How to Work a Dog's Choke Chain

A choke chain, or more properly, a slip collar, is a useful tool for dog training. The purpose of a slip collar is to offer corrective cues to a dog by a small "slip" at the back of the dog's neck, much like a mother dog corrects a puppy with a small nip in the same place. Despite the common name of "choke chain," the training is not delivered to a dog by choking force, and a properly fitted and used slip collar does not cause the dog to choke.

Things You'll Need

  • Slip collar
  • Non-retractable lead
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place your hand through the loop of the collar and allow the free end to dangle down. If the dog is on your left, hold the collar so the loop and end form a letter "P". If the dog is on your right, reverse the collar so the letter "P" is backwards. Slip the loop over the dog's head and attach the lead to the free end of the collar.

    • 2

      Check that the slip collar is the correct size for your dog. An improperly sized collar causes choking and injury. The collar should sit above the dog's shoulders with no more than 3 to 4 inches of slack.

    • 3

      Allow the dog to walk freely without pulling on the lead or collar. If the dog begins to behave poorly or pull on the lead, tug back sharply and then release to administer a correction with the collar.