Getting Started With A Prong Collar
To try a prong collar properly to address pulling you need to choose the right one, fit it correctly, use it correctly, and include a backup strap. This page walks through those steps.
Step 1: Which Prong Collar To Buy
The only prong collars I currently use and recommend are made by Herm Sprenger.
Why Herm Sprenger? Herm Sprenger prong collars have link ends that are round and not flat. Flat ends can have a sharp edge that cuts into the skin.
- For Dogs with a neck 14″ or larger, I use a 3.0mm (sometimes listed as 3.2mm).
- For smaller dogs (neck measures less than 14″) I like the 2.25mm
- I prefer the collars without a quick-release clip built into the chain (NOT the one shown below).
This is the quick-release
clip built into the chain —
the collar I DON’T recommend.
Watch the ring size on 3.0mm collars. Some “3.0mm” collars have a larger ring and larger chain links which don’t operate as smoothly. Listings aren’t always accurate — even when the photo looks right. Collars listed as “3.0mm / 16″, or “Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus 3.0mm” are more often the ring size I like.
Step 2: Fitting The Collar And Using A Backup Strap
Never use a prong collar without a backup strap. Eventually the links can twist and the collar can pop off. It may only happen once every few years—but if your dog bolts for a squirrel, that one time could get them hit by a car.
Watch this free video for how I fit the collar and attach the strap:
Optional — Herm Sprenger ClicLock
The Herm Sprenger ClicLock makes the collar easier to put on and take off.
Step 3: Learn How To Walk Using A Prong
Buying and fitting the collar is only half the job. Prong Collar Basics is an intro to loose leash walking. I sell two separate 100-minute videos for those who want to get serious about loose leash walking.
Get the video: The Basics of Walking a Dog Using a Prong Collar — $9.95
