Prong Collar Fury!

If I see one more idiot put a prong collar on a Staffy claiming "it makes them look hard..."
I'm going to send them flying!

Has anyone else seen this idiocy?
People putting prongs on a SBT, however large or small, because they are "unresponsive" or "its for fashion."
I'm going to go insane.

No word of a lie, I had an "unresponsive" SBT walking at heel, looking at me, watching me, sitting fast, turning fast, jumping and playing and working within 10 minutes of getting to know this dog. I took off the prong and quickly replaced it with a slip lead (always carry one just in case). I knotted the lead so it didn't act as a choke/auto corrector. I had no treats on me, I just did what that dog wanted to do...run!

Argh! Staffies do not need prong collars! Ever!
(in my opinion XD )

No dog needs a prong collar in my opinion. I have seen plenty of dogs with bruises and wounds on their necks from that medieval torture device being passed of as a training device.

It is a promise, the next person I see using a Prong collar on a breed that does not need it will get a punch! I've heard dogs grunt in surprise and pain from those things.
Certain breeds, basically the specialised breeds that you would never own unless you're trying to take over the world or wipe out a small population of pandas with, I could understand (Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

I had never heard of them before now and just had a look at one and I think they're barbaric!

A very stupid way to train a dog. You want them to obey you out of respect not out of fear.

Skullkandi wrote:Certain breeds, basically the specialised breeds that you would never own unless you're trying to take over the world or wipe out a small population of pandas with, I could understand (Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

There's a guy on here with a Presa Canario & he doesn't use prongs - just trains properly!

I don't think any dog needs a prong collar. If you don't know how to train or don't have the time to spend on training, don't get a dog that needs it!

They are horrible things..so cruel ....like to put them on the morons who use them and see how they like it!

Caryll wrote:There's a guy on here with a Presa Canario & he doesn't use prongs - just trains properly!

Sierra is the name of the member & there's a thread about his dog in the other bully breeds section.

pixie79 wrote:I had never heard of them before now and just had a look at one and I think they're barbaric!

x2 ... WTF is a prong collar ???




(Andy rush's off to google said item )

Caryll wrote:

Skullkandi wrote:Certain breeds, basically the specialised breeds that you would never own unless you're trying to take over the world or wipe out a small population of pandas with, I could understand (Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

There's a guy on here with a Presa Canario & he doesn't use prongs - just trains properly!

I don't think any dog needs a prong collar. If you don't know how to train or don't have the time to spend on training, don't get a dog that needs it!

Couldn't agree more. I woud NEVER use a prong collar, regardless of the breed of the dog. It's a cowardly way to make a dog obey and has no place in the world of dog training.

Barbaric. When I got Millie I had a friend tell me I should use a prong collar on her because she pulled on the lead, I should use an electric collar because her recall was terrible and that I had to basically beat her to get respect from her. Really made me mad that he would even suggest any of that. We had quite a few discussions about the difference between fear and respect.

Never heard of them before so just googled it. They are horrible and look like complete torture!

Why are people even making and selling these!

Andy wrote:

pixie79 wrote:I had never heard of them before now and just had a look at one and I think they're barbaric!

x2 ... WTF is a prong collar ???

This is a prong collar.....

Skullkandi wrote:(Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

I was just thinking, the owners of these breeds probably feel the same way as we do about ours... it's a shame really that irresponsible people are allowed to own dogs of ANY breed... Obviously I have to agree with you on the prong collar. They should be banned and dog owners fined for having or using them, and their dogs removed. Must admit, I haven't ever seen them here, hopefully that is the case in SA.

pixie79 wrote:I had never heard of them before now and just had a look at one and I think they're barbaric!

Also have never heard of them but from the sound of them I am glad I have'nt

Skullkandi wrote:It is a promise, the next person I see using a Prong collar on a breed that does not need it will get a punch! I've heard dogs grunt in surprise and pain from those things.
Certain breeds, basically the specialised breeds that you would never own unless you're trying to take over the world or wipe out a small population of pandas with, I could understand (Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

Couldnt agree more, ive seen people where i live using them, and the dogs always seem terrified of their owner.

I had never even heard of the breeds you listed so i searched them on google. What beautiful dogs! Huge, but beautiful. I think it would be hard for me to ever own any breed other than a staffy now though!

