Great collar for training. It is well made, with smooth, rounded prong tips. I find that most people have no idea how to properly fit this collar and as a result, the collar is too low on the neck and becomes much less effective. The collar has to be fitted snugly high up on the neck, behind the dog's ears. You also have to determine what level of correction you dog needs. You can use the collar on the "dead ring" or on the "live ring". Anyone who has not been taught how to properly fit and use a prong collar has to research this FIRST. You can find the fitting information on the Leerburg training website at Leerburg.com. Type in Prong Collar and an earticle on "How to Fit a Prong Collar" will come up. Being properly educated makes all the difference. This collar is great for training the "heel" during walking and for corrections in training. May people feel the prong collars are barbaric, but if they are used properly, they are safe and very effective. These collars are used to simulate the same correction a mother or older dog gives using their teeth on the neck of a puppy who is not behaving. Last I checked, this was not considered barbaric behavior in dogs. This collar is better than a "choke chain" or "slip collar" because those collars choke the dog and can cause damage to the dog's neck and airway. The prong collar does not "choke" the dog and instead puts simply puts pressure on the neck. I recommend this collar to anyone who is serious about training their dog effectively.
We recently adopted a lab mix from a local shelter that was immensely over-crowded. She is a wonderful dog, but she was the WORST puller I have ever had the displeasure to walk! It got to the point where I caught myself not wanting to exercise her because it was so exhausting.
My mother bought her a traditional choke collar (like this one Guardian Gear Choke Chain Dog Collar Med. Wt. 2.5mm 18), which only lead to her pulling harder and now CHOKING herself! Curious to test the collar, I put it around my upper arm and pulled really hard. The supposedly "humane" choke collar gave me a bruise and a sore arm for four days!
THEN we tried a "Gentle Leader."(Gentle Leader Quick Release Head Collar, Medium, Royal Blue) Do not be deceived by the name of this product. My dog HATED it. It would force her head to whip around in an unnatural way, and I became fearful of doing neck/spinal damage to my dog. Not only that, but because she pulled so hard, it would become ridiculously tight around her face, start cutting into her muzzle, and restrict panting (which any veterinarian will tell you is incredibly dangerous, especially in summer).
Some people suggested a harness, but there was no way I was giving my already strong dog a way to drag me down the street! I would essentially be making her into an amateur sled dog, except I would be the sled. NO THANKS.
I was at my wits' end.
I have a few friends who are excellent dog trainers (one of whom owns a dog with several obedience titles) and I'd seen them all use prong collars. One of my friends pointed me to Herm Sprenger for their high quality collars (with beveled prong tips) and I COULDN'T be happier. I admit, I was a little hesitant because of the way the collars look, but let me tell you, they are FAR more comfortable for your dog. I did the same test I did with the choke collar, and there was no bruise, no pain, only a slight pressure around my arm. As far as the collar in action, it was like walking a whole new dog! BOTH my dog and I enjoyed our walk, and there was no pulling at all.
People who say these collars are barbaric have clearly not done their research. I chose the appropriate collar for my dog's size and weight, fitted it properly (snug but not tight), put it on in the right place(high on the neck, just below the ears), and learned the difference between the "live" and "dead" rings. It doesn't put direct pressure on your dog's windpipe/trachea and is therefore a hundred times more comfortable.
This prong collar works wonders. My dog and I are thrilled, and it's safe to say, there are many more walks in our future thanks to this collar.I have an 80lb Old English Bulldog. All muscle but super friendly. He got this huge before he became one years old. Since a puppy, he has been obedient to commands. All around good behavior, but he's a chewer and LOVES to pull when outside. I've tried everything, voice commands, normal collar, shock collar(didn't like walking around with a buzzer in my hand), harness, and that silly leash that wraps around the snout (try that with a bulldog snout,waste of time). I saw the prong collar on the Dog Whisperer show, but i was one of those people that thought the prongs looked dangerous. So i stayed with a normal leather collar, and chalked it up as exercise every time i fought to keep my dog by my side when he would see other dogs or wanted to play with children. Then one night while walking we ran into a couple of deer. My dog went into defense and pulled so hard that he somehow popped the metal link on the collar. He bolted after the deer and disappeared into the night. After about 10 minutes i found him safe, and no deer hopefully were injured. I kept thinking what if he would have been hit by a car, or scared someone. I finally gave in and bought this collar. After reading several informative reviews, i educated myself on the CORRECT use of the collar. You MUST buy the right size for your dog, and properly fit the collar in order for everything to go smoothly.
The first day i received it i waited until the night walk to practice with my dog. The collar is very nice, solid construction. I fitted the collar to my dogs upper neck, just below the ears. My dog was not happy. While outside he attempted to pull hard, and immediately knew something was different. He tried shaking it off and attempting several barrel rolls to remove the collar. At no time did i pull the collar, he just didn't like the feel. After about 5 minutes he finally gave in. He walked next to me the entire walk, when he would try to pull, i would give a light tug. My dog immediately stopped pulling and heeled WITHOUT me verbally telling him to do so. The next couple of walks, PERFECT. No pulling. During the morning walk when we would run into all the other dogs in the neighborhood my dog passed the test again. No pulling, he waits for me to approach the dogs and doesn't try to drag me with him. This collar is perfect, and the price makes it a no brainer. Make sure you educate yourself on the use of the collar before purchasing it or bashing it. Not inhumane at all, my dog would gasp for air and seem like he was purposely choking himself when i would walk him with normal collars. Big difference with this collar. Even if you have the best trained dog in the world, the dog could one day decide not to listen. Why risk the animal getting hurt, causing an accident, or someone suing you because your dog frightened them. This collar is insurance it never happens. Best thing i ever bought for my dog.
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We use this with our 1yo 80+ lb female German Shepard, and it works like a dream. I used to be one of those people who thought collars like this are cruel, but honestly, I was simply uneducated. (I also used to think it was cute to feed a dog from the table, let them jump up when they wanted, let them sleep on whatever furniture they wanted, would never think of crating a dog, establishing rules, etc. In other words, I was an idiot. But I digress...)So we (and Azula) were professionally trained by a reputable school in the area, and we all got through it with pretty good marks. It was 4-5 weeks long, and during that time, the trainers introduced us to this collar. We kept using it they way they showed us, and it's been great.
And really, I promise you, it is not cruel to use this collar! In fact, I think it's the opposite, and actually reduces the chance of a dog seriously hurting itself from pulling too hard when on a lead. Case in point, we somehow lost our first prong collar (hence, the purchase of this new one); in the interim, I had Azula's lead attached to her regular canvas collar. Although she's trained, she is still a puppy, and she definitely gets excited when we go for walks in strange places and other dogs are around. She scared the bejeezes out of me several times when she launched herself against the lead, because she almost crushed her windpipe in the process. The noises she was making out of her moth afterward were heart wrenching. Of course, she didn't understand that she was contributing to her own problem, and it happened several more times. Has this *ever* happened with the pronged collar? No. Why? Because the prong collar makes it uncomfortable to pull without doing any damage, so she stops pulling much sooner long before there's danger of real injury. She also has a nice thick coat, and the prongs don't usually even make it to her skin (yes, we check and adjust the collar regularly). But even if the prongs do get to the skin on her neck, I'll take that over a crushed windpip any day. I'm betting she'd agree with me.
We have a great dog, and we love her dearly. She's happy and healthy, and has no problem wearing this collar when it's time for a walk, she sits right down, tail thumping like crazy, waiting for us to put it on with her leash (obviously, this collar only goes on with a leash you don't leave it on all the time). The collar has been an excellent training aid, and I firmly believe it has prevented injury on our highly energetic pup.
There is a right way and a wrong way to use this collar, so I do strongly recommend this: LEARN HOW TO USE THIS COLLAR PROPERLY FROM A GOOD TRAINER BEFORE YOU START USING IT WITH YOUR DOG. E.g, you're not supposed to pull long and hard on the lead it should never be a battle of strength! The proper technique is to give the collar a quick shake and then release pressure. Repeat if necessary. What this does is gets your dog's attention back on you, and away from the dog/squirrel/child/water buffalo she (or he) was trying to make a break for. Never pull long and hard on the lead with this collar on your dog. If your dog is that crazy, then make him (or her) sit or lie down until they calm down, and then try again. If it persists, go back inside so they realize that sort of behavior does not get them outside more often. Wait a while and try again. Be patient. Put in the time. It's amazing what your dog will learn if you put in the investment.
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Some people have strong, high drive dogssport and/or working dogs, such Retrievers, German Shepherds, Border Collies, Rottweilers, Malinois, etc.for many of those dogs, a "sissy collar" just doesn't cut it. Professional trainers use prong collars because they simulate the correction by
a mother or older dog on the neck of a puppy who is misbehaving. More importantly, instead of choking a dog these prong collars put pressure
on the neck without choking the dog. I recommend this collar to anyone with a high drive dog who is serious about training.
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