is it time for a prong collar? - Page 1

or pinch collar...those are the same thing right?....

the only thing i cannot get boss to do is to slow down on the leash...he will heel off leash in the yard...but if i go for a walk, espc with someone else, he thinks he HAS to be the leader...he does'nt fight the leash or try to take off after things ..but if im walking with someone else, and they take off running, he will DRAG me trying to get ahead of them...and he won't let it be a slow paced walk untill HE get tired....the choke collar does not work, do i need to get a more serious collar?

he needs more leash work, have you ever used the long line?

If he's forging ahead of you hes not paying attention to you.   With a firm grip and no warning do a right turn around and dont look back.   Dont slow down or stop or tug, just lock the leash to your body and do it.  If something distracts him do a turn about, no sounds or warnings of any kind.  Not even a look, just react quick and make the turn around keeping the leash locked to you firmly.  I hope hes not to big and be prepared for a hard pull.   I dont think you need a pinch collar, just a little more work with the leash and his concentration upon you only.  Offer all the distractions you can and always be firm with no warning, he will begin to keep focused on you.   It helps to do all this when they are young and not to big on a long line.

Yes don't be afraid to use a prong collar properly fitted and used they are a highly effective means of training. As a woman of less weight than our young male we decided against our fears to try one for the same reason you are asking it was impossible to go for a walk I was towed instead, leerburg.com has an illsustration of the positioning. You don;t need to pull or hurt your dog every time he pulls he will feel the prongs which are making contact in a tough area at the back of the neck not on the throat like a strong pull on a normal collar is. The dog pulls it immediately gets poked the prongs are not sharp more of a discomfort I can attest to the quick message this sends to your pet YOU ARE IN CONTROL and we didn't need to use it more than three times and the pulling stopped. That was several years ago and I have suggested it to other new owners with good results although many dogs would not need the "power steering "

two moons>>>If he's forging ahead of you hes not paying attention to you.   With a firm grip and no warning do a right turn around and dont look back.   Dont slow down or stop or tug, just lock the leash to your body and do it.<<<

i've never used the long leash....but i do something similar to this without it...(i did start out doing this with a regular size leash, when he was a lot younger)...when we go out in the back field, as we are walking--when he he is ahead of me- i will suddenly take off in the other direction...i get maybe two steps and he turns and chases after me..a little ways down the field, he's already running ahead..i turn again, he he follows...if/ when he gets distracted by something in the woods, he goes in the woods, i take off running away from the woods...without calling him, within seconds he's crashing out to follow me....he acts like he doesn't pay attention to where i am, but i know he does...but he only shows it if he thinks im leaving him, or HIS area....lol...come to think of it, i thought by doing that i was showing him that i was in control and that i could leave him anytime...maybe he actually thinks he's in control because all he has to do is come out and look at me and I RETURN to HIS area...like he is herding me...hummm, am i the sheep?

i kinda have another question....i can get him to heel somewhat on-leash with treat or a toy,and he will not take his eyes off of me with either , but that presents another problem...he is soo food driven  that he will pratically take my hand off when i try to hand him a treat....how do i stop that? and with a toy,--my kids can walk around with a toy or something he wants, and it is beautiful to watch, he will heel perfectly for them, he will walk right beside them and just stare at them waiting calmly for them to throw the toy for him or give him a treat.....if i try to do this then he is all over me, jumping and trying to take the toy(wanting to play tug).... i think this is because i never allow the kids to play tug with him, they are only allowed to throw a toy so he will wait for them to throw it....and i keep him away/ fuss at him when the kids are eating their own food....but no one has ( i have) never fussed at him for reciving food from me, and i play tug with him all the time....how do i get him to heel and WAIT for the reward, not try to take the reward from me...when he does heel right, i want to reward him, but then im just rewarding bad behavior with it, like taking my hand with the reward...

i am gonna  give the long leash thing a try tho..i think your right about him not having enough leash work, i let him off leash in the yard so he can excercise and play, but i guess i souldnt do that until he is trained on-leash,  and with a long leash he will still have room , but i will still have control.....thanks for the advice..i dont have a reg. long leash on-hand, but i do have a rope under the barn that about 50 ft. i use that untill i get one.. thanks for the advice..

stronbond--- thanks for the advice too......that IS one of my problems...he's getting to be a big dog and im not very big myself...i don't think he really takes me seriously...im guess im not a very dominant person (not a man..lol....) but i think he is a very dominant dog..... he seems to not feel pain, acts like he doesnt even feel a choke collar...Ive even tried jabbing his side with my fingers (this works some inside but not outside) or tapping his side with my foot, like ceaser does..<<lol...but he basicly just rolls his eyes at me like he's saying " are you kidding me?.."..

