doing by recognizing the piece of equipment that you fit ie if you fit a tracking harness the dog will know that it is going to be doing tracking work. If we love our companion animals so very much, the call to treat them kindly should be paramount, and there's no reason why these devices shouldnt be banned in favor of readily available and less aversive force-free alternatives. Shell lunge right onto a road sometimes which is so scary for me. She actually does really well but is strong with high prey drive. Fast forward to today. Time, time is all it takes. Also, try having your dog wear a cute bandana it covers the prong collar if you are self-conscious about it. Misuse covers : poor or Depending on what you are using it for, you can keep it on during the day, but take it off at night when the dog is sleeping. Thank you so much for sharing your story Carole! Prong Collars I did training and watched several videos regarding the use of the collar and in less than 2 week the lunging was OVER. Scotland The use of electric shock collars was Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! We mediate and control access to the physical and social worlds of our dogs quite a bit. My dogs get excited when they see the prong collars come out, it means they are going for a walk and cant wait to get the collar on! For instance, our sweet River does so well with other dogs and people at the dog park, but once shes on the leash shes much more reactive. The collars are adjustable by adding/removing links. When asked why they use a particular type of restraint, people often say something like, Its the thing to do, or someone who knows about dogs told them to do so. He will be an 80 pound dog. Dog Collars: The Shock and Prong War An Opinion These are then used when you want to apply a Correction (also called a leash pop) that press into the skin around your dogs neck to apply discomfort or pain in order to communicate that your dog has done something incorrectly. I say moderately, because he still pulled and lunged somewhat. Many countries, including Austria and Switzerland, have made it illegal to use prong collars for canines. To help create a puppy capable of being a confident and adaptable family member and keep puppies out of shelters. Thank you, I dont have one, but found this in a Google search: Source: precisionk9training.com. On our first walk, with a 20 minute session he was heeling, sitting, and responding to down and stay commands like never before. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, and some parts of Australia all currently have a ban on electronic collars for dogs. Not once. Punishment often appears to work quickly (who wouldnt want to avoid a painful or uncomfortable correction?) Controversial dog collars to be BANNED in Queensland as they 'use pain as punishment', https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10794119/Queensland-Govt-ban-pronged-dog-collars-state.html, Tagged: #veterinary, #veterinarian, #dvm, #vmd, #veterinarymedicine, #vetmed, #veterinaria, #vettech, #veterinarytechnician, #vetlife, #vettechlife, #vetstudentlife, #vettechproblems, #vettechstudent, #vetschool, #cvt, #lvt, #rvt, #cvpm, #podcast, #veterinarypodcast, #vettechpodcast, #pets, #petparents, #dogs, #cats, #animalpodcast, #petpodcast, #vetstudent, #practicemanagement, Prong Collars Banned in Queensland Australia, Gossip in Veterinary Practice: The Good, Bad, and What to Do About It, Chernobyl Dogs Update with Dr. Jennifer Betz. Is it worth it to subdue and suppress behavior, to use the threat of pain to train a dog? To find out what size prong collar your dog needs, you will need to measure their neck. However, it is good to note that the prong collar works by giving a leash pop or correction through the leash, a quick jerk on the leash results in a sudden constriction of the neck., Now, lots of trainers will tell you that this doesnt hurt the dog, that it merely tells them no in a language they understand., Whilst that may be true, its not something we have data for, and bearing in mind that a dogs neck is 3x more sensitive than ours, and they definitely restrict airflow for a short time, its arguable that this device goes against animal welfare rights and are subsequently banned in certain countries like Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland and the Canadian Province of Quebec., Of course this can be argued as human error, but sometimes its just easier to control the situation than remedy the fallout. WebProng collars are legal in most states, but there are some places where they are banned or regulated. A Twitch star was temporarily banned from the live-streaming platform after zapping herself with a shock collar as part of a bizarre stunt. The dog will be much happier in fact. The pain and discomfort of of a prong collar isnt going to beat out the bad behavior. Like anything Im sure using it wrong or without training can be bad but using it as training tool correctly can be a great benefit and my dog has responded amazing to it., I just started training with the prong collar, I immediately see a difference in my pitt/boxer mix. What size prong collar should I get? He is only c. 30 lbs., a puggle, but very strong. Are Prong Collars Banned in the UK? - cutepetcare.com But in some situations all that goes out the window. prong I love the prong collar! This harness is one of few that is genuinely military spec and is still useful for regular pet users. My guess he was abused while wearing one or was constantly on one. I think, a prong collar, having the constant fear and discomfort creates a different situation for a smart dog, and when they dont have that worry or fear, they just drop all their training. I am also convinced, after having tried every other gentle alternative, that these are a) not effective and b) not kind, because walks with my dog are miserable for us both. Thank you! However, I am afraid of breaking a wrist or worse; & I have some balance problems. This includes a flat collar. So many people think the prong collar is terrible, yet the flat collar is okay? So happy that your tool worked out for you and your dobie. Our 90 pound puppy who gets excited and pulls on walks. Like I said, he is very well behaved, until he is not. Shadow received an award at the end of the class for Most Improved. Weve even had comments from people about how well behaved our dog is. The prong collar made the below photo possible my 10-year-old daughter riding her bike with our 95lb yellow lab, Bear. Thank you, the bandana is a good idea. With the gentlest reminder, and no indication that she had felt anything at all, my dog turned straight back to me, looking happy and ready to take notice of me. My first dog was a female shepherd-mix rescue and I used a prong collar on her to amazing effect. Its kinda like tapping your dog on the shoulder to keep his attention on you. This has been our experience with all three of our rescued dogs as well. Wasted $100 at PetSmart (clicker training ????). We found out that her dog, while on a choke collar, started pulling when he saw another dog across the street, so much so that his paws came off the ground. By the time I realized how bad it was I was so in love with her there was no way I was going to give up on her! The prong is the best, the dogs pull much less, even with other dogs, cats and squirrels to distract them. I so hate to see good, effective training tools totally demonized. Awe Rachel, this is great news! There is enough research to know they are not humane or safe. Small prong collars are for dogs with necks up to 12 inches, and medium prong collars are for dogs with necks 12-16 inches. Prong and choke collars are typically placed on dogs with serious pulling issues. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Please see our, how to train your dog to walk loose leash, How Much are Teacup Puppies? He pulled so hard to the point of choking himself and pulling me over. Right now. He is a pandemic puppy but I had actually had my name down to get him 8 mths prior so he was very much wanted not a knee jerk. I signed up for obedience classes at a well known and reputable training center in our area and they recommended and explained prong collars to us. She no longer uses a prong collar to manage her dog and he is easily pulling her down the street as she struggles with her leash and flat collar. Thinking it looked barbaric and painful, and not wanting to subject my dog to torture, I put it on myself and gave it a tug before I ever used it on him. When we first adopted Bear he had no leash manners at all. He had good manners (or so I thought) and was very very love able. (My dog is super sweet and not aggressive just stubborn!) I dont want her to listen to me just because she fears what comes if she doesnt. The only barbaric thing here Lora, is the human mind. We finished the class and we both learned so much from it. I personally never used a prong collar before being introduced to it a couple of years ago. She is a pretty assertive dog, gets plenty of outdoor time and exercise, and still she is totally happy and excited when we pick up her collar to announce a walk. Hi Beverly, Yes you can use a prong collar on a short face dog. I love hearing all the success stories. What the dogs were bred for has absolutely no relationship to their bad manners (which you have inadvertently taught them). And a Gentle leader or head collar that goes around a dogs muzzle is that really comfortable for your dog? WebPinch and prong collars are collars with prongs positioned against the neck, or any other protrusion intended to cause pain or discomfort, especially when tightened. So make sure to watch the videos in the post about fitting and training. If it works to stop a behaviour, it must be because the animal found it aversive (if they liked it or didnt notice it, it