From: wls@cray.csd.uwm.edu (Bill Stapleton)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: choke chains
Date: 21 Jan 1993 21:16:30 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Distribution: world
Reply-To: Bill Stapleton <wls@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.6.69

In article <1993Jan21.171819.4365@fsl.noaa.gov>, traine@peaks.fsl.noaa.gov (Tracy Smith) writes:
> In training my two dogs, one (a female Elkhound/Heeler mix) needed only a 
> leather collar and lead, while the other (male Elkhound) became much more
> responsive when I switched to the live ring on the choke chain.  Different
> animals respond differently to training methods, and the type of collar reflects
> that.  A collar is not the problem, the way someone (mis)uses it is.  I have seen
> good results with pinch collars as well (the Malamute was 150lb, the owner,
> 90lbs).  So, see how your dog responds, and start with the least impact and
> workup to what the dog requires.  You don't want the dog to choke to death, but
> you do want to get his/her attention!

I'm not disagreeing with any of the above, just tacking on a little bit:
While far from an expert, I'd like to put in a good word for the pinch/prong
collars.  They're not as nasty as they look!  At first, I was aghast at the
suggestion that I put that evil-looking torture device on my dog, so we
struggled along in vain with the choke collar.  Finally after yet another
suggestion, I took a good look at the prong collar.  Unlike the choke, it
needs to be properly adjusted for your dog so it only tightens up enough to
get the dogs attention, and not enough to really hurt or choke.  It's like
a big chain, with each prong being a link.  You add or remove links to
adjust it, and take it on/off by undoing one of the links.  Before putting
it on my dog, I put it around my arm - When pulled tight, it's uncomfortable,
but doesn't really hurt if properly adjusted, and is a definite attention
getter.  When put on the dog, the improvement was immediate and dramatic.
After a couple of trys to do the usual *PULL* routine, and a couple of very
startled yelps, we suddenly had a new, much better behaved dog.  Our dog
is a lab mix, and I've heard they are especially INsensitive to touch, which
is why a prong collar helps so much.  We've recently started an obedience
training class, and though few dogs had pinch collars at first, most of the
labs and a few of the others now have prong collars in class.  Sometimes
they fuss at first, but most seem to get used to it very quickly.  It also
seems to help people make effective corrections easily.

So if you're having problems, don't dismiss the prong/pinch collar out of hand
as being "too nasty".  I think it's really better in the long run to be able
to give a *short* correction "pop" on the leash that the dog understands
immediately rather than trying to choke it into submission.  Also, the
standard disclaimer:  Choke and pinch collars are for training, when someone
is on leash with the dog.  They should not be left on when the dog is not
actively attended, as the dog could get them caught on something and do
serious injury.  And the non-standard disclaimer:  I don't *really* know
what I'm talking about, but it works for me.  :-)

--
Bill Stapleton
     wls@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
     uwmcsd4!wls

Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs