To Choke or Not to Choke

I'm talking about collars here. I have been walking around a lot lately (go figure!) and I have been noticing how many people are either: 1) using a flat collar on their dog who is choking; 2) using a training device inappropriately; or 3) using the totally wrong training collar/device all together. So I want to give a little advice on this. If there is a constant tension on the leash when you are walking your dog then I would say you need to work on training with your dog and yourself.

I swear there is not a day that goes by where I don't see a dogs neck being wrenched because the owner is yanking them inappropriately. People need to remember that dogs need to breathe freely. They have feeling and sensations too and that it is really painful for them to have their necks yanked on constantly. I mean try the collar on for yourself and give the leash to a friend to give you a swift tug in the opposite direction (don't really do this cause you might cause permanent damage but hopefully you get the point).

If you crate your dog I wouldn't even leave a buckle collar on when he/she is in there. There are too many horror stories about dogs collars getting stuck to inside of crates, thus suffocating them. It is so easily preventable—take the collar off.

There are OH SO MANY options out there for us to choose from that it can be a little daunting. So I am posting this topic to show you some of what's available and how it's used or a link to a great explanation on how to use it!

Let me show you some training tools out there:

First, the no pull harness from Wiggles, Wags and Whiskers. This is by far my most favorite harness. It fits much better (at least I think it does) than previous no pull harnesses we have used in the past. I love that you can clip the leash to the chest and/or at the back. It has a velvet strap that goes under the armpits which helps prevent chaffing. Overall a great harness.


Next, the Sense-ible harness! Honestly this is one of my favorites. This is a GREAT help when you are training your dog not to pull or if you have a dog that pulls regardless of the training. I like this brand a lot because it's good for short and long coats. The instructions are easy. The only thing is people usually put the harness on wrong. Here's the deal, the ring that is in the center of the front strap is the front of the harness! That goes on at the chest! I swear it does. The whole thought process behind this harness and the one below is that you pull your dog so he/she turns and faces you, you correct then. I.E. "Fido, no pull, heel" and keep walking.












Then there is the Easy Walk Harness, very similar to the Sense-ible except for where you clip your leash. You clip it in the same place but that area is different than on the Sense-ible. I have used this before and on short/fine haired dogs I found it chaffed the underarms. I had to go to the vet to get my boy some ointment. I think for long haired or thick coated dogs that this would work well!













Next is the Gentle Leader. Wait...don't say it. It's NOT a muzzle! This is another great training tool for pullers or semi-aggresso (toughie) dogs. It comes with a great "how to" video and works very well. The only thing is you BETTER NOT yank on it or I will come after you. Also if you go to the park with your dog and let them off leash, take this head halter off.













And then the Halti is another favorite of mine. I use this on my (semi-aggresso) Dane and it works GREAT. I have what you would call a bucking bronco and this really helps me keep him under control. It makes it so I can control which direction Beans (my Dane) goes. Since dogs choose their direction with their heads, you can choose the direction they go! YAY. It's a total arm saver. I use this instead of the Gentle Leader because the Gentle Leader rubbed some fur off of Beans' nose, and the Halti does not! Again, no yanking! Also if you go to the park with your dog and let them off leash, take this head halter off.













The "traditional" harness. This is great for puppies, English Bulldogs and dogs in general. If you EVER get in a sticky situation, at a park, hiking, camping you can just grab the strap down the back and lift them away. You aren't pulling on their neck on walks, therefore keeping their trachea and esophagus perfect and healthy! I do not recommend using this harness on serious pullers because they will pull you ALL over the place like a sled dog! But if your dog is older, smaller, or not a puller, then by all means use it!













Onto the Step in Harness. This is another great harness for puppies and English Bulldogs and such! It's REALLY easy to put on (much easier than the traditional harness). All you need to do is put 1 paw in 1 hole and the other in the other hole and clip up at the back! Again this is a great one for dogs that are smaller, small pullers, or medium sized non-pullers.













Onto the Prong Collar. Lots of people think that this collar is painful but used correctly, it's not. The whole point of the prong collar is you give a slight tug to get your dogs attention and then you correct their behavior. I use this on my other Dane, he doesn't really need it unless we are walking towards our favorite pet stores or the park. But I keep it on so he just knows to behave and it works great. If this collar is used improperly it can most definitely be painful. BUT used correctly and it is a very helpful training tool. You can also buy rubber covers to put on the tip of the prongs if you are still uneasy about using this collar. Definitely take this collar off if take your dog to the park and let it play with other dogs or when your dog is at home or crated.













And lastly the choke collar. I pretty much hate this collar, the reason being almost everyone that doesn't show their dog uses it improperly. They get it way too big and their dog is choking themselves the WHOLE time and this collar causes the MOST damage to a pups throat. If you use one of these I HIGHLY recommend you do your research and even take a class to use it correctly. These are an old school collar for old school thinking and with so many other great options out there to try today I really don't think this is one that needs to be used. That is my honest opinion. Definitely take this collar off if take your dog to the park and let him/her play with other dogs or when your dog is at home or crated.







I have one more thing to mention, retractable leashes, DO NOT USE THEM. They are horrible for numerous reasons:

1. there is constant tension between you and your dog. If the leash is not slack (which a retractable NEVER is, then there is tension.

2. If you live in a city then you have to worry about cars and intersections and retractable leashes make this such a pain.

3. They are choking hazards if it gets wrapped around your dog or another that it's meeting.

4. ROPE BURNS!

5. Don't be lazy, use a 6ft leash and walk with your dog!