Some dogs become immune to the pain and its horrible to look at them as well, because they've gone "dull". They just don't want to live...
Someone help me get these banned? Please?

Caryll wrote:

Andy wrote:

pixie79 wrote:I had never heard of them before now and just had a look at one and I think they're barbaric!

x2 ... WTF is a prong collar ???

This is a prong collar.....

That collar is disgusting and what's even more disgusting is the idea that people actually use and promote it

The prong collars that I've seen are choke chain type things rather than buckle collars like the one above.



And here are a couple pictures that the prong collar people don't want you to see:



I'm sure the people above were using the collar "improperly," but if that's what happens when you don't know how to use it, do you really trust your fellow man to use the thing "properly?"

I agree that they should be outlawed.

those poor dogs must have been in agony !!

Well at the risk of being shot down, I purchased a pinch collar for Dude after he constantly choked himself silly with a normal collar trying to reach other families and dogs when walking in the park. When I use it on these occasions he simply walks very well and does not try and pull me all over the place. He wears his normal collar at the same time that I switch to later during the walk, when he has settled down. I love my dog and would never hurt him, and when he wears the collar he has never shown any sign of discomfort or stress. As far as I am aware, they were designed to emulate the nip on the neck the mother would give as a correction. However, they do tend to drop off or come undone due to the design of them being made up of links. I don't use it to make Dude look tough or mean, but it has helped stop him from jumping on small children and other dogs in his over friendly yet clumsy way. I was dubious about using it, but at times with a flat collar Dude would choke himself to the extent that he would cough for a couple of hours after getting home.

Those prong collars are discusting and should be banned.Ive never heard or seen one before.Horrible thats what they are it looks like something to torcher a animal with and that poor dogs neck

Awful Awful Awful things would never dream of using one on my lots and people use them too look hard seriously wtf. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

They are a "tool" that lazy people use to get a quick result rather than working hard on training their dog. I'm sorry, but I highly doubt that Dude was so untrainable that you need to use a prong collar to get him under control.

I have to disagree with your opinion, as I know Dude is very trainable. At five months he walks fine on the lead mostly, sits at the door and kerbs and walks on only when told to. However, I have not come close to stopping him getting over excited and jumping all over strangers when he sees them outside. I have a fear of him knocking over or scratching a young child. This habit I'm sure he will mature out of, but I do not want to fuel the poor reputation staffs have to suffer due to negligent owners not controlling or training them correctly. As I said, I would never hurt my boy or cause him any suffering whatsoever. I the collar was a problem, then I would not use it.

BLAKEJORELL wrote:I have to disagree with your opinion, as I know Dude is very trainable. At five months he walks fine on the lead mostly, sits at the door and kerbs and walks on only when told to. However, I have not come close to stopping him getting over excited and jumping all over strangers when he sees them outside. I have a fear of him knocking over or scratching a young child. This habit I'm sure he will mature out of, but I do not want to fuel the poor reputation staffs have to suffer due to negligent owners not controlling or training them correctly. As I said, I would never hurt my boy or cause him any suffering whatsoever. I the collar was a problem, then I would not use it.

Your using a prong on a puppy? there are a hundred different tools to use, gentle leaders/halti's/harnesses, half check collar not full check collar.
Who ever advised you to use a prong on a puppy with very little neck muscles and strengh in the neck in general so its more harmful to use on them than on an adult dog, should never be allowed to own an animal for their entire existance.

O.K. seems that this subject can over excite some people. Dude is quite a big dog, and strong too. But that is not the point. When he wears the collar, he does not pull or tug, the collar itself is loose as is the lead. I do not need to correct him or tug on the lead to force him to do anything. He just walks fine, and does not lunge at people or choke himself. Agreed they don't look nice, but I did not get a 2 for 1 deal on it at the London Dungeon. And for the last time, I would not ever hurt my dog.

How do we go about getting these things banned? Does anyone know?

I think there is nothing wrong with the way that BlakeJ is using the collar. Seems that you just need to put the collar on for him to behave, and you're not using it at all which is good. Hopefully in time he'll calm down and start listening to commands to leave others alone as you walk him. I have Junior focused on me so I can walk him offlead and he ignores other people and certainly does not jump up on them as he walks past.

