The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

- By Gillian Ridgeway

The issues surrounding what training equipment is suitable for which dog is one that is debated at great length by dog trainers far and wide. Let’s look at the various collars used to train, and contain, dogs.

Flat Collars

On the positive side of things, most dogs can be trained very well on a flat collar. They come in a nice variety of colors and fabrics and are closed by a snap or buckle. They do not choke or hurt the animal. Of course, it can always be said that a dog can be hurt on any piece of equipment, if it is used incorrectly, but this is by far the lesser evils. The con to this collar is some of the more boisterous dogs tend to pull and their owners have a harder time getting focus from their dogs. This can be overcome by putting the time and effort into properly training your dog. By reinforcing your dog's position beside you on the walk, and doing so over an extended period of time, you will soon find out that your dog will comply. It is only difficult if you plan on getting into a battle of will and muscle that these collars may prove more difficult.

Body Harness

The harness is often seen on smaller dogs or young puppies. They may be a great tool to keep your puppy safe for the first couple of weeks, but let's consider the actual structure of a harness. Regular harnesses are designed to make it easier for dog to pull. It is used for tracking and sled dogs, to facilitate the pull One nifty thing about a regular harness, you can reserve special times for your dog to wear it. For example, going rollerblading with the kids or out playing flyball. He will understand that wearing it means he can pull, and of course when it comes off, he stops. . Keep in mind that there are specially designed "no pull" harnesses and these can be a fabulous tool for some dogs, and not to be confused with a regular body harness. Ask you local pet retailer to show you different styles.

Choke chains or Slip collars

There is very little to be said in praise of the old choke chains. Long gone are the days when this piece of equipment was mandatory for use in any dog training classes. Someone may use them with some accuracy with good dog training skill. If this is the case, you might want to ask yourself why a person who knew how to properly train a dog would choose to do it with this method, when there are so many more effective methods known at this time. These collars consist of a piece of material or chain with two rings, one at either end. This is then put over the dog head, and as the collar is pulled taught, it tightens around the dog's neck. This is to correct, or punish, the dog for their wrong behavior. The collar was not effective when put on upside down, and not effective if it was consistently keep taught, making it very awkward for novice dog trainers. When looking at the bigger picture, most dogs just need to be shown what to do in a clear consistent manner. These choke chains were used mainly in the 1970's and 1980's and were used by owners who had dogs in the learning phase. To correct a dog before it has had a chance to understand what you want now seems quite foreign to the dog-training public.

Martingale Collars

The Martingale consists of partial material and partial chain. It is indeed a collar that is in-between the flat collar and the old-fashioned choke chain. It slips over the head, and does tighten when pulled. The only issue that can be seen is in the handling skills of the dog owner. If it is constantly being pulled on, and there fore is constantly being tightened, it may prove to be quite annoying to the dog. On the plus side, it is designed to only tighten to a certain point, so it can not hurt your dog. One big feature of this collar is one of safety. If you have a dog that had a slim head, with a slightly bigger neck or a dog that manages to slip out of their collar, then this is a great choice. It can be kept loose, but if the dog does decide to back out of it, it will tighten only enough to keep it from coming over the head. Of course, they also come in many nice patterns and a matching leash can be purchased for that very stylish look!

Prong Collars

In the eyes of educated dog owners, and Humane Societies…there is simply no pro to this type of collar. This collar involves a row of spikes that are turned inward, and when the dog pulls, the spikes go into the neck. Trainers and owners alike, as a way to stop a large dog from pulling too much, often justify its use. It is a much better option to consider a head halter for this issue, and much more kind to the dog. Hot off the press is an article out of the UK. There is a bill in the parliamentary stage that will ban the use of any dog collars with inward-facing spikes. It is also interesting to note that the American Association of Dog Trainers, and The International Positive Dog Training Association, mandate their members to exclude choke chains, slip collars, electric shock collars and prong collars from use in training. Now that there are so many more options and methods available to the dog training public, there is simply no excuse to keep on using this method. When you know better, you must do better.

