And do they really work?
Whether your dog is super eager to smell all the smells, or lunges at every dog who walks by, walking a puller can be a little like flying a kite.
Some trainers say that choke collars can help to get this problem behavior under control, but are they bad for your pup?
The Dodo spoke with Dr. Vanessa Spano, a veterinarian at Behavior Vets in New York City, to find out more.
What is a dog choke collar?
Basically, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a collar that chokes your dog.
“A variety of choke collars exist, but they are often made of either rope or metal links,” Dr. Spano told The Dodo. “The collar is placed around the dogs neck and a handler holds a leash attached to the collar. When the dog pulls, often considered an ‘undesirable behavior,’ the choke collar tightens around his neck.”
People typically use choke collars to try to train their dogs out of bad behaviors like leash pulling.
The idea is that your dog will end up associating the uncomfortable feeling of being choked with pulling on the leash, and stop pulling.
Why choke collars are bad for your dog
Even though forming those negative associations can be effective, there are better ways to teach your dog how to walk on a loose leash.
“[Choke collars] may work, but thats because they elicit pain and discomfort,” Dr. Spano explained. “If they didnt, they wouldnt work at all.”
Not only is this pretty cruel to your pup, but it doesn’t really help him learn anything — aside from the fact that he’s now afraid to pull on his leash because he doesn’t like being choked.
“The problem here is that, while punishment techniques may teach a dog what NOT to do, they do not teach a dog what TO DO instead,” Dr. Spano said. “Tools like these are Band-Aids. They are not getting to the root of the issue that is leading to the behavioral concern, and, so frequently, the behavioral concern never really ‘resolves.’”
Aside from the psychological effects of increasing your dog’s fear or anxiety, choke collars — obviously — can have physical effects, too.
“They can lead to damage of the cervical vertebrae, or the spine,” Dr. Spano explained. “And most pronounced from choke collars, they absolutely lead to damage to their airways and esophagus.”
How to choose right COLLAR for your dog. Pros and Cons EXPLAINED.
If you have issues with your dog walking calmly during your evening strolls, you may need to look into a metal dog training collar. This training isn’t dangerous if you adhere to the safety guidelines. We’re going to explain why metal dog training collars aren’t dangerous and a look into ways to safely utilize them.
Metal dog training collars are a hot topic. People question the safety of these collars when you abuse their power, but metal dog training collars aren’t dangerous. A metal collar has a unique design for training purposes, and owners should understand that if they don’t know how to use it properly, they shouldn’t use it at all.
Unlike a typical collar, a chain dog collar should rest higher on the dog’s neck. Your dog should only wear this type of collar when you’re training them during walks. Remove the collar promptly after the training session.
A metal chain collar should fit your dog’s neck snugly. The collar is too loose if you can slide more than two fingers underneath. This is vital for keeping your dog safe while using these effective collars.
People use various types of metal training collars to help them train their dogs. The first one we’ll discuss is a pinch collar. This collar has links with metal prongs that rest against the dog’s skin. You can expand or shorten this collar by adding or removing links. Pinch collars are practical tools to train and control aggressive dogs, and teach them to heel and listen to commands while walking. Avoid using pinch collars on small dogs.
Pinch collar training should result in a calm dog as you take them on walks. The logic behind this training is that the collar will fit comfortably as long as the dog remains close to you during the walk. The prongs will poke slightly into your dog’s neck if they pull on the lead. Your dog will self-correct the out-of-line behavior to avoid the prongs.
We want to stress that you must use these collars with great care and work with a professional to use them safely.