To Prong or Not to Prong - The Dangers of Aversive Training Methods
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I see it all too often. A person walking their dog - many times a pit bull, shepherd, Lab or some other big dog – and around the dog’s neck is a contraption made of spiked metal links. The prong collar.
Now, when prong collars were created, it was not done with the intent that they would be used to inflict an immense amount of discomfort in the form of physical pain or emotional stress onto their subjects. It was actually thought that a prong collar would be more humane than using a slip (or also well known as the “choke”) collar. Prong collars by themselves are not overly harmful, though uncomfortable. But when paired with an inexperienced dog owner or when misused, they are! The simple truth is, most people do not know how to use a prong collar correctly or effectively and come to rely on it rather than work on getting the right behavior from the dog from the inside out. |
Most dogs that are forced to wear prong collars are extremely limited when they are on – they can’t sniff, explore, make choices or move freely like a dog needs to do, so the dog is stifled not only physically but emotionally. If a dog tries to get out of range of his short leash, the spikes push into his neck; or if he does get the sudden burst of excitement over a squirrel or another dog, the spikes forcefully dig into his skin and he may yelp in pain. This does not address why the dog is feeling the way he is feeling or teach him how to handle these feelings in a more productive way. Instead, a prong collar may suppress a behavior that unless addressed at the root will come out in other undesirable ways. Suppressed behavior is not a lack of emotion - it just gives the dog little freedom and makes him a slave to his 4-foot leash and owner who relies on aversive tactics to control his dog rather than utilizing kinder and more effective tools to understand his dog and build good behavior.
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But prong and shock/electric collars are sold out there in so many pet stores, how bad can they be? you might ask. Just because something is made available to you does not mean it’s a smart or safe choice. There are also plenty of food items abundant in every grocery store that contain artificial colors and/or sweeteners - even though those ingredients have been proven to cause cancer in scientific studies, leading to a much higher rise in cancer rates in our society today versus 40 years ago. Available does not mean safe or smart, it just means available.
I urge you to consider this... A sane parent would not put a prong collar on their child so that every time he misbehaves he gets a jolt of pain in his neck. We know how emotionally damaging that can be to a child. So why do people feel like it’s OK to do this to their dogs? We now know that dogs are emotional beings - they have feelings, they think for themselves, and their behavior is influenced by how they think/feel at any point in time. There is absolutely NO reason a 5-month old puppy needs to wear a prong collar - he’s just started learning how to live life and certainly isn’t trying to be unruly, rather he’s just a puppy and simply needs to be taught his skills! Even an older dog can be taught to control himself and make better choices if we just take the time to teach him. |
For some dogs, wearing a prong collar can feel like this! They have little freedom and feel incapacitated.
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Aversive Training, Positive Punishment and Dominance Theory
What does "aversive" mean? An aversive is an unpleasant or punishing stimulus that negatively impacts your dog’s comfort or emotional state and causes pain or anxiety. Adding an aversive to try to extinguish a behavior is referred to as “positive punishment”. Contrary to having the word “positive” in the phrase, positive punishment is NOT a good thing; the “positive” only means that you are adding a stimulus to get the dog’s behavior to change.
Positive punishment is actually the technique that is looked upon the most poorly in the model of the Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practices, which is regarded by the most reputable dog trainer certification councils. It should only be used as an extreme last resort. Just a few examples of positive punishment include kneeing your dog in the chest for jumping on you, providing a leash jerk (correction) when the dog doesn’t sit when asked, and using a prong or shock collar for barking or pulling on leash. These aversive actions are only being added when the dog does something wrong - not when he does something right. So by using positive punishment we are following the old-school methods of "breaking an animal down" rather than the modern methods of "building an animal up."
Do a lot of traditional training methods that our grandparents practiced include using aversive techniques and dominance theory to train dogs? Yes. Were a lot of us also spanked with belts or wooden spoons when we were young when we did something bad? Yes. But just like how many of us who had that done to us did not like it, why would we want to inflict that pain or discomfort on others we love? Back then, they didn't know there was a better way. But that doesn’t fly in our society today since we’ve learned so much about how people develop psychologically. And thankfully, the same has happened in the field of dog-training and behavior too.
What does "aversive" mean? An aversive is an unpleasant or punishing stimulus that negatively impacts your dog’s comfort or emotional state and causes pain or anxiety. Adding an aversive to try to extinguish a behavior is referred to as “positive punishment”. Contrary to having the word “positive” in the phrase, positive punishment is NOT a good thing; the “positive” only means that you are adding a stimulus to get the dog’s behavior to change.
