My controversial decision
May 9, 2007
I bought Roland a prong collar. Allow me to pause while you judge me.
Pause.
So now that we have that out of the way, I will speak honestly and rationally. These prong collars (also referred to as “pinch collars”) are NOT as bad as they look. And honestly, if you read my previous posts about my dog, and check out all the ridiculous pictures of my cats laying upside down, hogging the entire couch, you will quickly realize I am not an animal abuser. (If you still think I am despite all this information, I suppose I’m done trying to convince you otherwise, cuz, well, it just ain’t true.)
Roland is generally a really good dog, but he does have a major flaw. At 8 months old, he weighs approximately 75 pounds and gets stronger every day. I am 5′5 and weigh 120 pounds, myself, so needless to say, I do not have the physical strength to control this dog if he gets a whiff of something he really wants. And it just so happens that Roland loves other dogs. Like, to the point of running towards them with me bouncing off the sidewalk behind him. I had actually started taking major detours to avoid other dogs while engage in the futile process of trying to prevent a rotator cuff injury beyond repair. Besides this one little quirk he has, I really like my dog…
Yesterday we were in PetsMart and he yanked me once too many times. I made a rash, abrupt decision to buy a prong collar for him. I was nearly in tears at this conclusion, but my shoulders and elbows were already singing their praises.
Now the only question is: what the hell was I waiting for?
I was waiting because I wanted Roland to be trained to walk next to me ALL the time, and after all the formal obedience classes he’s had, I felt slightly like a failure that we still could not get him to control himself around other dogs, and also be able to walk ten feet without him sniffing every blade of grass and pick up every single stick in sight.
I was waiting because I have seen lots of dogs never graduate from needing training aids when walking on a leash.
I was waiting because these prong collars are freakin’ scary looking.
All legitimate but ultimately brainless reasons, because as much as I’m interested in all these things, I am not interested in having shoulder replacement surgery at the age of 25.
This prong collar is like, the answer to my prayers. Today, Roland and I went on what may have been the most pleasant walk I’ve ever taken with him. The most miraculous change has taken place and I see that Roland does know how to walk calmly next to me (I wasn’t sure of this to begin with…) he just needs the correct incentive to do so. The best part? The very first time I took him out, we walked by three dogs that were within an arm’s reach. Roland looked…thought…and kept walking. I am pretty sure I went unconscious out of pure excitement because I don’t remember anything else.
So what do the opponents of prong collars say?
- Mostly, they argue that prong collars cause dogs a lot of pain.
- They argue that punishment is not as strong of a teacher as positive reinforcement.
- Thy argue that prong collars are cruel and unnecessary because dogs can learn to walk on the leash through a variety of other, less severe means.
What do proponents of prong collars say?
Disclaimer: I’m not even pretending to be unbiased here.
- Prong collars cause no pain whatsoever. I actually put it around the neck of a co-worker and popped as hard as I would pop Roland. Was it comfortable? No. Did he cry? No. Nor was there bleeding or even bruising, and keep in mind a dog’s neck is much more padded than a humans. I have also put the collar on my arm and pulled quite hard…same result. No pain. The collar is based on the idea that this is how puppies are disciplined by their mothers. The moms will actually bite their pups in the neck if they have misbehaved. So, without attaching a mother dog to Roland’s leash, this is a fairly natural thing for them. I think we can become obsessed with positive reinforcement and forget that there are no clickers in the wild.
- In general, punishment isn’t as strong as positive reinforcement. (Remember: my first degree is in psychology.) Actually, some statistics say you need 4 times as much negative to get the same effect as 1 positive. However, I think a lot of trainers overlook the fact that not all dogs respond as well to positive reinforcement. Roland does well, yes, but he is quite headstrong, okay, really freaking headstrong, which is typical of a German Shepherd. From day one we have had to be harsher on Roland than we would on, say, a lab or a retriever. That is not to say that I beat him with a bamboo stick every time he barks, but we have to much more stern, forceful, etc. Shepherds are dogs that require constant assertiveness and leadership, which is why I wouldn’t recommend them to the average first time dog owner. And I think any Shepherd owner will attest to what I’m saying here. Roland is a tough dog, so clicking and rewarding doesn’t quite cut it with him. He will constantly question us (in a doggy way, of course.)
So. That’s what I think about prong collars. They are great for situations where you have a less physically capable handler trying to deal with a very strong, very energetic dog. They are not for punishment. I have been using it as gently as possible, to remind Roland that he needs to pay attention to me. Gently means a light, light, light tug on the leash while saying his name and our chosen command “easy.” I wouldn’t recommend this type of collar for a really submissive dog or any dog that might be shy. I also wouldn’t recommend it for a really aggressive dog that might yank so hard on the collar that they would hurt themselves (yes, I think a hard enough pull could make the dog really squeal.) But for me and Roland, wow. They are a great option. He’s happy because I’m happy because he’s behaving, and we both get so much more out of the walk that way.
