Training Tools: Choosing Collars and Harnesses

Like any sport, hobby, craft, or geometric design -- having the right tools makes a huge difference in your results.  Equally important is your technique.   The right tools paired with the right technique make the right solution.

Tools are widely debated.   There are extremists on both sides who think that nothing should be used but a harness and treats while others believe in only ecollar and no treats.   What's the right answer -- it depends.

It depends on many factors.  Age of the dog, temperament of the dog, temperament of the handler, physical attributes of the dog and the handler, and your goals. ONLY YOU can make the decision about what tools you will consider for your dog and your family -- even when a trainer recommends something, you should do your homework and get the facts.

At The K9 Coach, we recommend you begin with the least corrective level possible.  Progress to a different tool, if and only if, you are not making significant progress with proper training, essential consistency and daily practice.  It's up to you as much as it is the dog to respond efffectively to training.  Don't blame your dog for your lack of effort & do not short cut your training methods and time frame. 

Every training tool requires proper fitting and appropriate instruction on usage to prevent injury and to achieve the best results possible.   Many take some time to acclimate the dog to the tool on their body or face and when and how it will be used.   We must be fair and consistent.  And we must provide the dog the ability to be successful and earn reward & praise for a job well done.  

You should always train the dog what to do and how to do it before you begin any sort of correction method.   There must be consistency and clear, effective communication between owner and handler.  It simply cannot just be a punitive device.

All tools should be considered a teaching aid with the goal not requiring that tool in the future and having a reliable dog whether he has on a training tool or not. Off-leash should be your ultimate goal.   Teach your dog what TO do as well as what NOT to do.  Balance your training equation. 
 

Training Tool	Pros	Cons
Plastic Clip / Nylon Collar	·         Inexpensive ·         Available everywhere	·         They break easily under significant pulling & frequent usage ·         Ill-fitted collars can easily be slipped out of ·         Pulling against collar puts all pressure on the throat vs evenly distributing around neck
Leather Buckle Collar	·         Metal Buckle offers resistance to breakage against usage and pulling pressure	·         Ill-fitted collars can easily be slipped out of ·         Pulling against collar puts all pressure on the throat vs evenly distributing around neck
Martingale	·         Properly sized makes slipping out of collar less much less likely ·         Pulling against collar evenly distributes pressure around neck with wider fabric for correction without discomfort ·         Great patterns! ·         Size properly in both width of fabric and neck size	·         If not sized properly – the 2nd loop of the martingale offering the correction can be too big (too long) – requiring more owner leash movement to engage tension on the collar.
Martingale Lead (Collar Leash in one) British Lead	·          convenient  one size fits all ·          gives a gentle correction evenly distributed around dog's neck ·         correction engages quickly regardless of size of dog	·
Head Harness (ie Halti®	·         Provides no stress on the neck & throat – great for dogs with back or spinal problems. ·         Helps prevent dogs from pulling on the leash when walking	·         Many dog hate the fabric across their snout and will fight to remove it – requires acclimation before usage ·         Corrections may not be very effective for a dog with stubborn, hard, or dominant personality traits, or when training other obedience skills. ·         May not fully restrain a reactive, powerful dog. ·         Despite popular belief that if you control the head you control the dog –  most owners cannot react as quickly as a dog intent on biting ·         Sudden jerk on the leash on a relaxed dog could cause neck injury
Harness (ie Easy Walk®)	·         Provides no stress on the neck & throat – great for dogs with breathing difficulties or those at risk of collapsed trachea ·         Some harnesses offer a martingale-like method of correction around the body or chest.	·         Can give some dogs more pulling power ·         Correction may not be effective for a dog with stubborn, hard, or dominant personality traits.
Slip Chain (aka Choke Chain) The K9 Coach Does NOT recommend a slip chain	·         Offers a more effective correction than Martingale.	·         Most pet owners will never master the technique used for effective placement and correction ·         Must purchase size big enough to go over head, which is then too big for the neck  If not sized properly – chain will be too long – requiring more owner leash movement to engage tension on the collar to .achieve an effective correction ·         Pulls hair on long-haired dogs
Nylon Slip	·         May be as effective as the Chain Slip on the right dog. ·         Has less stigma than other metal training tools.	·         Most pet owners will never master the technique used for effective placement and correction ·         Must purchase size big enough to go over head, which is then too big for the neck achieve an effective correction ·         Not as effective on powerful breeds or highly reactive / aggressive dogs.
No Pain / No Pull (Wire Cable) The K9 Coach Will Never recommend this	·	·         It’s a twisted wire cable, directly against your dogs throat.
Prong (aka Pinch)	Communication tool for dogs -- pressure control create change in behaviors like pulling, jumping, etc. Capable of providing a very effective correction to a hard, stubborn or dominant dog. Can give immediate control to handler with little to no correction   Intended to mimic the mouth of the mother as a correction Helpful to owners who’s dog physically overpowers them.  Does not cause pain or piercing	Often used on bully breeds who may not need them – as a statement of image by their owner They have a ugly stigma by all positive trainers Many people receive no training & do not use them properly or overcorrect May not be appropriate on a dog with neck trauma, spinal or back injuries, or any puppy under 4 months old.  Over correcting may create fear of or intimidation by the handler ·
Electronic	Low Level Stimulation does not shock or cause pain. Highly effective for off-leash work and reliable recall Helps to inhibit bad behaviors Reinforces obedience skills Helpful to owners who have physical limitations Can be used effectively for deaf dogs or hearing imparied dogs to signal specific commands. Bark Collars can be effective to eliminate nuisance barking	·         They have a ugly stigma by all positive trainers ·         Many people receive no training & do not use them properly or overcorrect ·         Used by some trainers on every dog they train regardless of temperament & goals. ·         Improper use may create fear or stress in the dog
Citronella Bark Collars	·         Effective to deter barking ·         Many consider the spray aversive	Some dogs become smarter than the collar and find a way to work around the spritz Requires new batteries often There is no teaching from the handler associated with the spray – in other words we’re not telling them what to do instead Overuse may deter a dog from barking at all  May be problematic for olfactory senses / scent lingers for a very long time.

