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  1. #1
    House Broken sandyut's Avatar
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    Training Collar Alternative

    Hi all,

    Can anyone recommend an alternative to a training (prong) collar? we have used them with a couple pups, but wanted to see if there was a better alternative for keeping them from pulling and misbehaving.

    thanks!

  2. #2
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    I always liked the Gentle Leader. I used it on both of the Catahoulas I had and it worked very well until Houla number 2 chewed hers up lol. I also like a martingale collar as I think they aren't as severe as a prong. Nothing against prongs though. They do work.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Volhard collar? These were supplied by the local Obedience Club where I took my first Lab and the one collar lasted her whole life. Oban uses one now, partly because it does up around my waist when I let him off leash. But I put a prong on him when he was about 8 months old, till around 2 years old. Right now I don't even know where it is. Both Volhard and Prong should have some lessons on how to put them on and use them.

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  4. #4
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    The first obedience group I went to with our older lab also used the Volhard training collars and they were distributed when you signed up for the initial class. Subsequent trainers have wanted us to use prong collars so that's what I usually use. I should see if I can find that Volhard collar and see how Lark likes it. It is intended to sit high on their neck, just behind their ears, not lower on their neck.

  5. #5
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    If you train the dog, you shouldn't need a training collar. Maybe you have a local obedience class that can work with you on this?

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  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    If you train the dog, you shouldn't need a training collar. Maybe you have a local obedience class that can work with you on this?
    Absolute bullcrap^^ if you really think that, you need to do some more research. Basic OB classes are usually bad and can all be taught at home, unless you find a real good trainer. there is absolutely nothing wrong with using training collars and such to assist in training. Using them wrong and just as a "bandage" for behavioural issues is wrong and yes, you should just train you dog, but using them for training can be great. please don't go around saying stuff like that and basically making people think they aren't good at training for training correctly because they use one. Because when used correctly they can be a fantastic tool, they are called TRAINING collars for a reason.... to TRAIN


    i agree with a few of the other people, i like prongs, then sometimes martingale when graduating to a flat, or slip collar. then going back to the prong if needed for a little refresher.
    there is also Neck Tech collars that i hear people like, as well as another style of metal collar like the prong and neck tech but it doesnt have anything pultruding from it that a lotto people like, I think its a german company, night be herm sprenger but i can't remember. My local pet store has a plastic one that looks like a Neck Tech, but its a hard plastic type material so i guess not as "harsh" or something.

  8. #7
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    If you train the dog, you shouldn't need a training collar. Maybe you have a local obedience class that can work with you on this?
    LOL, when Oban was 8 months I Needed the prong to get IN and OUT of the training class. We were passing other dogs in close quarters and at one spot on a steep, open stairway. I needed that extra bit of control. I took the collar off while in the class. Another I time I needed it was walking in winter. The streets were covered in snow and slippery and without the prong Oban could drag me down the street like he was a sled dog, my feet not moving. He did once anyway, even with the prong. Determination in the dog can be a big factor and can completely override any innate sense they have, built up training and he never was good at impulse control.
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    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

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  10. #8
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SuzyBauerxo View Post
    Absolute bullcrap^^ if you really think that, you need to do some more research. Basic OB classes are usually bad and can all be taught at home, unless you find a real good trainer. there is absolutely nothing wrong with using training collars and such to assist in training. Using them wrong and just as a "bandage" for behavioural issues is wrong and yes, you should just train you dog, but using them for training can be great. please don't go around saying stuff like that and basically making people think they aren't good at training for training correctly because they use one. Because when used correctly they can be a fantastic tool, they are called TRAINING collars for a reason.... to TRAIN


    i agree with a few of the other people, i like prongs, then sometimes martingale when graduating to a flat, or slip collar. then going back to the prong if needed for a little refresher.
    there is also Neck Tech collars that i hear people like, as well as another style of metal collar like the prong and neck tech but it doesnt have anything pultruding from it that a lotto people like, I think its a german company, night be herm sprenger but i can't remember. My local pet store has a plastic one that looks like a Neck Tech, but its a hard plastic type material so i guess not as "harsh" or something.
    All of my friends and I train without the use of prongs. Instead we train our dogs to walk on a leash. We all take our dogs to shows and you cannot use prongs at AKC events -- not on the grounds at all. We have to be able to control our dogs in close quarters with other dogs and people. It's not easy and it takes time, but if the OP doesn't want to use a prong, which was the purpose of their post, there are other options. And, one of those options is to train a dog how to walk on leash and not to pull. If a person cannot control their dog without a prong, and that is the only way to control them and not become injured, then so be it. Basic obedience classes are not *usually* bad and how can someone teach basic obedience at home if they don't know how?

