I am glad that the physical appearance of prong collars did not keep you from the comfort it provides and, of course, the way it multiplies your accessibility to your dog.
But, you would not love it so much if you own a Shiba Inu, for they growl at you as if they mean the end to your life. Trust me, I have been there.
Never mind, it was a bad-timed joke, and I hope it looked like a joke. However, returning to the point, you may have probably bought a prong collar already, and due to messing it up around your dog’s neck, you navigated to this guide, which will worsen the practice. No!! It won’t.
Instead, it will do the contrary, i.e., teach you the best way to tie a prong collar around your dog’s neck and appropriately walk it in or outside your home.
With that said, let’s expedite the process. So, you make the most of your newly bought dog training pinch collar, another name for a prong collar, alongside the more criticized dog shock collar.
Defining Tasks
Not that I am telling you what to do with a prong collar, it is absolutely your choice, for you are the dog owner, but what I am trying to do here is throw some light over the proper use of this collar, often misunderstood as a cruel and apparently terrifying tool.
So, for the proper usage, I’d suggest you first try it on your friend who always does the opposite to your will and monitor the changes in their behavior. It is because if the collar can change your friend’s behavior, it can change your dog’s too; HAHA!
Anyway, pardon my urge for cracking dad jokes at intervals; I hoped it would keep you entertained; but, if it does not, probably the correct usage of a prong collar would do, which is:
To train your dog to follow your command while you walk them by the road, over the grass, or inside your home, most importantly, the ‘Heel’ command.
If you are unaware of the command, let me be of assistance. The word ‘heel’ is a phrase that when you enchant to your dog, they start walking beside you or, if you are sitting, sit beside you. It is also known as the ‘heel position.’
But, that’s not as simple as pleasant it reads or feels, for it requires months of training, but not when your dog is wearing a prong collar. It is because a prong collar can slash the training window into half or less if placed right around the neck and practiced well off the routine course.
So, How Do Prong Collars Work?
Totally by themselves, that’s the shortest answer I could come up with; take it from experience. It is the design that is responsible for all the functionality.
Being a dog trainer, you don’t practically have to do anything, just that you put a bit of tension on the leash for loose leash walking (more on this below) and let the collar do the needful, i.e., tame your dog to obey your commands.
But, here’s the complete tutorial on using a prong collar to your advantage and yielding a trained dog in your endeavors as a dog owner.
Methods to Train Dogs to Walk with a Prong Collar
Before I start with training your dog friend to act more human—or the contrary!?—you should know the correct collar size that would sit befittingly fit on your dog’s neck.
If you proceed abruptly, you would not only hurt your dog’s neck but also yourself, for it hooks a reverse pull backward, and may give a bump to your face, unlike the martingale collar.
However, if you are confused about which brand to go with, we’d recommend opting for Herm Sprenger collar, for it has the most positive feedback from many a training group taming a german shepherd, sled dog, aggressive dogs, little dogs, and most dogs with behavioral disorders.
The Stop & Go Method
Believe me when I say this is one of the most effective methods to walk your pulling dog with a prong collar. Teaching your dog or other dogs to sit and walk could not be easier; all that you have to do is follow this 3-step guide and prepare your dog for a peaceful walk, even amidst the chaos. No! Chaos is the time to run, sorry!
Take a Seat, Dear Dog Sir!
Same as us, dogs don’t come educated as to what words entail sitting, walking, and eating. So, you have to teach them, and that’s what we’d do. We’d start with a short dog walk, preferably within the house, by showing the dogs sitting ourselves while chanting the command ‘sit.’
OR
It could be a different approach; it was one of many. However, when you are walking them outside, act as stubborn as you can, and pause the walk until they don’t obey your commands. It is because it will be a value-addition and a faster way to train them.
Heel
Finally, it is time to say the command ‘Heel,’ and train your dog to walk, sit, or move beside you upon every enchantment. Remember, your dog has a prong collar around its neck and a leash attached, so, if they misbehave during the training sessions like many dogs, you’d only have to enforce the grip, and they’ll get back in your control.
Mix and Match
Preach what you have teached; I get it; it is grammatically incorrect, but it was the need of the rhythm, so, I couldn’t keep it to myself.
Anyway, you have taught your dog to sit and heel, and it is time to put both these commands into action and watch your dog finally conferring you with a feeling of authority for someone doing what you ask of them in the first place.
The Guidance Method
The guidance method is rather simple, and is as long as the stop & go method, i.e., 3-steps. Here’s what it entails about walking your dog with a prong collar.
Determine the Guidance
The guidance is often a treat, a reward, or something enticing for your dog to walk up to it, or receive as a prize for doing as you ask or order them.
Find Tranquility
Finding a tranquil place would not only be best for your dog but for you as well. It will help your dog stay focused all on you, and you with not have to chant what apparently could be a whisper.
It will also help you entice your dog towards the reward, which won’t be possible if there are many like it, ice creams, chocolates, and pizzas, to name a few, in the market.
Repeat and Remove
In the initial stage, you’d have to show your dog the reward to make them used to what they would get upon following your orders; you can repeat the cycle a few times, but not at every walk.
You must try reducing the frequency of rewards with each walk and shifting them from many to none, but keep the manners that you taught them intact.
The Stop & Go Method
As suggested by the name, this method will involve restricting your dog’s accessible distance to a minimum, which is for the sake of practice and ultimately training, but with a prong collar on.
Place the Collar and Shorten the Length
Once you have placed the prong collar around your dog’s neck, you will have to set the length of the leash to a minimum. It is a part of the method, which puts up an impression on your dog that their owner does not want them to wander aimlessly, but rather to stay with them.
Walk Multi-Directionally
You would need to use the word ‘heel’ in surplus here. It is because your dog will try to walk ahead of you or get off the leash, but since you will be changing directions, they will have no choice but to retreat and follow your command.
Expand the Walking Distance
The longer you’d walk, the faster you’d train your dog. It is that simple. So, be gradual with the expansion, for you don’t want to overwhelm the dog with tedious drills that would bore them while their entertainment was the point.
Final Thoughts
To answer how to walk a dog with a prong collar, I have listed down the most effective and simplest methods, and these prong dog collars make it even more efficient.
Also, if you are uncertain about the collar’s placement, I’d advise you to read our guide on how you should place a prong collar on a dog. It will cater to all your concerns and make you a canine expert, even if you do not own a dog or intend to adopt one.
Remember, if you are being nice to your dog, a regular collar would also do.
