Proper Use of Slip Collars

"The slip collar, commonly miscalled a choke collar, is available in various styles, most people will associate the chain slip collar as the primary training collar. Slip collars are available in all types of materials from chain, cord, elastic stretch (bungee cord), fabric, flat strap, and safeties.

“Choke Chains” are not intended to choke your dog! The intent is that when the collar is tugged it will pinch the brachial nerve in the dogs neck (much like pinching the funny bone) or according to some people it is intended to simulate how a mother will nip a puppy on the neck to correct it. The Slip Collar is NOT intended to choke your dog. If your dog is choking with the use of this collar then use a different collar!

If you are going to use a slip collar; be it chain, cord, leather, or strap, learn how to use it properly before you put it on your dog. Do some reading. Watch them in use. The first consideration is size. A collar that is too large will only detract from its primary effectiveness. Measure the size of your dogs neck high on the neck, not close to the shoulders. Then add an inch or two. That will be the size you want to buy. The proper fit should just slide over the dogs head without unduly pulling on the dogs ears.

Don’t buy large thinking “they’ll grow into it”. Instead buy 4 collars, one the correct size and another 2 inches larger and 2 other types of training collars in the proper size. Use the collar which gives you the level of correction you need. There is nothing that says you have to use one collar and one collar only during training. If a collar works during training for Sit/Stay but doesn’t work during training to Heel feel free to move to another collar. Switch back and forth. There is a benefit to this in that your dog will not become collar smart.

There is only two ways to put a slip collar on. You’d think people would get it right 50% of the time by chance, this doesn’t seem to be the case. The free end which connects to the lead should be over the dogs neck not come under. The position is important, over the neck the collar immediately releases pressure when slack is given. Under the neck this is not the case.

In use there should be no tension in the lead and approximately six inches of slack, the collar should be completely relaxed. Giving corrections with the slip collar should be short tugs. DON’T haul back like you’re setting a gaff in a fish. It is very easy to damage the dogs throat. DON’T let your dog run and hit the end of the lead. DON’T hold steady pressure on the lead constricting the dogs breathing. NEVER yank on the lead in anger. You can crush the dogs throat and kill them. Yes sad to say it does happen.

If the dog is hauling on the lead and choking constantly, this is not the appropriate time to use the slip collar. You must first teach it to not pull using another method. Many other training tools are available, such as martingale collars, halties (gentle leaders) and harnesses.

The slip collar is a training collar only. It should be on your dog only when training and under your direct control. If your dog is running free and having a blast being off lead then it shouldn’t be wearing a slip collar. I have seen a dog, wearing a chain slip collar, run and jump through a brush pile. The free ring got caught in a branch effectively hanging the dog. In this instance the owner was close enough to see what had happed and immediately rescued the dog, this is not always the outcome.

Remove the slip collar as soon as you are done training. Slip collars should never be on dogs that are tied outside. The dog is not under your direct control when tied out. Remember it is easy for a dog to back out of a slip collar. Also never leave the slip collar on the dog when you are not home. It could get caught on something and strangle the dog."

Note: I didn't personally write this blog. It was information I found on the internet, on the Fort Smith Animal Society website, so I can't credit the trainer. I have put the information in quotations, as not to mislead anyone. In closing, training tools are only as effective and humane as we are in using them. Any sort of correction, or "punishment" should be done thoughtfully and carefully, with the welfare of the animal as a priority.

Fitting a Prong Collar

PRONG COLLARS:

Prong collars are most effective on medium to large breed dogs with thick skin or fur. This is because a regular choke collar is not effective in correcting them and a flat collar only increases their desire to pull. I do not recommend using a prong collar on an aggressive dog, that has a high threshold to corrections when it acts out or reacts to triggers. It is also not recommended for those who aren’t responding to the slip or choke collar because they have become resistant to the choke collar due to mis-use. Dogs are resistant when the collars are not properly introduced and corrections are not given properly. The success of the method is based on loose leash walking and corrections given with a quick and effective pop. In mild cases, if the dog is used to pulling and has essentially been conditioned to pull, the prong collar will introduce a new sensation that can be used to break the pulling habit. However, I would also recommend that a haltie, a gentle leader, or a front clip harness, be used for walks, when you introduce the collar at first to reduce the pulling. Proper correction can be administered during training times, but while simply walking the dog, it must not rehearse pulling and undo the training that you are doing with the collar.

Sizing the Prong: Normal choke collars need to be ordered by length. Prong collars on the other hand are ordered by weight - Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large. Prong collars come in a standard lengths which are adjusted to fit the neck of the dog by removing or adding links to the collar. The smaller the prong, the easier it is to manipulate and change the size, as each link reduces the length less if the prongs themselves are smaller. Unless the dog is a large breed, the smaller prongs are more effective and additional links can be purchased.

Adding and removing Links: Some people mistakenly try and put a prong collar on their dog by slipping it over the dogs head and then moving it down on the neck. Prong collars are designed to be put on and taken off by unhooking links and actually unsnapping the collar from around the neck. The right way to unhook a collar is to pinch one of the links and pull it apart. Taking the collar off is always easier than putting it back on. Put one side of the prong of a link in one side of the connecting link, then squeeze the other side of that link with your thumb until that side drops into place. When both prongs are lined up (by using thumb pressure on the link) the collar will go back together.

Note: One of the most common mistakes people make is they don’t remove enough links to get the correct snug fit. When that happens the collar hangs down on the dogs neck which results in the collar not working the way that it was designed. The correct position for a prong collar is to sit right behind the ears and up under the jaw line. When collar is correctly sized and fits properly,the rings on the leash are attached to the right place high on the side of the neck.

Proper Placement once the Collar is on the Dog: Most of the time when a collar is put on a dog the handler connects the collar with the links behind the dog’s ears - this is the easiest place to access the links. Once the collar is on the neck the rings to connect the leash to are under the dog’s chin - which is the wrong place for them to be. You will have to rotate the collar so the rings are on the right side of the neck.

Dead-ring vs Live-ring: There are two ways to attach a leash to the prong collar. It can either be connected to the live-ring or the dead-ring. Which one you choose will depend on the dog and what you are trying to do. When a correction is given and the leash is connected to the live right the dog gets an amplified correction.The live-ring is used if a dog does not respond well to the snap being placed on the dead-ring.The first time a prong is used on a dog the snap should always be on the dead-ring.

Warning: These collars are meant for training only and should be removed when the dog is being left unattended. It can be fitted and worn in advance to training sessions, as well as removed well after, as not to bring attention to the collar as a tool. You want to avoid your dog becoming "collar smart", which means it figures out the correction is coming from the collar and either tries to avoid the collar, or behaves differently when it is on, vs. when it is off.