Positive punishment is actually the technique that is looked upon the most poorly in the model of the Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practices, which is regarded by the most reputable dog trainer certification councils. It should only be used as an extreme last resort. Just a few examples of positive punishment include kneeing your dog in the chest for jumping on you, providing a leash jerk (correction) when the dog doesn’t sit when asked, and using a prong or shock collar for barking or pulling on leash. These aversive actions are only being added when the dog does something wrong - not when he does something right. So by using positive punishment we are following the old-school methods of "breaking an animal down" rather than the modern methods of "building an animal up."
Do a lot of traditional training methods that our grandparents practiced include using aversive techniques and dominance theory to train dogs? Yes. Were a lot of us also spanked with belts or wooden spoons when we were young when we did something bad? Yes. But just like how many of us who had that done to us did not like it, why would we want to inflict that pain or discomfort on others we love? Back then, they didn't know there was a better way. But that doesn’t fly in our society today since we’ve learned so much about how people develop psychologically. And thankfully, the same has happened in the field of dog-training and behavior too.
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The “dominance theory” has been disproven. While dogs are descendants of wolves, they are no more like wolves today than we are like chimpanzees – they are separated by thousands of years of evolution. So the “alpha” mentality doesn’t need to apply. You do not need to forcefully put dogs in their place, hold them down for bad behavior, feed yourself before they eat, or make sure they don’t walk in front of you. Over the centuries dogs have become domesticated. While dogs DO need a confident leader (see my article R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find Out What it Means to Your Dog about appropriate leadership roles), they do NOT need or want to be dominated, so doing so can cause a major detriment in your relationship with your dog and can also lead to increased confusion, frustration, anxiety, fear and aggression.
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Why Do Some People Use Prong Collars?
I understand the stigma that goes along with dog owners and dog trainers in our society - people feel that prong collars give them more control and put them in the leadership position. When I first started working with guide dogs for the blind, we even used an occasional prong collar on a particularly difficult dog. But it never felt right to me.
When we finally started making a shift to the more modern methods of dog training, understanding more about the studies done in the field of canine psychology, it all made more sense and felt right. There was no need to use a prong collar to have control over your dog if instead, we focus on the relationship between a dog and its human and we get even better results!
Still, some trainers and owners who practice these traditional methods aren’t going out silently, even though we have been shown there’s a better way. Trainers who suggest prong or shock collars as their usual go-to may not be certified by a dog-training or behavior counsel so their unsupported methods may cause more harm emotionally to your dog than good. For example, given the Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practices, my certification as a CBCC-KA can actually be revoked if I use a shock/electric collar before exhausting all other options. And honestly, in my nearly 20 years of working with and studying dogs, I have never had to use a shock collar!
I understand the stigma that goes along with dog owners and dog trainers in our society - people feel that prong collars give them more control and put them in the leadership position. When I first started working with guide dogs for the blind, we even used an occasional prong collar on a particularly difficult dog. But it never felt right to me.
When we finally started making a shift to the more modern methods of dog training, understanding more about the studies done in the field of canine psychology, it all made more sense and felt right. There was no need to use a prong collar to have control over your dog if instead, we focus on the relationship between a dog and its human and we get even better results!
Still, some trainers and owners who practice these traditional methods aren’t going out silently, even though we have been shown there’s a better way. Trainers who suggest prong or shock collars as their usual go-to may not be certified by a dog-training or behavior counsel so their unsupported methods may cause more harm emotionally to your dog than good. For example, given the Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practices, my certification as a CBCC-KA can actually be revoked if I use a shock/electric collar before exhausting all other options. And honestly, in my nearly 20 years of working with and studying dogs, I have never had to use a shock collar!
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Many people want an “easy fix” for behaviors so they rely on equipment, even if it is aversive to the dog, rather than taking the time to teach the dog what the right behavior is. If your dog is on a prong collar, he may not pull you down the street, making it an easier and more enjoyable walk for you but not for your dog. I think you then have to ask yourself – at what cost am I choosing my own comfort at the expense of my dog's emotional state? I do not see that as love or respect – I see that as disrespect and domination. There are ways to make walking with and working with your dog enjoyable for both of you – not just one side of the leash!
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Here are some of the reasons why prong and shock collars, and other aversive methods, are not a smart choice for anyone wanting to have a happy and confident dog...
