By: Kelly Marshall
Submitted: 2009-10-20 10:13:07 | Word Count: 530
Whether you are interested in moving forward and getting your dog the training that he or she needs, you may find that one of the best tools that you have available to you is going to be a prong collar. A prong collar is essentially a set of interlaced links with dull spikes protruding from them. When the dog pulls on the collar, the pricks from the spikes will alert him that he should stop. While the collar may look a little fierce or frightening to people, the truth is that prong collars are far safer for the dogs wearing them than choke chains. A dog will feel the prick long before he registers how tight a choke chain is. What many people are not aware of, however, is how to fit a prong collar!
When you are looking to train your dog, you will find that a prong collar can be a great aid. They come in small, medium, large or extra large sizes, and they can be further modified by adding or removing links to the chain. Do keep in mind that though a well fitted prong collar is going to be comfortable for your dog and could be worn indefinitely, they should only be worn for training. There is a concern that due to the open links, your dog could get caught on something and do themselves injury.
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The prong collar should be fitted so that it will sit right behind the ears and under the jaws of your dog. Too many people will not remove enough links, and because of this, they end up discovering that their dog can slip the collar or that their dog might even be injured by getting the prongs sticking him at the wrong time. Do not allow the collar to be too loose and do not let it ride too low on your dog s neck.
One handy trick to remember is that a prong collar should not be slid over a dog s head and down his neck. Instead, a collar that is properly fitted to your dog needs to have the links opened and closed in order to be placed properly. If the collar can be comfortably slid onto your dog s neck, you need to remove links until it is actually small enough. This is one of the mistakes that many novice dog owners make. In general, taking the collar off is going to be easier than putting it on.
To get your dog s prong collar on to her, try fastening it behind her ears. This is a good way to keep her from getting nervous and to make sure that you do not have to reach underneath her chin. Remember that you will need to rotate the collar because the links to connect the leash will actually be under her chin. Properly, the leash should connect behind her head.
There are many different options open to you when you are thinking about fitting a prong collar to your dog, so remember to take your time and to be diligent about doing it right; your dog s comfort and safety are important to any training session.
