Training Collars

[Amy and Annabelle]

So I finally signed Annabelle up for a group obedience class. She has only had a trainer come to the house and since her training was done over the winter it has all been indoors. We have never used a training collar during those training sessions. With the group class it is requesting a training collar. I am unfamiliar with them. I did do some research and I am not too keen on using a shock or prong collar on my baby. She is a mini and only weighs about 13lbs at 8 months. It sounds like they are leaving the choice of collar up to each person. Is there another option for me? Is one more popular than the other? Thanks

[Amy and Annabelle]

Thanks everyone for your responses. When I looked up training collars on Amazon, the shock collars came up mostly and one or 2 prong. So I did a little research and didn't feel comfortable with either one of those. Unfortunately it is very generic as to the description of training collar used for this class. For someone like me who is unfamiliar with training collars, it is very confusing. I know I won't be getting an e-collar, I have no experience with them and have a feeling I won't be getting much collar help from the trainer. It seems like they are all designed to put pressure on the neck which I am not a fan of. I want the most gentle one out there. I figure the trainer can't complain since he was so vague with it.

[Shari Becker]

There is a woman at our dog park who uses an electric training collar. She has a clicker that she keeps in her hand. I was horrified when she told me, and I think she thought I was the world's biggest idiot because I kept repeating, "So, you shock her when you want her to come?" However, this woman has a very rowdy, very large german shepherd puppy mix, and she swears that it is the only thing that has worked for her. I'm not convinced, and I still shudder each time she gives her dog a little click. However, the dog is as happy as could be and doesn't seem to mind at all. 

As for us, we threw in the towel on our no-pull harness this winter because Lexi just hated it. She hid every time we took it out, she still pulled so hard that it started cutting into her skin. We switched to a prong collar for walks, and it has been amazing. It doesn't hurt (but it has to be the right size)  and she likes it so much better than her harness. She will actually sit while we put it on - instead of hiding under the kitchen table when it is time to go out.

All that said, our trainer never once talked about collars in class. Never. All our training was about puppy socializing and working with rewards to get the dogs to follow orders.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

There are lots of options and you may want to talk to the trainer before investing in a collar.  I believe that collars are just tools and that just about any type can work if they are used effectively and respectfully.  Your trainer may have a preference or feel there is one particular type of collar that might be best for your dog.  I would definitely not use a shock collar for a puppy this age...especially a mini.  I have tried all different collars for Murphy, and the Gentle Leader has been the most effective for him.  For Guinness (my mini) I started his training with a martingale and then went to just a slip lead.  Every few months he decides that he's going to "control" the walk and starts pulling.....then I put him in a Gentle Leader for a week and he's fine again.  Good luck with the training and please keep us posted on how it's going.  Hopefully the trainer will allow a little "puppy play time" at the end of the session.  Almost all of the classes I went to did have 5 or 10 minutes at the end for the dogs to interact, and it was a nice supervised socialization opportunity.

[Amy and Annabelle]

 Annabelle had her first obedience class tonight. The trainers collar of choice is the pinch or prong collar. I was actually amazed at how well she and all the other dogs did with them. Annabelle is a leash puller, so it is made for dogs like her. On another note she made friends with a little sheltie that is the same age as her. It was pretty cute watching them. She has never been around other dogs like that before and neither had the sheltie. She was worn out when we got home.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Glad your class went well.  When used correctly prong collars can be good training tools.  Glad Annabelle found a new "friend" too....overall sounds like a great experience.