wouldnt reduce the frequency of the behaviour).". Twice have hurt my back holding him, and I also have tendonitis in both hands/wrists, so holding on to him when he is distracted can be really painful. Lets be realistic, Im not here to change your mind, and you will never be able to change mine. Gentle leaders and the like can cause serious neck injuries like whiplash. Or I could actually teach them to love a jellyfish on their head. Thank you so much for your story Terry! Those who support a ban on shock collars hope that more countries will follow suit. I am looking forward to using this, in an even better way of using. If you are consistently pulling the collar he may become numb to any corrections. Additionally he pulled my husband to the ground one time. We look forward to walks now!! I didnt even know what that really was until the first week of taking her for walks. He was supposed to be in a down but got up when my son went by with a musical toy so I gave him a small correction back to his down. Some foster dogs come to us without any leash skills and in order for me to be able to walk them with my dogs, I need to quickly teach them how to walk on the leash without pulling, and a prong collar is a great tool for this. Thank you for sharing your story Darci! Will a prong collar help? Id love to hear about your success stories on using the prong collar. Whilst Herm Sprenger advise that 5-6 months is the minimum? He lunged once and never did it again. Thousands of trainers and Id wager millions of owners train their dogseasy dogs and challenging dogsand manage their behavior without any of this stuff. Front clip harnesses that simply manipulates the dog into not pulling and does NOT FIX the pulling. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Specifically, they state that prolonged or extreme pulling of ANY collar can lead to damage. Consider the woman about whom Mary wrote who chose to leave her choke collar at the veterinary clinic after her dog suffered from a prolapsed eye. HELP: What European Countries Ban Ecollars? : She was a once in a lifetime soulmate of a dog. I agree 100%, the right collar and training are essential. However, the tool will work no matter where its been placed. Rainalo As sweet as he is, I ended up on the ground numerous times and my husband was tired of having his arm yanked in the wrong direction. But that is true for a flat collar, letting the dog choke itself by pulling so hard the owner cant control him. Many civilized countries have outlawed prong collars, recognizing the harm they can do! Good luck! Illegal Dog Collars - My Animals Every interaction made me terrified someone would try to get our dogs kicked out of the neighborhood, especially since staffies are technically dangerous. About 4 mths ago I enlisted the help of an amazing young woman who is a dog trainer and with her help my dogs behaviour on leash has improved 10 fold. You may have pure positive trainers tell you there are more humane ways to control your dog. Should it be worn during the day and removed at night? Science Shows Positive Reward-Based Dog Training is Best. Filter by 1 Inch Custom Hidden Prong Embroidered Collar $0.00. Tried the front clip harness but she would still pull so hard she would flip herself over and on to her side how does that not break ribs?! But every dog is different. Also, as the author mention, there are huge differences in the quality of a Pet Smart pinch collar and a Herm Sprenger (the recommended brand). Sweet dog who is highly, highly excitable and anxious. On walks, sometimes he pulls on leash, other times does not. I admit I was not paying full attention to him was conversing with a neighbor. Decided to use the old prong collar on a walk to the post office with Bow today ???? Slip leads and choke collars can do the same and cut off air supply. If you think about the anatomy of the neck, it contains essential things like the windpipe. Barely had to use the collar; I mean BARLEY, and we got into the groove. These are common pet dogs. I have tried 2 different harnesses and if he gets really excited he can escape both.once after a groundhog, once when a farm combine crossed in front of us he escaped the harness only 4 times total in a year, but each time was dangerous. I have used prong collars before with fantastic success. I signed us up for an obedience class. I urge you to not shy away from the prong collar just because of what it looks like or what youve heard about it in the past. Thanks so much for sharing your story Jessica! I should say that my dog is quite highly trained and in a training environment excels at quite advanced exercises. What and Who Dogs Want and Need: Love, Not Shocks. Thank you for telling your story Melanie. I just cant say enough positive about the usefulness of a prong collar. England Shock collars are banned in Wales, but with the help of a new proposal, the cruel devices may be banned in 2. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. I think thats what gets so many people especially with e-collars or prong/choke collars, they just get it thinking it will be a quick fix and have no idea how to use it. Recently we were able to do a board and train with an old coworker of mine for a very reasonable price and she told us that she combines positive and negative reinforcements in her training. started a campaign to ban shock, choke, and prong collars in the city, are known to inflict stress, discomfort, and pain, and potentially have long-term negative effects on dogs. Good luck! Everything Debbie has mentioned suggests not using the prong collar to jerk, yank, or whatever on dogs. The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs: A Review. My question is if the prong collar would scare him even more, causing more distrust, or if the boundaries of the collar would actually make him feel safer? 3. It is so inspiring, it brought tears to my eyes. The prong collar is the opposite of cruel in the right hands. This is where a lot of pro-prong people will say But my dog loves their prong which is great, but in the same way youve conditioned them to love that prong? He is clearly lacking in socialization and his behavior and demeanor are indicative of prior abuse. And although I knew they were just barking and pulling because they wanted to investigate and make friends, staffies barks tend to be quite scary, which Im sure intimidate my neighbors. | The kennel I work at is very much 50% training, 50% the tools you use. Many years ago, I had our dog and a foster dog go after another dog when it was icy out and I went flying down on my butt. Lately, I am getting hounded on social media about responding to a post saying it was a great tool for training. I just found this page after admitting to a dog-focused friendly advice group on facebook that I REALLY struggle with walking my dog. Now before you pass judgment, please read on to learn more and then decide for yourself. When the client was asked what happened to her dog, she frantically told us that she was just walking him and it happened out of nowhere. We tried for 3 weeks to loose leash train w/ the Easy Walk harness employing techniques learned w/ our last dog Jacksons dog coach. A short time later, Mary saw the puppy and guardian re-enter the park, with the puppy wearing an e-collar. The prong collar sounds just what we need. The former associates you as a good thing, the latter associates you with bad things.. You should be exhausting other means before resorting to a prong collar.And I know that sometimes it can feel like you have done so, but typically? I bought a prong collar for my 12-year-old unfixed rescue dog, pitbull. Then we started a balanced training class, and they showed us how to use the prong collar. Honestly, I know, Ive taught a great, reliable loose leash (even without the leash) a lot with all sorts of dogs, all sorts of breeds. No amount of chicken, ham or hotdogs were getting our dogs attention when she reacted. Reading this article and the comments made me realize I have to get over what people might think. We tried everything, several different harnesses, chokers, e-collar hed refuse to allow us to even put an Easy-walker or Gentle Leader on him, wed have to chase him and then wrestle with him before wed even get out the door. I used it for training and going for walks. Dont be afraid to use it if your trainer suggests it. That creature is way stronger and way more dangerous than a german shepherd so why keep perpetuating the same rubbish?. I whole heartedly believe the prong collar can change peoples and dogs lives. Remove the prong collar entirely. I might regret asking this but can I get opinions please? It could be killedalong with the child flung into the windshield as her mother hits the brake. Though they are legal in the U.S. P.S. In fact, they do quite the opposite for the latter. Thanks for the information. Prong collars are legal to use in the UK, but they are not typically recommended by behaviorists or trainers. But theyre not.. Ive recently joined a couple of Service Dog sites and everyone on there says that it IS OK to use a prong collar on a trained Service Dog. he wont make eye contact, has to be taken out of his kennel, has to be carried inside after be letting out to go to the bathroom, etc. I have a 2 yr old Havanese and have had him since he was 8 weeks old. Thats what they were built for, is to learn. (If youre struggling to teach a loose leash, this is for you. We sometimes will put a bandana on our dogs to cover the prong collar. Or pulling his owner over, cause owners not to walk their dog? I do agree positive reinforcement is key in fear based cases. Your timid poodle may never need one. I may look into a Herm Sprenger. Are shock collars banned in Europe? In other words, the use of violence in dog training is not correlated with particular dogs or with particular behavior problems. I had to give him a couple of sharp tugs but after that he soon got the message that if he pulled I would tug him back My views of these evil looking collars has changed and I had got to the stage of not taking Sam out for daily walks as I was scared of being injured myself or him injuring or frightening other people. Whether or not a dog wearing an e-collar, prong collar, or shock collar is largely happy or living a good life, the reason these devices work is that they cause some degree of discomfort, pain, or distress (regardless of the level of intensity). There has to be a clear line of communication between you and you dog and the prong is just a quick reminder of the expectation. 