# Safety collars with Prong Collar



## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

I remember reading that when using a prong collar to use another collar as a backup in case it comes apart. How good is that advice? If that is highly recommended, what type of collar can be used? I am not ready to get a prong collar yet, just thinking ahead.


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## kaslkaos (Jan 15, 2003)

Ah, very good question. This is probably a case of 'do as I say, not as I do'. I never attached a prong to collar to a back-up collar. I did have the prong mysteriously come apart on multiple occasions. It usually happened when the dog is acting particularly unruly, or rolling on the ground. Every time this happened, my dog had no clue, and it was easy to re-clip the prong.
Sooooo, you could attach it to a flat collar that fits low enough on the neck so that the prong won't get tangled up in it. You'd probably want a light weight but strong string/rope bit attached to the d-ring of the prong and to the d-ring of the back-up collar.


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

Leerburg.com sells a dominant collar and was wondering if anybody uses one or even something else that is compatible.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I was told by my first trainer to use back-up nylon choke type, second place, trainer said to remove back-up. So far the prong hasn't come apart. 
Now I am trying the softouch sense-ation harness on Onyx and the instructions suggest flat collar back up when introducing it to the dog.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

I have never used a back up collar with the prong and I have never had one come apart. But I don't use prongs that often.

The dominant dog collar Leerburg sells is a snap around choke. They are also available from http://www.handcraftcollars.com and I think they are cheaper. I use them and like them. Not sure where it got it's name as a dominant dog collar but I like them as they fit high and snug giving a little better control without a prong.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

It's funny because it's also called the Volhard collar...I have never used it in the choke mode, just high and tight in obedience classes. 

For regular walking I use a martingale because I have a fear of a dog slipping a collar.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I broke down and bought my first prong collar last year for Keefer. I haven't done nearly enough leash training with him, and he still pulls enough with the Sense-Ation harness that I wanted something with a bit more control at first, so I'd have more rewardable behavior while I worked with him, before transitioning back to the harness and eventually his flat collar. 

I was concerned about prongs breaking at inopportune times, as some people have talked about here, so what I did was buy the smallest coupler I could find, and cut off one side. So what I have is a short (about 6" including hardware?) piece of nylon, with a clip at one end, and a loop at the other end. I clip it to his regular collar, and then the leash attaches to the loop on the other end, and the loop on the prong. If the prong breaks, the leash is still attached to his regular collar by the half coupler, but it doesn't restrict the prong at all, or cause it to move out of proper position on his neck. 

This is like the one I got: Two Way Coupler


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Jean, the Volhard's actually developed that collar and hand craft collars produces it for them. It is worn high and tight like a prong.

When I lived in KY I trained with an instructor who regularly works with the Volhard's at their training camps. When I moved and wanted a collar I emailed her and she gave me hand craft collars as a provided as that is where they get them from.

I really don't see the need to call it a dominant dog collar.


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## kgursky (Jan 10, 2008)

I have only had one of my prongs come apart and it was a quick fix of simply widening the link a little.

I bought a cheap prong at Petco (big mistake) to put on my giant schnauzer and I constantly worry about that one coming apart. I hook it up to her fursaver as a backup.


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