There are several kinds of collars. There are the plain flat buckled ones for everyday use available in a wide variety of colors, sizes and fastners (from buckles to quick-release).

Note that puppies (generally under six months of age) do not need corrective collars.

For training purposes, there are choke collars (also called training collars), pinch collars and prong collars. Used properly, there is nothing wrong with any of these collars, although they often look rather alarming. The point is that these collars are for control, not for pain infliction. Yanking savagely on these collars is counterproductive; firm corrections get the point across without injury. Try this experiment: wrap each of the collars around your arm in turn and have someone experienced with corrections give a correction to your arm.

To prevent your dog from injury from corrective collars, do not leave them on when you are not around. Its usual collar should be a plain flat buckled collar; save the choke and prong collars for actual training and when you are around.

Note: electronic collars are another form of training collars, but you should never attempt to use them without the help of an experienced trainer. Most dog owners will never need to use this kind of collar; it is primarly used for training toward competitive events or trials, at a level far beyond that of pet owner’s needs. It is NOT a “quick and easy fix” to behavior or training problems and in fact can badly exacerbate them. If you think your circumstances warrant the use of an electronic collar, first find yourself an experienced trainer to help you. Make sure you observe this trainer working with their own dogs and that you like the attitude that you see.

The use of food in training dogs has a long and contentious history. Many people dislike the use of food, feeling that a dog should do things because YOU ask him to, not in hope of a reward. They point to dogs that will refuse to do things when they know they won’t get food for it. Others advocate the use of food in training, saying that for many dogs it is the best reward to use, that the use of food is a much more humane method of teaching dogs, and that it is an excellent way to motivate a dog.

Certainly each side has some valid points. For example, the repeated use of food as a bribe will quite often result in the dog refusing to do the expected exercise without the bribe being held out. However, this is considered and incorrect usage of food by food advocates. There is a difference between bribing with food and rewarding with food. Under the latter system, the dog never knows whether or not it will get food as a result of performing the exercise; the rules of variable reinforcement mean that the dog will try harder and harder for that reward. The problem is that many folks don’t know how to reward intermittently, and it’s also true that rewards are more frequent while the dog is learning the exercise and taper off when the dog understands it. Many people fail to notice the dog’s progress, and fall into habits, and hence into bribery.

On the other hand, not every dog becomes an enthusiastic performer for verbal praise or toys alone. With some exceptions, almost every dog will view food as a good reward and modify his behavior accordingly to get more of it.

The controversy is really rooted in more philosophical considerations than in actual performance (or not) from the use (or not) of food. Some people just plain don’t like the idea of rewarding with food, and others do not mind using it.

The bottom line is that, food or not, most dogs need a reward, a motivator, in order to put on their best effort in training. And the trainer needs to understand (and observe) how to find out what the dog’s best reward is and how to apply the reward most effectively.

You should never correct when you yourself are upset, angry or downright mad, especially at your dog. Good correction depends on timing, a keen awareness of what the dog is thinking, and quick switching between correction and praise, all of which are difficult when you are upset. Stop the exercise until you regain your equilibrium. You will have much difficulty training your dog if you continually get mad while doing it. In fact, if you always or often get mad when training your dog, someone else should train him. You will get absolutely nowhere yelling at your dog.

The dictum “don’t train before 6 months of age” doesn’t make any sense unless you’re talking about the correction involved in formal obedience training. If you think about it, you train your dog all the time whether you realize it or not. Dogs are great at picking up your body language and tone of voice. Even if you’re not trying to train them, they’re “training” themselves using the clues we give them (and many “problems” are classic cases of the dogs misunderstanding their owner’s signals).

If possible with a young puppy it is best to use the “correction” of distraction. When you deny the puppy something, try to replace it with a positive activity rather than just being negative and oppressive all the time. Otherwise, limit your corrections to a verbal “no.”

Most dogs at some point will refuse to do something that he knows how to do. this is independent of how he has been trained. Striking out for independence appears to be a semi-universal mammalian trait, judging from the behavior of human adolescents. However, you must be prepared to enforce the idea that the dog does not really have an option about doing what you tell him to do. Otherwise the dog will increasingly choose whether or not to obey you and become unreliable. You do have to know the dog you are training and be able to tell the difference between confusion and refusal. Correcting a confused dog is quite detrimental. Learning how to tell the difference is part of being a trainer. While no one can really teach you this skill, you do have to learn it.

Always praise the dog immediately when he listens to your corrections. Again, this gives the “jekyll and hyde” feel to dealing with your dog. But it is very important to immediately praise your dog for listening to you. This helps build confidence and keeps the dogs from having that “hang-dog” look when performing.

Proofing

Proofing is a method where you make sure your dog understands a command, after you have taught the dog the command. It isn’t fair to proof a dog on a command when he is still learning what it means.

For example, you teach your dog to stay. After making him stay in a relatively distraction-free environment, you step up the pressure. You throw balls up in the air and catch them, squeak toys, have someone stand near your dog and talk softly to him. If your dog gets up, gently put him back. If after doing this for a while, the dog still gets up, then you start putting him back less gently, i.e. taking your dog roughly by the collar and putting him back, escalating to picking your dog up by the collar so that his front legs come off the ground and VERY slowly putting him back in its place, escalating to picking the dog up by its skin so that him front legs come off the ground and VERY slowly putting him back. Some dogs get the idea more quickly than others; stop your correction when he stays down.

When your dog passes this step, increase the pressure by throwing balls all around him, bouncing them on the ground, etc. Also, someone else should try to offer him food, make strange noises such as clapping , barking like a dog, meowing like a cat, using toys or things that make strange noises.

When your dog passes this step, increase the pressure by putting him on a stay and having someone shout in a loud voice “ROVER, COME!” (do not use your dog’s name), “OK”, “DOWN” (if doing a sit stay). If at home, put him on a stay and go and ring the doorbell. It should take several months (6-8) to work through all of these distractions and care must be taken to not blow the dog’s mind by putting him in a situation that he is not ready for or by never letting the dog “win” (i.e., successfully perform an exercise).

Always let the dog “win” on the last exercise in the session. That is, end the sessions on positive notes, with much praise. This keeps your dog interested in the work.