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Mary Mazzeri

Carpentersville, IL

847-426-5089

Serving the Chicago region in the Fox Valley area since 1970

Group Classes

Private instruction

Behavior Modification

Board & Train 

  IACP Certified Dog Trainer/Instructor CDT

I make frequent use of the prong collar. I've also used the choke, buckle, nylon choke, E-collar and head collars. Each dog is different (and so are the handlers). The type of dog that I am most likely to use the prong collar for is the type which is very strong (or stronger than the owner), very insensitive, often overactive and not responsive to other types of collars. I have also used it on dogs with delicate tracheas. I have even found that on many dogs, the prong collar is The MOST humane alternative because it quickly brings the dog to a point of respectful attention where it did not otherwise exist. Correctly fitted and used it quickly establishes an attention habit.

Proper fit and placement is important. Collar is placed higher on the neck than a regular collar and extra prongs, if any, must be removed. It must just sit on the neck- not dig in nor hang loose. On a medium to large sized dog, you should be able to get two fingers under two prongs, and one finger on a small dog. I use the smallest size prong collar that will reasonably control a dog. I rarely use the really big one as it generally has too much check chain and not enough prongs.

Suzanne Clothier, a well-respected dog trainer says: "All dogs perceive physical stimuli differently. Some dogs are physically sensitive and some are not. Distractions or all-consuming activities also can alter that sensitivity. Consider the dog in a normal relaxed state versus the same dog confronted with a female in season, or involved in a dog fight. Obviously, the stimulus required to elicit the desired response when he is relaxed is not the same as the stimulus required to achieve the same response faced with a female in season, or a fight."

"Breed characteristics play an important role in terms of physical sensitivity Many breeds were selectively bred to be physically insensitive. Sporting dogs and terriers are notably insensitive, and while this may present a problem for the average owner in training, it is the characteristic that enables these same dogs to perform well at the tasks for which they were bred. A Lab who disliked icy water or rough brush, or a terrier that was easily deterred by his prey’s defensive bites could never do its job. Even breeds whose performance does not require physical insensitivity have their share of individuals who are not sensitive to physical stimuli."

A good trainer is aware of the breed characteristics, but assumptions are never made that all dogs of a particular breed will require a particular collar. Other factors such as mental sensitivity or willingness to please, aptitude for the task, and the training environment such as methods, handler capabilities, distractions, all contribute to the dog’s response. What is appropriate for one dog is not necessarily right for another The skilled trainer is conscious of the internal and external forces that affect the dog’s response to stimuli, and can make an informed choice as to method, equipment and motivation necessary for each individual."

I once had an elderly gentleman client with a big male Labrador name Sam. He came to me with the 92 lb. dog on a harness. The dog had pulled him down on the ice several times, seriously injuring him when he attempted to walk the dog. This dog could tolerate no collar pressure across its windpipe (not even a plain buckle) because it was born with a congenital defect that caused the windpipe to collapse from any pressure. The man was not skilled with the head halter and I feared, at the rate he was going, that it would cause the Lab a whiplash injury as the dog lunged. We switched to the pinch collar. The dog experienced two corrections. (The dog went east and the man went west -twice.) After that, the dog settled into a nice heeling ritual. The prong collar did not cause the trachea any problems. To my knowledge, the dog still walks happily on a prong collar (one year later). The team now has regular scheduled walks that both of them can enjoy. The man has no desire to replace the collar. He is not put off by the appearance and doesn't worry about 'how it looks' to others. Don and "Sam" enjoy their walks together and the older man is no longer skiing along precariously behind an out of control dog. This learning curve took place in under a week.

To understand how the prong collar (or any collar) works, you must first understand how the dog learns. To sum it up briefly, the dog learns when the advantages and disadvantages of his actions are spelled out in black and white. When the choice between ‘advantage and disadvantage’ is clearly defined, the dog is able to make his decision without stress or confusion. Training difficulties arise when the trainer has not made it clear to the dog where his advantage lies. It is a trainer’s responsibility to see that the stimulus, whether inducive or compulsive, helps the dog to clearly perceive his advantage, which is to respond to the handler’s wishes.

Another student had a really cute little Boston Terrier. "Daisy", who just couldn't focus. The dog was what I call the 'happy-hyper" type. I think if she were a human child, she would have been put on Ritalyn ®. Daisy didn't know how to 'land' anywhere. After three weeks of utter frustration with trying everything to gain the dog's attention (Including food, toys, whistle etc.) her owner finally consented to try a mini-prong collar. The dog let out one startled yip the first time the collar connected and the most amazing transformation took place. The dog stopped everything and CALMLY LOOKED up the leash at its handler for the first time in three weeks. Daisy was praised quietly for the eye contact and the lesson resumed with the dog and handler 'mentally connected'. Daisy made rapid progress after that with minimal aversive corrections.

I have occasionally tried the prong collar on dogs where it didn't work out (where the dog panicked or froze) and I changed to something else, but I can usually 'pick' the candidates that can benefit from the prong or pinch collar as some call it.

I compare the prong collars to orthodontics. These braces are also somewhat medieval in appearance, as are the prong collars. Orthodontics are put on a person's teeth -over a fairly long period of time- to 'shape' the wearer's bite correctly. The prong collar is put on the dog's neck -over a fairly long period of time- to 'shape' the dog's behavior. Neither works well if the wearer has the device removed prematurely or keeps taking it on and off. Used properly, the prong collar causes no discomfort except during brief micro-moments where a corrective experience is necessary. The collar doesn't choke the dog but, instead, simulates tooth pressure like the dog experienced as a puppy when it was out of line and its mother corrected it.

The collar should remain relaxed at all times except during a correction. (And the presence of the collar precludes many corrections.) It allows the dog to think about the choices it can make and inhibits many unwanted behaviors. Like food training, it needs occasional reinforcement, but I find that there is far less need for reinforcing through correction than there is if a dog is only food trained (where the reinforcement must be given at more frequent intervals to maintain reliability.)

For competitive students, I generally start weaning the dogs off the collars about the 6th week of their second 10-week class. I do this by having the dog wear both the prong and the 'weaning' collar of choice, and the handler switches back and forth between the two, first with a leash and later with a lightweight shark line as they practice their exercises.

Some folks just prefer to manage and walk their pets on the prong indefinitely. If they're worried about 'what people might think', they avoid the emotional baggage by putting a bandana on the dog, so they look spiffy, but still behave in a self-controlled manner.

While collar choices are certainly varied, they need to fit the dog’s temperament. The owner needs to feel comfortable using the collar. The collar should be the one that gets a dog trained as quickly and humanely as possible whether to be a great family pet or a competition dog. The prong or pinch collar is a great tool to have in your toolbox.