# prong collar question



## luke4275 (May 23, 2011)

I'm working with a trainer that is using a prong collar. It seems my pup is on the independent side and a regular tug w/o a prong collar isnt doing it. My question. the trainer wanted me to keep the prong collar on over nite while pup is in crate and tug when needed. he whines.. etc.. Is it always safe to keep a prong collar on in the crate, that will be attached to a leash? Pup will be right next to my bed. I know to never leave prong on, unattended, but is this fine? thanks


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

luke4275 said:


> I'm working with a trainer that is using a prong collar. It seems my pup is on the independent side and a regular tug w/o a prong collar isnt doing it. My question. the trainer wanted me to keep the prong collar on over nite while pup is in crate and tug when needed. he whines.. etc.. Is it always safe to keep a prong collar on in the crate, that will be attached to a leash? Pup will be right next to my bed. I know to never leave prong on, unattended, but is this fine? thanks


How old is the puppy?


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

No, it's not safe or a good idea. 

Sometimes people mistake avoidance behaviors for independence. 

What other kinds of training have you tried? Are you rewarding for behaviors you do want? Is training fun for you and for your dog?


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## Chance&Reno (Feb 21, 2012)

It is very possible that the dog can hang itself if the prongs get caught on the crate. As a trainer, I don't see the idea behind giving a collar correction for whining. Puppies, just like human children, don't care what type of attention they get (good or bad), either way giving any type of attention for the whining will reinforce the behavior. 

Ignore your dog when it whines, even if it's the whole night. Put in ear plugs or sleep on a different floor. When the puppy realizes you aren't going to give in, it will stop. Of course, this is all contingent on whether or not the puppy is housebroken and able to make it through the night without having to go outside to potty.

Is the dog whining constantly or does it start and stop? What is the pattern to the whining?


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## Sulamk (Jan 30, 2011)

Why is a puppy wearing a prong collar!


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## TCAP1 (Mar 28, 2012)

More info is really needed.

How old is the pup - what are the issues. 

From what you gave no - no prong in crate and no prong for puppy.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I never leave a dog crated with a prong collar either. Even when I am at team training and have to take mine in and out of the crate several times during a 6 hour period. I realize with the crate next to you, the odds of anything bad happening and not caught are slim.

Ignore the whining. praise him when he is quiet and give him treats and attention. For a dog wanting attention, being punished is more desirble (to the dog) than being ignored.

It worked with my puppy and it worked for my adult dog who was bad at crate barking at people outside the truck. I do not believe in training without corrections My school of thought is all training is done motivationally, BUT when the dog knows what is wrong correction is appropriate.

I would consider another trainer. I use a prong, but it has its place and this is not it.


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## luke4275 (May 23, 2011)

*prong*

My pup is 8 months old just about 70pounds.. He is independent.. much better with the prong.. I wont leave the prong on in the crate. If the prong is on while he is in the house, he is never out of my sight.. My house is small. Ear plugs didnt work for me so ignoring the whining isnt an option I see happening.. His whining takes many different sorts.. sometimes he'll whine bec he wants out of the crate, sometimes he'll make noises like he is yawning.. he does that a lot and sometimes he makes noises like he is sighing after settling.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

luke4275 said:


> My pup is 8 months old just about 70pounds.. He is independent.. much better with the prong.. I wont leave the prong on in the crate. If the prong is on while he is in the house, he is never out of my sight.. My house is small. Ear plugs didnt work for me so ignoring the whining isnt an option I see happening.. His whining takes many different sorts.. sometimes he'll whine bec he wants out of the crate, sometimes he'll make noises like he is yawning.. he does that a lot and sometimes he makes noises like he is sighing after settling.


It sounds like you have a vocal dog that likes to talk. Lots of shepherds are this way and I don't know if that can be trained out of them...Mine makes lots of different noises and always talks to me and I've never thought about correcting her...anybody else with a vocal shepherd??


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## luke4275 (May 23, 2011)

*prong*

the prong is not being used for being vocal.. Without the prong. the dog chases the cat all over the house and goes dumpster diving for the garbages and jumps on the counters and grabs what he can. With the prong on, his activity level goes from a 9.5 to a 4. Keep in mind this pup gets full out dog play 6 days a week and burned off so many calories at day care that I had to increase his food. bec he was getting so thin. He plays non-stop and doesnt settle when home at nite. with the prong collar ( it;s only been one day), he is mellow and relaxed. After he is trained, the prong wont be needed. for now it is doing some good.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

luke4275 said:


> the prong is not being used for being vocal.. Without the prong. the dog chases the cat all over the house and goes dumpster diving for the garbages and jumps on the counters and grabs what he can. With the prong on, his activity level goes from a 9.5 to a 4. Keep in mind this pup gets full out dog play 6 days a week and burned off so many calories at day care that I had to increase his food. bec he was getting so thin. He plays non-stop and doesnt settle when home at nite. with the prong collar ( it;s only been one day), he is mellow and relaxed. After he is trained, the prong wont be needed. for now it is doing some good.


I'm slightly confused...do you have a leash attached to him when he's at home chasing the cat, going in the garbage, etc to correct him when he does these things? I'm just trying to get an idea how the prong is coming into play with these issues


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think many of us use prongs. But I am confused. I thought you were talking about leaving a dog in a crate with a prong and a lead........


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