Obedience Collars for Dogs

Any collar can be an obedience collar--even soft buckle collars allow you to control and communicate with your dog. There is no single collar that works on every dog, but understanding how each one works can help you choose the best collar to train yours. Some dogs are very "soft" and don't need collar corrections. Others are more hard-headed and can benefit from proper use of an obedience collar.

  1. Buckle and Quick-Release Collars

    • Also known simply as flat collars, buckle and quick-release collars don't tighten or correct the dog if you tug on the leash. However, they are still an effective obedience collar, because they allow you to communicate with your dog via gentle tugs. This is the only type of collar that should be used when training a puppy. Collars that tighten, jerk or shock during obedience training are too harsh for puppies, and some may damage a growing pup's neck and upper back.

    Choke Chain Collar

    • Choke collars are made of metal chain links that tighten around the dog's neck when the collar is pulled. More accurately, these should be called "choke and release" collars--in obedience training, they should never be used to choke or drag a dog. Correctly used, they are very quickly jerked and released so the dog gets a quick, uncomfortable tug if it does something incorrectly or needs to be quickly redirected. The collars come in a variety of link sizes and collar lengths.

    Nylon Slip Collar

    • Similar to a choke chain collar, nylon slip collars are designed to tighten and release when the collar is tugged. Because they are thinner than most choke chain collars they can be quite uncomfortable for most dogs if jerked. If you plan on using either chain or nylon choke collars, get instructions for proper use from an experienced dog trainer. Both of these collars can cause larynx, neck and vertebrae damage if used incorrectly.

    Prong or Pinch Collars

    • Sometimes referred to as "power steering" collars, these look barbaric but are less potentially damaging to a dog's neck. A prong collar tightens like a choke collar, but instead of choking or cutting into the dog's neck, blunt prongs on the inside of the collar pinch the neck. The collar is most effective when worn up high on a dog's neck, close to the ears or jaw line.

      Prong collars are especially useful for smaller people with large, powerful dogs, those with very reactive dogs and for dogs who are very determined about pulling on a leash. As with any training collar, they are tools used during obedience training--if you have to use it for the dog's whole life, you don't have a properly trained dog.

    Electronic or Remote Training Collars

    • Electronic collars are in common use throughout suburbia in conjunction with underground fencing. The dog gets a warning tone or an electric shock if it attempts to cross the hidden fence boundary. Electronic collars are also used for training hunting and field trial dogs, for fixing behavior problems and in military and police K9 training. The correction can range from a warning tone to a light buzz or stimulation, to an unpleasant shock, depending on the dog's tolerance level.