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PRONG We were working with a purely positive trainer for a while, who was really great, but when it came to real-world practice out and about it was still nearly impossible for me to get my dogs attention with just treats when they saw something they wanted to go after, usually a squirrel but sometimes a friendly neighbor. Banned I trust my trainer completely but every single person in my life is telling me my specific dog does not need the prong collar. We only introduced it after 31/2 mths at which point Ive learnt to read my dog and I have the knowledge how to manage him and descalate his triggers etc. This muddies the water for guardians seeking help with their companion dogs: If a force-free trainer with whom they worked didnt help them, does that push them to work with a trainer who uses force? Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss the increase in global rules and regulations aiming to improve animal welfare. She nearly pulled my partner off her feet in the first week. I think its a bad idea. Pronged Collars Should be Banned Because They are Harmful to Dogs-Fiction! Do you think there is growing interest in passing laws to improve animal welfare? So no, in theory it should not need to be used for ever. As eloquently put by Jean Donaldson of The Academy for Dog Trainers in an essay called "If They Could March," Theyre elective on easy dogs and theyre elective on dogs with behaviors we dislike, including dogs who lunge and pull on leash and growl and snap and bite. We have dogs in training classes with prong collars, slip collars, harnesses everything. The people are told to wait for the dog to offer the behavior. If I did not get his behavior under control I would have to re-home my dog, if I could not walk him that would be cruel and if he hurt me or someone by lunging that would be even worse. A jerk on the leash to suddenly, quickly restrict airflow as the teeth of the prong squeeze the neck, often misappropriated as a mommy bite Ill discuss that one another time) actually just reinforces the idea that they were right to be scared of the oncoming threat., Over time? I found the prong collar to be far more humane than say a shock collar, a flat collar, or even an ill fitted harness. Front-Clip Harness. I think our dog is fearful that our son is causing him to get negative corrections. This post is from the perspective of a dog owner (me) that has experience with all types of training techniques, and yes that includes reactive dogs, shy dogs, scared dogs, and happy go lucky dogs. A large loving pit bull wondered its way up to the shop where I was working and we had decided to take care of it while it was there. For example, in the state of California, prong collars cant be used to tether a dog. I never wanted to try a prong collar because of the negative connotations, especially with a pit bull that people are already afraid of. Common Myths & Misconceptions About Prong/Pinch Collars Animal activists have been attempting to issue a Europe-wide ban on their sale and use, while no movement on a ban has been created in the Harriet, you need to calm down. We just rescued a 2 year old (they think) GSD mix this past Tuesday. For example, shock collars, sometimes called e-collars or electronic collars, are banned in the United Kingdom, but they are legal in the United States. As we were completing this essay, Mary told me the following story that horrified me. Exhaust other options Fit it properly Use an experienced trainer (who admits what it is and how it works) Use as designed Pick a quality one (no rubber tips! I have a smart medium drive 5 1/2 month old GSD male pup. I have a ten month old foxhound that I walk daily in the forest for two miles in rugged terrain. Right this instant. The pulling she used to have has almost been eliminated by the training techniques my trainer taught us. When he hears me pick it up he comes running because he knows were going out. According to a review article published by Gal Ziv, the results show that using aversive training methods (e.g., positive punishment and negative reinforcement) can jeopardize both the physical and mental health of dogs.