About my comment earlier about getting them banned, I have a feeling they won't be banned, ever...that's how things go. Choke/Correction chains were going to be banned but that fell flat on its' face =/

BlakeJ, pups are built in different ways and I do believe you may have one of those big pups who just needs a little reminder from time to time, so I have nothing against you using one of those collars. They are also a handy deterrent for someone who wants to steal you dog by grabbing the collar. Seen that happen to someone, the dog barely blinked and the dog theif yelped like a scalded pup. Junior was in hysterics (It wasn't Junior wearing the prong).

But either way, in my opinion, I think only certain types of dog should be allowed to wear Prongs' and only if the owners know how to use them. They're so different from checks, I would never use one and I am actually terrified of them. Idiots who have them for "looks"...well...they should just be banned from having dogs.

MissRogue wrote:

BLAKEJORELL wrote:I have to disagree with your opinion, as I know Dude is very trainable. At five months he walks fine on the lead mostly, sits at the door and kerbs and walks on only when told to. However, I have not come close to stopping him getting over excited and jumping all over strangers when he sees them outside. I have a fear of him knocking over or scratching a young child. This habit I'm sure he will mature out of, but I do not want to fuel the poor reputation staffs have to suffer due to negligent owners not controlling or training them correctly. As I said, I would never hurt my boy or cause him any suffering whatsoever. I the collar was a problem, then I would not use it.

Your using a prong on a puppy? there are a hundred different tools to use, gentle leaders/halti's/harnesses, half check collar not full check collar.
Who ever advised you to use a prong on a puppy with very little neck muscles and strengh in the neck in general so its more harmful to use on them than on an adult dog, should never be allowed to own an animal for their entire existance.

I completely agree with this. I cannot believe that anyone would use a prong collar on a puppy! It's bad enough using them on an adult dog but completely inexcusable to use one on a puppy. As Miss R says, it can do very serious damage to their very sensitive necks, especially at that age. Dude is still very young, and just exhibiting puppy behaviour. If you can't deal with that behaviour, don't own a puppy! Please, please, for his sake, ditch the prong and start training him properly.

Thanks Skullandi, that is exactly the case. I thought when I decided to get a staff that he would be just a big dumb loveable brute. However, Dude is very bright indeed. I haven't started his serious training yet, but already he does all the usual commands as well as speak, get certain toys, fetch the ball and place it in my hand, spit whatever is in his mouth out and more. Yet all this goes out the window when there are people around especially small children, as he just craves love and attention. I just don't want to be explaining to a distraught parent that the large scratch on her child's face will probably go down in a day or two.

I am a parent of young children, and as such, I am cautious when approaching a young puppy. I would much rather have to pull my kids back out of the way from an excitable pup than see the poor thing wearing a prong collar - I would have a few choice words for the owner believe me! You say you haven't started any serious training yet but you are already using a prong collar? I'm really sorry, and don't mean to offend, but that is pure laziness, not to mention cruelty. If you put the work in, you will get results.

BLAKEJORELL wrote:Thanks Skullandi, that is exactly the case. I thought when I decided to get a staff that he would be just a big dumb loveable brute. However, Dude is very bright indeed. I haven't started his serious training yet, but already he does all the usual commands as well as speak, get certain toys, fetch the ball and place it in my hand, spit whatever is in his mouth out and more. Yet all this goes out the window when there are people around especially small children, as he just craves love and attention. I just don't want to be explaining to a distraught parent that the large scratch on her child's face will probably go down in a day or two.

A

Not a problemo, Blake =D
I have an inkling of a feeling that you won't use the collar at all, even when training, which is why I'm not too bothered about you having it. You have it for a reason and that is to calm the dog down and you don't even use it anyway, its just sitting on his neck.
A lot of training can go out the window when there are new things around, and that is totally natural, I've jsut made sure that my Stafford knows that I'm more interesting than everyone else who is calling to him or that looks interesting and he stays by my side.
You've got it for a reason, it works and there's no problem there, but, would a chain work just as well, nothing thick, maybe just a snake chain or a showing chain. If all he needs is to know is that their is a correction tool on his neck and it calms him down, maybe a softer looking thing is needed, one that will not damage his neck if it had to be used in an emergency?

Guys, I don't think Blake is using the collar just letting it rest on his neck.

