Dog training collars come in many styles and materials. Most are safe to use on your dog, but some can be dangerous if you don't use them properly.
Some training collars are made out of nylon, others out of leather, cotton, or metal.
There are electronic collars, collars that go over your dog's chest, collars that attach to your dog's face…
Let's take a look at the most commonly used dog collars and decide when to use them...
This is the most common training collar on the market.
Flat and comfortable, it's usually made out of leather or nylon. Out of all dog training collars, this one is safe to leave on your dog at all times.
When you put it around your dog's neck, tighten it so that your dog can't remove it. At the same time, leave it loose enough so that you can insert two fingers between your dog's neck and the collar.
Let's take a look at some examples of a buckle collar...
Here is an adjustable nylon dog collar.
It's made of rugged nylon and has a touch-lock clasp that you can open and close with ease. It adjusts quickly for a perfect fit.
And, you can be personalize it with your pet's name and your phone number.
These Leather Dog Collars for Petite Dogs from Lil' Paw are made especially for petite dogs up to 10 lbs.
And if you (or your dog!) really want to make a statement, take a look at these Harley-Davidson Leather Dog Collars.
They are constructed of two layers of top-grain leather with nickel studs and spikes. They display the Harley logo medallion and…are made in the U.S.A.!
A Reflective ID Tag is a perfect companion for any buckle collar (don't use it on any other type of dog training collar). It helps your pet be seen at night and has space for you to write important contact or medical information.
A choke collar is made out metal links with a ring in each end. When used properly, you can correct your dog by a quick movement of the leash. This "snapping" movement will tighten and quickly release the collar.
To properly fit your dog's choke collar, stand on his right side and loop the chain through the link and hold the collar like a letter "P". Put the straight part of the "P" across the top of your dog's neck.
Unfortunately, this type of collar can easily injure your dog's neck. If you don't have any experience with it, don't use it.
A variation of a choke collar, this martingale training collar is designed to reduce the loss of neck hair or matting.
The choke chain features a unique limited closure that prevents it from becoming too tight.
It's a lot safer than a choke collar and a much better choice for a new dog owner.
There are several types of electronic training collars, but they all try to accomplish the same thing – to stop some unwanted behavior.
The most common uses of electronic collars are to stop excessive barking and to prevent your dog from leaving the boundaries of a marked area.
To learn more about electronic collars, visit electronic dog collar and dog shock collar pages.
Here is an example of an electronic dog training collar: Deluxe Bark Control Collar from PetSafe.
It features a vibration sensor that will be activated only by the dog's bark. It also offers 18 levels of correction.
Here is a short video with additional information about this training collar...
You use prong dog training collars on hard to control dogs.
Like a regular collar, it lies flat on your dog's neck but when your dog pulls or you give a corrective pull, a pressure causes blunt metal prongs to poke into your dog's neck.
If you don't use a prong collar correctly, you can easily injure your dog. My advice is not to use it unless… you really need to use it, and even then, get an advice from a professional dog trainer.
You strap a harness to the dog's body across his chest and around the ribcage. A leash attaches to a ring on top of the harness, usually located between your dog's shoulder blades.
One of the biggest disadvantages of harness dog training collars is that they make it very difficult for you to give a corrective action when your dog decides to pull.
If you have an adult dog, always check the collar for signs of wear. If you have a puppy, most breeds will outgrow their dog training collars pretty quickly.
To be on the safe side, make it a habit to inspect a training collar every couple of weeks. It does not take a lot of time and can prevent an injury and even save your dog's life.
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