A training collar is a useful tool for obedience training your dog. It goes by various names, some being a pinch collar, slip collar, choke collar or even a choke chain. Essentially it goes round the animals neck, and, when attached to a lead or leash, is an effective way for you to maintain control of the dog. Naturally a training collar will not be effective if it is not used correctly so that you can modify the dogs behavior but also ensure that it is not hurt or injured by the collar.
This short article will address 5 issues about using a dog training collar effectively whilst keeping your dog safe. 1. Picking the correct size of training collar " You have to find a balance between a collar that is too tight for the animal and too loose for you to handle it. Obviously it may damage or hurt your dog if it is too tight and it will be a useless training tool if it is too loose. Try to find a collar that fits snugly around your pets neck. Start by taking a measure of your dog's neck.
Then, add around 5 centimeters (2-3 inches) to that measurement. This will give some play to the collar so that it can fit comfortably over the dogs head. Generally a dog training collar will come in 5 centimeter (2 inch) increments. 2. Placing the training collar on your pet correctly " Most collars will come with comprehensive instructions about fitting the collar onto your dog. Pay attention to these instructions as they will indicate what is too tight a fit and how to place the collar onto your dog safely.
This may prevent you dog from hurt or injury from a badly fitted training collar. 3. Using the collar and leash properly " Above all don't use the collar to inflict pain or to punish your animal whenever the whim takes you.
The collar and leash are a way to inform the dog that it is behaving in a way that is unacceptable. Only by being consistent will you be effective in communicating this to your dog. Never exert pressure on the leash for a long period as you will inevitably hurt the dog and confuse it. 4.
Think about the weight and link size of the training collar. This should reflect the size of the animal that it will be used on. For instance a big dog like a St. Bernard would require a heavier chain with bigger links than a Jack Russell. Many chains will list which dogs are suitable for the type of chain. 5.
Get the positioning of the collar and leash right on your pets neck. The ideal position of the leash on the collar is at the top of the dogs neck. This means the any pressure that you put on the leash will be transferred to the collar and communicate with your dog effectively. It will also release the pressure quickly once you ease off on the leash preventing any harm coming to your pet unnecessarily. To close, ensure that the collar and lead are well constructed using sturdy materials.
They are likely to get well used and roughly treated so need to withstand some poor treatment. You also don't want them to break at a vital moment in your obedience training program.
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