A dog choke collar (also known as a choke chain, slip collar, or choke chain) is a type of dog collar that is very effective in training dogs. It’s especially useful in obedience classes. On the other hand, it’s not recommendable in training that requires a high level of activity, such as agility training.

A dog choke collar consists of a metal chain or a strip that is made of nylon. There are two loops at each end of the strip. The strip goes into one of the loops, making a “P” form (we were told to remember P for Puppy, that’s how you know you have it on correctly, otherwise it won’t work), which is then slipped through the dog’s head. The leash is then attached to the loop on the back of the dogís neck.

Setting the collar is very important, and a professional instructor should teach you if you have zero or little experience with it. If the dog choke collar is too loose, it won’t serve its purpose. If it’s too tight, it can hurt the dog’s neck. The collar should also be worn as high as possible, just behind the dog’s ears. If the loop comes from the dog’s chin instead of its neck, you have to take it off, as it was put on backwards.

The way that a choke collar works is by pulling and releasing it. Pulling upwards the dog choke collar will apply some pressure on the dogís neck, which indicates the dog that it has incurred in an undesired action. This pull should be fast and very brief, and it should be accompanied by a command in a strong and firm voice, such as “NO” or “GET BACK.” This movement is called leash pop, snap, or correction.

When training your dog with a dog choke collar, your dog should walk at your left side. Your left hand will hold the loop and your right hand will perform the correction. It’s very recommendable to watch your dog trainer do it first and then imitate him or her under supervision.

Some people claim that a dog choke collar is cruel. This is mostly because of the deceiving name of the collar. However, the dog is never choked, and in fact, the sensation reproduces the quick nips that mother dogs give their puppies to correct them.

Nevertheless, you should never let a dog on a dog choke collar out of your sight. And the collar should be taken off as soon as training is finished. Although it’s harmless under supervision, a choke collar can hurt your dog if it gets stuck with something, so always be careful about that.

Tags: dog collars, dog training, dog walking

This entry was posted on Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Dog Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.