There is a very thin line between training and control which is very often crossed or ignored. While training is done by using voice commands, leashes, hand gestures or treats to bring about the expected behavior, control is when a choke collar, electronic fence or other such tools are used.

Most often control becomes a necessity to establish a social hierarchy in a dog-human pair, where it is very essential that the dog realizes that the human is the alpha or the leader to avoid damage to property and also for the health and safety of the dog.

A number of control tools have been invented to aid dog training and let’s discuss the pros and cons of a few.

Choke collars are used on dogs that exhibit unruly behavior. Though all dogs need training, some are slow or more assertive and need extra attention or a more strict method. A metal choke collar, instead of the usual nylon collar can help to discourage pulling and leaping to a great extent.

The drawback is that choke collars can be misused and they can even be quite dangerous. Unfit collars can pinch the skin to form hot spots which can get worse on scratching and sometimes they can compress the trachea accidentally. Care should be taken to choose the right collar depending on the neck size of the dog to provide sufficient gap between the neck and the collar. Though a pull and release collar can be helpful in some cases they are not suitable, particularly for smaller dogs.

Prong collars might look less dangerous, but their only advantage is their restricted diameter. Chocking and poking alone will not help to train the dog, one need to be committed and dedicated to bring about the behavioral changes.

Halter collars are better in that they not only wrap around the neck and muzzle, they also do not hamper activities like panting or drinking. The drawback here is that these types of collars do not in any way prevent biting and an ordinary leash or collar might very well do the job.

‘No-bark’ collars are for those dogs that continue barking for long periods. While barking is natural to dogs, some do not know when to stop once they start barking and these collars can help to discourage this habit.

Electronic ‘no-bark’ collars are of two types. The first is the noise collar that distracts the dogs from barking by producing an unpleasant but short sound and the second type is the shock collar that generates a painful shock, the duration of which could be adjusted depending on how persistent a dog is.

The effectiveness of these collars varies and depends on individual dogs. The best way to choose and use a collar effectively and efficiently is to do it with the help of qualified professionals. It is always advisable to train your dog to adhere to acceptable behavior without relying too much on control devices.

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