Photo by theilr
I have an unruly mongrel called Dylan who needs to be taken in hand. He is a rescue dog that I brought home from the local dog rescue centre a couple of months ago.
I was warned by the guys at the centre that he was a little wild and might need some tough love to help him settle into family life. I should have listened to them!
I’ve tried all my usual techniques and I have a lot of patience when it comes to training dogs, but I’ve reached the stage now where I think that I need to give myself a bit of help in the form of a dog training collar.
I’ve been thinking about the pros and cons of using different types of collar and thought it would be an interesting thing to talk about here on the blog. After all, design is an important consideration when it comes to the choice of dog collar and how effective each one is in assisting with dog training.
Here are my thoughts…
Dog Training Collars
Dog training collars are a tried and tested aid to training your dog and come in various different designs.
The first one that most people think of when I mention training collars is the slip collar, which is simple but effective. Other options could include a halter type design, or if you like high tech solutions, you could try an electric shock collar.
Slip Collars for Dogs
Slip collars are probably the most commonly used training collars and are very simple in design. Popularised in the late 1970s and early 80s by Barbara Woodhouse, They are just a length of chain with a ring at one end through which you pass the bight of the chain itself. This forms a loop that can be placed over the head of your dog in the normal way that you would put a collar on him. The key difference with a slip collar is that it tightens up when it is pulled.
Most people mis-use the slip collar by allowing the dog to pull constantly on the lead resulting in the slip collar tightening around the dog’s neck. This mistake is exacerbated by the common, and egregiously inappropriate name used by many, “choke chain”.
If you’re choking your dog, you’re using the collar incorrectly and you could be harming your dog in the process.
The correct way to use the slip collar is by applying a sharp jerk to the lead when the dog is behaving incorrectly. This gives him the instant feedback that he needs for effective training.
Other types of collar
There are other types of collar available, including the electric shock collar and the halter. I wouldn’t recommend the electric shock collar because it is very hard to get good results with because they require an excellent understanding of training theory and, if you’re not careful, you can end up confusing the dog.
The halter has its place but you’re unlikely to find it an effective tool for difficult or mischievous dogs.
So, in summary, I would say that the best design for a first-choice dog collar is the slip collar. This is because it combines simplicity and durability with effectiveness. In addition, a chain looks attractive and suits most dogs of whatever breed or hair colour. It really is a winning design.