Choke chains -- what is the point?

IntlSet

Bonjour!
Jan 29, 2006
12,369
63
I have seen SO many dogs lately -- and I'm talking dogs like yellow labs -- with choke chains. For God's sake, why would you put a choke chain on a dog? Why not TRAIN it instead?

Can someone please tell me these don't hurt my animal... they look painful and cruel and invariably it's some trashy-looking person holding the leash... I have seen a few young women my age with dogs on choke chains -- geez, if you can't handle/train even a medium size dog, why did you get one????

I always want to stop the owner and ask, "Why are there spikes sticking in your dog's neck, you doody-head?"
 
They are prong collars and they simulate the way a mother would bite a pup on the nape of the neck for correction. I don't use them, but they can be a usefull training tool if you know how to use them.

ETA: They feel like a slight pressure pinch on the back of the neck, most of the prongs I have seen have plastic caps over the prongs.
 
I hate ALL types of choke collars. Very inhumane...especially when the 'average Joe' attempts to use one on his dog and NOT a highly-experienced trainer.
 
I think the big problem with the choke style collars is that many times they are not put on correctly. So instead of just doing a quick pinch and release, the chains stay too tight and can bruise the dog's windpipe.
When used correctly, they can be effective training tools.
 
Picture this.....I weigh 100 pounds, and so does my Lab, he is trained to be walked on a leash, but when a squirrel or cat runs in front of us I refuse to be pulled to the ground to receive bloody knees. A choke chain is for my safety as for his, and I think in no way a choke chain is inhumane if used properly . Both of my Labs were trained with choke chains and shock collars, and these dogs are the loves of my life, so I would NEVER do anything to harm them in the slightest bit. And I don't appreciate the comment that the person holding the leash looks "trashy", and I don't do it to make my dog look "tough"
 
Why do I have a feeling that the people I see who use choke chains are doing it for the look. To make their dogs look tough. That makes me want to puke.

There are people who thinks it looks cool. Also, one thing you may want to be leary of is that not every dog is friendly. I volunteer training dogs at a local training center, we do seminars with aggressive dogs and their handlers. Some people use the prong collars so they can control their dog incase the dog starts to get reactive. The chokers or prong collars don't pinch constantly, only when snapped. I wouldn't reccomend approaching a dog on a prong collar just in case.
 
Picture this.....I weigh 100 pounds, and so does my Lab, he is trained to be walked on a leash, but when a squirrel or cat runs in front of us I refuse to be pulled to the ground to receive bloody knees. A choke chain is for my safety as for his, and I think in no way a choke chain is inhumane if used properly . Both of my Labs were trained with choke chains and shock collars, and these dogs are the loves of my life, so I would NEVER do anything to harm them in the slightest bit. And I don't appreciate the comment that the person holding the leash looks "trashy", and I don't do it to make my dog look "tough"

Maybe you should have trained your dog properly. Surely you don't keep your dog on a choke chain ALL THE TIME for the rare occasions he might run wild... if he's jumping at little things so constantly that you must keep him on a choke chain all the time, then you should consider training him properly. Even in the suburbs I highly doubt there are squirrels and cats jumping every which way so that you have to constantly be on guard and keeping your dog on a choke chain.

Or else you should have considered that maybe you can't handle even a lab... I'm 100 pounds and I guarantee you that my boyfriend's lab could not drag me to the ground no matter how hard he pulled. A lab is a MEDIUM sized dog, not a mastiff.
 
I have seen SO many dogs lately -- and I'm talking dogs like yellow labs -- with choke chains. For God's sake, why would you put a choke chain on a dog? Why not TRAIN it instead?

Can someone please tell me these don't hurt my animal... they look painful and cruel and invariably it's some trashy-looking person holding the leash... I have seen a few young women my age with dogs on choke chains -- geez, if you can't handle/train even a medium size dog, why did you get one????

I always want to stop the owner and ask, "Why are there spikes sticking in your dog's neck, you doody-head?"

I've never used one but I could see how it could be an effective training tool. A lot of people don't constantly use them, just temporarily until the dog can be walked without constantly pulling the owner.
 
First of all my dog has been professionally trained "with a choke", dh who is 6'3'' 240 lbs walks our dog on a choke and, why in the hell would I leave my dog a choke ALL the time? Secondly, I live in the country where rabbits, squirrels, and even deer are seen several time in a walk, so yes I do have to constantly be on watch out. Who are you to say that I can't handle my dog? I am ending this, I will just agree to disagree with you on this one.
 
Harnesses are SO MUCH easier!!!!

And you just have to remember that you'll NEVER "outpull" a dog. If you want to restrain it (if you are using a collar and lead) you're going to have to "bump" the dog back to you....much more effective.

But - get a harness instead!!!!!

(not directed at anyone in particular - I'm just sayin')
 
Maybe you should have trained your dog properly. Surely you don't keep your dog on a choke chain ALL THE TIME for the rare occasions he might run wild... if he's jumping at little things so constantly that you must keep him on a choke chain all the time, then you should consider training him properly. Even in the suburbs I highly doubt there are squirrels and cats jumping every which way so that you have to constantly be on guard and keeping your dog on a choke chain.

Or else you should have considered that maybe you can't handle even a lab... I'm 100 pounds and I guarantee you that my boyfriend's lab could not drag me to the ground no matter how hard he pulled. A lab is a MEDIUM sized dog, not a mastiff.

Just FYI there are dogs that are reactive to different things as I have explained above. I have worked with dogs that would react to bags, men in hats, skateboards, bicycles, wheelchairs, the list goes on & on and these are all things that you can run into anywhere. These dogs get scared and react aggressively to these items. I think that that by not having them on a lead, (no matter what type it may be) that they are sure they can control their dog with, would be irresponsible.

I have a bulldog, she trains in competition obedience twice a week(and competes), agility & rally once a week. She is trained properly would still take after a squirrel, she is an animal and has animal instincts. Labradors are hunters by nature, they were bred to retrieve animals not balls so there instinct to chase an animal is higher than most.....it is instinct.
 
Harnesses are SO MUCH easier!!!!

And you just have to remember that you'll NEVER "outpull" a dog. If you want to restrain it (if you are using a collar and lead) you're going to have to "bump" the dog back to you....much more effective.

But - get a harness instead!!!!!

(not directed at anyone in particular - I'm just sayin')

Actually dogs have more pulling power with a harness, they use their chest. If you want a safe collar to prevent your dog from pulling try the gentle leader.