As with everything to do with dog training, you will get very different answers about what kind of training collar to use with your dog depending on who you ask. Each type of collar – buckle collar, slip leash, Martingale collar, prong collar or choke chain – has its own benefits, so this article will cover many of the types of collars available and a bit of info on where they’re used. Hopefully this will help you decide what will work best for you and your pup.
First, it’s important to understand that some types of training collars should only be used during training sessions. When you’re not actively training your dog, they should be in their regular collar. Specifically, these include the prong collar and choke chain.
Buckle collars
A regular buckle collar works just fine for most dogs as a training collar. The trick is to make sure it’s set at the right length for your dog. Many dogs are wearing collars that are much too loose to be effective. Ideally, the collar should only be long enough that you can slide 2 fingers under it – and that’s all! If you slide 3, 4 or more fingers in your dog’s collar, tighten it. Other than making sure it doesn’t fall off them, it is safer and gives you more control.
Slip leash
It’s amazing how much you can train a dog with a simple slip lead. I use them often. They’re nice because they loosen when the dog is walking nicely, and tighten when they’re not. In other words, the degree of tension is totally dependent on the dog – assuming you are handling the leash properly. Since I like being hands-free as much as possible, these also are nice because they easily roll up and slip into a pocket.
Martingale collars
Originally designed for greyhounds, these make great training collars for many dogs. They’re buckle collars, but work much like a slip lead, prong collar or choke chain because the degree of tension is totally dependent on the dog. They tighten or loosen depending on the dog’s tension. I’m surprised more people don’t use them. My new pup Casey is in one whenever he’s having one of “those” days where he doesn’t think he needs to listen (and I disagree).
Prong collars and choke chains
These collars generate a lot of passion – from those who love them and from those who see them as tools of torture. As with most things, to me it totally depends on the dog whether or not these are appropriate tools to use. One thing, for sure, is neither of these are ever to be used as regular collars – they should be used as training tools only. They work like a slip lead in that they tighten only when the dog pulls, but otherwise hang loose around their neck. They are not tools of torture. On the other hand, I personally don’t think they’re necessary unless you have a very strong or very intense dog that doesn’t respond to other methods. If that’s the case, they’re absolutely appropriate to use and I’ve used them in the past. Less so, now that I understand better how to communicate with my dog. Still, they can be valuable tools when used properly.
Prong collars are very effective with a strong or stubborn dog. They have teeth set at angle so that when the dog pulls, the feeling on their neck is similar to how a mother dog disciplines a puppy by putting her teeth on their neck.To test this yourself, go into a pet store and put one around your arm or wrist and give a quick tug on it. That will give you a sense of how it feels to the dog. Why your wrist and not your neck? Because your wrist more accurately reflects how most dog’s necks are built.
Choke chains are just chains that tighten around the dog’s neck and work like a slip lead except they are made of chain. They’re often used on strong, powerful dogs. Never ever use them as a regular collar because they can be very dangerous if they are not put on the dog properly, and the dog needs to be under supervision at all times when wearing one. To be honest, I’ve only ever used a choke chain a few times, so I’m not competent to comment on them. I will say that I have seen them used effectively. But if you’re going to use one, make sure you know how to properly put it on and are working with someone who is very familiar with them.
How I choose what collar to use
My personal preference is to start with the softest, most gentle initial method (buckle collar or slip lead) and work on having the dog want to do what I ask. Then, as needed, I gradually move up the tool list until I find the right balance between asking the dog to do something and then telling them that they have to do it anyway. For example, for the first 2 weeks I had Casey, he was in a Martingale. Now that he’s starting get the idea, he’s in a regular collar most days. I do foresee that I may need to get him a prong collar at some point for those occasions where he gets so excited that he loses his ability to pay attention. He is party Husky, after all… Time will tell with that, since he’s only been with me for 3 weeks.
Hopefully, this bit of info will give you some good things to consider when you’re trying to decide what to use with your pup.
The Busy Dog 