[alan-kinsella]

I was thinking of getting a choke chain but there are mixed views on the web so I thought I'd find out what you guys think. I have a ten month old boxer, Roxy.

 

[BoxMeIn21]

Why do you want a choke chain? What type of issues are you having?

 

[alan-kinsella]

Roxy is great on walks but anytime a dog is walking near her she pulls really hard I don't mind if the choke chain doesn't work, just trying my options. Its her pulling really, its hurting my shoulder

 

[pamperedpups]

A choke chain won't stop your dog from pulling without training. I suggest you look into ways to train your dog to remain on a loose leash with the help of a no-pull harness like the Sense-ation Harness (available from the first link below):

http://www.softtouchconcepts.com
http://www.controlunleashed.net
http://www.clickertraining.com
http://www.dogstardaily.com

 

[Cheetah]

When I was growing up, my family believed strongly in choke chains, so that's all they used on their dogs, and all I had at my disposal to use on mine until I got my own job. They NEVER worked for me. Ever.

 

[peppy264]

Choke chains: simple, safe and effective. But don't choke the dog just a quick jerk and release. Do not maintain tension. Dog will understand pronto. The best of all training devices, used for decades. Good luck.

 

[MissMutt]

A "leave it" and "watch me" command may work better in this situation, maybe even in conjunction with a training collar. But I do not believe in using the tool without giving the dog direction as to what it SHOULD be doing (walking nicely, paying attention to you)

 

[Chris / Oakley]

I used a choke chain (with a nylon rope weaved in it) for about a week, didn't do anything, he pulled just as hard and was choking himself. He actually broke the ring, PetSmart took it back, and we got a martingale prong collar, it's a great crutch for walks while we get him trained. Otherwise his walks would consist of our front steps for 2 hours.

Most people don't use choke chains correctly, I remember when I was a kid and saw people yanking their dogs chain so hard they'd lift in the air, and if they were small dogs, fly back towards the owner. If the chain is put on upside down it doesn't release. Choke chains also pinch to a single pressure point, where as a martingale prong spreads the load evenly and does not choke. I'd only recommend using then in conjunction with training, and don't plan on using it forever.

This is the one I use.


It has a quick release so you can put the collar on without having to slide it over their head and possibly poke an eye. The way it's designed, the harder they pull, the tighter the quick release clip is, so it should not release accidentally. Oh, and for those of you that thing prongs are evil and will hurt the dog, put it on your arm and pull as hard as you can, it doesn't hurt and barely leaves a mark. Now think if you had a lot of hair/fur to protect you, would barely feel it. Most dogs (not all) will not pull so hard that they hurt themself, however, there are some that will freak with it on and can harm themself, I'd recommend putting it on in the pet store and trying it out, see how your dog likes it before you buy it.

 

[Dogstar]

I'd recommend a prong or a EZ Walk/Sensation/GL body harness before I'd recommend a head halter and ANY of those three is preferable to a choke. A choke teaches your dog nothing, can damage his trachea, and is significantly harder to use correctly than any of the other options.

I *do* show my dogs in obedience in a show choke - but they never wear it until they have a decent idea about how to keep the leash loose.

 

[sparkle]

A choke chain seldom works to eliminate pulling as most people are not willing or capable of delivering a well timed P O P and J E R K at a force level that is aversive enough to condition the dog to not want to experience such a event again. As a result the dog continues to experience repeated pressure across the trachea which can result in undetected injury and go through life being nagged by the tool and often experiencing be choked and gagged. Also most choke chain collars are (one sided) meaning that should the dog cross over from one side of your body to the other the collar will not release from the choke hold once tension is placed upon the leash. But for some a choke chain must provide for some level of resolution or why use one?

