The Truth About Choke Chains

The Truth About Choke Chains And Pinch Collars

Just the name alone of these two collars are intimidating and sound cruel. But just like many things, they are simply tools that are used to accomplish a specific goal. When used improperly, like any other tool they can cause harm. If you look on the internet you will find all kinds of information that claims that if you use either of these you will damage your dog's esophagus or skin. I have been training dogs the majority of my 60 years of life and have used these on 99% of the dogs I’ve trained with zero damage to any of these dogs. But like anything else, they have to be put on properly, and used correctly. 

Let's start off by talking about the don'ts. Do not leave a choke collar or pinch collar on your dog when it is not in your direct care & control. They can get caught up on fences, furniture etc and cause severe injury or even death. 

Do not allow your dog to keep pressure on the leash. I see people walking their dog down the street all the time with the dog gasping for air. A so-called choke chain or pinch collar is simply  a training collar. It is used to teach your dog how to walk correctly on a leash. By using this, it allows you to give corrections to the dog for pulling. It is not intended to stop the dog from pulling all by itself.

DO NOT EVER chain your dog up using these types of collars. One again, this can cause severe injury or even death. 

DO always put it on correctly. If not put on correctly you could possibly injure your dog.

These two collars are merely tools to teach your dog how to walk correctly. The biggest part of doing this is what’s attached to the handle. If YOU use it incorrectly, the problem is YOU not the collar. 

I’ve had so many people that have stopped walking their dog because it drug them everywhere when it was on a leash. They come to class and learn how to properly train their dog and now they take it everywhere. 

They are neither painful nor cruel. They can help you excel at getting your dog trained and under control when used properly. By accomplishing this you will be more apt to take your dog with you more often which in turn gives you and your dog a better life. 

The correct way to put a Training (Choke) Collar on I when you hold it up should form the letter P. Just remember, P is for perfect. With your dog facing you you place it directly over its head. See The attached pictures for a visual of putting them on correctly. 

All summed up, these types of collars are not cruel, or even painful. They are simply tools that if used properly can make not only your life better, but your dog's life better too. What is cruel is not taking your dog with you and leaving it home! 

We not only recommend them, we use them not just in our business, but also with our personal dogs at home!

Click on the button below to go to this product on Amazon. By using the link and purchasing the item we make a little bit off of the sale. We do not endorse any item that we have not personally used and feel is a quality item. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This small amount helps keep our doors open and training prices down.

Written by George Walker

Walker’s K-9 Services

You Can Also Join Us At Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WalkersK9Services/

Please Feel Free To Share Our Articles & Videos

PROPER DOOR ETIQUETTE FOR DOGS

One of the things we get asked a lot is, “How do I control my dog when I open the door or someone comes to our house”. The answer is fairly simple. By teaching your dog the place command you can completely alleviate that entire issue. 

When someone knocks I would suggest allowing your dog to bark for a few seconds. This lets the person outside know you have a dog. If this is a would be attacker this could change their plans. After the dogs initial announcement you simply send your dog to his place station (bed, crate, corner or wherever he/she is trained to go) Make the dog stay there for at least five minutes. This gives the guest time to get seated and allows the newness of their arrival time to wear off and your dog time to settle down. 

Written by

George Walker 

Walker’s K9 Services

WWW.WalkersK9Services.com

How To Break A Puppy From Biting

I've heard of all different ways to break this. From smacking the puppy on the head to locking him in the crate every time he does it. 

Well, let's start off by looking at the reason this happens. Think about it from his perspective for a minute. When he was with his litter mates this is how he played. 

He does not have hands to grab with so he uses what he has. He would wrestle with his littermates by biting, growling, and barking. He would play with his Mother the same way. 

So when you smack him on the head or lock him in his crate you are simply punishing him for wanting to play with you. Play is where the bonds begin. This is what builds the love he will have for you later in life. 

On a side note, never use a crate for punishment. He will begin thinking he is being punished every time you put him there. This should be viewed as his safe haven. 

The best way to break this is the same way his Mother would stop it. Simply grab him by the snout and firmly tell him NO. At first, I will immediately offer him a toy and play tug with him. Usually I start off with an old dish towel. 

Always remember, to think about your training and correction methods from his perspective. If he does not fully understand what you're doing, he will never learn. 

