Yesterday in the blog entry Teach My Dog to Walk Without Pulling, we talked about why dogs pull and how you can start training a puppy to walk nicely without ever pulling. Today we are going to talk about mistakes that people make when trying to train their dog not to pull.

Many people go to an "old school" dog training class where they are encouraged to put a choke chain (or "training collar") on their dog. The instructor will tell the owner to jerk on the collar to "correct" the dog every time it pulls. This is a very difficult way to teach a dog anything. What if you were walking down the street and every now and then the person walking with you smacked you? The person may have been speaking to you, but she was doing so only in a language that you have never heard before. How long would it take you to figure out that the person was trying to teach you not to step on any cracks in the sidewalk? Probably a damn long time, if ever. Yet we expect our dogs, who are experiencing many different sights, smells, and feelings while walking to catch on to the fact that we are inflicting pain or discomfort on them because the leash has gotten tight.

Choke chains have lead to internal scarring and collapsed tracheas. Many handlers use one and have their dogs pull them any way. That's when you hear that coughing/gasping sound that dogs do when the are pulling. That sound is Not Good. Try to avoid it.

If you are going to use a choke chain, receive instruction on how to put it on. An incorrectly worn chain will tighten but not release properly, possibly choking the dog. Choke chains are meant for dogs who only walk on the left side. A dog with a properly worn choke chain who then walks on the right side may also be choked.

Other owners use a rather evil-looking collar known as the pinch or prong collar. This collar has angled, blunt protrusions along the inside of the collar. It is made up of removable links so that the collar can be precisely sized. Despite it's appearance, the prong collar can be a much safer option than the choke chain if properly used.

The prong collar does not need to be used for "correction." A snug-fitting prong collar will apply even pressure to a dog's neck if that dog pulls. Dogs that are sensitive to this type of pressure will stop pulling on their own. Some dogs are very sensitive and will refuse to even walk with the prong collar on.

The major issues with prong collars are: wearing them loosely so they slide around the neck (which means they will be less effective and can cause irritation), owners being able to get it on and off correctly (it is sometimes hard to loosen the links to open and close the collar around the dog's neck - you need a dog that can be still while you do it. Some prong collars have a special clasp to make this job easier, but it can still be tough), people who slide the prong collar over the dog's head (MAJOR danger for the dog's eyes, plus it's then too loose) and people who correct with it, causing unnecessary pain and possible damage.

Another major mistake is that people expect their dogs to be able to "heel" for long periods of time. Heeling is a precise behavior used in obedience competition. When heeling a dog must be in a particular position next to the handler - specifically with the head in line with the owner's hip/leg. It is very difficult for a dog to maintain the concentration and attention it takes to heel for long periods of time. A dog cannot relax and enjoy a walk if being constantly forced to heel in this fashion.

When I started dog training, prong collars were the best, most humane option (in my opinion) for walking large, powerful dogs. Today there are MANY better collars and harnesses to reduce pulling in even the strongest dogs. Tomorrow we will talk about those options.