Don’t Let A Training Dog Collar Torture Your Dog
May 6, 2008 – 10:17 amWithout training dogs go, well, to the dogs! If you own a dog in a family environment, then you need to ensure that the dog understands its boundaries and knows the consequences should it overstep them. Training collars are one tool to help train a dog, but there are several varieties. This article will hopefully explain some of them.
The first collar to investigate is the prong collar. Whilst it actually looks to be the most evil of the collars, it is actually the least likely to cause harm, although if people want to abuse the collar (and the dog), they will find a way. Under normal usage, when the collar is pulled, the prongs that make up the leash pinch the dog’s neck. The thought behind this is that the reaction is similar to the of the dog’s mother’s teeth used to reprimand the dog when it was a puppy. The collar is reasonably safe. The most likely problem will be if the collar is not fitted correctly. If the dog continually pulls on the leash though, the prong collar might not be the best one to use.
The adjustment of these collars is quite easy though. Simply remove or add prongs to suit the neck of your dog. If you can just insert a finger between the neck of the dog and the prong collar, then you have just about got it right.
The Halti and Gentle Leader dog training collars look like horse harnesses. The method of control is certainly different to the prong collar in that the design is meant to control general movement and stop distraction. The plan is that if you can control the head, the body will follow it. The device works by closing the dog’s mouth when the leash is pulled. This type of training collar is particularly suitable for animals that bite or lunge towards people or other dogs. In other words, the Halti or Gentle Leader is good for aggressive or unruly dogs.
The downside of the head control collars such as the Halti is that most dogs do not like having any sort of restriction placed over their nose. You might have to work quite hard to fit the collar in the first place. You also need to be careful not to injure the dog. You need to ensure that you use the device correctly.
The choke collar is one of those items that can raise some people’s hackles. Those that like them point to how effective they are in controlling a dog. Those that don’t like them, would say that the collars are inhumane. The answer to this probably lies in the people who use the collars. Used correctly, choke collars can be very effective. Used in an inappropriate manner, the choke collar can be quite brutal.
Correct use of a choke collar starts with correct fitting. They work by tightening around the dog’s throat when the leash is pulled. Equally, the tightness should be released when the trainer eases up on the leash, but if the collar does not fit correctly, this might not happen resulting in undue distress to the animal. If your dog is one that continually pulls on the leash, then the choke collar is probably not the right collar to use.
One of the newest forms of dog collar are the electronic one’s. They are considered to be a very humane way to train a dog, but equally can be abused in the wrong hands.
They work by passing a shock to the dog via a remote control, which is controlled by the trainer. The trainer has complete control over how big a shock to administer to the dog. It is generally accepted that the shock should be strong enough to make the dog’s ears twitch, and no more. How much that is depends on the size of the dog and the collar itself. If your dog starts to yelp when you administer a shock, then the charge is probably too high. If you are unsure, seek advice.
Tags: Pets
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