What type of collar should I use on a 5 month old when walking? Should it be a pinch or chain choker? He does better with the pinch but people have told me they don't like it. Labs are so strong and pull hard. thanks, Steve's mom

I have been using the pinch collar on Anubis. She was a very hard puller and I found that the choker would only "choke" her. She would not stop pulling with it. She tried to take off on me while wearing the pinch collar and she got to the end of the leash, let out a quick yipe, and hasn't pulled on me since. I haven't been able to walk her without it yet, she still pulls when she knows its not on.;) She is a little stubborn.

For a hardwilled puller, there is no way I'd walk them with a choker. Whenever Sandy would get into a pulling notion on her choker, there was absolutely no way you could actually use the collor correctly as there was no way to give a correction. I *barely* ever use a choker any more. For any walks, the prong collar is on.

I agree -- prong collar. The choker has been shown to harm neck muscles on dogs that pull. I can't walk my two without them!

I was wondering about this too, thanks for bringing it up! I use a halti and find Sunny still pulls now and then, but not always. I find it a bit cumbersome when jogging with her and wondered if the pinch or prong (same thing?) would be a better collar??? do you use it in addition to her id collar that they always wear? or do you have to switch? could someone post a picture of one? on or off? that would be great. What a wonder site! I always feel so glad to jump online and see all the pics and stories and information which has been so invaluable!!!:p:

I may be confused with the names of the collars. The one I use isn't a choker. It has prongs on the inside of the collar. I guess it would be a prong collar. I always thought it was a pinch collar.:confused:

The prong and pinch collars are the same thing.

I'd post a picture, but I am on a time limit at the moment and I gotta get my butt in gear and start getting ready for work!

Here is a picture of bailey wearing a prong collar.

(SIDENOTE - he had just come back from a walk with his grandmother - my mom and she wanted to take his pic and hadnt taken the collar off yet. In my opinion, you should not leave a prong collar on a dog around the house, as it can EASILY get caught on many things and choke him! :2cents: )

http://www.cartogra.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=3da25abb-54ae-3d52-4c05-490c67623147&size=

thanks for the pick and the info! I am wondering whether to get one of these. I am leaning toward "yes" . Especially as she is growing daily! lol. last weigh in was 20.6 I think thats like 50 some odd pounds? I'm not good at conversion. I definitely don't like the metric system... blagh! lol. In school I remember switching from imperial to metric and boy that was no fun.:rolleyes: again giving away my age?lol

I have always thought of this as a pich collar
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20030501224401/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/large/p_2879.jpg

and this as a prong collar
http://www.dog-tracker.com/Supplies/shops/Product/prongclip.jpg

I had always thought the prong was called nothing more than a prong collar for a while too. Then I've noticed a vast number of people calling it a pinch collar and I too thought a pinch collar was of the 1st collar you posted JJ. Later, I found people calling that 1st collar by another name that I can't think of for some odd reason. I guess I don't want to remember the name of that collar being I'll never use one. I've handled those collars in stores before and those point on the inside are sharp, but they say to file the points down (well than why in the world don't they sell 'em with prefiled points?!).

I've always called it just a prong collar being I've always thought the pinch collar was the collar in the 1st picture also.

They both look more than intimidating to me... am I being too much of a baby? so the prong collar is the way to go? it doesn't hurt? or just enough to quickly get the dog to slow down? Does it tighten and release instantly? sorry so many questions... I have a month to wait before obedience training (june 25)

The prong collar doesn't hurt. Try one on your upper arm or leg then try a choke chain or the other type of pinch collar. The latter two both administer a little more pain in their own ways. Plus, such a collar like the prong collar is a little more natural to the dog being its some what like how a mother dog would discipline a pup. It does tighten and release instantly.

I will be using the prong collar. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

I use a Gentle Leader with Bacon. It works wonders and if totally pain-free.

We use prong collars for both our dogs whenever we go for a walk. That's what was suggested at obedience class - one of the instructors has 2 big black labs and she swore by it. It has worked great. You just want to let the collar do the pinching when the dog pulls - keep the leash fairly slack and do not tug on the tug. They get the hint really quick after the first pinch or two. I was worried about it being cruel at first but it is not - the best thing going!

thanks from me too... I am going to try the gentle leader again... see if it works before buying another collar.

We tried the gentle leader on both our pups and had the hardest time getting them to adjust. It never happened so we chose the prong;) collar. It really does work wonders when walking. I use to get a very sore arm after walking Anubis without one. Now I barely realize that she is on the leash!