No prongs for Maxine please!

[zaeva06]

Just a little ticked right now

I think I figured out why the vet tech was so zealous about promoting the prong collar on our last visit.

While we were at the vets, a trainer was recommended to us to help with Maxine's reactivity. Sounded great at first, 35 years+ experience, a member of the BBB. Red flags went off though when I took a closer look at the brochure. Almost every dog in the pictures were wearing prong collars.

I gave her a call today to see about her training methods and what she would recommend for Maxine. She bosted about her 'Postive common sense' apporch to training, and then informed me that Maxine would have to wear a prong collar in order for her to train my dog.

I questioned her about using the prongs and the possiblity of them hurting Maxine, I was told that prongs were compleatly safe and that they could NEVER cause excessive pain.
When I said that I used a harness instead along with a clicker, she said the clicker didn't matter, that as long as the harness was on, Maxine would always be out of control.


Sorry lady, I'll take my dog someplace that dosen't require a spiked pointy device in training

[catstina]

That is ridiculous! Any trainer that relies on a tool rather than skill, is not a good trainer in my book.

[emilys]

any trainer that insists on ANY one piece of equipment is someone to avoid.... they have a cookie cutter approach and aren't going to look at you and your dog as individuals.

[loverocksalot]

Same goes for a prong. Once you take it off and go to regular collar dog will probably go back to the problem. Are you using a front chest connect harness? Yes you can work out the reactivity using a harness and a clicker. It is called association. If your dog sees what causes them to be reactive and you correct them via a prong or choke or whatever you do to correct them they will associate that whatever it is they are reactive too (child, dog, person) with a negative thing that makes them feel bad. In many cases making the reactivity worse. Unless you really are good with timing of the leash you will likely make it worse. Their are trainers that can be successful with this but they have real good timing. So I find that using association through rewarding for good behavior when not reacting seems to be far more effective.

[zaeva06]

As of right now we are using a rear connect harness, but we are looking into getting a front connect.

We don't really use the leash as a correction tool anyway. Instead we use voice commands/clicker and small treats on walks. When a stranger apporchs and wants to pet Maxine, we hand them a treat to feed her first. I normally carry the treat bag or a tennis ball into the yard for this as well since the neighbor's kids often want to pet her.

For dogs or small furry critters that Maxine want to chase we use the 'Leave it' command, and then praise/treat when she looks away from the cause and pays attention to us. I use "Leave it" both on-leash on walks and off-leash when we're playing in the yard.
Was pretty happy when I could get her to drop her tug-rope mid-play.

It's not fool-proof yet but she's getting better.

[loverocksalot]

Sounds like you are doing great. I really recommend getting a front connect harness. either softouchconcepts.com/ or usadogshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=28 when the harness connects on the back it does encourage pulling. And as for strangers who want to pet her. You greet the stranger first then tell them to allow Maxine to approach them.