choking on collar

1196 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by zoezilla, Apr 25, 2007

beckhamboxer

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2007

Beckham is now over 12 weeks old. he is growing SO FAST! he's an incredible dog. already knows sit, down, go lay down, and shake. we love him so much!

tonight we have puppy kindergarten (our 2nd class). he has a BLAST but always chokes himself on his collar (on-leash) because he gets so excited around the other dogs! we're told not to use a Halti ("gentle lead"), and he's sensitive to nylon.

any suggestions?

thanks!

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ssimmons99

· #2 · Apr 18, 2007

We use a gentle leader - our "puppy class" trainer told us that it wouldn't work with her because of the short snout, but it does.

At 12 weeks though - I would just deal with it. When Chloe was about 20 weeks, we got a modified choke collar (nylon) and that kept her from yanking too hard on the collar. We switched to a prong or pinch collar at about 8 months and switched to the gentle leader about 6 weeks ago.

By far the gentle leader has worked the best for me. We had it fitted by a trainer - and she just finished an intermediate obedience class. It was WAY better - it puts pressure on the top of the nose if they pull, making them put their head down, so they can't really get the leverage to pull on it.

I would stay away from harnesses that attach to the leash on the back because it will just give them more power to pull you with - there are harnesses that the leash attaches in the front that actually pressures the legs if they start pulling. That might be the best option at that age.

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samsonsmom

· #3 · Apr 19, 2007

I know a lot of trainers and such don't like the Gentle Leader (halti), but I think it's really great...I've used it with all of mine and it's the only way that I have kept total control of them while walking...I know you said Beckham has issues with nylon, perhaps you could take a bit of soft cotton and stitch it to the under side of the part that goes across the nose? I know the ones that I bought when I was in Ireland had this great padding inside, to keep from rubbing so much....Check around online at pet places and I'll ask someone I knw and see if we can find something you could use....

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Honeyec

· #4 · Apr 19, 2007

I'm definitely going to get a Gentle Leader for Tink, she is an absolute NIGHTMARE to walk. And I definitely agree with Simmons99, I had to stop using her harness because it gave her way more pulling power - she can pull me clear down the road on it and she's only 50lbs! Awful and all as it sounds, the only way to walk her at the moment is to attach the lead to her collar so that she'll garrotte herself if she pulls too hard!

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Zhanna

· #5 · Apr 21, 2007

Henry did that at puppy class too. I just told him to relax and not pull. He has now learned that if he pulls, he gets choked, but he still does it some.
Z

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Nexu

· #6 · Apr 22, 2007

I just use the "be a tree" technique for walking the dog and lola never pulls. I use a retractable leash (16 ft) and whenever she gets to the end of the line, if she keeps any tension on the line from pulling I immediatley stop. She learned really quickly that pulling on leash = standing in one place for 5 -10 seconds (also after stoping I ask her to "come" and when she makes slack on the line we start walking again). She's 6 months and when I walk here now I rarely has to stop because she knows not to pull. But every once in a while she'll get to excited and I'll have to "be a tree". I think the trick is consistency.

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Honeyec

· #7 · Apr 23, 2007

Well, I came home from work on Thursday and Emmet had bought a semi-choke collar for Tink. he took her out on it that evening and he said the change in her was just unreal. I went out with them on Friday and she has stopped pulling almost completely.

I was always very anti-choke in the past, but I have to say, I'm sorry now that we didn't get it sooner. I like the fact that the collar is made from smooth, round nylon rather than chain, so even if she does pull, it just tightens smoothly without pinching her skin.

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zoezilla

· #8 · Apr 25, 2007

I've heard "regular" people (not trainers) say that the only way they got their boxer under control was with a Halti. Because they get so excited, sometimes they forget what they are suppose to be doing and where they are and the Halti snaps them back to attention...they don't have a choice beause it's their head...and reminds them where there are.

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