Learning more about dog training equipments

What’s a Prong Collar :

The prong collar is designed specifically to replicate the way the mother would correct her pups in a litter. Well, seemingly it does look like a horrific torture device… But looks can be deceiving...

The benefit of using a prong collar will train the owner to have a gentle handling skill towards the dog. At the same time, the dog will learn to be sensitive and attentive to the handler's teachings.

Similarly, how the Alpha dog in a pack would correct the subordinate dogs is by giving a "nip" on the neck. The prong collar (also frequently called the pinch collar) is made of a series of prongs that link together, widely used by real professional dog trainers. 

Most pinch collars are designed pretty much the same: There is a safety ring which rides next to the dog's neck and a "D" shaped ring that you hook your leash to. Some pinch collar manufacturers have developed "quick release" mechanisms which may work somewhat differently.

A Safe Fit For the Pinch Collar:

In order to properly size and fit the collar, you must do the following:

• • Understand that size and fit are two different issues. The size is determined by the SIZE of the prong... not the diameter. Sizes usually come in small, medium and large. For dogs up to 30 pounds, a small prong usually works best as you'll get more "pinch to the inch." Dogs 31 to 80 pounds will usually need a medium or sometimes a large size prong.
  • The fit of the collar is determined by adding or subtracting prongs to change the diameter. Simply break the collar open at one of the looser prongs in the middle of the collar and pop off one or more of the individual prongs.
  • Properly fitted, you should only be able to fit approximately 1/2 finger space between the tip of the prong and the skin of the dog's neck. Trust me, you won't be doing your dog any favor if it's too loose and you have to give 10 times the number of corrections and it's rubbing and chafing her neck because YOU weren't using it correctly. Make sure it's a snug fit... Only 1/2 finger spacing works best.

How To Teach Your Dog to love it’s collar without it becoming Collar-Smart & Shy!

If you put the pinch collar on your dog immediately before training, he'll become COLLAR-SMART! He'll respond like a complete angel when the collar is on but like a real devil when the collar is off. Eventually when he sees the collar again, being COLLAR-SHY he will run away. Here’s the remedy,

• • Prior to the application of wearing a prong, spend a few days with this exercise. Show him the prong & reward him with some food.
  • Next continue again thereafter by everytime after placing the prong on him, reward him with food or before meal time. Dogs are creatures of habit, he will associate the prong as an object of forth coming reward and repetition is always the best way to do things.

So, just like the Alpha dog who always has the ability to correct the subordinate dogs (with his mouth)... so must you! The prong collar is like power steering communicator, it is safe and humane. It is a phenomenal tool for teaching your dog to walk on a loose leash FAST & EASY, as well as allows you to give your dog a motivational correction that’s straight to the point.

Choke chain:

Choke chains are also made of metal, which can rust and stain the coat, or rub the hair off the neck area. The choke chain focuses all of the correction on only one part of the neck, making it necessary to use more physical force for a correction. This can cause bruising of the neck with constant pulling or hard corrections. Prong Collar is designed to provide the right amount of pressure around the neck, so it requires a much lighter touch and eliminates the need for harsh corrections. When put on incorrectly, a choke chain will not release properly, and if caught on something, can act as a dangerous noose. Whereas prong collar will release the moment slack is provided to the leash.

Regular dog collar:

While regular collars are good for keeping tags on your dog, they are not recommended for training purposes. Dogs will learn to pull against these types collars if your going out for a walk when he is not corrected. However when your dog is properly trained & conditioned with a prong, the use of a regular collar will then be introduce as a replacement of the prong training collar.

The Gentle Leader head collar ( Haiti):
The Gentle Leader (also sometimes marketed under the name: Halti) is similar in appearance to the head halter used by horse riders. It's fairly easy to use. It's cheap. And it will stop your dog from pulling. But does it really help to teach your dog anything? NO it doesn’t it!

The Gentle Leader is a restraint mechanism. There is a huge difference between restrainingan animal and training an animal. Yes, these dog halters work The premise is that the halter controls the dog's head. And where the head goes, the body must follow. The main problem is that-- in addition to restraining the dog from pulling-- the dog also becomes "equipment smart" to the fact that he's wearing the Halti. The Halti can only be used for taking the dog for a walk on the leash. You cannot correct your dog for unwanted behavior with a Halti, your dog may not pay attention while not wearing it, as it is primarily used simply as an aid in leash walking.

The Halti can also rub the hair off the nose and muzzle area. Many dogs also feel very restricted with the use of a these head collar, plus it is not exactly a good idea applying stressful yanks & twisting your dogs neck consistently just to get it’s attention.

It is not as easy to train your dog to walk properly on leash, like you can with the a prong collar, so why would anyone use one of these to restrain their dog when they can teach their dog not to pull in less than 10 minutes using the pinch collar? Since the Prong would fits similar to a regular collar, your dog will be comfortable while wearing it and learning from it. While there might be some benefits to head type collars, Prong collar is easier to use and is more versatile for most applications.

• Inhumane Dog Training
  http://www.oozemagazine.co.uk/obeyorbecorrected.htm