Is there a time.....?

Question

Everyone has different views on what kind of training methods (collars/harnesses in particular) to use. As far as collars go (prongs, chokes, electrics, etc.) is there a time when it's okay to stop using the device, and switch to a regular (flat) collar?

I've heard arguments for both sides. My parents (not the *best* dog owners in the world) are avid choke chain users and cannot understand me switching two of our dogs to flat collars and one to a martingale (she has a large neck and tiny head) rather than use chokes their whole lives. All three dogs walk wonderfully on leashes.

Personally, I think once your dog is trained to walk well on a leash, the training device shouldn't be needed anymore. However, it wouldnt be the first time I am wrong about something :). I *am* still learning.

What's right?

Answer 1

The prong collar or choke chain should only be used for training.  Once your dog is trained to walk on a leash then there is no need to use a training collar.  You are correct.  I took my puppy through training classes and we started with the pronged collar and by the time we finished 16 weeks of classes she would heal off leash and never leave my side.  = )  

Answer 2

You are both wrong, I would no more use a choke collar on my dog than I would 1 of my children. The way to train a dog is to put them on a short lease and when they do something you do not like jerk the lease to get their attention and then tell them "no"

Answer 3

Once your dog is trustworthy, it is absolutely okay to switch from the training collar to a flat collar, in fact, that's why it's called a TRAINING collar because it is to be used for training purposes, not necessarily every day use.

However, in my case, I have very large, powerful dogs and I often walk 2-3 at a time, so when I am walking more than one, just to make sure I don't ever lose control I will have them all on a prong collar even though they don't really need it. I would just rather be safe than sorry.

It's really up to the owner and what the owner feels good about. If you trust your dogs on a flat collar and feel that you can keep them under control, then fine. There's nothing wrong with that at all, and in actuality, that is the ultimate goal.

Answer 4

Collars such as those are for use if your dog is hard to control on a leash. There's absolutely no reason for you to use it if your dogs are obedient and walk well on a leash. I don't believe you're wrong! :]

Answer 5

am just like you, like to train my dogs to sit, by helping guide their butt to the ground, not pushing their backs but tucking their butt under, well once they have it down i am not going to guide their butts everytime, or like you said once they have learned to walk on a leash I don't go back to their normal collar with few exceptions, I don't use choke collars either, i like to use the collar that goes across their snout to gain better control I did have to use one on a foster blood hound who use to break the snout collar things, sorry can't think of what they are called., until they learn but i drop it once they walk fine cause that is just one more add thing to have to do, not very time consuming but what goes on must come off. it is quicker not to have all the added training accersories when your ready to go, especially if you have a busy schedule.

Answer 6

Actually I would put a regular buckle collar on your dog that has a small tab on it for correction purposes.

You just never know when you could find yourself in a situation where a little more restraint is needed.

Good luck and God Bless

Answer 7

I think that with any tool the goal should be to get the dog to work without it. I don't want my dogs to walk on "crutches" forever.

Answer 8

I AGREE WITH YOU.  I've done training with ALL of my goldens, past and present........in continuous classes.  After they learned the "sit, stay, come" techniques, we didn't even need a leash at all.  They all listened to commands, very easily.  I do understand that not every dog picks up that easily, and therefore, it may be different for others.  It depends on how well trained the "individual" dog becomes, in the end.

Answer 9

Well I can't tell unless I see you walking your dogs, but I think that you need to train your dog*s* to walk besides you at all times. If they pull and you allow them to, them they become the dominant one and you become the follower.(as said by Cesar Millan) You should stop using those kinds of leashes as soon as your dogs don't pull, lash out at other dogs, etc. Me and my mom and dad own 5 pit bulls and we are currently still training the male puppies(3, 1 year old males, their sister, and the 5 year old dad) and the dad we need to retrain but my female, Lucky, is trained not to pull but not unless she is already fixated on something such as another dog close by, someone passing by, etc. She is very protective of me and my mom as for my dad doesn't really much care for her as he does for the males.

My advice is you keep useing those collars until your dog(s) learn not to pull, to stay next to you, and follow you and your directions.

"It's Exersize, dicsipline, then affection."

By Cesar Millan.

~Hope this answers your question!

Answer 10

Yeah, I tried training my dog with a head collar, and I thought she was doing good.

Then, she saw a cat, lunged, and I landed on my back after doing a flip mid-air.

We are now using a pronged collar. :) BUT we only use it for walks.