I was wondering how you wean your dog from a training collar. I know that in many show rings a dog cannot have but a certain type of collar (or even no collar). Do dogs get "trained" to the collar to where it becomes a crutch and the handler cannot get the desired behavior unless it is on?

That's a loaded question. LOL

You're never really going to get a trained dog that will no longer need continued training and correction. That doesn't really happen.

For showring work specifically, you would spend your training time working to a point where you're not correcting the dog often. The dog knows what to do, the dog knows that they will get a correction for. . .and they don't do that. They'll continue to not do that for a period of time. Over time though, they will loose some of that polish and the performance won't be as good. . .they'll start doing things they get corrected for. . .and when no correction comes. . .they learn they can do them.


Being collarwise is a little different. A dog can learn that they only get corrections when a specific collar is on them, and they misbehave when the collar is off. They learn that corrections only come when the collar is on. To eliminate that association you want your dog to wear the collar all the time, so they don't easily associate the correction to wearing the collar. The other thing is to use other forms of correction, or other correction collars to help break up the association.

It's not just weaning the dog off corrections, you never really wean a dog off of corrections . . .you'll hopefully just need to correct less and less the more your dog learns. Same thing goes for reward, you never wean the dog off of a reward system. . .not if you expect the dog to perform to the same levels as when they are rewarded.

Thank you that is helpful info. I didn't intend it to be a "loaded" question. It was meant toward preparing the dog for competition, when the type of collar the dog can wear is limited. So I guess my question is how to make dog NOT collarwise. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />It makes sense then to have them wear the collar so the dog doesn't equate the correction to the collar rather than a behavior.

This may not be the most correct or effective way, but this is what I do to switch a dog from a prong to a flat collar or harness vest:

When the dog no longer needs correction on the prong collar, add the second collar with its leash. Walk the dog with the new collar and leash (put one leash in each hand, if you are right-handed, put the correction leash in your right hand), but still make any necessary corrections with the prong collar.

Hi Sarah!

When I was going though the collar weaning process for the ring....I stared flipping links (every fourth one) until I it was backwards....I also added links.....put it one but used the buckle. I started the weaning process before I went to off leash heeling. Then during the training periods I would alternate the prong use, depending on how it was going that day. The week before the show (boot camp week), I used the prong. This may not be the correct way either.

I think the answer to your question about a handler not being able to get desired results with out the collar on, all depends on the quality of your off leash heeling. I would think if your off leash is marginal....the prong or any training collar is a crutch.

Deb