A Training Collar for a Small Puppy

Desensitizing

• Buckle collars are great for holding identification information about a dog. In addition, the buckle collars are great for desensitizing a dog to wearing a collar. Collars are not natural, and for some small puppies the collar can be rather scary. Getting them used to a collar is an integral first step in training a puppy to walk on a leash and eventually off a leash.

  Finding buckle collars small enough for a small puppy can be difficult. If the appropriate size dog collar cannot be found, consider using a cat collar. Another collar can be a piece of ribbon loosely tied around the puppy's neck. Be sure to check the collar frequently as puppies do grow quickly and what was loose yesterday may suddenly be too tight today.

Leash Training

• Prong collars are often too large for small puppies, and choke chains should never be used on a dog. This typically leaves very small pinch collars and buckle collars for small puppies. The average puppy wants to please, so using a buckle collar with slight corrects is often enough for a small puppy. For the puppy of a large breed, a pinch collar may be necessary simply to check the strength of the dog. When using a prong collar it is important to realize that its purpose is to simply pinch the dog, not stab it. When correcting the dog, use two firm but not hard tugs of the leash. The this will cause the prongs to "pinch" together and reprimand the puppy.

Harnesses

• Anti-pulling harnesses apply pressure around a puppy's chest and shoulders. Some also work to lift the dog off the ground when pulling. In most cases they do not work to actually correct the dog, but rather give the dog something to push against. The average harness is not an effective training tool when working with a small puppy, unless that puppy does not pull.

Avoid

• Collars to avoid include the choker collar and a shock collar. Choker collars are known for causing serious damage to a puppy's neck and spine. Shock collars can be extremely painful and cause permanent damage to a small puppy. Head harnesses should be avoided as well because they can cause spinal damage if the dog lunges at something.

Professional Assistance

• It may be necessary to seek a puppy class when looking to train your dog. Most puppy classes allow of the socialization of the puppies as well as an education. This can create a well-rounded and well-socialized puppy. Additional personalized training may be necessary if your puppy has aggressive or fearful behaviors.