 

[3dogmom26]

Keep in mind your dog is young still and still learning. I have 2 boxers and a pitbull that I (I'm a 5'6" slender female) walk together alone. I've had to play with a few devices so I can accomplish this! LOL! I have found that you have to use what works for THAT dog......not every dog is the same. On my female boxer and my male pitbull, I use a gentle leader head collar and it works wonders.....I can turn their entire body with the strength of one finger! BUT I tried a Gentle Leader on my male boxer and it was a definite no go. Most dogs protest them at first and try to get them off their faces, but eventually they get used to it......well not my male boxer.........he literally goes into hyterics and will RUB his face into the cement and do summersaults as we're walking! LOL! So after many failed attempts of trying to get him used to it, I switched to a choke chain on him and it works wonderful for him. I barely ever have to even pull on it anymore as a simple "sssttt" (picture dog whiperer here ) works to get him to fall back in line while we're walking. So my overall point is that there is no magical item that works on all dogs....you have to find what works for YOUR dog. Also, I'd suggest enrolling your boxer in some obedience classes to help her with distraction training. Good luck!

 

[misty073]

I agree the gentle leader is great. It has worked miracles for us. My daughter has a yorkie who would not walk on a loose leash. He would get so excited about walking ahead he would choke himself through out the whole walk. Of course being 9 lbs he was not hard to control but didnt listen and would not heel.

His first walk with the gentle leader was great (he didnt like it and still doesnt LOL) but he walks nice and right beside us. He does try to rub it off all the time but we dont let him (he has only been using it for about a month)

 

[Elana55]

Training the dog to not pull is far better than trying to choke him or pop him so he won't.

 

[peppy264]

A choke chain seldom works to eliminate pulling as most people are not willing or capable of delivering a well timed P O P and J E R K at a force level that is aversive enough to condition the dog to not want to experience such a event again

.

Its actually extremely simple. Certainly no more complicated than other training methods. Timing is critical no matter what method you use.

As a result the dog continues to experience repeated pressure across the trachea which can result in undetected injury and go through life being nagged by the tool and often experiencing be choked and gagged.

Actually the whole point is that the chain should be loose 99% of the time, other than when you apply a correction. It is dogs who pull on normal collars which experience repeated / extended pressure on the trachea, also only in the front of the throat (unlike the choke chain which squeezes over a wide area). I see dogs on regular collars all the time dragging around their owners and being half choked for the entire duration of their walk by their own pulling action. Good for their throats? I don't think so.

Also most choke chain collars are (one sided) meaning that should the dog cross over from one side of your body to the other the collar will not release from the choke hold once tension is placed upon the leash.

The dog should be walked on one side only, usually the left. Then the choke chain will always be properly in place. Also, the consistency helps the dog understand where it should be. If it can switch sides then it must be passing in front or behind the owner which is not what you want.

 

[Elana55]

.
Its actually extremely simple. Certainly no more complicated than other training methods. Timing is critical no matter what method you use. .

True, but there are better, more intelligent and humane ways to train a dog than by using a choke or a "pop."

Actually the whole point is that the chain should be loose 99% of the time, other than when you apply a correction. It is dogs who pull on normal collars which experience repeated / extended pressure on the trachea, also only in the front of the throat (unlike the choke chain which squeezes over a wide area). I see dogs on regular collars all the time dragging around their owners and being half choked for the entire duration of their walk by their own pulling action. Good for their throats? I don't think so. .

The point of leash walking is that the leash should ALWAYS be loose. The collar type is immaterial. Dogs with choke chains pull as much as dogs with buckle collars because they have been inadvertantly trained to pull by their owners.

The collar does not change the pulling. Training does. This training does not require a Choke Chain or any other choke device to accomplish.

The dog should be walked on one side only, usually the left. Then the choke chain will always be properly in place. Also, the consistency helps the dog understand where it should be. If it can switch sides then it must be passing in front or behind the owner which is not what you want.

Incorrect.

If you are never going to do another thing with your dog beyond walking on a leash then train the dog to walk on one side only.

If you are going to do anything else, such as off leash work, herding, agility or other dog sports your dog should walk in heel position both right and left. I use "side" as the right side heel position cue and "By Me" as the cue for left side heel position.

