I've never used a starmark, but when I was looking at prongs, (Only invested in one about 3? months ago, best decision I ever made!) I was concerned about using a plastic collar on my monster dog. I know they can make some pretty amazing plastic stuff these days, but I was worried about it not holding up, and breaking at the worst possible moment. I always have a tab from my prong to his flat collar, but I'd still be worried.

You don't have any concerns about that Jenny? I know he's a big kid, too.

What kind of dog is jethro? He looks so beautiful.

I know this one too! He's probably an Anatolian/ Lab or Anatolian/ Shep mix. TeeHeeHee.

Our command to let the barking dogs know all is ok - once we've checked is ENOUGH. They are allowed a couple barks to make sure a threat is checked, then if found to be a false alarm, we say Enough. After that, they know that they're not ok!!!! They'll get yelled at now. I, too, think Anatolian.

BTW - Love your pic, Kelly B.

We think he must be an Anatolian x (Lab?). We are finding there is no harm treating him as if he is Anatolian... he was abandoned at 4 months in an apartment. We adopted him from a shelter.

Yes, I used to be worried about the collar failing under Jethro's force. He used to wear two collars, and I used a bit of harness from his halti collar to connect the two. Then I got the Dominant Dog collar and for a while he was wearing three collars - two for restraint, one for his tags. BTW the halti was a bust. He figured out how to set his head into the harness and pull anyway.

I have to say the prong worked like magic and I don't think we would have been able to return to the Starmark without using the prong first. At this point, he rarely has those moments of full on leash torque. For one thing, when he does react, he tends to stand now and bark, he's not lunging. For another, I'm pretty much on top of it now, he just doesn't have a chance to get that wound up and lunging on the leash. I can't remember if it has been a week since the last incident, or two. They are definitely becoming fewer and further between, and of less intensity when they do happen.

But yes, I did go through a phase of double back up collars.