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A dog training collar is a handy piece of equipment that can be used to obedience train your dog. No doubt you have heard it referred to as a slip collar, pinch collar, choke collar or possibly a choke chain but it is one and the same no matter the name. Essentially it fits around the dogs neck and is attached to a leash or lead. When the dog owner applies pressure to the leash, he or she can effectively control their pet.

However a dog training collar and lead has to be used properly for it to be totally effective while at the same time being safe for your dog. This article will examine five things you should think about when getting a training collar. This will help you to understand how the collar works and how to use it effectively. Here goes.

1. Get the right fit of training collar ” The collar must be of a size that is just right for your dog as one that is too tight will hurt the dog and be hard to get on. One that is too big will fall off and will not serve it purposes of training the dog. As a rule of thumb, the collar should fit snugly around the dogs neck with a bit of play in it.

Measure the neck of your pet. To give the collar a bit of play add an extra 2-3 inches (about 5 cm) to this measure. This should prove to give your dog enough movement but also keep you firmly in control. Generally a training collar will come in 2 inch (5 centimeter) increments so go for the nearest increment to your measurement if you can’t find an exact match.

2. Fitting the training collar on the dog correctly ” A dog training collar will come with plenty of instructions for fitting the collar and using it effectively. It is advisable to read these when placing the collar on your dog for the first time. They will detail how to fit the collar correctly and prevent an sort of harm coming to your pet in the process.

3. Using the collar and leash properly ” Above all don’t use the collar to inflict pain or to punish your animal whenever the whim takes you. The collar and leash are a way to inform the dog that it is behaving in a way that is unacceptable. Only by being consistent will you be effective in communicating this to your dog. Never exert pressure on the leash for a long period as you will inevitably hurt the dog and confuse it.

4. Take into account the link size and weight of the training collar. They should reflect the type of dog that will be wearing the collar. So if you had a Bull Mastiff then you would want a heavy collar with larger links. If you had a toy Poodle then the wight and link size would be considerably less. Normally, the chain documentation or packaging will indicate the range or size of dog suitable to the type of collar.

5. Get the positioning of the collar and leash right on your pets neck. The ideal position of the leash on the collar is at the top of the dogs neck. This means the any pressure that you put on the leash will be transferred to the collar and communicate with your dog effectively. It will also release the pressure quickly once you ease off on the leash preventing any harm coming to your pet unnecessarily.

A final point is to make sure the collar and leash are constructed from robust materials. The chances are that they will be used quite often and you don’t want either of them to break at an unexpected moment. This could put you, your dog or people around you in a dangerous position.

Tags: Dogs

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