I do not and will not be using it for training. Everything Dude has learned thus far has been through love, eagerness to please and the occasional treat. Shontelle, I think your strong opinions on who deserves to have a puppy should be directed at some of the yobs that keep dogs. I can imagine that you have a picture in your mind of a small hamster being yanked along the floor screaming. This is not the case.

No I have a picture of a young puppy with a torture device around its neck in my mind. If you do not, and have no intention to use the prong to train, why bother putting it on him at all? I get that you think that just having it there controls him, but in that case, you'll always need that because he won't learn any different. If you stop putting it on him now, and train him to stop jumping up at people, there'll be no need to put it on him at all. I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to compare you to the idiot chavs out there that make the rest of us look bad, I'm just trying to say that prong collars are awful 'training' tools, and there is just no need for them, ESPECIALLY in the case of a young pup who is just being a puppy. Training and consistency is what is needed for Dude.

Caryll wrote:

Skullkandi wrote:Certain breeds, basically the specialised breeds that you would never own unless you're trying to take over the world or wipe out a small population of pandas with, I could understand (Fila Brasiliaro, Perro de Presa Canario, Bully Kutta, Dogo Argentino etc) I can understand slightly. The Bully Kutta, Dogo and Fila moreso, but still, I dislike Prongs...who invented them anyway?!

There's a guy on here with a Presa Canario & he doesn't use prongs - just trains properly!

I don't think any dog needs a prong collar. If you don't know how to train or don't have the time to spend on training, don't get a dog that needs it!

I agree NO breed needs them.

BLAKEJORELL wrote:However, I have not come close to stopping him getting over excited and jumping all over strangers when he sees them outside. I have a fear of him knocking over or scratching a young child. This habit I'm sure he will mature out of, but I do not want to fuel the poor reputation staffs have to suffer due to negligent owners not controlling or training them correctly. As I said, I would never hurt my boy or cause him any suffering whatsoever. I the collar was a problem, then I would not use it.

He will not 'mature out of' jumping up at people - this is down to training. And you don't need a prong/pinch collar (call it what you like) to train a pup. Using the right (and humane) methods will stop a pup from jumping at people.

BLAKEJORELL wrote:O.K. seems that this subject can over excite some people. Dude is quite a big dog, and strong too. But that is not the point. When he wears the collar, he does not pull or tug, the collar itself is loose as is the lead. I do not need to correct him or tug on the lead to force him to do anything. He just walks fine, and does not lunge at people or choke himself. Agreed they don't look nice, but I did not get a 2 for 1 deal on it at the London Dungeon. And for the last time, I would not ever hurt my dog.

Ok, so if he doesn't pull & you've no need to correct him, why did you buy the collar? You must have 'used' the collar at some point to ensure that he does not pull. Again, there are far better ways of training a dog not to pull that by hurting or frightening them.

Skullkandi wrote:I think there is nothing wrong with the way that BlakeJ is using the collar. Seems that you just need to put the collar on for him to behave, and you're not using it at all which is good.

And how do you know how blakeJ is using the collar? Have you seen what he does? At some point the collar must have been used in order for it to have produced a result!

When all is said and done, at the very least it is a tool for someone who is not prepared to put time and effort into training a dog humanely.

Blake, I'm sorry if this has insulted you, but I'm afraid nobody will ever justify to me the use of a prong collar, especially on a puppy!

I'm not justifying the use of the collar. In my first post I explained that I use it when we go to the park. Greenwich Park is full of families out for a stroll, and Dude would pull and jump at all of them. I did not buy the collar to control him, I'm strong enough to hold him back. I bought it because he was hurting himself trying to say hello to everyone. It done the trick, as when it's on he walks fine. I do not use it when we go out on a daily basis as we do not encounter families every 2 mins.

This topic has now been locked as it is going around in circles and we feel it is necessary to keep the peace on the forum.

Apologies to anyone who is offended by this.

Moderator Team.

BLAKEJORELL wrote:I'm not justifying the use of the collar. In my first post I explained that I use it when we go to the park. Greenwich Park is full of families out for a stroll, and Dude would pull and jump at all of them. I did not buy the collar to control him, I'm strong enough to hold him back. I bought it because he was hurting himself trying to say hello to everyone. It done the trick, as when it's on he walks fine. I do not use it when we go out on a daily basis as we do not encounter families every 2 mins.

But you have used it, and you have used it in a situation where careful training would have done exactly the same job, but far more humanely!