Dog Training Collar
Most people don't put too much thought into their dog training collar. You would think that just any old collar would do, but some styles and designs of collars can help you with training you dog, whether you are teaching them tricks, or trying to instill some discipline into a rambunctious puppy. The original dog training collar was the choke chain, but that was deemed inhuman and excessively cruel to use. In its place are a huge amount of other collars, however.
There are a wide variety of dog training collars for different situations. You will want to best match up your collar selection with the type of dog, and what activity you will be using it for. Some collars are extremely specialized, while others can be used in every situation.
The most common type of dog training collar is a plain buckle collar. These are the normal collars you see in pet stores and are used in non training situations as well. They are often leather or nylon, and can either have a belt fastener or a plastic fastener. These collars are best for show dogs, as they do not mat or muss the fur.
Limited choke collars come in many varieties. The basic style of these collars is that the collar is only slightly larger than the dog's neck. When it is put on and the leash is attached, it tightens to the size of the dog's neck. However, this dog training collar will not choke the dog, so don't be anxious about using it. These dog training collars are often used in dog sled racing and service dog training.
The snap around choke is worn very high up on the dog, and is used to get attention with little force. This dog training collar also helps to control the dog's head. The other reason the collar is so high up on the dog's neck is so there is no chance of wind pipe damage.
Head collars are similar dog training collars to the snap around choke. However, it gives you almost complete control of the head, and you need only gentle touches to guide your dog. This type of collar can sometimes be mistaken for a muzzle, however it is most certainly not.
Electronic collars aren't received as readily as you might think. They can get many strange environmental feedbacks, and this type of dog training collar isn't meant to be used as giving shocks for punishment. Instead, the shocks are for getting the dog's attention. Because of some technical problems with this type of collar, most steer clear of them.
No matter which type of dog training collar you use, make sure to respect your animal, and to not use cruel or inhumane methods of punishment. Sometimes it does take time to train them in the manner you wish them to act, and you need to be patient until they understand.
