Discouraged from using Pinch/Prong Collar.....

[KING157]

Hello Everyone,

Still pretty new to this site but I love all the information and thank you all. I'm just soaking it all up like a sponge and it is helping me tremendously with KING.

Ok, so after reading the sticky on best advice, I was so excited to go purchase a pinch/prong collar (btw, are they the same thing?). Anyways, as I was ready to make my purchase, a Petco rep stopped me and discouraged me from hurting my best friend (I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!!!). She even said being that since I've never used one before, it would probably cause injuries and make matters worse. She recommended some other collar that goes around the nose/mouth area and allows me to pull their head forcing them to come back to me when they start pulling...... I didn't want to purchase anything until I confirmed with people I trust and most of all people that love and know the LABRADOR. So I put the collar back and walked out empty-handed feeling bad and confused.

Any advice would be great. Thank you all in advance!


Karl

[Dio's mama]

I have never used a prong/pinch collar, but I am not against them. If used properly, they do not hurt your dog. I have seen many labs with them and they walked amazingly well and were the sweetest dogs. If you pull on it, yank on it, then ya, it'll hurt them. A slight tug is really all you need to get the message across. Same goes for martingale and choke collars. You never pull or yank with those.

[Tanya]

before accepting any training/feeding advice from someone working at a petstore, consider their knowledge base. Some of these people are not necessary educated in animals and are paid minimum wage - so I wouldn't take what they say as any more or less "true" as what people tell me on the street. The fact they work there doesn't mean they are educated in animal training/health. (then again, maybe they are but thru their own research!)

the pinch and prong are the same. They are useful when necessary and when used properly they are LESS dangerous then other collars (even the flat which can choke the dog and damage their throat). But you absolutely have to get the proper fit and use it properly.

I would talk to trainers about tools and recommendations (and ensure you fit it properly, a vast majority of people who use these are NOT using them properly or fitting them properly). There are tons of tools, i always try others before jumping to the prong (though I HAVE used one! I am by no means anti-prong)

Oh and one super important thing if you DO use a prong - ONLY put it on the dog when training (or walking). ALWAYS remove it when you get home, end the trainign session or let the dog play. I HATE seeding dogs play at the dog park with it on (and yes, MOST prong users do this)

with fosters I try the martingale first (and this is all I need for most dogs), then a no-pull harness, then a head halter. if none work I go to the prong. But remember the tool is just a small part, the training is what is hugely important.

[KING157]

Thank you all so much for the input. KING is a tough boy and pulls with great strength. He's great when walking in our backyard (enclosed fence). He stays right next to me for the most part (and I do reward him to let him know that is the right idea). But once I take him into the "real world," it becomes a whole different story and he pulls in all different directions (just excited to smell his neighbors and their markings) leaving me behind in the dust using all my strength to come to a stop (and treats do not work once he is in the zone). Anyhow, you both mentioned the martingale, so I will definitely do some research and consider that as my first option.

[kaytris]

Pinch collars ***DO*** hurt. That's why they work - when the dog pulls, the links tighten and pinch. It's not a torture device, the pain isn't debilitating (for most dogs) but saying that they don't cause pain is disingenous - if there wasn't discomfort, they simply wouldn't work. Improperly used, or with some sensitive dogs, there can be behavioural fall out with corrective collars (pinch or choke/slip collars), so a savvy owner should go in with their eyes and mind open.

I agree with Tanya's list of choices - 99% of my dogwalking clients that pull on the leash are fine with a frontclip harness - not a head halter as the clerk was mentioning, but a harness like this: http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/002...peg?1249772288

[lisa]

My daughter has a lab/boxer mix that pulls terrible on the leash...her tongue actually turned purple from pulling so hardt with a regular collar. We never tried a pinch collar, we tried a head halti...that did not work. Then we tried a easy walk harness, which clips in the front of her chest...this works much better. We are still working out the kinks, trying to get it adjusted just righ, but I think it will be successful. Good luck and keep us posted

[LuvBrown]

They don't cause pain, they are just uncomfortable. I've had more luck with my dogs (especially head strong boys) with a prong vs. the gentle leader (which I think is utter crap and can cause damage to a dogs neck muscles).

Get the prong and next time a minimum wage part time Petsmart/Petco employee stops you, tell them if they'd like to you take your business elsewhere to keep on flapping their lips.

[Canula2000]

I love my prong collars....not for puppies though. I wouldn't use them on a dog less than 9 months. They are for training only. For my Boston terrier I actually turn it inside out so the prongs are on the outside. We tried choke chains and they left marks, like brusing on her neck. The prong collar was more gentle for her, we also tried martingales and they just slipped down so I had no control. I also like the prong with some of my stronger foster dogs that have never had a leash lesson in their life.

[BigBrownDog]

I used a Gentle Leader head halter with great success on my Dutch Shepherd, but found that prongs worked much, much better with my Labs. A prong would have been overkill on the Shepherd and the GL on my Lab just had no effect.

If you use a GL wrong you certainly can damage a dog's neck muscles - but correctly used (on the right dog) it is a great tool.

[KING157]

**UPDATE** ok, so I've had the prong collar for about 3 days now. With the enrolling of obedience training and the collar, I am seeing tremendous positive results. King is heeling (even when we go on our morning 3 mile run), sitting, staying (that's all we've learned so far in obedience training), no more jumping when being intrduced to new people (aslong as the prong is on), etc. I am actually quite shocked on how effective the prong is working on King. My trainer demonstrated the correct way to use it, just a little tug when correcting goes LONGGGGGG ways. Thank you all again, I hope to be able to use a regular collar very very soon!