In the last few years I trained two dogs that pulled straight out of the prong collar. One was a Caucasian Mountain dog and one was a Giant Schnauzer. Both were dog aggressive and pulled away with all their might to attack. The prongs just gave way and at the VERY worst moment.

Since then I continue to use them (if needed) but often put on an extra coke-chain if the dog is very strong and has a high pain tolerance. (Using a training lead with 2 clips). I never use them for severe dog aggression anymore. My question is has this ever happened to anyone else or were my two prongs just defective?

My vote on the prong? For a very strong dog with a high pain tolerance my experience has shown that a choke chain high on the neck can be far more painful than any prong. Prongs help with heels but don't give severe enough corrections for dogs with big drives and big aggression probs. Just goes to show that people's image of something isn't always true in practice. Many inovative halters hurt MORE than a choke or prong but don't LOOK like they do so people use them. Humane is as humane does is my motto. We owe it to our dogs to do what's easiest on THEM not what is faster or easier to look at.

If I am understanding you correctly you are talking about when the prongs them selves straighten out thus the dog is free of the collar.

I have never had it happen, but I have heard of it happening with the lighter weight collars. I would suggest an extra heavy collar and a back up like you mentioned on a dog of this type.

Yes, you can inflict more pain with a choke, but you can also cause long term damage to the trachea as well. I am with you on the halti... put a ring in your nose and let someone rip your head around... see how that feels on your neck.

Get a heavy duty German Prong, like stainless steel. Then don't let Fido PULL into the collar, that defeats the correction value of the collar. You need to do a little drop step action and get enough slack in the leash to pop him, HARD.

Just the same as a choke, or zip, collar. You don't pull and pull, you pop.

Also take a look at your placement of the collar and if it is tight enough.

I'm pretty sure a well delivered prong correction works better than a halti.

The Halti is not designed for administering corrections, it is designed for control. Ripping the head around is improper use. As with any tool, they are only as effective as the trainer using them. The problem is not with the head collar, but with the human who thinks that the collar will do the training for them. Head collars can be very helpful in the learning phase.

I am aware of the proper way to use a halti. I however, se VERY many people who do exactly what I have described to their dogs.

And I've seen people misuse prongs and chokes. Comparing what tools inflict the most pain when misused is pointless to me. The point should be, what is the proper use of the tool? The efficacy of a properly used training tool is usually a reflection of the trainer's abilities.

My neighbours Siberian sometimes pulls "into" the prong, but that's because of how she holds the leash and also because she (my neighbour) let's him get away with it. I told her it's not designed to be used that way and demonstrate by doing a quick direction change and popping him.
The prong does not really phase him in general, but if he's in the correct heel position he certainly knows it's there and heels well.
BTW, I once said I had never seen a prong pop out of its links, well the Sibe did it. I just about had a heart attack as this dog will bolt if not leashed. I took a suggestion from some other threads and double clipped the lead to a regular collar. THANK GOD!
My humble apologies if I offended anyone before by saying it couldn't happen. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have had prong collars just fall off the dogs, pulling or not. Just today I had one come off a pit/pointer mix I'm working with in fact. I saw one come off when someone was working a very aggressive dog, leaving him with only a halti some quick thinking. Fortunately the owner was standing right there and stepped in to put the collar back on! Close call!

k9bts,

It sounds like the collar was not on properly. THere are 2 things that can cause the situation you describe. First is if the prong is not put all the way back in and seated when the collar is put on. The tension from the compressed prong will eventually force the link loose. THe other is if the link as become pressed too close together so that there is not enough tension on the link so that it slips in and out of the other link too easily.

I think that it's probably that the link was a little squished on my collar. Not sure about the one on the aggressive rott cross, not my dog or collar, just know it came off.