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  12. #9
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SuzyBauerxo View Post
    Absolute bullcrap^^ if you really think that, you need to do some more research. Basic OB classes are usually bad and can all be taught at home, unless you find a real good trainer. there is absolutely nothing wrong with using training collars and such to assist in training. Using them wrong and just as a "bandage" for behavioural issues is wrong and yes, you should just train you dog, but using them for training can be great. please don't go around saying stuff like that and basically making people think they aren't good at training for training correctly because they use one. Because when used correctly they can be a fantastic tool, they are called TRAINING collars for a reason.... to TRAIN


    i agree with a few of the other people, i like prongs, then sometimes martingale when graduating to a flat, or slip collar. then going back to the prong if needed for a little refresher.
    there is also Neck Tech collars that i hear people like, as well as another style of metal collar like the prong and neck tech but it doesnt have anything pultruding from it that a lotto people like, I think its a german company, night be herm sprenger but i can't remember. My local pet store has a plastic one that looks like a Neck Tech, but its a hard plastic type material so i guess not as "harsh" or something.

    Actually no this is not bull crap. A prong collar is just nothing more than a shortcut that works by inflicting pain. Don't believe me simply put it on yourself and let someone take you for a stroll. It works by driving metal spikes into your dogs neck. I am pretty anti pain to my dog. It is really not that different than spanking a child. Your using pain to teach the child it did something wrong. Basically you do this, you get a spanking. Rather than taking the time to teach them why it is wrong, its just a shortcut. It can also be compared to a man beating his wife for back talking him. Its quite simply wrong. The man justifies smacking his wife because if she didn't back talk him she wouldn't get slapped. You might scoff and say its not comparable. Wearing a prong collar teaches the dog if he doesn't pull he wont get the pain on his neck. You can try to justify that all you want but that's how it works, shock collars work the same way. Do what I ask of you or you get mildly electrocuted. If you want to use these methods fine. However, the concept is the same. It is a psychological concept of punishment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punishment_(psychology) it works the same for humans as it does for dogs. A prong collar is nothing more than example of positive punishment. Most people to not think of it as so because it involves a dog but it is the same not matter what type of animal. This is just basic psychology. Positive Punishment is treating a response with a response. Dog pulls, it gets pain in the neck. Woman back talks man she gets smacked. Child is bad it gets spanked. Same method of punishment no matter how you want to spin it. Most people justify it saying there are levels of this, a man hitting his wife is much worse that a parent spanking a child, which is much worse than using a prong collar to get a dog not to pull. However, psychologically on the mind they are the same thing.

    Negative punishment is basically the removal of a response. So this would be man back talks woman, he gets the silent treatment. Child is bad, it has to have a time out. Teenager misses curfew he gets grounded. You just have to apply this to your lab. Training them to walk without pulling again is no easy task, it takes patients and a lot of using your own mind. Remember your the smart end of the leash supposedly. It takes daily reminders that they are not to pull or lunge through doors. Later on it takes weekly. It helps to have big rewards and big challenges. For example my dog absolutely loves swimming. Nothing better in the world except maybe steak dinners. We spent 2 hours a day for a whole week, walking 1000ft to the lake. The minute he pulled, I just calmly said Uh oh, no pulling, we turned and walked the opposite direction away. We would try again, same result. Eventually it does sink in when they pull they do not get what they want. As much as I love him he just wasn't allowed to go swimming until we walked calmly to the lake, he sat down so I could undo his leash. There were days he didn't get to go swimming. This is a no brainer for him now, you can still see all the excitement but there is no pulling and he sits down. The second the leash is unhooked he is off like a rocket into the water. We showed up early for obedience, agility classes, used to spend the first 5-10 minutes walking through the door. It is sit I open the door and say ok, his release word and then he can walk in, he can even take a few excited steps in, but the minute the leash is pulled we go right back outside and try again. It takes time patients and training. Once it is there it is solid. It is just important that they learn not to pull again once the habit is broken. When you build bonds with your dog by taking the time and teaching them the bonds are much stronger. Unfortunately until you actually experience this you probably will not know. I admittedly got my lab to be just my pet. I knew nothing better, he was going to be nothing more than a dog to keep me company. However he opened my eyes to a whole new world of canine intelligence that they are capable of understanding so much more. I choose not to inflict pain or result to positive punishment to my dog no matter how mad and frustrated I get with him and believe me there are days. However, working with Hemi over the years the more I see there are fully functional and rational minds in there.

    Another thing I do is even to this day Hemi is 6 years old I have my treat pouch on me when we go for a walk. When we walk by someone or by another dog and he doesn't pull on his leash which is all the time now, he gets a treat, positive reinforcement. Sure he expects it, we can walk by another dog lunging and barking and the owner holding on to leash with both hands. As soon as we are by Hemi looks up at me like see I was a good boy, I tell him he was and give him a treat. I reinforce he was a good boy. Again it takes time and patients and persistence. To start though I tried a lot of different things. I recommend the "Premier easy walk harness". Make sure it is set up and fitted correctly and the leash goes in the front. It is basically like adding power steering to your lab as if they pull a direction this prevents the shoulders on that side from being used. If there is something super stimulating causing them to try to pull, this is where you train them by removing the stimulus, walking back out the door, walking away from the lake.

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  14. #10
    House Broken sandyut's Avatar
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    Interesting discussion. I will look at the gentle leader and volhard collars. My neighbor picked up a "shock collar" and uses it in vibrate and beep modes only. seems to have done the trick. Any have much experience with these?

 



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