If you want to advance to any of the other fun things that dogs do, you really want to train by other methods than a choke collar to advance desired behavior and extinguish undesired behavior.

A dog pulling when being walked has been trained to pull by not preventing the behavior when it first presents. The owner thinks, "Dumb dog.. I wish he would stop pulling." Meanwhile the dog is thinking, "Stupid owner needs to be pulled everywhere....."

 

[TxRider]

The method I'm using on my new German shepherd is simple and getting results. Her collar is just a nylon collar, no thicker or wider than you might see as a large cat collar.

I just reverse course the minute she pulls after something, usually for a squirrel. No yelling, no looking, I just go the other way until that drive abates. It's going to take a while but she's getting it. I just do a 180 when she pulls and walk that way until she loses focus on the cat or squirrel and relaxes, then I go back and try it again until either she goes by calmly or the squirrel or cat is gone.

Surprisingly the squirrels and cats help me out because they seem to be conditioned that dogs on leashes aren't a threat. This morning one didn't bolt away until she walked within two feet of it.

Of course she normally walks on loose leash just fine, it's only squirrels or cats that get her focused and hyped up enough to hit the end of the leash hard.

If she pulled all the time I'd practice it in a quiet park without distractions until she got the point that I'm leading here, she's following. Having the collar high up on the neck helps with corrections too.

I probably look like an idiot walking back and forth in front of someone's house sometimes ten times in a row, but that's life. She's getting the point though, that I decide whether she gets to go the way she wants to.

 

[baorb]

It really depend on the dog, some require a harder correction.
For some a nylon collar is enough.
I would not use a choke chain again.
A prong is much better and safer.

If you do go with a choke chain, please use it the right way.
Putting it on the wrong side can choke the dog, when you do a correction.

 

[peppy264]

T
If you are going to do anything else, such as off leash work, herding, agility or other dog sports your dog should walk in heel position both right and left. I use "side" as the right side heel position cue and "By Me" as the cue for left side heel position.

I've no problem with that but for most people, who just want their dog to walk with them without pulling, its best to train them to walk on one side consistently. Easier for trainer and dog. Can always train to other positions later with different cues, etc, but this is unnecessary for most people.

The collar does not change the pulling. Training does.

Agreed.

This training does not require a Choke Chain or any other choke device to accomplish.

Agreed, can train in other ways but for many people and many dogs the choke chain is a great training device, especially when used in combination with other more positive methods.

 

[bohica46]

I've no problem with that but for most people, who just want their dog to walk with them without pulling, its best to train them to walk on one side consistently. Easier for trainer and dog. Can always train to other positions later with different cues, etc, but this is unnecessary for most people.

Agreed.
Agreed, can train in other ways but for many people and many dogs the choke chain is a great training device, especially when used in combination with other more positive methods.

The dog should be walked on one side only, usually the left. Then the choke chain will always be properly in place. Also, the consistency helps the dog understand where it should be. If it can switch sides then it must be passing in front or behind the owner which is not what you want.

I hate to disagree but ...

In order for a choke to release properly, it has to be put on properly. Simply having the dog on the left side won't do it. There are occasions when a dog will be walked on the opposite side, and in that situation, having the choke on correctly will make a difference, not the side the dog is on. Using it correctly is also essential! A quick, sharp correction then loosening is typically how a choke is to be used. A dog often learns to hear the clicking of the links on the choke and connects that to the correction. Eventually he may need less and less correction. Whether a choke is the "right" collar is dependent on the dog. Each one is individual, and you have to figure out which will work for your dog's temperment. In terms of correct placement of the choke ... hold the choke in front of your dog; slip the chain through the open ring and make it into a "P". If you have a "P" in front of your dog's face, then the choke is in the right position. It IS possible to put a choke on backwards and in those situations, the choke does not release properly. Thanks folks!

 

[Erick Aguilar]

That's probably how dogs feel when you say ''choke collar''
Plus i don't like them at all, our Labrador and Rottweilers had choke collars to ''control'' them if they tried to lunge at something or someone.