Chains Collars

I had a disagreement with my breeder at the puppy classes last week. She insisted that everyone buy a chain collar for their dog to train them with. I refused. I personally dont like them. The thought of a chain that just keeps tightening around my 6mth old pups neck seems... i dont know... cruel. And i was met to my argument by this "they have such a strong pain threshhold, it wont hurt them". Now, in my understanding, that doesnt mean that it doesnt HURT, it means they dont COMPLAIN about it hurting.
So while everyone else used a choke chain for their pups at the training session, i used a semi choke nylon and padded collar, there is another word for it i have seen you all use.. can recall right now, starts with an M i think.
So i was kinda teased by everyone because they got faster results with their pups then i did. well i rather fix the problem then supress it.
I dont know, they keep poking me about the chain collar. i'm holding strong, Romeo isnt really a problem dog. he "NORAMALLY" comes when called, and the only time he pulls is when we walk with other dogs, i'm trying to train him out of that....

Chain Yay, or Chain Nay?

i wouldn't want one on so i couldn't put one on my dogs

I disagree with them for the same reason, it's just not worth the risk with a staffy. I know Romeo ignores pain, we were playing fetch yesterday and I suddenly noticed his paw was bleeding. He was still game for more fetch and didn't care. Staffies are hardcore, they won't ever complain about pain but it doesn't mean they don't feel it like any other dog.

Taryn stand your ground ! Good on you...the others probably didn't have the guts to say anything!!

I think it was a martingale collar you have.. I have a lovely purple one for Winston ! I feel alot happier him wearing that than a choker chain !

I can see the results that the other had, and they were pretty quick compared to me and romeo... but it seems so.... evil in a way. you wont do what i want, so i'll choke you for it! my method is, do what i ask... and get hotdog

My brothers dog Jack's tolerance is impressive. he had a tooth kicked out of his mouth by accident while he and my brother were playing foot ball and he was TOTALLY up for more, even with amissing lower canine.
that is why i worry that it would really damage Romeo, he is only a little fella.

I use a half-check with Bella, personally I don't like the full check. When Millie was younger I had someone tell me I was doing everything all wrong and they put a full check chain on her. She was so scared and I felt terrible so it wasn't ever used again.

I use head collars instead and this is also another reason i won't go to 'training classes'

Use a half check for Tyson but it is all academic now since most of our training is done off lead at this stage.

Nay from me too, just dont like them.

My parents dogs were always trained/walked on a check chain but that was what was used in obedience training back then, now everything has gone reward based and they weren't allowed at the obedience training I went to with Ledger

Knowing his pain threshold I couldn't do it to my boy, he ripped his dew claw off once and just sat waiting by the door holding his paw up with it pouring with blood. And he barely flinched while getting it dressed

wow thats pretty hard core ripping off a dew claw. i want to get a half check for romeo, although i plan to also get him a harness

no way ask her or him if you can put one on them and give it a tug

I couldn't really answer the poll, cause if a check chain (I won't use the term choke chain) is used properly it's a good training aid for a dog that won't repond to anything else. A check chain, used properly, won't continually tighten around a dog's neck.

Round here, though, the training clubs won't allow check chains - they'll only accept flat collars or harnesses.

how does one use it correctly? (this is not a sarcastic question, i honestly wish to know)
its just by the end of the session all the pups eyes were blood shot from pullinging or getting tugged at.

Romeo wrote:how does one use it correctly? (this is not a sarcastic question, i honestly wish to know)
its just by the end of the session all the pups eyes were blood shot from pullinging or getting tugged at.

Here you go:

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t3292-check-chains-how-to-use-them

Seems to me they are a device for using as a training tool for short intervals. Not for normal long walks etc.

Hi im new to the forum and have a six month old staffordshire bull terrier called Marley. I have just been told by someone that Marley should be on a choke chain as "it will learn him the hard way"... We have him on a harness. It has bothered me a little because surely this isnt neccessary?

I don't like choke chains at all. They can be usefull in the hands of an experienced trainer for short periods when a dog won't respond to anything else but those are rare cases.

Positive reinforcement, patience and consistancy are much better training methods.

Thankyou. These are the methods i have been using yet you always seem to find people who know better!

I used check chains for my gsds but only because flat collars rubbed their fur away but both walked on haltis and healed anyway

Both my 2 now have flat collars and I would not use one on them as they are both to sensitive with buster being very nervous

marleymoo wrote:Hi im new to the forum and have a six month old staffordshire bull terrier called Marley. I have just been told by someone that Marley should be on a choke chain as "it will learn him the hard way"... We have him on a harness. It has bothered me a little because surely this isnt neccessary?

No dog should 'learn the hard way'. The nicer you are when you train a dog, the better the long term results!

