Small Chocker collar

[Gabriel]

I just signed Noel up for obedience school. She starts next Tuesday evening. The lady that teaches the school shows dogs and specializes in agressive behavior. She just informed me that she uses small chocker collars in the school. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Does anyone else use these? Is this normal?????

[RedVelvetLynx]

I took my female to a class which required a choker also - I hated it because the instructor would yank & yank on her little neck because she wouldn't heel the way the instructor had expected her to. Ask if you can use a martingale - same concept, much easier on the neck.
The use of chokers is very common - I don't support them, but that's just me - I think they are rather hard on a B's throat - esp. if the B is a puller.

[Rita Jean]

I just spoke with two different people today about class for Jaycee and both ask we would bring a leash and have her on it and her regular collar. When we know for sure which one we are going to use I will ask about collar. Could be that after 1st class they ask for a different collar. Will let you know if one of then ask for a different collar. Good Luck in class I can hardly wait to get going. Not sure about Jaycee she can sit and some of the time she will stay when you tell her but not always.

[Janneke]

At my training chokers are forbidden. Or there must be a special reason to use one. That's exactly how I feel about them..

[lvoss]

I do not take my dogs to classes that require choke chains, these are usually punishment based classes. Look for a class that use positive reinforcement and where you can bring your dog on a regular flat buckle collar.

[Quercus]

@Janneke:

At my training chokers are forbidden. Or there must be a special reason to use one. That's exactly how I feel about them..

Ditto….they are usually used incorrectly, are ineffective for many dogs, and can do trachea damage for a pulling dog. There are so many better collars to use.

I would avoid any class that uses choker collars because that requirement tells you that they won't be using many (if any) positive reinforcement techniques.

[Rita Jean]

As I said the ones I spoke with said regular collar however I did have one class call me back and you could not go into class with you puppy. They said it was better for them to work a couple of classes alone. I ask if there was a place were we could watch and he said no and ask me why. Becuase we love our puppy and we want to know what and how you do things with her. He said he found that odd. I am going to label this class as a choker collar class. To me to just go off and leave Jaycee would be like leaving one of my kids. Not that the thought never crossed my mind in my daughters eighteen years but I never would have done it. This to be was really wrong Jaycee may come back and never be the sweet little girl she is now. Well not always sweet but most of the time. Sometimes I think Jaycee believes her name is no no.

[Quercus]

@Rita:

As I said the ones I spoke with said regular collar however I did have one class call me back and you could not go into class with you puppy. They said it was better for them to work a couple of classes alone. I ask if there was a place were we could watch and he said no and ask me why. Becuase we love our puppy and we want to know what and how you do things with her. He said he found that odd. I am going to label this class as a choker collar class. To me to just go off and leave Jaycee would be like leaving one of my kids. Not that the thought never crossed my mind in my daughters eighteen years but I never would have done it. This to be was really wrong Jaycee may come back and never be the sweet little girl she is now. Well not always sweet but most of the time. Sometimes I think Jaycee believes her name is no no.

Oh, I would stay *far away from that class. That probably means they are going to do things with your puppy that would make you uncomfortable….and that is just not good. IMO, a good puppy class should be all about socializing for the puppy, and teaching YOU how to get the puppy to behave how you would like. If he finds your concern odd...that is not someone you want working with your puppy!

[Rita Jean]

For sure we were not going to the class were we could not stay. The two we are looking at are really cool and nice waiting on call for dates and times that will work for all of us. They both are for 6 weeks and one hour each class. Then if you to move to the next level and your puppy passes you can. I taught my very first akita and he was great stay with you and was great off leash. My shiba she was easy but today I would never trush her loose without fence just like Basenji rabbit,cat.bird what ever and gone. Spice does mind well other then that. After reading what every has to say on here and other places we just felt it might be better if Jaycee went to class. She takes to things really fast but and however she can and will give you that look not today just not in mood.

[renaultf1]

@Janneke:

At my training chokers are forbidden.

+1. That was the way it was for the 6wk puppy kindergarten class that I did with Liyah. None of the positive reinforcement trainers around here allow choke collars.

[pacificNWbasenji]

I did puppy obedience and we were not allowed to use choke collars, flat regular collars only. This was a clicker/positive reinforcement style class. I just started basic obedience with the same teacher and again, no choke collars allowed. I now use a martingale collar and my instructor has no problem with that.

[Basenjimamma]

I also signed Otis up for obedience classes and his class specifically have the words "no choke or prong collar allowed, only use buckle collar or harness" in the description. I like that, it is positive reinforcement type class where small bite treats are given to encourage right behaviour. We start on the 26th so we are eagerly waiting for that day to come.

Basenjimamma

[Woofless]

I've never taken a "puppy kindergarten" class, but all of the Obedience classes I've ever signed up for with an adult dog, give people the option to show up with the dog on a flat buckle or choker-style collar.

Most trainers I know start off from scratch with everybody on a buckle collar & modify their approach for each individual dog, based on behavior patterns & problems that arise. All dogs are different & a trainer simply can't expect one approach to work for all the dogs in a group class!

In any given group you're bound to have dogs like Basenjis who resist & shut down when given harsh corrections….and high-drive, hard headed working-type dogs who respond to praise BUT also benefit from a well timed collar correction. You won't get anywhere trying to train a Basenji with the same methods you'd use with a Ring sport Malinois....

Personally, if I ever decided to use a "correction" collar on any dog, it'd be a prong collar. It's just about the only tool that REALLY helped me work with my Boxer & her over-reactive issues. Properly fitted & properly used, a prong only requires light "fingertip" corrections and is actually easier on the dog's trachea than a "choke" collar.

However, I wouldn't choose to use ANY "correction collar" on a Basenji....and wouldn't enroll my pups in a class that required their use. JMO