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Types Of Dog Collars

from: Kyle Besser

There is a wide variety of dog collars on the market today. There are dog collars and leashes available for dogs of every size and temperament. Along with the bond that you form with your dogs, dog collars and leashes are your connection to your dog for communication. Most dog collars and leashes are humane and effective for use and training, but some dog and training collars can be dangerous for a dog if they are not used correctly.

Here are a few tips on how to choose dog and training collars that will provide a proper training aid safely for your dogs.

Nylon And Leather Buckle Dog Collars

Buckle dog collars are just what they sound like, collars that fasten with a buckle. Buckle dog collars are typically made of either leather or nylon. Buckle dog collars are either flat or rolled. Buckle dog collars are usually adjustable and do not tighten on the dog's neck once they are fastened. Rolled buckle dog collars offer less chafing and hair breaking that can occur using flat buckle dog collars.

Nylon or leather buckle dog collars are the safest type of collar for your dog to wear at all times. These traditional buckle dog collars are available in a wide variety of colors and widths. For a proper fit, use a tape measure to measure the dog's neck and then add two to three inches. For your dog's safety, buckle dog collars should not be loose enough to slip over the dog's head or so tight as to restrict breathing or cause coughing.

Flat buckle dog collars are the safest for puppies. Buckle dog collars may not provide adequate control for some dog breeds. For training sessions you might want to use a training dog collar to teach your dog to respond quickly to your commands. After the training period, you should change back to buckle dog collars for comfort and safety.

Choke Chain Training Dog Collars

Choke chain training dog collars have metal links with a ring on each end. It is very important that choke chain training dog collars fit properly. Take your dog with you if you are planning to purchase a choke chain training collar. To properly fit a choke chain training collar, stand on the right side of the dog and loop the chain through the link. Hold the collar like a lazy "P." The straight part of the "P" must go across the top of your dog's neck.

When used properly, choke chain training dog collars allow the trainer to correct the dog with a "popping" movement to the leash. This movement quickly tightens the choke chain training collar and releases quickly. Choke chain training dog collars that are improperly used or do not fit correctly can choke a dog and put painful pressure on his neck.

Electronic Dog Training Collars

The use of electronic dog collars are subject to debate. Electronic dog collars give a dog a static shock or blast of citronella spray. Electronic dog collars are sometimes used to stop excessive barking. With some electronic dog collars, the blast or shock is triggered when the dog barks, while other electronic dog collars are operated manually.

There are also dog electronic collars that confine dogs to a specific area. If the dog tries to step over the boundary while wearing one of the dog shock collars, the dog receives an electric shock from the dog shock collar. One popular type of electronic dog collar is called an "Invisible Fence." These electronic dog collars may have their place in dog training and control, but electronic dog training collars won't help a dog learn to behave on a leash.

Prong Dog Collars and Dog Pinch Collars

Prong dog collars and dog pinch collars are used to handle dogs that are very hard to control. Prong dog collars lie flat on the dog's neck until the dog pulls or the trainer gives a correction. Pressure from either the dog pulling or the trainer giving a correction causes blunt metal prongs on prong dog collars to poke the dog's neck. Pinch dog collars provide an even pressure around the dog's neck to allow the handler to apply the right amount of pressure so that overcorrection (snapping too hard or too often) does not occur.

Never use dog prong collars or pinch dog collars for dog training without the supervision of a professional dog trainer. Trainers use dog prong collars or pinch dog collars for dog training only when all other methods fail and then for only short periods of time. If you use prong dog collars or pinch dog collars incorrectly, it will likely cause the dog to become very aggressive.