Way back when I ran a training club (30+ years ago) it was the 'done thing' to use a check chain - now we know better! Mind you, I don't think a staff responds well to a check chain anyway - they're far too sensitive a breed.

I do use a check chain but I tend to attach to his harness however my GSD has had a choker for 13 years with no problem,

Caryll wrote:

marleymoo wrote:Hi im new to the forum and have a six month old staffordshire bull terrier called Marley. I have just been told by someone that Marley should be on a choke chain as "it will learn him the hard way"... We have him on a harness. It has bothered me a little because surely this isnt neccessary?

No dog should 'learn the hard way'. The nicer you are when you train a dog, the better the long term results!

Way back when I ran a training club (30+ years ago) it was the 'done thing' to use a check chain - now we know better! Mind you, I don't think a staff responds well to a check chain anyway - they're far too sensitive a breed.

As a young kid (18yrs old +) I took our BC to obedience and the first thing they recommended was a choke chain (I was the only one with the time and the car and never ever done this before(or the rest of the family)) , and this would be about 25 years ago now. Never used one since and never had issues

I said no, I think in the day and age and the advancement in training methods they just simply aren't needed.

Dave wrote:As a young kid (18yrs old +) I took our BC to obedience and the first thing they recommended was a choke chain

Exactly - that was the accepted way to train then. Mind you, we always had a 4 week beginners' class where we went through loads of things with the new trainers, and one of them was drumming in to people how to use a check chain properly. You'd be amazed by how many people just couldn't grasp taht there was a right way or a wrong way to put the chain on, let alone use it.

I haven't used a chain for many years, not since I got my first Terv - she was a sensitive soul & the chain didn't suit her at all, so I trained her with a flat collar & I was surprised at how easy it actually was!

Well done for standing your ground, you are welcome to show them all what happened to my little girl Ellie, vet suspects it was choke chain damage as he has seen a lot of that.

Ellie's story http://tracheotomy-in-dogs.yolasite.com/

There are also these sites:

http://flyingpawsdogtraining.weebly.com/damage-by-choke-chains.html

http://www.positivedogs.co.uk/Choke%20Chains!.htm

http://www.vetinfo.com/dog-training-collar.html

http://www4.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/hawgood1.htm

There are a lot more if you do a search.

My daughter has just got a 6 month old pup from the SPCA. She looks a little like a boxer staffy cross. The smoochiest dog I have ever met and fabulous in the home with my grandsons. However she is afraid of so many things! If you cough or sneeze she hits the ground with fright. I have Poodles now and years ago learned to train with a check chain. My Wire-Haired Terrier got to top level in obedience and loved walking and would bounce around the back seat of the car in excitement when we got to the training park each Sunday. My daughter has started taking her to training and they don't allow check chains and use treats. Well this wee dog is not a foody! I looked after her yesterday and tried a walk (with her leather collar). It was a real struggle as she flattened to the ground in fear or crawled off the footpath everytime a car went past or if there was a loud noise. I came home and got my check chain and tried again. This time I did a quick jerk each time she reacted to something and she immediately responded to me and by the time we turned to come home she was walking easily and looking up at me. I am thinking that because she never had a mother to bring her up and had lots of different people dealing with her at the SPCA (where they said that she had been fearful the whole time)that she is looking for someone to trust who takes charge and makes the decisions for her. I start training with a check chain (if its nesessary)but they wear collars normally. It's just a great tool for certian dogs in my opinion.

Have to admit 20+ years ago when I took my BC to obedience we used one and it worked well, we were shown how to use it properly , HOWEVER , peopl have done much more research and people have been educate dsince then so no I wouldn't . Many times I've felt like throttling both the little ********* but not with a choke chain

Hi bells, maybe you could post an introduction for us here.....?
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/f7-new-member-introductions

bells wrote: I came home and got my check chain and tried again. This time I did a quick jerk each time she reacted to something and she immediately responded to me and by the time we turned to come home she was walking easily and looking up at me.

Personally, I'd never use a check chain with a dog that's nervous/anxious - you could end up making matters much worse, and possibly injuring the dog should it take fright & try to bolt. A check chain is a very harsh method of training. A much better way would be encouragement rather than forceful 'checking'. It might take a little longer, but the results would be better.

They have their place, i used them in boarding kennels for security. I would not use one on lexi and anytime i ever have she chokes as iff shes been strung up, shes like that with normal collars too, so i always use a harness. If your dog needs one, i don't see a problem with it as long as it is used correctly and not yanked just because you become impatient with your dog. (im saying your, but not meaning you directly taryn! lol)

I wouldn't use them. The reason I got Loki a harness was because he walks great on the lead, but pulls when people and dogs are near us. The pulling during those times was choking him and I was afraid of the damage. So I, personally, think it's too harsh (particularly on a still-developing puppy, I'd imagine). But at the same time, maybe they do have their place if people use them properly?