Image via WikipediaYou need to understand how to train your dog so that you can remind him who’s boss. If you don’t have the time or patience to do this yourself, you could find a professional trainer to train your dog for you. However whether you train your dog yourself or get someone to do it for you, you do need to find a good dog training collar first.
Collars are classified according to their purpose; fancy ones are just for looks, however others have different uses:
Choke collars
Also known as a slip collar, these cannot actually choke the dog unless you pull too hard on the leash. There is no adjustment and therefore no limit to how much you can tighten it around the dog’s neck.
These should fit behind the dog’s ears, high up. They are not safe to leave on a dog if he is not supervised, because there is nothing to stop them from constricting to far. For this reason they are less used nowadays for training.
Prong Training Collars
Also known as pinch collars, these have open ended chains with open ends which operate like spikes which press into the dog’s loose neck skin when tightened. These do have a certain amount of adjustment possible, and this also limits the pinching effect. The ’spikes’ are blunt and therefore unlikely to pierce the dog’s skin.
Many people prefer to place rubber tips on the spikes when they train a dog. Some use a second collar, usually a flat one with a buckle, because it is possible for dogs to slip out of the prong ones, which fit like a choke collar.
These collars are cruel and their use should be avoided.
Martingale Training Collars
These are often used on sight hounds, whose heads are smaller in proportion to their necks than other dogs, and the collars are both comfortable and safe. There are two loops, a large one round the dog’s neck and a smaller one which has the D ring on it. When the leash tightens the loops constrict so that the dog cannot slip out.
Electronic Training Collars
Also known as remote or shock collars, these collars give either a citrus spray or electrical impulse if a dog misbehaves, and hence helps you to train your dog out of unwanted behavior. This is especially useful if you don’t have enough time to train your dog adequately yourself.
Dog training collars are excellent tools for helping you to train your dog to behave the way you want, and to limit their natural tendencies to be aggressive, to bark, or to wander away from home. If you are wondering how to train your dog, then you should start with a good training collar.
