Dog collars are fashion statements, and IDs are necessary for walking, but they are also important tools for dog training.
Believe it or not, you have a lot of dog collar options, and the collar you choose depends on your dog and your dog training goals. Don’t know where to start? Top Dog can help!
Top Dog Training and Resort is the premier K9 boarding and training facility in the Triangle Area, serving Durham, NC, Chapel Hill, NC, and Mebane, NC.
We provide superior grooming, boarding, and both a board dog training and dog day training center. When you’re looking for a dog trainer near me, Top Dog is your top option!
As dog training experts, we’ve put a lot of thought into dog collars and which are best for your training goals. Let’s explore the different collar options and how we use them at our K9 boarding and training center.
Types of Dog Collars
Here is a quick overview of commonly used dog collars.
Flat Collars
If you think of a stereotypical dog collar, you’re thinking of a flat collar. They lie flat on the neck, and a well-behaved dog should be able to walk easily with one on.
Flat collars are gentle on a dog’s neck but can make an energetic dog difficult to control. If your dog tends to pull or lunge, it can accidentally choke on a flat collar.
Martingale Collars
A martingale collar is sometimes called a “no-slip collar.” Martingale collars attach to a leash via a D-ring, which causes the collar to tighten the leash when it is pulled, but it won’t choke your dog if it’s properly fitted.
Martingale collars are excellent choices for dogs with narrow heads (sighthound breeds like whippets and greyhounds), and they offer greater control if your dog tends to slip out of their collar.
Head Collars
A head collar works like a horse’s halter. It wraps around the muzzle and then attaches to the leash under the chin. The way it wraps limits your dog’s leverage, keeping them from pulling with its full body weight.
If your dog is extremely energetic, and with a tendency to jump and lunge, head collars are a great solution, especially when training them to walk on a leash and heel.
Head collars allow you to redirect your dog’s gaze away from other dogs, cars, or “prey” like rabbits and squirrels, and it may also help them feel safer and calmer on the walk.
Dog Harnesses
Harnesses avoid putting any strain on the neck by wrapping around the body. They are particularly helpful for short-nosed dog breeds, like pugs. However, harnesses can give your dog a lot of leverage, increasing the effectiveness of their pull and decreasing your control.
Pinch Collars
Pinch collars apply pressure to a dog’s neck when it pulls. They are excellent dog training tools for making corrections to lunging and pulling behaviors; however, pinch collars need to be properly fitted so that they sit high on your dog’s neck.
We recommend consulting with a professional dog trainer, like the expert staff at Top Dog, before using the pinch collar, because it requires training to be used properly.
Top Dog’s Balanced Approach to Dog Training
Top Dog uses multiple collars in our board dog training program. We take a balanced approach to training that incorporates both positive and negative reinforcement to make your dog independent and well-behaved.
Graduates of our board dog training program and dog day training center learn to behave, without constantly needing a treat or compulsion.
We utilize the operant conditioning principle to help make training effective, engaging, and fun! Our expert trainers understand that dogs have four basic drives–food, social, prey, and defense–and we work with them, not against them, to help them focus.
Our trainers follow the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants’ LIMA principle: least intrusive, minimally aversive training. We start dogs off with a flat collar, and if they are struggling with training, we move on to a martingale collar.
If the dog is still pulling in a way that is not safe for the dog or the owner, we will ask the owner’s permission to use a pinch collar for power steering and better learning.
Top Dog: The Best Dog Trainer Near Me
At Top Dog, we always put your dog first. From our signature dog boarding and training program to grooming needs to our shuttle service for dogs near Durham, NC, Chapel Hill, NC, and Mebane, NC, we are always here for you and your furry friend.
Contact us today to experience the Top Dog training difference!
