Training and collars

["J. Renee Brooks" <jrbrooks@mercury.cor.epa.gov>]

Hi All,
    I am enjoying the discussion on training and obedience, and I have
one more issue I would like some input on.   Maple is just about to
start her basic obedience class.  We had the first orientation class
without the dogs where they went over many things I already knew, but
they brought up collars.  Leigh and I have discussed this issue with
Gina before, but I would like to share with you what "Best Friends
Obedience School" had to say and get your input because I am still
struggling with what to do.

Here is their rundown:
Flat Collars: basic collar you hang tags on and what they would like
us to use for the first couple of classes.  After observing the dogs
and owners, they will make some suggestions if we should try something
else.

Choke Chain Collars: useful and most common, but usually not used
correctly and potentially dangerous to your dog.  If your dog is
straining on a choke, you could be damaging the tracheas.  They should
be loose all the time except for the "pop" of the correction.  (Well,
as we all know, our dogs may walk loose for a little while, but then
they see, or smell something that gets them straining at the leash.
We use a choke and are worried we might be doing damage to the
dogs...)

Haltie or other head harness type: useful, but also potentially
dangerous, and most dogs need time to get use to them.  Dogs generally
don't pull because it puts pressure on the top of the nose which is a
sensitive place, but if you pull hard on that lead, you could damage
the neck.  May be just the right thing for some dogs, but others will
hate it and never adjust.  (We used one on our first golden and it
worked well, but we haven't tried it on these two yet - maybe a good
option for Maple now).

Prong collar: when properly used and fitted, the most humane and least
likely to harm your dog, good for big strong dogs that pull.  Don't
use on timid dogs.  This collar will stop pulling on leash instantly
and make dogs pay attention to corrections.  (It seems to me that most
dogs coming out of "Best Friends" end up with this prong collar,  I'm
tempted because of the pulling but I also worry about them because
they look so mean.  They claim that they are very humane, much more so
than a choke... )

So there you have it.  During the day, Leigh will often walk both dogs
on lead and is finding it very hard to control them.  Maple is now
very strong and pulls, we mostly walk her with the leash trick, but we
would like to get away from that and have her not pull so much....

Renee
--
J. Renee Brooks
U.S. EPA/NHEERL          (541) 754-4684 (Office)
Western Ecology Division (541) 754-4799 (FAX)
200 SW 35th St.          jrbrooks@mail.cor.epa.gov
Corvallis, OR 97333