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Dog Training
Collars - Finding The Right One For Your And Your Dog
There are a number of different types of dog
training collars available. The right type of training collar for you and your
dog will depend on a number of different factors including your training goals,
your dog’s temperament and even how well the training is progressing. Some of
the types of training collars include flat buckle collars, martingale collars,
or choke collars, head collars, electronic collars and bark collars. This
article will describe these different types of collars and will provide some
explanation for the ways in which these collars can be used in the training
process. With this information, owners can make an informed decision and
determine which types of collars are likely to be most effective for their dogs.
Flat buckle collars are the types of collar with which dog owners are likely the
most familiar. These adjustable collars are typically made of materials such as
nylon or leather and may have a closure similar to a belt buckle or may close
with a plastic clip. These collars also usually have a small ring where the
owner can attach information such as license information, identity and location
of residence. This information can be useful if the dog becomes lost while
traveling or even escapes from the yard because it can assist whoever finds the
dog in returning him to the rightful owner. These flat buckle collars are the
type most often used by dog owners who are training their dog in basic obedience
and simply trying to teach the dog to be a well mannered member of the family.
Most dogs find these collars to be relatively unobtrusive and while they do not
offer a specific aid to the training collar, they are a sufficient collar to use
during training for most dogs. This is because most dogs will respond readily to
training in basic obedience and will not require collars intended for more
severe training purposes.
Choke collars were extremely popular years ago when leash corrections were used
as a part of the training process. However, in modern times leash corrections
have become less widely used and therefore choke collars are also less widely
used. There are some owners and trainers though who still insist the use of a
choke collar is highly effective. A choke collar is usually made of metal but
can also be made of other materials such as nylon. The design of this type of
collar allows the collar to slip over the dog’s head and the owner can constrict
the collar by jerking on the leash. This is usually done when a dog exhibits an
undesirable behavior. The choke chain will constrict around the dog’s neck cause
discomfort. Most dog owners are not comfortable with this type of training and
prefer more humane training methods. These dog owners should steer clear of
training classes which require the use of these collars because the training
techniques employed by these programs are likely based on using fear and
punishment during the training process.
Head collars are commonly known as gentle leaders or halties because these are
the names associated with some of the most popular manufacturers of these types
of collars. Head collars are designed to fit on the dogs head and allow the
owner to attach the leash under the muzzle. The theory behind these types of
collars is that the dog will walk nicely on lead because the owner has greater
control of the dog’s head when he is wearing this type of collar. The dog’s
natural inclination is to follow his head so by gaining control of the head, the
owner essentially has control over the dog. Most dogs are somewhat resistant to
this type of collar but once they adapt, they usually walk well on leash while
wearing this type of collar. However, many trainers do not consider these
collars to be true training collars because they do not address the root of the
problem. The dog may walk very nicely while wearing this collar out of necessity
but may return to less desirable behaviors such as pulling or lunging as soon as
he is returned to a flat buckle collar. To prevent issues such as pulling and
lunging it is necessary to train a proper heel instead of using a device which
produces the desired behavior without properly training the dog.
Electronic collars or shock collar are another type of collar which may be used
in the training process. These collars may be used to train desired behavior or
may be used in conjunction with a fenceless restraint system. Electronic collars
are designed to emit a shock which is powerful enough to cause the dog
discomfort, but not physically harm him, when he displays an undesirable
behavior. In the case of obedience training, the owner may hold a remote device
which allows him to administer a shock while in the case of training a dog with
a fenceless restraint system the dog may be shocked automatically by the collar
when he crosses the invisible fence line. Again this is a type of punishment
based training to which many dog owners and trainers are adamantly opposed.
However, there are other dog owners and trainers who feel as though this type of
training is both appropriate and effective.
Bark collars are another type of collar which is commonly used in the training
process. These collars are designed to teach a dog that barking is an
undesirable behavior. The collars sense the movement of the dog’s voice box when
he barks and will emit a mild shock, a piercing noise or a spray of an
unpleasant scent whenever the dog barks. The theory behind this type of training
is the dog will learn not to bark because each time he does; the collar punishes
him for the action. This is similar to the process of shaking a can of pennies
when a dog barks to teach him the behavior is undesirable. This can be a
considered a form of punishment training but many dog owners and trainers
believe these collars, especially those emitting a sound or scent, are less
offensive than the versions which emit a shock.
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