YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - collar, harness, training collar question

yorkipower · 12-28-2004, 11:35 AM

When you say he's required to wear a training collar - what kind of collar are we talking about?
- leather buckle
- martingale
- choke- chain or nylon
- prong

I would NEVER use the last two on a toy dog with a coughing problem and I see no reason to use a prong on a dog less than 10 pounds – ever (prongs are generally used on big dogs who will pull against a choke or with handlers who do not know how to use a choke properly. In the right hands, they can actually be more humane). Beside the jerk and pull method of training is SO outdated and out of favor with most trainers. I hope that's not what they are asking you to do? You can get much better results in heal training with a target stick for instance. Most little dogs, especially toy terriers, don't do well being forced to do anything anyhow. They were bred to be independent thinkers and are not Golden Retrievers that can be jerked around a ring and still wag their tails!

I once went to a local training class to observe. My dog and I have been competing in agility for three years and I wanted to see if competitive obedience would be something we would also enjoy. I walked out of the class in shock and horror. I saw two people push a Papillion down to the ground with the palm of their hands to teach the down command (a simple trick using a doggie treat would have accomplished the same thing in a much more human and efficient manner!). I saw people walking around in a circle jerking and pulling not praising their dogs. I've since then found other places where only positive training techniques are used. I'd be VERY careful where I took my dog for obedience lessons! Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, leave.

A leather buckle collar when properly used on a young, healthy dog, shouldn't cause him to gasp unless he already has a collapsed trachea. So my next question - does your dog cough and have breathing problems when he is not wearing a collar? If so, get your vet to check him out ASAP. I’ve had several dogs with collapsed tracheas (Poodles). All of them developed the condition later in life.

12-28-2004, 11:35 AM	#7
yorkipower BANNED! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Posts: 446	clarification When you say he's required to wear a training collar - what kind of collar are we talking about? - leather buckle - martingale - choke- chain or nylon - prong I would NEVER use the last two on a toy dog with a coughing problem and I see no reason to use a prong on a dog less than 10 pounds – ever (prongs are generally used on big dogs who will pull against a choke or with handlers who do not know how to use a choke properly. In the right hands, they can actually be more humane). Beside the jerk and pull method of training is SO outdated and out of favor with most trainers. I hope that's not what they are asking you to do? You can get much better results in heal training with a target stick for instance. Most little dogs, especially toy terriers, don't do well being forced to do anything anyhow. They were bred to be independent thinkers and are not Golden Retrievers that can be jerked around a ring and still wag their tails! I once went to a local training class to observe. My dog and I have been competing in agility for three years and I wanted to see if competitive obedience would be something we would also enjoy. I walked out of the class in shock and horror. I saw two people push a Papillion down to the ground with the palm of their hands to teach the down command (a simple trick using a doggie treat would have accomplished the same thing in a much more human and efficient manner!). I saw people walking around in a circle jerking and pulling not praising their dogs. I've since then found other places where only positive training techniques are used. I'd be VERY careful where I took my dog for obedience lessons! Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, leave. A leather buckle collar when properly used on a young, healthy dog, shouldn't cause him to gasp unless he already has a collapsed trachea. So my next question - does your dog cough and have breathing problems when he is not wearing a collar? If so, get your vet to check him out ASAP. I’ve had several dogs with collapsed tracheas (Poodles). All of them developed the condition later in life. Last edited by yorkipower; 12-28-2004 at 11:46 AM.