Dog Collars and harnesses

« Dog Reward and punishment / Dog Teething »

Choke Collar: The choke collar is a length of metal-link chain with a large circular ring on either end. The chain is slid through one of these rings and it is slid over the dog's head. When the dog displays an undesirable behavior the collar is tightened. This is primarily used in traditional dog training.

Prong (or Pinch) Collar: The prong collar is made of metal links that fit together by connecting through long teeth that point inward toward the dogâ€™s neck. A section of this collar is made of a loop of chain links that tighten the collar when pulled, forcing the prongs into the dog's neck. The use of these collars is controversial and is opposed by animal rights groups such as PETA. This collar is mainly used in traditional dog training.

Electric Collars: These collars are operated via remote control and include the electric shock, citronella, and audio collars. The shock collar sends an adjustable electric shock to the dogâ€™s neck at the will of the trainer. The citronella and audio collars are similar except the citronella collar sprays an odor that most dogs find offensive and the audio collar emits a sound that most dogs do not like. Remote collar training is popular for working dogs involved in retrieving, search and rescue, and other activities where the dog is off-leash and far from the handler. . Some trainers use very low settings as a way of getting the attention of deaf dogs, when the dog is at a distance or not facing the handler. In this case, the stimulation is not used as a punishment to modify behavior, but as a substitute for verbally calling the dog's name. Many newer collars include a vibrate feature (like a cell phone vibrator) or an audio pager which can be used for this purpose. These collars, too, are considered inhumane by many animal welfare and animal rights groups. These collars are most often employed in traditional dog training.

Martingale Collar: The martingale collar is a collar that has only a section on it that will tighten when pulled. This is different from the choke collar that will tighten indefinitely.

Head Collar: The head collar is very similar to a halter on a horse. The theory it is that if you have control of the head, you have control of the body. The head collar generally consists of two loops. One loop goes behind the ears and the other goes over the dog's nose and they meet somewhere below the dog's jaw. This tool makes it more difficult for the dog to pull on his leash. This tool is usually employed during positive reinforcement training.

No Pull Harness: The no-pull harness is worn on the body of the animal. The no-pull harness differs significantly from the standard harness since it makes it harder for the dog to pull because it distributes energy over the dogâ€™s back and shoulders. The no-pull harness restricts the movement of the dogâ€™s body when the dog pulls. Like the head collar, the no pull harness does not teach the dog not to pull; it only makes it harder for the dog to pull. This harness is generally used during positive reinforcement training.