The Secret To Choosing a Dog Training Collar
Steve Wagstaffe
Without 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 fit of the prong collar should be snug against the dog's neck. There is usually some leeway with these types of collars in that you can add or remove prongs to adjust the fit. A ready guide for the fit is if you can fit your finger between the collar and the dog's neck. If the collar is looser than that, it will not do it's job properly.
The Halti collar, also known as the Gentle Leader, is more akin to a harness than a collar. It fits over the dog's face and works by closing the dog's mouth when the leash attached to the collar is pulled. The theory is that if you can control the dog's head, you will be able to control the whole dog. This type of collar is especially good for pulling or aggressive dogs.
There is a downside to this type of collar though. Dog's, as a rule, do not like having restrainers on their face, and it might be quite a job to get your dog to accept a harness of this type. Care should also be taken bot to pull the head to hard, because the dog could suffer injuries to the neck or back.
One of the most effective collars used in dog training are choke collars. They can be abused though, either through ignorance or sometimes malice. If you do not know how to use a choke collar properly, seek expert help.
It is essential that a choke collar is fitted correctly, because they have the potential to harm the dog. The choke collar works by tightening around the dog's throat when the trainer pulls on the leash. The tightness should be released when the trainer releases the leash, but in the case of a badly fitted collar, this might not happen, and the dog will continue to be choked. If a dog continually pulls on its leash, then a choke collar would not be an appropriate training device. They should also only be used by experienced handlers.
Electronic dog collars are relatively new dog training devices. If they are used correctly, they can be a very humane way to train a dog. Used incorrectly, then the dogs could suffer as a consequence.
The electronic dog collars work by allowing trainers to give dogs small electric shocks via a remote control to control the behaviour of the dog. How much of a shock the dog gets is entirely in the hands of the trainer, so in good hands, the electronic dog trainer can be very flexible and very effective. As a rule of thumb, the shock that is applied should be just enough to make the dog's ears twitch, but obviously the amount of electricity involved will depend on the size of the dog. In any case however, if the dog cries out when the electricity is applied, then the setting is too high. Once again, this type of collar is only really suitable for experienced trainers.
About the Author:
|
