I need to know: does your dobe pull on leash even with a prong collar?

**reisende** · 04-25-2008, 06:44 AM

moonshine's barely six months old and sure, it's a whole new exciting (urban) world out there after in quarantine for a month, but he PULLS. I'm sure many of you can empathise with me. his half choke and flat collars are useless. he might as well be unleashed when he truly pulls. even my guy, who is, like most men, tough and strong, is feeling it.

so today I finally tried my prong collar (I wanted to give him more time.. but today was the limit when he kept pulling and there were many people walking about). it worked like a dream. I don't want to overuse it and I kept praising moonshine lavishly when he heeled with the prong, and when I can see he isn't pulling, I"d switch over to his half choke. it works well. when he gets excited again I'd use the prong.

BUT. while I do plan to use the prong only when he's really too much, or when I take him to a crowded place and not want him to scare everybody around, I am afraid that he would eventually one day learn how to pull with the prong. I have heard that it has happened before. please, for those of you who use the prong collar, does your dobe walk like a dream or has your dobe already started to pull? and how old is your dobe? thanks!!!

Floyd · 04-25-2008, 06:52 AM

choker collars are garbage and are expensive, A Prong collars that fits correctly is the key to control. get one and when he pulls give it a good tug and give the heel or foose command. Never keep the collar tight the whole time if he pulls continuously give it slack real quick and yank, sound mean but you will not harm your pup. if he doesn't heel your not doing it hard enough, Just a snap not a continuous pull. It really dose work....Good Luck

**Luvbirds59** · 04-25-2008, 07:14 AM

Choke collars are NOT recommended for Dobermans. You could injure your dogs neck. A properly fitted prong collar IS the safest and best collar for your dogs neck. Here is a link to how to fit one. How to fit a Prong Collar

Carol & Petey!
ox

**reisende** · 04-25-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvbirds59

Choke collars are NOT recommended for Dobermans. You could injure your dogs neck. A properly fitted prong collar IS the safest and best collar for your dogs neck. Here is a link to how to fit one. How to fit a Prong Collar

Carol & Petey!
ox

yes I do know choke are bad for dobes. I'm asking if your dobe has ever pulled on a prong collar after weeks/months/years of using them?

thanks!

**ellenm** · 04-25-2008, 08:32 AM

You can train ANY dog to pull if you use a collar incorrectly. If you keep mild tension on the prong all the time, over time your dog can learn to tolerate a mild correction...a nagging soft correction....if that makes sense.

My younger dog does not pull at all on the prong, from the day I first put it on. She gave herself one little correction initially and has the softest feel on the lead with it on.

My rescue boy has a huge neck and really did not notice that much until I gave him a pop with the prong and told him easy while walking. I got him at 2 yrs of age with no training. He was 3 yrs old before I bought the prong, and he had always pulled at times in regular collars with me. The prong made the lightbulb go off in his head that my saying easy meant something!!!

So, if you are using this on a younger dog, they won't learn to pull unless you teach them to pull with it on. You want to walk with a soft feel in the leash, and they will self correct if they pop to end of the leash and try to pull.

jatango · 04-25-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd

Never keep the collar tight the whole time if he pulls continuously give it slack real quick and yank, sound mean but you will not harm your pup. if he doesn't heel your not doing it hard enough, Just a snap not a continuous pull. It really dose work....Good Luck

WHOA! Do NOT do what the poster suggesting corrections with the prong stated! Prongs are there to let the dog correct himself, not to have a better tool to wail on your dog with! The MOST that should happen to a dog on a prong is an abrupt stop from you so that he hits the end of it under his own momentum. There is never a time with this tool that you should be yanking on your dog's neck. It is a self-correcting device only. Otherwise your dog WILL begin to ignore it. I mean hey, what's steady pressure compared to a good yank with a spiked collar around your neck?

I personally use a prong and I think they are a great tool, but if you need to elicit screaming out of your dog by giving it a good yank, you probably need to take a step back and figure out a better training strategy!

If your dog is giving a good consistent pull on a prong, just abruptly switch direction. He'll hit the end while you're walking the other way and the only thing that he will correlate the correction with is his lack of attention to where you were going. Do it enough and problem solved! Be sure to pop a treat in his mouth when he gets back to the heel position.

**Burns** · 04-25-2008, 09:31 AM

When I first got a prong for Red, he pulled with it, but I later figured out it was because I didn't have it fitted properly. It was too loose and too far down on his neck. The collar should be snug (but not too tight), up high on the neck. This website illustrates (with pics) the correct way to fit a prong collar: How to fit a Prong Collar

I had to end up buying a 2.3mm prong instead of the larger 3-3.5mm one so the links are smaller and you get a more precise fit when adding or removing links. Always use a back up collar in case the prong comes apart. You can get nylon slip collars that work well as a back up.

Never yank on the leash (no matter what collar you are using) as Dobermans are predisposed to neck problems and you could seriously injure your dog. A small collar pop is one thing, but never a yank. I know it's tempting when the dog is not listening, but there are better ways to train and tell the dog what is expected than by yanking on their sensitive neck.

**TracyJo** · 04-25-2008, 09:45 AM

I just want to reitterate what Burns said - It's important to have a back up slip collar on. Chi's prong just fell off her one day - since then, I always have the leash attached to both her prong and the choke.
Also, no, no, no, sharp yank - not unless you want to risk seriously injuring your dog...

jatango · 04-25-2008, 10:02 AM

If you want an easy way to have a prong backup, take a carabiner:

Attach it to the dead ring on the prong (the circular part, not the oddly shaped one) and to the ring on your dog's tag collar. Problem solved!

Lexxsmom · 04-25-2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jatango

WHOA! Do NOT do what the poster suggesting corrections with the prong stated! Prongs are there to let the dog correct himself, not to have a better tool to wail on your dog with! The MOST that should happen to a dog on a prong is an abrupt stop from you so that he hits the end of it under his own momentum. There is never a time with this tool that you should be yanking on your dog's neck. It is a self-correcting device only. Otherwise your dog WILL begin to ignore it. I mean hey, what's steady pressure compared to a good yank with a spiked collar around your neck?

I personally use a prong and I think they are a great tool, but if you need to elicit screaming out of your dog by giving it a good yank, you probably need to take a step back and figure out a better training strategy!

If your dog is giving a good consistent pull on a prong, just abruptly switch direction. He'll hit the end while you're walking the other way and the only thing that he will correlate the correction with is his lack of attention to where you were going. Do it enough and problem solved! Be sure to pop a treat in his mouth when he gets back to the heel position.

This is actually completely opposite to the way that my professional trainer TAUGHT me to use a prong. i don't want my dog leaning into the collar and correcting himself, I want to correct him when he needs it. I never do it with angry energy, I try to make the collar a separate thing from me ( ie, correct but keep my energy light and happy) Allowing the dog to self correct can lead to complete dependence on the prong collar forever.
People use this training equipment differently, I for one don't really disagree with what floyd said, though it was phrased harshly. Of course, always use POSITIVE as well, popping treats in their mouth in the heel and lots of praise when they are listening is key too of course!