Take all collars off for play time, while crated or unsupervised for safety.

The K9 Coach

Dana Brigman, CDT, IACP, APDT

980-339-8064
Email:  info@thek9-coach.com

Website:  www.thek9-coach.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/thek9coachcharlotte
Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/thek9coach
Youtube:  www.youtube.com/thek9coachcharlotte

The K9 Coach is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer Serving Charlotte, NC, Matthews, NC and surrounding areas.

 

My mission is a better life for dogs as members of a forever family.

My goal is create training solutions for the home owner, to rehabilitate dogs from shelters and rescues, and to prevent dogs from dying alone as strays or owner surrenders in shelters due to unnecessary aggression or behavioral issues.

Begin all training with a consultation with a professional trainer to be sure you're solving the right problem. Misdiagnosis can make the matters worse. Be sure that there are no medical issues at play and that your dog is not in pain, as pain can be a contributor to a new display of aggression. If you have any fear or uncertainty -- do not attempt the techniques without professional supervision.

Games: Teaching Fetch

It's fun to play games with your dog.  Some dogs need a job to do or to have an outlet for their energy and athleticism.  Kids often want to play with the dog, but aren't necessarily very skilled at holding them accountable to obedience work.

So what better game than Fetch? 

Teaching Fetch:   Fetch will teach your  to run after a your dog to retreive an object  that you have thrown (they see where it goes) and bring it back to you.   

It's easy to get started -- but remember you must have a high level of enthusiasm yourself for playing.   Your don't isn't going to know right away what the point of the game is.   And if you are not having fun and get him motivated he will just look at the ball, look at you, and go find something else more fun to do.  Have fun with your dog.... sometimes you have to teach them how.

