# Prong Collar?



## WhiteGhost (Oct 27, 2013)

I have a white GSD and recently got a prong collar for him. I had the collar for two days and after a couple training sessions, his fur around his neck was completely black from where the collar had been. There was no irritation on his skin, just his fur had changed collar and I had to scrub his neck 3-4 times to get it off completely. 

Could it be the one the got? If so, what would you recommend I get instead?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

What kind of prong are you using? Brand? Coating? Made of what?


----------



## andreaB (Nov 6, 2011)

I think it could be the prong you bought. What if you touch it, do you get black on your hand? I have Herm Sprenger prong quality is very good


----------



## WhiteGhost (Oct 27, 2013)

It is the Top Paw brand from PetSmart that is chrome plated 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## WhiteGhost (Oct 27, 2013)

andreaB said:


> I think it could be the prong you bought. What if you touch it, do you get black on your hand? I have Herm Sprenger prong quality is very good


No, I did not get any black on my hands when I touched it. Which collar do you have from that brand?


----------



## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I have the HS stainless steel. They make a curogan one that's marketed as non-staining too. I want one of those because it looks cool, lol. 

" Sprenger Curogan prong collars imported from Germany. 

Curogan is a copper-tin-alloy with a high copper portion and some additives which make the material strong - but without any nickel. Therefore these chains avoid a discoloration of fair haired dogs. Some dogs (less than 10%) do react on Curogan with a discoloration.

A further advantage of curogan is the fact that it is absolutely free of nickel. More often nickel is responsible for allergic reactions of sensitive dogs and causes of some skin rashes.

Herm Sprenger advises that the Curogan will NOT rust because it is a copper/tin alloy and does not contain any iron, and only iron can rust. Curogan will darken and tarnish when exposed to the outdoor environment"

I copied that from the Leerburg site. For some reason I can't paste the link so it works properly.


----------



## andreaB (Nov 6, 2011)

I have this one Herm Sprenger Pinch Collar - Prong Collar 25 inch -50045(3.99mm) [HS23#1091 50045 (02) (3.99) Pinch Collar] : Prong Collars, Pinch Collars, Dog Training Collars, Curogan Collars, Chain Dog Collars, Fur Saver Collars, Choke Dog Collars, Herm Sprenger 
Just checked out the curogan one it looks great too.


----------



## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

That happens with the cheap metals. One of the most common reasons is because many of those cheap ones are nickel plated, and that just rubs right off. Not very healthy, and can definitely stain the coat.

I use Herm Sprenger and have never had this issue. I have both the prongs and fur savers of the Curogan, Stainless Steel, and the Black one. Worth the money... mine go through a lot of use through all sorts of weather and conditions.... I've never seen a single flaw in them and they've never left discoloration on my dogs. Few at training have collars that are many years old and still in the same condition as they were when new.

Herm Sprenger can be found in many popular online dog sport stores.

Here's a few of them:
-Elite K9 
Herm Sprenger Prong Collars: Police K9, Military K9 and Schutzhund Working Dog Equipment
-Leerburg
Leerburg Dog Training | Prong Collars
-Hallmark K9
Hallmark K9 - Premium Dog Training Equipment - HS Prong


----------



## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Yay shopping, lol. I like this one, with that neat closure. 

Curogan Prong Collar with nylon loop,without nickel-3.25mm(23'') [HS20#1091 50004 (67) nylon (3.25) Pinch Collar] : Prong Collars, Pinch Collars, Dog Training Collars, Curogan Collars, Chain Dog Collars, Fur Saver Collars, Choke Dog Collars, Herm Spr

ETA: my stainless was purchased waaay back, around 1990? Still looks brand new


----------



## andreaB (Nov 6, 2011)

Blanketback said:


> Yay shopping, lol. I like this one, with that neat closure.
> 
> Curogan Prong Collar with nylon loop,without nickel-3.25mm(23'') [HS20#1091 50004 (67) nylon (3.25) Pinch Collar] : Prong Collars, Pinch Collars, Dog Training Collars, Curogan Collars, Chain Dog Collars, Fur Saver Collars, Choke Dog Collars, Herm Spr
> 
> ETA: my stainless was purchased waaay back, around 1990? Still looks brand new


 
I'm curious about those. do you have any experience with them?


----------



## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

No, but I'd like to  I'm just such a tightwad, it seems silly to buy a new prong when the old one is still in perfect condition, lol. I don't even have a problem linking it together, so there goes that excuse...but doesn't is seem like a nice one?


----------



## andreaB (Nov 6, 2011)

Blanketback said:


> No, but I'd like to  I'm just such a tightwad, it seems silly to buy a new prong when the old one is still in perfect condition, lol. I don't even have a problem linking it together, so there goes that excuse...but doesn't is seem like a nice one?


 
Oh it does. Now I want one, just how to justify to buy new one when older one works just fine


----------



## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Andrea, if you can think of a good reason, please share it with me  I know my boy wants a new prong for his birthday just about as much as DH wants some new socks for his. LOL! Maybe a sprained finger, so I'd really need that snap closure? Hmm...


----------



## LuvMyDog_Worldwide (Jul 23, 2011)

Common complaint with light or white dogs, it's not the type of metal that causes the issue, it's metal in general.

The oil in the dogs fur coats the metal which then holds onto fine particles of dust and general grime. The oil and grime continue to build up in layers.

Because metal is non porous the grimey film stays on the surface of the collar and eventually buffs off onto the fur.

The ring you see on the dogs fur is, in effect, the collar cleaning itself.

The simple solution is to scrub the collar regularly in hot mildly soapy water and remove the grime. Some dogs can get away with the collar being cleaned every few weeks, with others it's a matter of days, it depends on the dog and the environment.

That's where stainless steel comes into its own, you can scrub it all the time and it won't rust. Damage the surface of a plated collar and it will. Stainless is therefore more suitable for long term use and maintenance.

Curogan on the other hand is hypoallergenic, it's less likely to react with the skin, but being a metal collar it's just as likely to mark fur as any other metal collar.


----------

