# Prong Collar Question



## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

I watched "How to Fit a Prong Collar" video and he discusses having a back-up collar because under a hard correction the prong can come apart. 

What is your thoughts on this and do you have a back-up collar with your prong and what kind.

Thank you.


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## marksteven (Aug 2, 2008)

If a prong collar is new or in decent shape with the links not being bent, i do not see how it can come apart, i use on every day and never had this happen. i dont use a backup collar


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## MJF (Dec 30, 2008)

We have one dog, a GSD mix, that cannot wear a prong collar. Every time I use it, it falls off. It was a new collar, properly fitted and refitted numerous times. Something in the way he moves, not sure how, but it comes undone every time. I started attaching the leash to his regular collar and the prong. But then it makes corrections pretty useless. I've since stopped using the prong collar. Good luck.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have used a nylon slip collar for back-up, recommended by my trainer at the time. I had no problem w/ this, and the prong never came apart. This was with the smaller prong collar. I have the larger prong for my long-coat. Both dogs are now on an adjustable no-slip and do well on this.


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## TRex (May 6, 2006)

Have never used a back up collar with the prong. I can't imagine doing such a hard correction that it would come off! The prong collar has come off a few time while my dog was running after a ball. We looked at the collar and realized we had gotten in the habit of pulling it apart in the same area. The prongs were loose so we just pulled them out a bit and haven't had a problem since.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I use a back up collar and leash. When Otto was about 5 months, he stopped to scratch his neck and his nearly new prong collar came apart. (Yes I used a prong on a 5 month old, had rubber tips and he's a strong little beast capable of dragging a 50lb sack of rocks across the yard at 4 months old)

A few months later, bigger prong collar, bigger puppy, burst open again. 

I have a 4' leash attached to a 6' leash. Attach the 6' to my 7 year old female and the 4' leash attached to Otto's regular buckle collar. Then I have another leather leash I attach to his prong collar. It's a production and an art form to keep the 3 leashes untangled (mostly the 7 year old untangles him)


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## ituneyou (Dec 20, 2008)

I use a prong collar on my Max and has never come apart, it takes me forever to try to open it to take off links or to add them.

Steve


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

I use this collar as an everyday collar: http://www.villagepetoutfitters.com/product.asp?pid=378&cat=1

So I can easily clip the prong and this collar onto the leash...and I do in situation where if the prong came undone, it would be problematic (in large crowds of strange dogs, near a road, etc.)

I have had prongs come apart, but for the most part I can easily call the dog back to me or they never even notice.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

There have been several posts about this same topic. I read them and thought - can't happen. In 20 years it never happened to me so I did not heed the advice to use a back up collar. 


Until last spring when it happened to me. Thankfully the dog just stood there. I do not think it has anything to do with a correction, we were just walking along and it fell off. There is the possibility that it was not on correctly.

Now I use a back up collar. I use a snap around choke or what leerburg calls a dominant dog collar. Never understood why he calls it that.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I have been in the same situation as Kathy. My girl was just wearing her prong collar, standing next to me with her lead hanging loose, and next thing I know, I am holding a lead with an open collar at the end, and my dog is standing next to me, wondering what is going on.

In my case, it also had nothing to do with issuing a correction. I think it's actually less likely for a prong collar to come apart during a correction, unless you somehow didn't manage to get the links connected right or all the way.

That said, my friend had the type of prong collar that has a quick-release snap on the chain part. She got it because she had a hard time connecting and disconnecting the links on a regular collar. She's had some issues with that snap coming loose somehow.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I have had the same thing happen as Kathy and Chris. Ironicially the times I remember it was ALWAYS Rayne. My girls all wear a "martingale type" collar as their daily collar and I will use that as a backup. Most of the time now they will wear a pinch collar as a "be good reminder" but generally are walked on their regular collar.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

Jenn,I used a prong on Athena from a young age too.Your not the only one.I occasionally have the problem of it coming apart and it is usually one prong in particular so I have hubby rebend it out more.You can buy replacement prongs too if one becomes unfixable or you need to add on.I've been advised to use back up but I feel it is useless then the flat collar gets in the way.I always have the 2 collars on just not hooked together.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Allie, I use 2 leashes - it works out really well! The one attached to Otto's prong is a 6 foot leash. He walks on my left so I have the 2' slack from his 6' across my body. I keep the loop to his 4 foot collar leash in my left hand so if he pulls, his buckle collar give a correction before the prong. The 4footer is attached to my other dog's 6 footer and she walks on my right. Both dogs get 4' of leash and I have it worked out so both dogs have their leashes controlled by 2 hands.

It's hard to explain but it works out nice - Morgan had a similar setup with Luther. They're attached to each other in case one of them gets away from me (which has never happened but I like to be safe, we live in the city). Morgan is a really good walker, that helps when the other one isn't - Luther wasn't a good walker, had to stop and sniff everything used to try to spin me around...


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## ahlamarana (Sep 22, 2008)

I haven't had a prong collar come apart, but I have seen video of it and use a thin nylon slip collar just in case. In other discussions I have read, it would seem that improper fit and a poor quality prong collar may be to blame. I only use the Herm Sprenger stainless steel collars.


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## JasperLoki (Sep 25, 2005)

I have seen the quick release prongs come apart, however the other ones seem to be safe.

