It's debatable whether or not to use a prong collar on puppies because it’s designed for larger dogs and might not be suitable for a puppy. But the short answer is yes; you can use a prong collar on a pup.
Note that the prongs on a prong collar shouldn't hurt or choke your puppy if you use the collar properly. The collar only helps your puppy understand that he shouldn't tug or pull in a specific direction.
If you’re thinking about using a prong collar for your puppy, we’ll tell you when and how to use it in this article.
When to Use a Prong Collar on a Puppy?
Generally speaking, if your puppy is 5–6 months old, you can use a prong collar safely. However, the decision to use it or not comes down to your puppy's behavior.
You may think of prong collars as punishment, but prong collars are beneficial if you want to teach your puppy discipline and obedience.
For example, if you take your puppy for a walk outside and he keeps pulling you down, in that case, a prong collar comes in handy.
How to Use a Prong Collar on a Puppy?
When it comes to prong collars, proper use is a must. If you misuse the prong collar, your puppy won't tolerate it and might even see it as punishment.
We aim to use a prong collar with positive reinforcement training to get your puppy used to wearing the collar.
Following these tips will make things a lot easier when using a prong collar on your puppy:
1. Choose the Suitable Collar Size
Unlike regular choke collars, prong collars have standard sizes (small, medium, large, etc.).
First, take the measurements of your puppy, compare the dimensions to the size of the collars, and finally choose the suitable size for your puppy.
Remember to adjust the length of the collar. You can do this by simply adding or removing links to the collar to fit your puppy well.
Also, note that if your dog grew more hair, or gained or lost weight, you should change the collar to fit him properly.
2. Place the Collar Correctly
A prong collar can hurt your puppy if you don’t know the right way to put it on. It would help to position it behind the ears and under the jawline.
Also, don't try to put the collar on your puppy by forcing his head through it. Instead, use the collar links to correctly adjust the collar around your pup's neck.
3. Don’t Place the Prong Collar Right Before Training
This is a common mistake among new dog trainers. For example, if you place the collar on your puppy and immediately start giving him orders, your puppy will hate the collar and see it as a punishment.
It would be better to put the collar on your pup for about 15 minutes before training, then start playing with him and giving him treats. In that way, your puppy will handle the collar better and won’t see it as punishment.
4. Avoid Pulling the Leash
You should avoid pulling the leash as it can hurt your puppy's neck. Instead, letting your pup self-correct by pulling into the leash by himself is always better.
Your puppy is still learning to walk outside and deal with distractions and other animals. So, pulling the leash hard might end up making your puppy more aggressive toward other animals.
That’s because he’ll associate the pain in his neck with the incident whenever he tries to get closer to them.
That’s why, when your puppy sees a cat and turns his attention to it, you’re better off popping the leash as a mild correction instead of pulling it.
5. Don’t Overuse a Prong Collar
We don't recommend using a prong collar for a long time, only during dog exercise and walking outside.
Remember that prong collars shouldn't be your dog's primary walking collars and you should only use them if your dog constantly pulls you while walking.
Also, when it comes to puppies, their necks are delicate, and the collar's metal can cause discomfort the longer they wear it.
So, it's best to use prong collars for less than an hour a day and then gradually stop using them when your dog's behavior improves.
Can a Prong Collar Hurt My Puppy’s Neck?
Some think a prong collar is a cruel method of training their dogs, but prong collars can even protect your puppy's neck and trachea.
Many dog owners use regular collars and rely on pulling the leash repeatedly when their dog is excited or pulling them toward something. This excessive pulling causes friction, which can hurt the dog's neck, leading to bruises and scraping off skin.
On the other hand, we like the prong collar's design as it doesn't pull directly on the throat. Instead, it distributes the pull around the neck, so it shouldn’t hurt your pup at all.
As we mentioned before, when using a prong collar, you must pop the leash gently or let your puppy correct himself by pulling into the leash.
The good thing is puppies are fast learners. You'd be surprised at how fast their behavior changes when you use the prong collar a few times.
FAQs
How tight should a prong collar be?
The collar should fit your dog well but shouldn’t be too tight. You have to be able to fit your finger between the collar and your dog’s skin.
A too-tight collar will hurt your dog’s neck when pulling the leash.
Can I use a prong collar on an aggressive dog?
It’s never a good idea to use a prong collar on an aggressive dog.
The pain caused by pulling the leash will make your dog more aggressive and even depressed.
What can I use instead of a prong collar?
If you think a prong collar is a bad idea, you can try using any of these collars:
- Flat collar
- Martingale-type collar
- Head halter collar
- Front-clip harness
- Back-clip harness
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.