I want to get one of the prong collars offered through Leerburg's site for my chocolate lab, who is nearly 100 pounds. I have received comments from the vet and groomer about his strength.

I'd like to know which prong collar you feel would work best? The quick release is the one I was looking at. Also, what "weight" would I need to get?

I'm hoping to order one of these tonight. Any opinions are greatly appreciated.

Monique

Go with the 3.0 mm Medium size Herm Sprenger ...... you will get a better correction plus it will be sturdy enough for general applications. Personally, I use the traditional non-snap models....I'd be afraid of snap failure, probably paranoia. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'd agree with Matt, but those snap types are a godsend for people with limited hand strength. I wish they were more widely available; you woudn't believe how many people I talk to about improper use of their pinch collars (too loose) and they insist they have to do it that way because it's the only way they can get it on and off over their dog's head because they can't pinch the links off. From the expressions on their faces, it doesn't seem to have occurred to them how easily you could damage a dog's eye that way! (It's apparently easier to scare them that way than to convince them that a pinch collar simply doesn't work when it's loose.)

Supposedly my friend's Am. Bulldog x Pit broke the snap on a quick release prong, not sure if it is the same type sold on this site. That being said, we're talking about a collar for a lab, not the last line of defense for a PPD trying to slip its collar. If you're not used to using a prong collar, pinching the links can be a pain.

I use a quick-release model with my ~90-to-100- pound Tibetan mastiff puppies, and have had no problem at all. I think that it is very unlikely that a a quick release catch is going to fail with a Labrador retriever, even a strong one.

First of all, these collars are very well-made and very strong. Second, it doesn't take long for a properly-used prong collar to get a dog's attention. Then the undesirable behavior stops.

Dogs with higher drives and a lot more strength than a Lab may pose a higher risk of collar failure, because they may be willing to ignore a high-level correction. Based on my experience, I don't think a Lab is likely to do that. (I had one for 14 years, but, as always, your mileage may differ.)

My TM's used to almost tear my arm off when I used a choke collar and they would decide that they really would rather chase a squirrel than walk with me. (I often walk them together on a split lead.) Less than a week with prong collars took care of that.

The quick-release is much easier and faster to put on and remove. If you have any concerns about your hand strength, go with it rather than the standard prong.

Bryan Veis

I don't know what I am doing wrong but with the Herm Springer I actually think the standard one is easier to put on than the quick release........ (and yes I do put them on correctly)

Maybe it is easier for me to squeeze than thread <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have had the scissor type quick release collars come loose on me in training before. There is another type of quick release that I really like, it's similar to the snap collars (black buckle type on reg. collars) but it's made out of metal attached to fabric, then the prongs go around. I've had this one about 4 months now and haven't had it come off once yet.

Do you have a link to this type of collar.
Sounds interesting.

Has anyone used the good dog pinch collars? They look like they work like a regular pinch collar, but they are all black, and plastic looking. Curious to anyone's opinion/experience with them. Here is a link to what i'm talking about : http://radiofence.com/good_dog_collars.htm

Aren - I use the Good Dog collar with some of my training clients. Some people are put off by how "ominous" the metal pinch collar looks, no matter how much I try to convince them that it is actually very humane. I was hoping that the Good Dog would be easier to take on and off so I could use it as an alternative for my clients that have a lot of difficulty with the metal links. Alas, it's just as difficult. I have used the quick release (scissor clasp) and I have also found that they can come off during training. That clasp takes such little pressure to release - if the dog happens to brush against my leg, it could (and has) release and come off.