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Identification
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Prong collars work by pinching the dog's skin A prong collar (also known as pinch collar) is a training aid mainly consisting of interlocking metal links each equipped with two blunt prongs that pinch the loose skin around the dog's neck when the collar is tightened. Unlike most collars, a correctly fitted prong collar should be worn snugly high on the dog's neck, just below the dog's ears, explains Norma Bennett Wolf, a professional dog trainer who currently teaches basic obedience classes at Queen City Dog Training Club, in an article on Canis Major.
Warning
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Prong collars should not be used on fearful, shy dogs While the prong collar may be effective for some dogs, it is important to consider that is not suitable for all dogs. Indeed, a prong collar should not be used on shy, fearful or overly sensitive dogs as the corrections the prong collar gives may be too harsh. The ASCPA claims that the use of a prong collar can cause and exacerbate serious behavior problems in some dogs causing fear and aggression. For this reason, the ASPCA recommends the use of a prong collar only under the guidance of a certified professional dog trainer.
Function
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The ultimate purpose of the prong collar therefore is to cause physical discomfort or even pain in order to discourage unwanted behaviors, such as pulling and lunging. The dog behaves in a way to avoid the discomfort (negative reinforcement training). The Humane Society of the United States specifically categorizes the prong collar as an ''aversive collar'' which works mainly by suppressing the dog's unwanted behavior rather than properly channeling the dog toward the desirable and more appropriate behavior.
Consideration
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Positive training should be first choice. The question dog owners considering the use of a prong collar or other aversive training aids, should therefore ask themselves is: ''If a dog can be trained effectively using solely positive training methods, why engage in the use of aversive training aids such as prong collars, choke collars and electronic collars? The Humane Society of the United States advocates that ''positive training methods should always be the owner's first choice."
Expert Insight
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There are different ways dogs can learn through positive based methods. Two examples are operant and classical conditioning. In operant conditioning, the dog is rewarded when it provides the wanted behavior. The reward strengthens the wanted behaviors and causes the dog to want to repeat them.
Advantages
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Positive reinforcement is a training method based on rewards. Positive-reinforcement training therefore is based on rewarding the dog for desired behaviors. Because being rewarded is a much appreciated experience, positive reinforcement training is ultimately one of the most powerful training tools for shaping or changing a dog's behavior, adds the Humane Society of the United States in an article explaining the advantages of this training method.
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Prong Collar Vs. Positive Training
When it comes to dog training, there may be different views on the best and most effective training methods. Positive training is a method gaining popularity because it refrains from using coercive methods to teach a dog proper behavior; instead it rewards good behavior in order to reinforce it. A prong collar is a negative reinforcer--it causes pain or discomfort to end an unwanted behavior like pulling on the leash.