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How to Fit a Prong Collar

By Ed Frawley

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This photo demonstrates the right and wrong way to fit a prong collar. The correct way is when it sits right under the jawline. The wrong way is when the collar is too loose and riding too far down on the dog's neck.

I train dogs with prong collars. There are very few dogs that I would not train with a prong collar. I recommend them to new dog owners, new trainers, and people who own dogs with behavioral problems. While some think a prong looks nasty, the fact is they are far more humane than a normal choke collar.

The biggest problem with prong collars is that new dog owners don't know how to put them on, how to size them, or how to have their dog wear them. This article will address these issues.

Normal choke collars need to be ordered by length (i.e., 22 inches long, etc.) Prong collars are ordered by size (small, medium, large, or extra large). They all come in a standard length which is adjusted to fit the neck of the dog by removing or adding links to the collar.

Prong collars are meant to be put on and taken off before and after daily training sessions. Unlike a choke collar that is often left on the dog all the time (in some cases this can be a dangerous practice).

A common problem new trainers have is they don't remove enough links to get the correct snug fit. When that happens the collar hangs down on the dog’s neck which results in the collar not working the way that it was designed. A prong collar should fit the way you see it in the photo of Sonny, our Yellow Lab.

The correct position for a prong collar is to sit right behind the ears and up under the jawline like you see in the first photo above. The photos below show how many people mistakenly let a dog wear a prong and the correct way to wear a prong.

Sizing the Prong

Adding and Removing Links

Some people mistakenly try and put a prong collar on their dog by slipping it over the dog's head and then moving it down on the neck. That's wrong. Prong collars are designed to be put on and taken off by unhooking links and unsnapping the collar from around the neck.

The right way to unhook a collar is to pinch one of the links and pull it apart. Taking the collar off is always easier than putting it back on.

How to pinch a link and take the collar off the dog's neck.

How to start reconnecting a link to put the collar back on the dog's neck. Put one side of the prong of a link in one side of the connecting link. Then squeeze the link with the thumb until the other side drops in place.

When both prongs are lined up (by using thumb pressure on the link), the link can be pushed in to reconnect the collar.

Problems develop if new trainers try to fit both sides of the link together without using thumb pressure to squeeze the link together. Unless the prong is pinched together, it will never reconnect.

Proper Placement Once the Collar is on the Dog

Most of the time when a prong collar is put on a dog, the handler connects the collar with the links behind the dog's ears—this is the easiest place to access the links. Once the collar is on the neck, the rings to connect the leash to are under the dog's chin. This is incorrect! You must rotate the collar so the rings are in the proper spot on the dog's neck. This is usually on the right side of the neck.

A Doberman Pinscher wearing a properly fitted prong collar. The prong collar is sized properly, sitting in the correct spot on the dog's neck, and the rings are located in the correct spot for the leash to be attached (right side of the neck).

Prong Collar Sizing Video

If you're still unsure how to size the prong collar, watch this short and quick video for a quick demonstration on how we put on a prong collar.

Types and Styles of Prong Collars

**Chrome Plated Herm Sprenger Prong Collar**
A cost-effective solution.

**Stainless Steel Herm Sprenger Prong Collar**
Will hold its shape which prevents links from wearing out over time.

**Curogan Herm Sprenger Prong Collar**
For dogs with skin allergies.

**Easy Snap Prong Collar Conversion System**
Uses a buckle making it quick and easy to snap on. Also available in Small.

**Micro Prong Collar**
Used for small dogs. Also used by obedience trainers for large dogs. Allows for a more subtle, yet evenly spread out correction on larger dogs.

**Keeper Collars Hidden Prong with Snap**
Does not require a back up collar. Perfect for walking your dog. Prevents unwanted attention from strangers.

Shop All Prong Collars

Shop Prong Collar Leashes

Size of Prongs

**2.25 mm Prong** - For smaller dogs or larger dogs being trained for precision obedience. Offers more effective communication with less pressure.

**3.2 mm Prong** - For medium to large dogs with a thicker coat, also for dogs that may be physically overstimulated from the smaller prongs. This is the largest prong we use on any dog here at Leerburg.

**4.0 mm Prong** - Very heavy and we only recommend these for extremely large and giant breed dogs, can be hard to put on due to the thickness of the prongs and because of the thickness and size of the prongs it doesn’t offer the precision of the two smaller sizes

Dead Ring vs. Live Ring

There are two ways to attach a leash to the prong collar. It can either be connected to the live-ring or the dead-ring. Which one you choose will depend on the dog and what you are trying to do.

Leash that is attached to the live ring on the prong collar.

This photo shows how to attach a snap to the dead rings on the prong collar. Hook your leash to both sets of rings.

When the snap is on the live-ring the correction is amplified because more slack is taken out of the collar when the correction is given and the leash is popped. The live-ring is used if a dog does not respond well to the snap being placed on the dead-ring.

The first time a prong is used on a dog the snap should be on the dead-ring. When a correction is applied and the leash is attached to the dead-ring the correction will not take as much slack out of the collar as when it is attached to the live-ring.

Recommended Safety System for All Prong Collars

A perfect safety procedure is to use along with a prong is a Dominant Dog Collar™. I offer this advice to ALL those trainers who use prong collars.

It is not unheard of for a mistake to happen and a prong collar comes apart when you need it the most. By having a dominant dog collar on the dog at the same time as the prong, this will never be a problem. Simply attach the clip on the leash to both the prong and the ring on the dominant dog collar.

The Dominant Dog Collar is designed specifically for dominant and aggressive dogs to control their behavior. When used appropriately, dominant dog collars are a humane alternative to prong and electric collars. This collar is not intended to give a painful correction. When used appropriately, tightening should take the air away from a dominant aggressive dog just enough to correct unwanted behavior. Some dogs will get overstimulated by a prong collar, resulting in a more hectic and aggressive dog. Using a dominant dog collar correctly on aggressive dogs takes the drive and fight out of the dog.

The clip on the leash is attached to the prong collar and the Dominant Dog Collar™

Our Pull Tab is attached to the prong AND the Dominant Dog Collar™

A helpful training tool that you can find only at Leerburg is the Prong Collar Leash. This Amish-made latigo leather leash has high-quality stainless steel snaps. This leash is made so that a prong collar is attached to one clip and Dominant Dog Collar™ (or backup collar) is attached to a second clip. There is a 6-inch tab attached to the clip end of the leash for the second collar. When or if the prong collar fails and comes off the dog, the second collar is already attached without interfering with the prong collar corrections.

An example of how the Prong Collar Leash is setup with a prong collar and our Dominant Dog Collar™. You can purchase all three as a kit here.

Debunking Prong Collar Myths

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About Author

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder of Leerburg. He has been training dogs since the 1950s. For 30 years, Ed bred working bloodline German Shepherds and has produced over 350 litters. During this time, Ed began recording dog training videos and soon grew an interest in police service dogs. His narcotic dogs have been involved in over 1,000 narcotics searches resulting in hundreds of arrests in the state of Wisconsin. Ed now solely focuses on producing dog training courses with renowned dog trainers nationwide. If you want to learn more about Ed, read about his history here.