if it comes down to it, i guess i will have to get a prong collar...but i worry that it may be to much force..i don't have much experi

iluvmygsd,   A  Prong collar in the long run will be far easier on the dog and you. It actually  is  in the long run more humane than having to rock his world with a choke.  Your corrections will be far easier to get his attention. I see too much prong collars being used today in areas that it is not needed.  But in situations like yours, getting his attention quicker and promptly is IMO the best way to go. Keep in mind that you want to set up the situation on your terms, not wait for something to happen where YOU will have to be the one that is trying to react. In other words set him up to exhibit the behavior you desire to correct. Then, you are ready, in control and are prepared to give the verbal correction or directive to him as you give the physical correction. Hope this makes sense. P.S.  If you decide to get a prong collar, (which I think is a valuable tool to have anyways)  practice with it a little and get a feel for how much force you need to use.  He may figure out on his own that this new thing he is wearing is something to be respected.  Proper positioning is important as well, the collar should be fit snug and up high on the neck.  Good luck

I didn't see where you mentioned how old your pup or dog is, or what the training has been, so I can't address whether or not it is time for a prong.

I've never liked the "chokes" because of the damage they can do.  I'll take the "prong" over the "choke" every minute of the day, every day of the week.

Get with a good trainer who can show you how to properly fit and issue a correction with a prong and you'll see all the difference in the world.  But, if you don't fit it correctly or use it correctly you will undo all the trust the dog has in you, training will go out the door, and more than likely you will create more problems than you have.

Is it possible for you do do a bit more "kitchen training" working on his "focus" on you without use of compulsion or leads at all, then graduate to more "distracting" situations from there?

You need to have the leash short not long...he needs to be right by your left side one left hand on short reign...make him sit by yur side,,,left foot forward   fuss'   fuss;   take 5 steps forward keeping him close to your knee and gentle tug if he tries to move over...dont let him go forward  short reign him ....the minute he starts to go ahead   stop   firm  sitz.....if not sitx  good quick correction and sitz   reward   practice this about   777 times for the next month....each week   go furthrer with yur steps....8 steps forward   sitz    do this until he gets the fuss ,,sitz routine down,,,,,donot let him play on leash.....kennel him for 30 minutes in sky kennel for thinking .....take him out and free him to play....get serious about this....he cant be let to go further thatn your knee.....along about the 10 steps forward do an about turn like tWO MOONS   told you  , but you keep him short reingned  saying fuss..,,,,gently tug toward where you want him to go...keep treats in bag in your stomach to reward him...never train more thatn 15 minutes and reward the second he does right....the minute he sitz by your left side after   5 steps    reward him within 2 seconds..... in a month you can lengthen the stretch and have him walking long paces and turn about and go the other way.....then  practice turning into him   knee him out of the way ,,but you have short leash  and fuss....as you turn into him   he has to move  knee him and hold leash up so he will go as you turn.....

it works   but an every day thing and do not let him play and forge forward...a bad trait is hard to overcome...

And Yes   do all this with a prong collar....only need a gentle tug with it on to get his attention.....never tug hard....if he doesnt sit the first time   s tep into the fuss two steps and try it again....the collar is to keep him by your side and if you keep a piece of wienie in front of his nose and say fuss   fuss    fuss and show him the weinei,,,let him look and follow it ,,,sitz    the minute he sitz with your gentle tug if not...give him the weinie.....

It's always time for a prong collar!!!

I just came back from Obedience with Theo, the Therapy dog, and the last 2 times I went,
I tried using just his buckle collar, cause he's soooooo well behaved around the house,
& when he visits the elderly, but all he did was pull and act like a jerk with the buckle collar, like
I wasn't even there, pulling ahead of me or lagging behind.

Then tonight at training with the buckle collar, he was a changed dog, it was a miracle!!!!!

Everytime I stopped he sat, when I walked he was glued to my side, awaiting my every move,
no treats, just a pat on the head saying Good Boy!

I didn't even need to tug the prong collar to correct him, he just did everything smooth like butter!!

He even did his little show that he does for the seniors, he rolled over & over & over, all in a row!!!

I was amazed, I can only say it was that collar, I only hope I can wean him off it, cause he can't go
to an AKC OB show wearing all that bling!!!!!!!!