In my experience Harnesses make my puller pull even more, and when he is wearing a harness he can really get his shoulders into it.
I started with a prong for walks only at about 5 months and it was well worth it. He learned in one walk where the end of the leash was and I never have to actively correct him while we are on walks and he is wearing it. With every other dog I have ever had simply stopping my motion when they pulled or doing an about face when they pulled stop it but not with him. Hence the prong when we walk.
Now that he is starting to have a bit of a brain and isn't quite so all over the place on walks I am shortening the leash and using treats to teach heel. But it is a very slow process!
Jennifer, thats exactly what I told my husband to do...stop OR do an about face. At 6'6 it had a stronger reaction and resulted in different behaviour obviously!
If I do an about face turn he will walk obediantly behind me and appear on the correct side to continue...the PUP not the husband that is the latter isnt that well trained yet!
I was wondering that about a harness. Any opinion on a martingale collar?
Tracy Collins Webboard User Reg: 10-09-2008
Posts: 1917
Loc: St. Louis, Missouri
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I wouldn't put a harness on a dog that pulls. Once he learns, then a harness might be a tool in the arsenal, but not yet.
IMO, a prong is a martingale that works. ;-) Honestly, there's no need to think of the prong as a torture device that is to be saved as a tool of last resort. You'll correct far less often, and with far less force using a prong than with any of the other collars.
I have wondered about the martingale collars as well.
If it wasn't for the fact that I have torn both rotator cuffs and one of them 4 times (once by him) I would have more wiggle room when it came to teaching him to walk appropriately, but I can't afford to injure my shoulder again so I use the prong.
I have just found a store that has them in my area, I am going to go have a look. Would prefer Leerburgs but havent a week to wait for it to get here as I will be out of town and we need a replacement now.
His flat collar needs replacing, seems his neck grew in the last 10 days without me noticing! DOn't you just Hate being sick and out of the loop...
So I have to buy something today, just trying to get the right thing for the moment, I am sure you know how that goes...
I would just get another flat collar and put in an order for a HS prong collar, which will likely last you a lifetime. I have a martingale collar, but never got much use out of it. I probably did not understand (and still don't) how it was really much different from a flat collar, and how the chain slides through the rings seemed to damage my dog's fur as opposed to using both the live and dead rings on a prong. Better yet, get an e-collar!
IMO, a prong is a martingale that works. ;-) Honestly, there's no need to think of the prong as a torture device that is to be saved as a tool of last resort. You'll correct far less often, and with far less force using a prong than with any of the other collars.
I agree a prong is the bomb but a martingale works as well. It is a different tool than a prong and is used by me as such.
Me I'm a big fan of not over collaring a dog, why squish an ant with a steam roller when a rolling pin will do?
Don't get me wrong I love my prongs, but I love my Martingales as well.
Martingales are perfect to have at the front door. Especially when you want to take fido out to the car or if someone comes to the door and you need a quick lead. It is a lot easier to throw on the dog especially in a low light condition or a for a quick in and out to pee. Sure they don't correct the same way as a prong but for what I just described they are great. No flattened or damaged fur either!
Geoff,
I see there is an all nylon martingale collar and a leather/small chain area type...what do you recommend and how do I size it? I am just about to leave to go buy something
They were never really designed to be a collar for 90% of dogs out there.
The Maringale was designed as a flat collar for breeds of dogs that have heads smaller than their necks, like Greyhounds and Whippets. It prevents them from being able to "slip" the collar.
Thats what I thought, we use that style in UK. Well I just discovered that his neck is 14 inches max and that there isnt one that will fit him thats appropriate! For that size neck all I could fins was something so thin I doubt it would hold a cat...now what guys?
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