Only get Herm Sprenger.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Ditto the herm sprenger.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Another vote for the Herm Sprenger. Another reason reason why:

Herm Sprenger prong: smooth, round tips









Top Paw brand (sold at Petsmart): flat, sharp tips


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## JasperLoki (Sep 25, 2005)

This is also a good demo of fitting the prong, just if anyone needed it







(includes pics).

http://leerburg.com/fit-prong.htm


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

My Herm Sprengers have come apart - both are quick release, but never had a problem with that part - they both came apart with the actual prongs.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Thank you for all the responses, I believe I will get a back-up reading that a lot of member's prong collars have come apart, we do have a Herm Sprenger Quick Release and it came apart one time by the snap (maybe I didn't make sure it was good enough).


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Im another one thats had a prong collar come off, it was the specific collar though. And like the others it always came off while doing nothing, I would be in petsmart etc and suddenly holding a leash with the collar sitting on the floor! Only time it was ever a problem was once walking to the dog park it came undone and Tessa took off to say hello to a dog leaving the park! Now I back it up, though I ended up tossing that specific collar because it started coming undone over and over.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: EllyI watched "How to Fit a Prong Collar" video and he discusses having a back-up collar because under a hard correction the prong can come apart.


i dont see how it can come off if u have it on right in the first place. back ups are a good thing to have but i've never seen one come off unless it wasnt on right.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

does your dog really need a prong collar? how old is your dog? hard correction with the prong, umm?


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: lcht2i dont see how it can come off if u have it on right in the first place. back ups are a good thing to have but i've never seen one come off unless it wasnt on right.


I've never had one come off in 25 years. Same collar that Luther (who was a big buff beast) wore for 5 year, Otto has been able to pop it. Go figure, the first time Otto did it I thought it was a fluke. Second time, I put on a second leash!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i want to see a snap around choke. i'm not familiar with this collar.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I've had a regular prong come off more than once, but I believe that in those cases it was either because I didn't have it on right - only had one prong inserted in the flat tab, or because the prongs have come loose from always being pinched at the same place for putting on and removing. In both those cases, these are human error issues, not defective or unsafe collar issues. And fortunately never came off in a training situation. 

I double check my collars now for proper set-up when I put them 
on, and have not have any problems.

Hey Jenn, I'm like you! Two dogs each on their own leash and a flashlight for after dark, not enough hands! - I've taught Keeta to "step-out" and untangle herself when she gets tangled in her leash or long-line. She will turn to face me, and start stepping out backwards lifting her feet alternatingly very high to step out of the tangled leash. She really understands the excercise and what it is all about, because she knows just which leg to lift and in which direction to step out to get untangled. 

Falkor is just starting to get it. So far, we are working on "lift", where he lifts a front paw for when he steps over the leash. He just started actively lifting and moving his paw back to get the leash I'm holding back out to his front. Love it when the light comes on!!! 

And as a side note on the intelligence of working breeds - my first dog, a spaniel/retriever mix, was pretty smart by all standards, but all he ever learned was "lift", where he would lift his leg and stand there for as long as I required it, but never actively tried to step out of the leash or get untangled. That is something that both Keeta and Falkor seem to have intuitively understood.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: doggiedaddoes your dog really need a prong collar? how old is your dog? hard correction with the prong, umm?


Sonny is 11 months old and the rescue that we adopted him from suggests a prong collar for control on their GSD in the contract, (they have no choke chains in the contract) in fact they were kind enough to let him come with his prong collar. 

He will be starting obedience on Monday, so I hope that a prong won't even be needed after he goes through his classes, our goal is CGC and for that I know they can't test with a prong. 

I would never have to correct hard like that by any means - I hope no one does. I asked the question since I saw the video and it was suggested as a back up I wanted to see how many people here had any similar issues and their opinions. 

I see that people have issues even without the correction. I can't imagine how it comes apart either with just standing there to be honest but because so many have responded that they do I think having a back-up collar as a precaution is a very smart thing to do.


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## ahlamarana (Sep 22, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: doggiedadi want to see a snap around choke. i'm not familiar with this collar.


HERE is one. The point of the clip is so the collar doesn't have to be big enough to slip over the dog's head. Being smaller, it doesn't slide down the neck and get out of position.


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## JasperLoki (Sep 25, 2005)

Here are some newer ones I found a few months back. They have buckles on them now.

They also sell different link sizes as well.

http://www.elitek9.com/Collars/Herm_Sprenger/Pinch_Collar/index.htm


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: HistorianAnother vote for the Herm Sprenger. Another reason reason why:
> 
> Herm Sprenger prong: smooth, round tips


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## Enzyme Diane (May 6, 2008)

I started using back up collar because I noticed I was finding prong collars on the floor. I would be getting ready to go for a walk put on the prong collars, grab water, poop bags etc and come back and there was one on the floor. If th dog would stop to scratch at their neck they could unhook them. These were without the quick release. I have a few of those quick releases but I ended up with a collar n my hand when I would grab a collar for more controll. I now use a thin nylon choaker with the prong. I have had dogs that have never gotten theirs off and I have others that do get them off.


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## alaman (May 3, 2006)

I use a baby prong and they will bend and come apart


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