# I am NOT wearing a pinch collar!!



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Last week, I put a pinch collar on Kira. She had it on for ONLY ONE WALK around the neighborhood. She was developing a tendency to pull, and a single very slight correction, put an immediate end to her pulling. She's smart, and she got it right away.

So the collar sat in my kitchen drawer for a week since.
Yesterday, I took the collar out of the drawer to put in someplace else... From the corner of my eye, I see Kira run and hide under the kitchen table. I didn't believe it, so I dangled the collar a bit and just walked in her direction. She ran into the dining room. LOL.

These dogs don't forget anything, and they know what they like and don't like. Simply amazing.


----------



## cta (May 24, 2011)

thankfully chobahn doesn't run from the prong, otherwise i would be in trouble! when he sees it, he dances all around because he knows it means he's going for a walk. when i used to crate him for the day, the second he saw me brushing my teeth or heard my blow dryer, he would run and hide under the kitchen table because he knew it was almost time to be locked up. they really don't forget anything. smart little buggers.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Why don't you just have her wear the collar around the house (with supervision of course) for on and off so that the sight, sound and feel of the collar is matter of fact.

Another thing you can do is go for a few walks with her wearing both regular collar and her pinch collar. Have the leash on her regular collar for the first few walks. Then start switching to her pinch collar (still wearing both collars).


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you don't want your dog shying away from her
collar or leash. why do you think she ran from
her collar? Castlemaid has the cure.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> Why don't you just have her wear the collar around the house (with supervision of course) for on and off so that the sight, sound and feel of the collar is matter of fact.
> 
> Another thing you can do is go for a few walks with her wearing both regular collar and her pinch collar. Have the leash on her regular collar for the first few walks. Then start switching to her pinch collar (still wearing both collars).


Agreed.

Having my dog run and hide whenever his training collar is ready to be put on would not be fun. 

Mine also wears a prong but we also put his flat collar on at the sametime. He recovers quickly from a prong correction. Mine will also get excited when he sees any of his collars taken off the peg he knows it's time for fun (car ride, training, walk).

Take the suggestion above by Castlemaid


----------



## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

I think she too young to be on prong. Wait a couple or months and see what happens.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Josie/Zeus said:


> I think she too young to be on prong. Wait a couple or months and see what happens.


Oh wait, how old is she?


----------



## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

She is 5.5 months I think..


----------



## mtmarabianz (Jan 7, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> Why don't you just have her wear the collar around the house (with supervision of course) for on and off so that the sight, sound and feel of the collar is matter of fact.
> 
> Another thing you can do is go for a few walks with her wearing both regular collar and her pinch collar. Have the leash on her regular collar for the first few walks. Then start switching to her pinch collar (still wearing both collars).


Make Sure the Supervision Part = left my pup for a moment, in my breezeway, and while scratching her hind leg got threw/under the collar = few more moments and she would have been strangled, the more she struggled, the tighter it got = gives me chills to this day!


----------



## mtmarabianz (Jan 7, 2010)

Josie/Zeus said:


> She is 5.5 months I think..


Not too young for a prong. Mine at that age felt like she was dislocating my shoulder, without a prong on!


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

If you use the prong every time you go for a walk, she will start to associate the prong with getting to go for a walk, and pretty soon she'll get excited when she sees it! Luka used to go NUTS if I even touched her prong collar, because she knew it meant we were going to go somewhere fun.


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Hi All....

Kira is at the "gray area" for wearing a collar. She's only 5.5 months, and her pulling is not excessive. The collar (on my part), was more of test to see if she was reactive to the correction. As I mentioned earlier, it took the slightest of correction to get her attention, and the pulling stopped.

However, reality tells me that, she's either going to learn to properly heel, or we'll have to revisit the collar.

At the moment, (because of her age), I have no intention of putting the collar back on her. i've been doing more leash work, and her walking has been much better. On the other hand, if I feel I need it, I'll reintroduce her to it in a few weeks.

A few thoughts.....

The collar I have is a slip on. That's part of the problem. It should be easier, if I had the clasp, with the quick connect.

Experience tells me I'll need it at a later day


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I think Vinca was about 5 months the first time I put a prong collar on her. It was like magic. A couple of self-corrections and she stopped pulling! She didn't take offense to it, either. I use it sparingly, and yet, she still gets excited when I bring it out.


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Anthony, have you tried using moving forward itself as the reward? I know I drone on about stopping when they start pulling, but they will learn it fast. The only time Rocket even starts to pull anymore (which is now fading fast) is when we get to something he really loves, like a friends' house or a horse he knows and likes. I just use THAT as the reward. If he walks nicely, we get to move forward and he gets there faster. If he pulls or jumps, we either go backward or in the other direction. 

Yesterdays walk, by all of his favorite things plus some new ones, as in goats, was absolutely fabulous. I do take a toy and we do a bit of running and playing so he doesn't feel he's heeling the whole time but it was a beautiful day and such an enjoyable walk. About 3 miles of gorgeous sun. 

Except I forgot how bad goats smell. :crazy:


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

RocketDog said:


> Except I forgot how bad goats smell. :crazy:


Actually, it's only intact bucks that smell. Does and wethered males have absolutely no odor whatsoever--I can hug my wethers all day long.  But dogs do love smelly things!


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Oof. From what I could see, there were several intact males. It's about 2 acres and yesterday there were about 12-15 goats. Several different kinds. It's only about 1 mile away, but I don't go down that road that often. 

They're so interesting! I love the different horns and their faces are so different! It's kind of a junkyard place, so I don't have any idea if they're well taken care of or not, really. Is it normal to have so many intact males?


