The whole collar thing is confusing to me. Could someone explain please.

Snap collar - used on puppies up to 6 months of age.

Flat leather collar - used as a training collar

Prong collar - used instead of FLC if dog requires it

Electric collar - used in in off-leash training to teach those smart dogs the hand of god does exist and can still reach you (LOL)

Fur Savor Collar - other than protecting the dogs coat when do I use this?

I want to use it but when? When I take my dog for walks should I use the prong (what I'm using now) or the Fur Savor?

How is your dog on lead for starters?
For pups, I always start out with a flat collar and lead and let them drag it around.
I have a variety of collars, fur savors, choke chains (which I use to lock kennel doors now... ), dominant dog collars (these are AWESOME and Ed sells them), prongs, e-collars and harnesses.

IMHO, it depends on the dog and depends on the training you put into the dog.

My hound wears a choke collar on walks, that is all he needs.
My Lab and Dutch wear flats, the puppies are loose or on flats and I use treats and play to keep them with me if I want to, and my Mal, she wears a prong while on lead or an e-collar while off lead.

All of them are different.

I agree with Carol that each dog is diferent. My GSD has the prong on 90% of the time not saying we are using it that much. E- collar almost always when going outside. This helps me to keep them from becoming collar wise. If I pick up either he knows we are going out to do something and his drive goes up. Sometimes out of the blue we will go out with nothing but am very careful and that nothing happens that I may need more than a verbal corection which would set us back

Walking on a leash has gotten a lot beter and it's a ongoing thing. There are a few problems, but I'm working on them.

I just don't know if I'm supposed to use another collar when walking her, and use the prong for training, or if I should use the prong all the itme?

This is really up to you and what you feel comfortable with. My 8 month old pup moved on to the medium prong on the dead ring at 5.5 months (earlier than I usually put pups on) because she was pulling me around effectively (I am a 5'3" female office worker so I am a bit strength challenged!). This pup is also quite reactive to other dogs, so after a couple of months working on pulling by mostly just letting her correct herself, I have actually moved her back to a flat collar for walking. This stops her over-reacting when she pulls towards another dog and loads through the prong! I keep the prong on her though, just so I have it available.

I use my fur saver for trialling, tracking training and situations where I don't want the pup to be able to back out of the collar.

My adult male wears a medium prong with a clip, so he is effectively on the dead ring. This is enough for me to handle him when out walking. In training, he often wears a small prong on the live ring which gives him more of a correction.

My adult female wears the small prong on the live ring all the time. She is a bit hard! and rather likes to pull, I've tried several devices but the small prong works best. She also wears that in training.

These adults both wear electric when off leash and also in training.

What specisically is she doing on lead?

I had a dog here for training that would pull like hell when he wanted to pee on something, did not pull any other time EVER.
So, what I did was use a flat collar and a prong with two 3' leads. I would loop the flat collar lead over my wrist and leave that loose like normal and I would hold the prong lead in my hand. When he would start to veer off to pull I would tell him "heel" and if he did not mind I would give him a correction. I gave him a chance to heel because he KNEW what I wanted but ignored it.
It is different than a dog that does not KNOW what you are asking, which in that case it is all positive until your sure the dog understands the command that is given.

This only took three of four times and a two time use of the prong. He then learned that if he was on his "free" command and off lead he could go pee on whatever his little heart desired but when he was on lead he did not do it anymore (nor did I have the prong on him).

 Quote: Mike Arnold

My vision of the world has to use the least collar that still controls the dog.

I agree with this. I don't think there is a universal rule for all dogs, but if I have a soft dog that responds well to corrections on a flat collar, then why would I use a prong?

Also, for training around the yard, with zero distractions, a flat collar might be fine. But for the same dog on a walk when he wants to kill an oncoming jogger or another dog...well, then a prong might be in order. But that doesn't mean that you can't go back to flat at home.

 Quote: Troy. Parvatton

When I take my dog for walks should I use the prong (what I'm using now) or the Fur Savor?

I wouldn't use the fur saver for the walks. It's basically a choke chain and I don't like choke chains. I do have a fur savor that I have on Carbs when he's in the house because I think it's a good idea that all dogs, no matter how well behaved, have a collar on just in case...and the flat collar will wear down his fur. But I don't use it for walks, I don't use it for training, and I don't use it for corrections for many reasons, not the least of which is where they fall...low on the neck...not a good place for corrections. Not to mention physical damage they can do if used incorrectly.

Does your dog have issues on the walks? If not, a flat collar would be fine.

My GSD doesn't like other dogs, strangers and especially strangers that jog or ride bikes. I only had to correct him on the prong ONCE to correct his behavior, but even so, I always have a prong on him on public walks in case he ever needs a refresher; a flat collar correction communicates nothing to my dog in those situations. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

PS- While he's on walks and has the prong on, he also has a flat collar on (this collar also has his tags which I need if I encounter park wardens, etc.) which I attach the leash to if we are somewhere unpopulated by people or dogs. If we are in a populated area, I hook the leash to the prong...just in case.

OK, thank you guys. That clears up a lot. I found watching Ed's videos left me a bit confused on things.

Troy Parvatton