Quote: tamara tholl

Thanks for the info. I agree on the head collar but this is the first thing that has worked to get Diesel to refocus on us not the other dog, I want to eventually move past it because I also believe it is a "bandaid" solution. We continue to work on OB with his other collar as well so he doesn't just get worked in one. Diesel current reactive zone is a soon as he hears(barking or collar jingling)/sees the other dogs so it is pretty large zone!

So it is being use as a temporary aid to control or restrain. That is appropriate as far as the purpose of the tool. And it sounds like your short term use is less likely to cause physical injuries, like nerve damage to the top of the muzzle or to the neck. Neck nerve damage is common when the dog hits the end of the leash or theowner stupidly uses a leash correction with one. The nerve damage on the muzzle is most often after long term use deadens the area.

But one of the things I don't like about them is ther psychological effects. The muzzle strap simulates a mama dogs correction to her pups, or an alpha to subordinates. These corrections are of short duration. But the head collar is giving the same message the entire time the dog is wearing it. This is why so many dogs act subdued while wearing them, and others become rebellious. No matter how the dog tries to comply, it is still being corrected.

 Quote: tamara tholl

Another stupid question for you - how does the slip collar differ from the martingale? Do they not both "squeeze/choke" when a correction is given? Our GSD uses a choke chain but we were told that are "bad for necks" so that is why we went to the martingale.

A slip collar will squeeze from one direction and side. While a martingale exerts the same degree of pressure around virtually the entire neck. The prong has this in common with the martingale, but also has each link rotate to give multiple stimulation. But for dogs with aggression issues, over stimulation can trigger more aggression, so it needs to be taken into consideration. In pups whose neck bones haven't completely hardened, slip collars can do damage to the spinal column that may not show up for months or even years. So for youngsters especially, martingales and prong collars are safer, with the prong collar exerting the least pressure on the spinal column.

A martingale that has no chain portion is least effective; with full chain being the most effective. But for many dogs the half chain, where the neck strap is a flat material and the active part chain; works well. This is at least in part due to the sound a chain makes vs the silence of the other.

And one thing I meant to say earlier. Doig desensitization, it is better for the dog that is being desensitized to be in motion, not the other way around. Sitting still while the other dog moves toward him, gives him a lot of time to think about the other dog and become more and more tense. But if you are having him heel, with turns, sits, and downs; he has to keep his attention on you at least in part. The faster you work, the less time he has to get worked up over the other dog.