Training dog collars - the full story!

 

The term training dog collars is used to cover a number of different types and styles of dog training collar which can be quite confusing. Hopefully any confusion you may have will removed by means of the further explanations given below. However, before doing so it is probably worthwhile to note that not all training dog collars are intended for puppies as they are too young to understand what response is required of them. Additionally, some collars should be removed, irrespective of the dog's age, when you are not training the dog. An example of one of the reasons for this action is that parts of the collar may get caught in objects and could cause an injury.

 

The traditional or standard collars can act as a training collar when, for example, a leash attached to one is given a quick and gentle tug to stop a dog pulling. However, the following collars are the ones more generally covered when referring to training dog collars:

 

Electronic or electric dog collars have been proven effective in controlling bad behaviour, such as chasing cars or knocking trash cans over. Electronic dog collars can also be used as bark dog collars (sometimes referred to as anti bark collars). As the name implies, bark dog collars are used to stop barking, especially nuisance dog barking.

 

Slip dog collars or choke dog collars work in conjunction with a lead, by momentarily tightening round the dog’s neck when the lead is tugged and/or the dog pulls. The idea of the slip collar as a training aid is that the temporary discomfort felt when the collar tightens will signal to the dog that its actions are inappropriate, and over time the dog will gradually learn to correct its behaviour.

 

Prong dog collars or pinch dog collars (also called the correcting dog collars) are commonly used with dogs who pull while on lead. The prong dog collar works in a similar manner as the choke collar in that it momentarily tightens round the dog’s neck when the lead is tugged and/or the dog pulls. The prong dog collar might look uglier than a choke collar, but it is considered by many to be more humane .

 

Bark collars or citronella dog collars (also known as anti-bark dog collars) can quickly stop the problem of your dog annoying both you and your neighbours with its persistent barking!

 

All training collars are designed to provide an effective and easy method to get your dog to do what you want, and/or to help correct its behaviour even if you are not present. The last key point to mention is that the main purpose of all training collars is to educate your dog and not to punish it!