Open any catalog or go to any pet supply store and you might be overwhelmed by the variety of tools available to help you train your dogs. Flat collars, round flat collars, slip collars in nylon, thin chain, thick chain, martingales, short leashes, long leashes, check cords, clickers, whistles, halters, scat mats..... it goes on and on.
Each tool was designed to deal with specific situations. You may find yourself using one or the other to the exclusion of everything else, or, you may find that you require different tools at different times. The motto at Shofar is "Whatever works." We also believe that the dog determines what tools you use. Start with the least forceful tool. If it's effective, use it. If it's not, first check yourself and if you're doing everything right, upgrade your tool. The right equipment allows you to communicate effectively with your dog in a subtle way, with fairly small movements on your part. Think of your equipment as training and not restraining devices.
And that brings us to the most important tool of all: you. It is you, the human half of your team, who sets the tone for training and all the tools in the world will not take the place of your good attitude toward training your dog.
This article is meant to familiarize you with what's out there so you can find the best tools to help you communicate with the canine half of your team.
This is probably the collar best known by the layman. It is a mineature 'belt' that either buckles or snaps around the dog's neck. It comes in a variety of widths and fabrics. Styles vary from plain leather to collars adorned ornately with rhinestones and pearls.
Every dog should have a buckle collar. It is on this collar that any tags should be hung. If you absolutely must tie your dog, (not recommended except for short periods of time and under supervision) this is the collar to use. Flat collars also have some use in lead-training very young puppies. However, they are the least effective for training your older puppy or dog . The pressure on the dog's neck is essentially the same under all conditions, therefore it is not an effective tool for signalling 'right' or 'wrong.'
Of course, there are always exceptions. Some dogs do respond to the slight changes in pressure offered by a buckle collar, so if you want to start out with one in training, by all means, do so. However, if you find you are having to repeat a correction more than once or twice, you'd probably be better off upgrading to another type of collar.
If you are only going to use the collar to hang tags on, then a very thin collar (perhaps one designed for a cat) would be sufficient. If your dog is a puller or must be tied out (fenced runs are recommended instead) a wider collar would be appropriate. Generally, flat collars are appropriate for short-haired dogs; round ones for long-haired dogs. The fancy collars are usually not constructed to withstand the rigors of training.
Once a dog is trained, it does not matter what kind of collar you put on him.
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This is the correct orientation of the slip collar but it is set too low on the neck. (See below) The slip collar comes in many lengths and is offered in nylon, leather, or chains of many thicknesses and weight. Nylon collars are recommended for those dogs needing little in the way of negative reinforcement. The nylon collar is also recommended for very young puppies. Leather slip collars may be suitable for some dogs but they usually hang up, affecting the timing of the correction. |
Chain slip collars come in every variety, from jeweled links to links heavy enough to moor a boat. Since we are seeking a means of signalling a dog of a mistake as close to the second that he makes it, and because the dog will, in the first lesson, give up pulling on the leash for all time, the jeweled, or fine link chain will serve for even the biggest dog. .
Whichever slip collar you select for your dog, it must fit properly to be effective. Unlike the picture above, the collar should sit high up on the dog's neck, preferably just behind his ears and should require only 1-2 inches of 'pull chain' to tighten it. The reason the collar should sit up high on the dog's neck is because that is where the least amount of force is required to make an effective correction. Corrections delivered lower down on the neck land on muscle, and the handler must increase the force of delivery to communicate with the dog. Doing so not only takes a lot out of a handler, but increases the danger of damaging the dog's trachea. And, in the language of Bella Oxymx, "It ain't subtle." (Bella Oxmyx is the syndicate boss in Star Trek's A Piece of the Action.)
For large-headed dogs, slip collars which snap into place rather than slip over the dog's head are available in quality pet stores and by mail order. They are excellent for training but are not allowed to be used in AKC obedience trials.
To put on the slip collar, refer to the picture above. With one end of the chain in either of your hands, slip the chain through the left ring until both rings are touching. If you now pull the ring that is sticking up you will see the letter 'P'. Face your dog and slip the collar over his head. Gently pull on the active ring. If it touches the top of the other ring, it is on correctly. If it comes from the bottom, take the collar off and reverse it. If the collar is not sitting correctly on the dog's neck it will not release properly.
If you find that you 'ain't being subtle' with the slip collar, you might want to give the prong collar a try. Also known as the pinch collar, it is made up of metal links. Each link has two loops to connect it to the next link and two 'teeth' which face downward and fit snugly around the dog's neck. The links are connected by a small chain and a loop to which you snap your leash. When that chain is tightened, the 'teeth' of the collar pinch into the dog's neck and, unlike the slip collar, which centers pressure on the dog's trachea, the correction is diffused all around the dog's neck. The timing of the correction is the same as with a slip collar, but very little pressure is required to be effective. Generally, people who have not mastered the timing of the slip collar or who restrain their dogs (instead of allowing a slack leash in between corrections) should not use a prong.
It is imperative that the prong collar be of the correct weight and be properly fitted and placed on the dog. There are three sizes of prong collars available. The largest of the three is, in my opinion, a waste of money, as it does not close properly. It is also overkill, unnecessary for even the most aggressive pullers. The recommended collar is the medium weight or 3mm, which comes with links enough for about 17". If your dog's neck is larger than 17" you can purchase extra 3mm links. A microprong is available for small, toy or well trained dogs.
The collar should be fitted snugly, just behind the dog's ears. 'Snug' means tight enough to stay in place without pinching into the dog's skin.
Warning: Do not tie your dog on a prong collar. Do not leave the prong collar on the dog when you crate him.
(This incomplete article was updated 3/29/02. Maybe someday it will be finished.)
