There is an oft quoted study done in Germany on choke collars vs. prong collars and the relative damage they do on dogs' necks. I don't want to discuss the value of prong collars, how useful they are, how to use them, and under what circumstances to use them. Instead, I'm just presenting information about whether this study actually exists or not.

It seems like the most "authoritative" source for this study is Janice Frasche. She states:

 Quote: http://cobankopegi.com/prong.html

A Study on Prong Collars was done in Germany:

• 100 dogs were in the study. 50 used choke and 50 used prong.
  
• The dogs were studied for their entire lives. As dogs died, autopsies were performed.
  
• Of the 50 which had chokes, 48 had injuries to the neck, trachea, or back. 2 of those were determined to be genetic. The other 46 were caused by trauma.
  
• Of the 50 which had prongs, 2 had injuries in the neck area, 1 was determined to be genetic. 1 was caused by trauma.
  

She gives no references for this study. Like an Internet Newb, I quote the study here on this forum and was called out on it due to the lack of verifiability of the study. So, I emailed Janice and asked for more information. Here's what she sent:

 Quote: Janice Frasche (via email)

Anyway, to answer you for more sources, I don't have more than I put up back in 1996. Canine-L was the source of a discussion of the trainer's seminar that had discussed the alleged German research. I did write to the trainer before posting that, asking for a copy but letter was never answered although I know she still gave seminars at the time, brought prongs and had the study among her materials according to those who went.

Canine-L (do search) still exists. I don't know if materials as far back as 1992-95 are still there, but you might be luckier.

I did a quick search and found canine-l at Penn State. To search the archives, you have to join the list (which I did) and log in. Unfortunately, it seems PSU list server is only keeping about 2 months in their archive now. I haven't done any more research to find older archives of this mailing list yet.

I think many of us are shocked that any scientific study done in the '90s would not be available on the Internet. Lack of online source for this study casts serious doubt to it's authenticity. However, here's a couple things to that might be preventing us from finding it.

• The results of the study seem to begin circulation in the early '90s. That's largely before the big Internet boom and so may only exist in paper form.
  
• The study was allegedly done in Germany; there may not be an English translation of the study available. Possibly the study is available online in German and we just don't know how to search for it.
  
• It's possible the study was sponsored by a commercial group that went out of business before the big push to digitize everything. Maybe they didn't submit the study to some journal for publishing and only used it in their marketing materials.

Anyway, I personally feel we shouldn't quote this study as proof to use a prong collar without more details on the study.

I know there's people here and elsewhere that find these kind of studies interesting and topical. Studies not withstanding though, I think centering on them misses the point.

I didn't go to the pinch because of any studies one way or the other. I started using a pinch in the early 80's because I found then to be a much more effective tool, and would have started using them much sooner had I know about them.

If I might borrows Mike's line.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Randy

Nice research Doug!

Randy, you're absolutely right. But it's interesting b/c this study is often cited (and I have been guilty, as I said yesterday) as proof of the safety of prongs. I know when I bought my first prong, this study came up in my research. Now I know more about prongs, what they feel like, how to use them, etc, and can see their value as a training tool.

My first thought is that a study like that would have been done to refute something the rampant animal rights people in Europe were up to at the time.

The animal rights group would have shut up if I'd let them try to handle the dog my first pinch went onto.

Hey Doug, are you worried about using the prong on your puppy, or what people or someone in particular thinks about it? Is that why your looking into that study?

It's b/c he referenced it in a thread yesterday (the yet another ddc thread?) and I mentioned its veracity was in doubt and that there was a big fight about it's existence on another board recently.

Ahh, OK. Thanks.

Maybe this is just my 1 cents. I have 2 dogs 80lbs each and I found using the prong collar to be the most effective way to teach them to walk on leashes nicely. They are both shelter rescue dogs that needed to learn how to walk on the leash. I started using it because it made sense to me that the prong collar simulates a young dogs mothers correction. That may be true or not but when I go to get the collars to put on them they come running and actually position themselves to make it easy for me to put the collars on. So since the results have been good and I can tell they definitely don't hurt I will swear by these collars.

There was actually a hand-out referencing that study that went out with locally purchased prong collars. I think it was late 80's or early 90's, something like that. Back then the prong collars were always kept behind the store counter, and you had to ask for one specifically (with a trainers blessing) so they could explain the proper use and make sure that you got a copy of the special hand-out.

I remember looking at the prong collar and reading all about it like it was some new, foreign concept (which it was to me at the time). The hand-out referenced the study and had some more anecdotal references and photos, too. That study, whether real or not, has been around for a long time.

Still, study or no study, the prong works.