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The prong collar is just a management tool – it doesn’t teach your dog anything good. It doesn’t teach him how to have respect for the leash or a connection with you. It can actually do the opposite, causing him to fear you and not want to be with you, which is a major detriment to your relationship. You may not notice it at first, but it’s there and can build stronger over time.
Many people who have used prong collars have told me that their dog can tell the difference whether he’s on a prong collar or not, and if they forget the prong collar or leave it behind, their dog pulls like a banshee. Yes, your dog can tell the difference! He is no longer “walking on eggshells”, so to speak, and suddenly feels more happy and free! But he still doesn’t know the value of staying on a loose leash with you because you haven’t gotten to the root of the problem and taught him how valuable it is. So if you use a prong collar to get your dog to walk politely with you, you will be using a prong collar for the rest of your dog’s life – or at least until he is too old or broken to care. If you must manage your big dog as you are using other behavior modification methods to teach him how to walk calmly on a loose leash, simply because your dog weighs more than you do, then it is safer and more humane to use a head collar, like a Halti or Gentle Leader. The head collar still doesn’t teach your dog anything at the root, but at least it gives you a chance to practice your skills until you feel the dog is ready to try walking without a management tool. |
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When using a prong collar, you run the risk of making negative associations for your dog out there in the world by inflicting pain on him in the most stimulating circumstances, leading to anxiety or fear. For example, imagine this… your dog is wearing a prong collar when on a walk. He sees another dog and is interested in moving in the dog’s direction. But because he’s wearing a prong collar, as he moves towards the dog he gets several little “bites” in his neck. Now your dog starts to think that seeing another dog is a scary situation, and he begins to get aggressive towards other dogs because he feels he has to defend himself. He doesn’t understand why every time he sees a dog, he feels pain.
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Rather than focusing on telling the dog what NOT to do (don’t pull on the leash, don’t chase that cat, don’t jump on people walking by, etc), our focus should be on teaching the dog what TO do.
Dogs don’t want to be unruly and make you mad. If a dog is misbehaving, chances are he doesn’t know what the right response is. But if you keep punishing him for the choices he tries to make without focusing on teaching him what the right choice is, he will stop wanting to work with you altogether. Or even if he does work with you, it will be out of fear that if he does the wrong thing he will get punished. That’s not a healthy relationship for anyone and certainly doesn’t make your dog happy! |
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For a developing puppy or a dog who is already fearful or anxious (like many rescue dogs due to previous emotional trauma), using a prong collar actually INCREASES anxiety and fear, and creates an adult dog who will have more behavior issues as a side effect of this.
When your dog does something that comes natural to him (like wanting to wander off to the side to sniff) and then he gets punished for doing this, it creates anxiety. He can’t do what he needs to do, yet we don’t give him a better outlet. This means his frustration festers inside with nowhere else to go, and will come out later in less desirable ways. Basically, you could be creating a basketcase! Imagine if you took your child to the toy store, where he was tempted with all these wonderful things that he wanted to play with, and you duct-taped his arms behind his back so he couldn’t touch any of them! Using a prong collar when walking your dog is like the same thing. |
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Why are you punishing your dog for being a dog? Dogs sniff, they bark, they don’t want to walk directly beside you because they have the need to explore their environment. Dogs also get excited to see guests that greet them enthusiastically and sometimes they try to chase squirrels. These are all behaviors that are in a dog’s DNA. He is a dog and not a human after all!
If we want our dogs to learn how to thrive in our human world, we have to calmly, confidently and patiently breach the communication barrier to teach them what we want them to do, starting from the inside out and getting to the root of the behavior (for example, building self-control for a dog who is excitable around people). Using a prong or a shock collar will not do this. |
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If you love and respect your dog, and want him to be a happy member of your family, then you don’t want to cause him discomfort, stress or pain. There are other, more positive and humane ways to work through these common behavior issues! If you’re not sure what they are, please contact me or another behavior consultant or trainer who practices positive reinforcement and force-free training methods. Be wary of trainers who market themselves as “positive reinforcement” but then suggest equipment like prong or shock collars. These trainers are NOT real positive reinforcement trainers and do NOT have your dog’s best interest in mind.
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A dog just wants to be respected and loved, and if we teach him in a way that works to his intrinsic motivation and makes it relevant for him, a dog will do whatever you need him to do (even if he’s strong-willed and more independent – it just means you have to work a bit harder!). There’s a reason we call a dog a “man’s best friend” – let’s not forget that and make sure we act like it!
Written by Maria Huntoon, Maria G. Huntoon Canine Consulting Services