Entry Filed under: German Shepherds, Personal, Roland, dog training, dogs, tirades. .
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1.
mermaid mom | May 9, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Gotta admit, it is kind of scary and medieval looking. But if you and Roland can function better with it, then the case is closed. Because I know how much you love your dog pal and you would never do anything that would hurt him.
2.
Osman | May 10, 2007 at 5:04 am
Like your mom, my first thought was that it looks like a medieval torture device. With Marley, Dallice uses a gentle leader which I think looks like a hannibal lecter mask. Same effect though. No more pulling what-so-ever.
The only problem is that he hates it.
3.
Brian | May 10, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Very creepy looking, but obviously effective. It’s quite evident from reading your blog that you love your dog very much, so I know that you would never do anything cruel to him.
4.
becky | May 15, 2007 at 7:32 am
Oh, can we please have a picture of your coworker with the prong collar on? That is too funny. The things you do in googleland.
5.
amygeekgrl | May 17, 2007 at 9:12 am
“I actually put it around the neck of a co-worker and popped as hard as I would pop Roland. Was it comfortable? No. Did he cry? No.”
LOL – was it jody?
seriously, glad you found something that works for you and roland.
6.
Richard Brown | May 20, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I’ll be honest – if you need to resort to this method you’ll never have control of your dog – controling any size dog has nothing to do with physical stature and everything to do with training.
You would have been better off spending the money on a few classes – this option will only cause you issues in the long run.
7.
Brian | May 20, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Richard,
While I agree that classes should be the first choice, Cturpen pointed out in her post that she had already sent Roland to several obedience classes before resorting to this device.
8.
cturpen | May 20, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Richard,
Thanks for stopping by!
I admit, I do feel slightly like a failure after $360 worth of dog training, and still having a problem with Roland pulling on the leash. To his defense, he is not a constant puller…it’s mostly when he sees another dog, he is just so thrilled and thinks it’s another playmate for him! Roland is a great, very well-socialized, very well trained puppy. For 8 months old, I am extremely proud of the work we have done with him. He is controllable in every other situation–many people have told me repeatedly how well behaved and responsive he is for such a young dog. The prong collar has had no ill effects on his behavior, only a “focus reminder” that when we are walking, we are walking and nothing else and he knows he has to behave for treats like sniffing and playing. So, I’ll have to respectfully disagree with your comment. But again, thank you very much for stopping in, and I hope I hear from you again.
9. I'm abolishing a word. « Known Knowns | May 21, 2007 at 11:58 am
[...] had this thought after reading a comment on my recent post about prong collars. The comment belongs to Richard Brown and reads as [...]
10.
Steanson B. Parks, Jr. | November 9, 2007 at 9:17 pm
this was me showing a screaming girl (“you are so cruuuel!”) that IT DOESN’T HURT. Also, the thing only cinches like an inch, while standard chokersare simply nooses or snare traps. My rottweiler Axel (R.I.P.) Would do his happy dance when I would ask him “Where’s your necklace?!” He loved it.
11.
Steanson B. Parks, Jr. | November 9, 2007 at 9:20 pm
sorry, I tried posting a pic…it was me with the collar around my neck, giving it a good tug. This always worked for the people on the street that seem to have a “better” opinion.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/steanson/stuff/choker.jpg
12.
Caz Bolterinard | January 22, 2008 at 2:17 am
that is the most discusting collar. Why didn’t you invest in a perfectally comfortable, soft and kind headcollar which achieves exactly the same results. your dog probably doesn’t complain because he loves you.
13.
Angelo | July 29, 2008 at 8:08 pm
It has been more than a year since you put the prong collar on Roland, can you walk with him without that collar and he still heel properly? the reason I asked this is, I just put a prong collar on my boxer and he became an angel dog immediately, i just want to know if i can take that collar off after the training is over, thanks.
14.
Caroline | July 29, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Angelo,
Actually, Roland still wears his prong collar. I haven’t even tried to take it off of him because he is so great WITH it. He heels well and responds to gentle corrections, if any at all. He is still a puppy in German Shepherd time, so still very hyper and excitable. Good luck!
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17.
LittleGirlBigDog | January 28, 2009 at 12:30 am
I am so glad to see someone else extolling the virtues of the prong collar. Our puppy (9 months, now) has been to the classes. We’ve tried different collars, including Gentle Leaders. The head harness ones simply make him panic, and fling his entire body around in a way I feel far more damaging.
The prong collar has been a godsend. He does not bolt around on the leash any more, and we’re sure to constantly give him positive reinforcement when he walks nicely.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s very smart, he knows all sorts of tricks, hand signs and word commands. He just hasn’t figured the leash out yet.
I’m hoping that in time, the collar will no tbe necessary. He does not pull it, or question it, but reading this blog makes us feel so much better that someone else has a similar situation.
I’d love to hear how Roland is doing now, since it’s been a few months since the blog entry