Look, a correction is an interuption of an undesired behavior. Please describe to me what you are talking about when you say a prong collar turns the dogs head towards you. Also describe what the dog is doing and how much force you are using to do this? I can only think that you are talking about a forging dog, or if the dog was going wide on an about turn. A normal correction (read the least amount used to interrupt a behavior) should not physically turn a dogs head. Help me out and explain this.

Sure.

I think what I didn't explain clearly enough is what I meant by turning the dog's head. I meant to give the correction in a way that the dog's head will turn enough that the handler is in the dog's field of vision.

Most of the training I do pertains to basic obedience and heeling, so I will explain the example of heeling. I also wanted to mention to keep in mind that this also works with a slip lead or flat buckle collar. I have used this on about 100 dogs to gain control of walking and/or heeling.

From a heel position, moving forward, when the dog moves forward faster than the handler, and the handler corrects with the collar fit high at the point where the dog is just inches in front of the heel position, an immediate, swift but not rough correction (#2) will turn the dog's head so that it can see the handler. The correction has slowed the dog enough that it dropps back into the heel position. The handler can then, being in the dog's line of sight for that instant and regaining control of the walk, reaffirm the command "heel" and praise.

You are right that another instance would be if the dog swings wide on a about turn or right turn, also when refining a heel by walking in a slightly crooked line, and when initially introducing distractions into onlead sitstays (with a gentler correction) or heeling.

I have a question - at what age can a prong collar be used? I have a 4 mos. old female gsd that is very confident and is beginning to show her stubborn side. She is very bright and has learned sit, down and I am working on come but it is not consistent. I know Ed discourages correcting a puppy at a young age except for the recall command.

Can I fit her for a prong collar now or do I need to wait until she is older?

I personally like starting a prong at around 10 months old, I know some people start at 6 months. I wouldn't go any younger than that personally.

thanks, Mike. She is my first gsd and want to do thing correctly so she and I don't have to unlearn behaviours.

I used a prong to walk my pup at around 5-6 months. He was, at that time, too strong to walk without it. I did not use it for training or give him corrections with it at that age.

Holly, are you making sure the collar she is using is at the top of the neck, right below her ears and jaw? I'm sure that is all you need, or you can go to a martingale collar. It's like a prong collar, minus the prongs.

Hi Alex,
I have a flat collar on her now but it is loose enough for me to grab easily. I would like to have a way to correct her but am not sure how to do this w/o a prong collar. She has started jumping up on everyone who comes to visit and I have attached a leash to the flat collar but this only holds her down. I do praise her when all four feet are on the ground but it hasn't curbed the behaviour. I have also grabbed her paws and squeezed her toes, let go and praise her when all four are on the ground.

Is a martingale collar fitted at the top of the neck similiar to the prong collar?

Yes, it should be fit to the top but the problem there is that since it has no prongs it will slide back down. What I would suggest is to just use the leash on your dog for corrections. Loop the leash around the neck like a nylon choke collar and fit it to the very top. That is the only kind of choke I would use on a dog, never a chain choke. The top is the softest part of the neck and dogs respond very well to the collar or leash being fit there.

Thanks for the suggestions and advice. Being new at this, I want to make the right choices for my dog.