Using A Training Collar
Why would anyone want to use something called a ‘choke collar’ on their beloved pet? Aren’t they cruel and heartless? Actually, a training collar (also called a ‘choke chain’ or ‘slip collar’) can be a safe and effective training tool.
You see, mother dogs will often ‘tug’ at the skin around their pup’s neck as a form of correction. A training collar will replicate this with a firm (but gentle) tug on the leash. In order to safely use a training collar, please keep the following in mind:
- Only use it when training (take it off when not in use)
- Don’t PULL the collar, small tug is all that’s needed
- Don’t use the collar to force the dog into position
These collars are often used when teaching a dog to sit by pulling up and pushing down on the hind end of the dog. This is probably one of the hardest ways to teach a dog to sit (clicker training would make this much easier). They can be beneficial when teaching your dog to heel, as it can be difficult to teach a dog to heel properly.
Other guidelines to keep in mind – Don’t ever leave this collar on the dog (take it off when not in use). Don’t use a tie-out with a collar like this, and don’t use it for the life of your dog… just for basic obedience training when the dog is first learning ‘how to learn’. Once your dog is making good progress, move on to standard collar as soon as you can.