George Walker

Walker’s K9 Services

The Truth About Dog Crates

I hear so many people say that they don’t believe in using dog crates. Well, let me tell you my opinion of them. In breeding German Shepherds for over the past 30+ years I wouldn’t be without one. When used properly, they are a huge asset to the owner, and a comforting environment for your pet. Now I know I’m gonna hear all kinds of criticism about this. But just take a minute and read what I have to say. 

First of all, your dog by instinct is a den animal. Wolves, coyotes, foxes, and every other canine in the world utilizes a den for shelter and protection. If properly introduced to a crate, your dog will not only view it as a safe haven, but a welcome place to spend time while you're not around. 

Let's start off by mentioning the many benefits of utilizing a crate. First of all it is a lot easier to potty train your puppy if it is confined in a small area. Dogs by nature do not like standing, lying or sleeping in their own bodily waste. By confining them to a crate, you are teaching them to hold their waste until they are outside or wherever you decide they should relieve themselves. 

Now let's talk about household dangers. Puppies chew on everything. Your house is a maze of obstacles that can injure or kill your puppy. Power cords, household cleaners, house plants, plastic items, small objects that they can swallow, and the list goes on and on. 

When they destroy your couch or other household furniture by chewing, you are not just out the cost of replacing the furniture. You are probably out the cost of a major Veterinarian bill to get them to pass it or worse to have it surgically removed. If they happen to chew on a power cord, they more than likely will not survive. At best case scenario, you will be facing thousands of dollars in Orthodontic Veterinary bills. If you had ever seen a dog with its teeth blown out from this you would understand.  

Over the years I have probably talked to hundreds of people that have had to have bowel obstructions surgically removed from dogs that decided to eat something they shouldn't while unattended. That foam rubber that's in your furniture is a sponge that swells up in your dog's intestinal tract and usually needs to be surgically removed.

Now that we’ve talked about all the negatives of not crating your dog, let’s talk about some of the positives. When introduced properly, your dog will view being in the crate as a good thing, kind of a safe haven. You will see them going in there on their own when they don’t want to be bothered, or just to take a nap. 

It will become their own personal space that they cherish and value. Especially if you have multiple dogs or small children they will see it as a place they can go to to get away from everyone. I never bother my dogs when they are in there. I view it as a place that is off limits to everyone. 

Let's talk about proper crate training. When you first bring your puppy home, they are used to being with their littermates and Momma. It will take them a while to get used to not having them around. I generally try to pick up puppies first thing in the morning to allow the puppy to have the full day to get accustomed to their new home and crate before going to bed for the night. 

There are things you can do to help your new puppy get through this first dreaded night. I always try to get something that has it’s Mothers and littermates scent on it when picking up the puppy. By placing this object in it’s crate it makes its new home a little less scary. During the daytime I always leave the door wide open and feed and water the puppy in its crate to help it view the crate as a positive. Let’s face it, those first few nights are going to be sleepless. Resist the temptation of getting the puppy out, or to comforting it in any way. This will just prolong this process. Put in some ear plugs, or play some music in your bedroom and just deal with it. It will only last a few (3-286) days. No seriously, usually less than a week or so. 

Never use their crate as a punishment. If you do, your dog will not understand why it’s being punished when you put it in there for normal reasons. 

As a general rule, I do not begin allowing my dogs to roam free in the house at night or when I’m gone until they are somewhere between 12-18 months old. Then it’s just for short periods of time at first until I see if they can be trusted. 

I honestly believe that if you properly introduce your dog to a crate, you’ll both be a lot happier. Even if you just need it occasionally, they should still be crate trained.

George Walker

Walker’s K9 Services

Short Leashes For Full Size Dogs

At Walker’s K9 Services we prefer short leashes for leash training on large breed dogs. This gives more control and keeps the dog close to you in the correct walking position. The dog should walk without pulling, tugging or lunging. Any family member that walks them should be able to control them in all situations. 

We buy our leashes from Amazon. We found a dealer there that provides a good quality leather leash that has a clasp that’s easy to operate and strong enough to handle any situation. These leases have durable stitching, a comfortable handle, and still look good! 

We not only recommend them, we use them not just in our business, but also with our personal dogs at home! 

Click on the button below to go to this product on Amazon. By using the link and purchasing the item we make a little bit off of the sale. We do not endorse any item that we have not personally used and feel is a quality item. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This small amount helps keep our doors open and training prices down.