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

RocketDog said:


> Anthony, have you tried using moving forward itself as the reward? I know I drone on about stopping when they start pulling, but they will learn it fast. The only time Rocket even starts to pull anymore (which is now fading fast) is when we get to something he really loves, like a friends' house or a horse he knows and likes. I just use THAT as the reward. If he walks nicely, we get to move forward and he gets there faster. If he pulls or jumps, we either go backward or in the other direction.
> 
> Yesterdays walk, by all of his favorite things plus some new ones, as in goats, was absolutely fabulous. I do take a toy and we do a bit of running and playing so he doesn't feel he's heeling the whole time but it was a beautiful day and such an enjoyable walk. About 3 miles of gorgeous sun.
> 
> Except I forgot how bad goats smell. :crazy:


LOL.. Yes.
People must think I'm nuts. Sometime, I could be doing circles as I'm walking her. I would move forward, and as soon as she gets past my leg, I make a u-turn, and keep her at a heel position. I'm finding myself doing this receptively on every walk. The collar would probably fix it instantly, but I'm SO STUBBORN, that I would prefer to work with her though training technique, as opposed to a collar at the moment.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

RocketDog said:


> They're so interesting! I love the different horns and their faces are so different! It's kind of a junkyard place, so I don't have any idea if they're well taken care of or not, really. Is it normal to have so many intact males?


It really depends... if it's a junkyardy place, the owners are probably just too lazy to wether their bucks. Are the goats thin or fat? I love goats! They are such interesting and entertaining creatures. Sorry to derail the thread.


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I think I may have to take some pictures for you! Maybe you'll be able to tell me what kinds they are. 

Yes, sorry Anthony!


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> LOL.. Yes.
> People must think I'm nuts. Sometime, I could be doing circles as I'm walking her. I would move forward, and as soon as she gets past my leg, I make a u-turn, and keep her at a heel position. I'm finding myself doing this receptively on every walk. The collar would probably fix it instantly, but I'm SO STUBBORN, that I would prefer to work with her though training technique, as opposed to a collar at the moment.


Hehe. I get dizzy spells, so it's counterproductive for us to make too many quick U-turns. The prong collar is SO much easier. Like power steering.


----------



## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

mtmarabianz said:


> Make Sure the Supervision Part = left my pup for a moment, in my breezeway, and while scratching her hind leg got threw/under the collar = few more moments and she would have been strangled, the more she struggled, the tighter it got = gives me chills to this day!


There is absolutley no way that if a prong collar is properly fitted this should happen! A prong is supposed to be HIGH on the neck (behind the ears) and TIGHT.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Anthony8858 said:


> The collar I have is a slip on. That's part of the problem. It should be easier, if I had the clasp, with the quick connect.
> 
> Experience tells me I'll need it at a later day


Honestly I have had both and I gather by slip on you mean the kind where you have to squeeze the prongs to get it on. I got rid of the one with the clasp. I found the links were easier to pinch than putting on the quick release and the quick relase has failed on light corrections (opened up)--I am assuming you have a Herm Springer and not that one they sell at Petsmart? 

I am hoping to never need it but it is "in the toolbox" if we do.


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

After my wife having a failed attempt to walk her yesterday, I decided to revisit the pinch collar.

Kira walks fine with me, but apparently feels otherwise with my wife.

So I get her nice and calm, and without her seeing what's in my hand, I calmly put the collar on her. At the last moment, she realized what I just did, and RAN into her crate. She stood there, and stared at me with this "why did you do that" - look on her face 

Eventually, she came out and licked me to death 

Anyway, I kept it on her all night, and she was fine. This morning's walk was uneventful.

Should I leave it on her?

Or should I take it off, and only use it when needed?


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I would put it on and off a lot. She'll get so bored with you handling the stupid thing and annoying her with it, she'll stop even noticing.  

And I wouldn't leave it on overnight or let her wear it in her crate. Their big open design means they can easily get hooked on something, so if she is to wear it in the house or out in the yard, better to have someone around who can keep an eye on her.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Why not use a no pull harness instead? Look at Senseation, Easy Walk, etc - there are some posts in the equipment section I believe. 

There is no requirement that dogs have to wear prongs, that I am aware of anyway.


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Why not use a no pull harness instead? Look at Senseation, Easy Walk, etc - there are some posts in the equipment section I believe.
> 
> There is no requirement that dogs have to wear prongs, that I am aware of anyway.


IMO, I am somewhat reluctant to put the collar on her. I don't feel the need for it, but on the other hand, she's 100% manageable for the other family members, when she had it on.

I don't know enough about the other no -pull harnesses to comment. But I'll look into them.


----------



## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

I try to put Viktor's prong collar on about 20 min before we go out, and leave it on for a while when we get back.


----------



## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I wouldn't leave it on, just put it on and off- with some treats- until it's no big deal. Stosh gets very very excited when I put his on because he knows we're going someplace new and exciting since that's when I use it. The extra control is priceless


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Anthony8858 said:


> IMO, I am somewhat reluctant to put the collar on her. I don't feel the need for it, but on the other hand, she's 100% manageable for the other family members, when she had it on.
> 
> I don't know enough about the other no -pull harnesses to comment. But I'll look into them.


I have used the no pull harness for a 90# foster who was going to be adopted by someone who had strength limitations and they continue to use it. He was fine for me on a martingale but I wanted them to be able to walk him without worries. 

I also used it on a 40# lab mix foster puppy who was a wiry ball of energy and who would pull on a martingale collar like a maniac. With the tool of the easy walk harness, I was able to teach him what I wanted him to do without a big mishigosh. 

If there's an easy way to teach something, I am all about it. But it has to be taught - that's the key. Good training opportunity for the others!


----------

