COLLARS, WHAT TO WEAR FOR ALL OCCASIONS!

Every dog should have a basic nylon or leather buckle or snap collar for every day wear. Your dog's identification tag, local registration and rabies tag should be attached. For training or working, you'll need specialized collars.

Try to use the least invasive collar for your dog's needs. Tiny toy breeds do NOT need large painful collars. Some large dogs with strong personalities might need something a bit more attention getting.

SuperDog hints on how different collars work to correct forging or pulling when heeling or going for a walk.

Prong Collar or Pinch Collar

These collars have been described as power steering for dogs. It has also be described as a medieval torture device. They are NOT recommended for aggressive dogs. It has been recommended for big, friendly dogs who are somewhat pain insensitive - like the working or sporting breeds.

With a prong/pinch collar, the dog receives a pinch around their neck when they pull too hard. Some believe that a pinch collar is better for a dog's neck than a chain collar. The pinch collar puts pressure evenly around the neck where a chain collar puts most of the pressure on the dog's throat and could potentially injure their wind pipe. SuperDog doesn't have any hard evidence either way, but it's worth thinking about.

See a trained professional for help in fitting and using a prong/pinch collar.

Premier Collar

This collar looks like a regular flat collar, but it has a self-limiting device similar to the prong/pinch collar. It causes some discomfort but is less likely to cause pain. It is recommended for strong, but sensitive dogs.

Halti or Gentle Leader or Promise

These collars look like and work something like a halter for a horse. They fit around the dogs head. When the dog is heading the direction you want, the halti is loose. The dog can yawn, eat and drink. The harder they pull in the wrong direction, the tighter the halti becomes. The idea is that the dog will follow its head and the halti directs the head where you want it to go.

This collar is very gentle and should never cause pain. However, it has drawbacks. Some dogs never get comfortable with the halti and spend all their time trying to remove it. It looks a little like a muzzle and might give people the wrong idea about your very gentle dog.

Here's a variation on the theme of gentle restraint.   The Sporn Collar

Shock Collar or Electronic Collar

These collars are most often used for hunting and other situations where the dog is too far away for a physical or even verbal correction. The correction is applied by a brief jolt of electricity. The barking collar is a shock collar that applies the shock only when the dog barks.

SuperDog isn't going to weigh in on the subject of shock collars, that's like arguing what's better - liver or cheese. You'll never win and will probably offend some friends.

Rather, SuperDog recommends the human of your training team try a shock collar on themselves (arm or leg) and feel first hand the effects of the shock. If you want to proceed, get a trainer experienced with shock collars. Even the most ardent supporters will agree that a shock collar is not for the inexperienced.

Learn more about electronic collars from the folks at Dobbs.