Head Halters

Head halters have risen in popularity in the past decade, and in fact were touted by the Smithsonian as one of the top 100 best inventions of the century. They look like a muzzle, but are not. They go over the dog's head, like a pony bridle. There are a few different styles available including Gentle Leader, Halti and New Trix. They have made it possible for people to walk their dogs more frequently. Of course, the head halters are a training aid. It is best to use this tool while you are teaching your dog focus work and to walk nicely on a leash. Once they get the idea, you can then start working them on a flat collar. In my opinion, they are a kinder alternative to the prong collar for excessive pullers. The pros to the head halters are many, but the main area being that dogs' lives are often saved. People, who would have normally given up on an unruly dog in the past, are given a tool to help them cope with some difficult times. Most well renowned behaviorists would suggest that a head halter helps in the resolution of many dog-related problems. While naysayers would suggest that dog's necks could be twisted while on these collars, there is no literature or information available to support such a claim. One thing to keep in mind is the fact that it needs to be introduced slowly over a few days. Consider having your dog wear it while eating, or doing something pleasant. This way, he will start to understand that pleasant things happen to him while he is wearing it. It is like someone wearing high heel shoes. They don't really hurt, but you still want to kick them off. Once your feet are accustomed to how they feel, the problem is resolved. Adding a bit of moleskin (available from shoe repair shops) to the underside will help make it comfy to wear.

Citronella Spray Collars.

This collar is a bark interrupter. It is a fabulous tool for people who live with chronic barkers. The upside to the collar is two fold. They don't physically hurt the dog, and they have fabulous timing. The collar is activated by the bark, and sprays out a lemon scented spray. The consequence to the bark is immediate and on a good note, it doesn't seem like it is coming from the owner. This has been a blessing to all the dogs that live in our urban environment, and are now living quietly beside their neighbors.

On the flip side, the cons are also fairly obvious. The cost may be a bit prohibitive, but for a quiet life, well worth it. It is quite hard to wean the dog off the collar. They often resort to barking once they are not wearing it. This does not have to be a problem. There are many dogs that don't even have a battery in the collar. When it is worn, the dog knows not to bark. They don't keep getting sprayed, they simply do not bark. With this in mind, and to keep the peace, it is easy to just put the collar on if you will be going out, or when you think barking may take place. Think of it…a Terrier and a yard full of squirrels….and silence.

Electronic Shock Collars

Often called Bark collars, or e-collars, this is by far the worse product on the dog training market. It has gotten so out of hand, that there is a recent bill going into the House of Commons in the UK, to make it illegal for any person to use, manufacture or sell electronic shock collars. Their police department has recently prohibited the use of electric shock collars in the training of Police dogs and in the Armed Forces dog unit. They are considered to be punitive training devices, outdated and unacceptable.

So why does the popularity of such a device seem on the rise? Most people are looking for a quick fix. To use a shock to "fix" any dog problem is asking for more problems to arise. Aggression issues, treated with aggressive techniques, seldom work in the long run. The cons? The main one is that there are many dogs that suffer burns due to this type of collar having their settings too high. There are only 2 reasons that a dog will do what you want. The first one is to get what he wants, so reward based training is effective. The second is to avoid a consequence that is unpleasant. That all sounds simple enough, but in order for a consequence to be effective, and to stop the unwanted behavior, it has to have meaning. The dog is certainly not working in order to get the shock, so this means he is working to avoid the shock.

If the shock collar level is set low enough to not hurt the animal, then the chances of the dog stopping the behavior are slim.

On a final note…

There is one school of thought that says that all equipment has a place in a trainers "tool kit", but this is where the debate can come to a grinding halt. As a trainer who oversees about 250 dogs per week, working with dogs since 1972, I have not ever used a prong collar or an electronic shock collar. I did use choke chains in the early 90's, but once I became educated in learning theory and canine behavior, have taken them out of our tool kit.

There has been an increase in the amount of dogs seen wearing prong collars lately, and when questioned, the owners don't feel happy about this method, but instead feel overwhelmed and out of options. Please consider the fact that if we haven't seen a scenario that requires the use of aggressive training tools, then perhaps re-addressing other options is a consideration. Your dog will thank you.

Gillian Ridgeway, AHT, has worked with dogs for over 33 years. She is director of Who’s Walking Who in Toronto and Ajax. A consultant for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, Gillian also writes for Dogs in Canada. She has appeared on Dogs in Canada TV, Global television, Q107 radio and in Toronto Life, and is co-author of the book, “Citizen Canine.” She travels with the SuperDogs Performance team and teaches learning theory at University of Toronto. Gillian can be contacted at 416-465-3626; www.whoswalkingwho.net