 One easy way to get started:

• Cut a small in an old tennis ball and drop a smelly treat inside.  (Parents should do this for the kids)
• Toss the ball playfully away from you (a very short distance) and encourage her to pick it up and bring back to you.  (Using a leash or working in a room without an escape route might be necessary to keep your dog interested for a few minutes).
• Motivate with your voice, patting your legs, etc to get her to return to you.   Praise her from returning with the ball.  Play with excitment!
• When returns with the ball, take* the ball from her and squeeze the ball to release the treat.
• Repeat several times – the dog will start to return the ball to you to get the treat
• Begin to add a cue word as you toss the ball -- “go get it”, “fetch”, “retrieve” – whatever you want your cue word to be, just use the same word all the time. 
• Begin to add a cue word as you take the ball or as she drops it –  “give”, “drop it*”  -- whatever you want your cue word to be, just use the same word all the time. 
• Once your dog really masters the concept of the game, you can use a ball without the treat in it and reward the treat from your pocket
• Then you can use other objects to send her to retrieve -- like a Frisbee or other toy.

• Advancing skills -- Once the game is understood -- increase the challenge.   Ask her to  sit  (or down) and wait to be released to go retrieve the item – meaning she has to hear the cue word before she runs after it.  

*We will provide instructions for Drop It and other games soon.

The K9 Coach

Dana Brigman, CDT, IACP, APDT

980-339-8064
Email:  info@thek9-coach.com

Website:  www.thek9-coach.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/thek9coachcharlotte
Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/thek9coach
Youtube:  www.youtube.com/thek9coachcharlotte

The K9 Coach is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer Serving Charlotte, NC, Matthews, NC and surrounding areas.

 

My mission is a better life for dogs as members of a forever family.

My goal is create training solutions for the home owner, to rehabilitate dogs from shelters and rescues, and to prevent dogs from dying alone as strays or owner surrenders in shelters due to unnecessary aggression or behavioral issues.

Begin all training with a consultation with a professional trainer to be sure you're solving the right problem. Misdiagnosis can make the matters worse. Be sure that there are no medical issues at play and that your dog is not in pain, as pain can be a contributor to a new display of aggression. If you have any fear or uncertainty -- do not attempt the techniques without professional supervision.

On Fostering and Letting Go

On Fostering and Letting Go

Fostering Dogs Makes A Difference

As fosters, we hear it all the time…. “I don’t know how you do it [letting them go]”.   Neither do I sometimes.   I cry every single time.   The night before the big adoption, I sit and steal all the snuggles I can, thinking about how this will be the last night I get to do so.  I remember the fun and joy they had with me.  The challenges they overcame and the things they learned. The joy they bring my home.   They have no idea what the morning will bring.  In some cases, it may be the last time I ever see them in this life.

I wonder if they will remember me, and the dogs they have made friends with at my home and if my dogs will miss them.  I wonder if they will question why I have given them up; why I sent them away.   I wonder if I have done enough to give them the start they need.  To prepare them to stay safe from harm.   I wonder if anyone can possibly love them as much as I do.   I wonder…and I cry.

Twister was adopted yesterday.    And a year ago, yesterday Gabi was adopted.   Like all my fosters, they take a big piece of my heart with them, and I keep a little piece of theirs with me.   I wish them a lifetime  of health and happiness, and the joy they can bring to their new families.  

I hope they know that though they are loved by someone else now – I will forever hold a special place in my heart for them. 

I’m honored when new adoptive parents keep in touch and share pictures and stories.  They will never know how much that means to those of us who love them too.  Who loved them first.   Who may have helped them overcome the demons of their past or just got them started along their path.

So yes, I cry.  I go to bed and feel like something is missing.   I put away their food bowl, wash their bedding, find a toy they loved, and I cry.    It takes me a few days to stop looking for them.   

 

And then, another one needs me….

{Please put foster homes out of business – spay & neuter your pets, commit to a lifetime of care with the dog you adopt, help stop animal abuse, educate people on the importance of training, safety management, etc.   There is not a rescuer out there who doesn’t wish we didn’t have to rescue another one tomorrow…. 

Everyone can do something to help.   Volunteer, Foster, Donate, Transport, Adopt -- DO SOMETHING}

Dana Brigman
The K9 Coach
Dog Training - Matthews, NC
980-339-8064
www.thek9-coach.com
info@thek9-coach.com

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