How to Use Dog Training Collars

By Glyn Sheridan

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Training collar
Suitable leash

Step 1:
Choose an inexpensive buckle collar to train most dogs in basic obedience tasks. Unless your dog is very large, aggressive or hard to handle, a buckle collar with a 6-foot leash will allow you to teach it the "sit, stay, down, heel and come" commands.
Step 2:
Fit a gentle leader or a head collar on a large dog that pulls on the leash. A gentle leader has two collar bands, one fits over the dog's muzzle and the other fits around his neck. The bands join at a ring underneath the dog's chin. When the dog attempts to pull away, the leash tightens and his head is drawn downward, forcing him to stop. Use a gentle leader along with praise and treats, encouraging your dog to walk easily by your side.
Step 3:
Experiment with a Martingale collar if your dog tends to back up and pull out of his collar. For an average-size dog, a Martingale collar, constructed from a nylon cord that runs under the dog's chin, from ear to ear and connects to another cord, will contract when the dog pulls, making it nearly impossible for him to back out of the collar. The Martingale may not be appropriate for long-hair breeds as the rings may catch in the fur on the side of the dog's neck, pulling it out.
Step 4:
Try a slip collar, which is the simplest of all collars yet highly effective. Among this group are the choke chain and the show collar used on dogs in conformation competitions. The collar may be part of a leash or it may hook to an independent leash. When the trainer pulls on the leash, the slip collar tightens, squeezing the dog's neck. Take care not to jerk on the leash if the dog is wearing a slip collar.
Step 5:
Opt for a prong collar if your dog becomes highly agitated or if it pulls a lot on the leash, even with a slip collar on. A prong collar works on the same basic premise as a slip collar, but it has numerous steel rods that pinch the dog's neck when tension increases on the leash. Although they look frightening, prong collars will not hurt the dog. When using a prong collar, do not jerk on the leash. Owners of aggressive dogs may find a prong collar allows them to walk their dog in public with ease.
Step 6:
Try an electronic collar when you want to train your dog not to bark indiscriminately or you want it to stay in the yard. These collars come with an attached unit that emits an electrical shock or a squirt of citronella. When combined with an underground electronic fence, the unit will cause a tingling sensation as the dog approaches the perimeter of its yard.

Tips & Warnings

Don't scold or punish your dog during training. It may become anxious, making it more difficult to teach the task. End a training session that is not fun or productive and start fresh the following day.
High winds and loud children may activate a no-bark collar so take the collar off your dog when these situations occur.

Photo/Video Credit

Royalty free image from Shutterstock

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