[Carmel]

With my GR, I have a normal quick-release nylon collar with the stainless steel sliding buckle. I have intentions of getting the same for my boxer.

Steel, my GR, gets a choke chain when we walk. He walks beside me and if he tries to speed up or meander, he gets a small jerk that sort of sets him back. When he's freaked out (Another dog which is excited, is lunging towards Steel and the usual corrects aren't working, for example) I place the choke chain high up on his head, above the lump that is his trachea so that I can carefully steer his head and keep him under complete control. He's wonderfully responsive on it. I use it judiciously because it can do more harm than good if not used correctly.

As we all know... what works for some dogs, doesn't work for others. I am wondering if the choke chain is good to be used on a boxer. Are they more susceptible to damage done to the corneas and trachea than other dogs if for some reason he's a puller and I put him in a choke chain? I don't see the point of putting him in a harness as he's a big dog and he'll just end up pulling me everywhere.

Does anyone have any suggestions or reasons why i shouldn't use the choke collar for walking?

 

[DM_Boxers]

we use a choke prong collar when walking our two boxers.  Its currently the only way to keep them under control while walking.  more training might change this.

 

[laura11982]

I've never used a choke chain, but we've been using a harness on our 6 month old boxer on our walks and he seems to do okay... he zig-zags, but I think that will improve with some training and age.  If it doesn't, we may be open to trying a choke chain.

 

[Majorsdad]

I use a choke chain when i walk my boxer, and its the only way i can control him.  Also, when he sees a bird or a squirrel or something he wants, I place it higher up on his neck and it works like you with your GR

 

[Carmel]

we use a choke prong collar when walking our two boxers.  Its currently the only way to keep them under control while walking.  more training might change this.

I always had a problem with prong collars but a lot of people seem to be using them... I was curious and googled pinch collars and came up with this interesting website about prong/pinch collars. Methinks I'll be making a switch to prong collars depending on how my new doggie does. I don't think my GR needs it because he's already pretty tame on a choke collar.

 

[Rocky07]

We use an anti-pull harness.  It's worked really well for us.  I got it at Wal-Mart.  However, I only have one dog so it might not work so well with two.

 

[AshleysMom]

Ashley has gone to a chain just this week. I can no longer control her lunges as she is above 40 lbs, and even though we had great success with the slow..extra slow walking..I just needed to get a move on with her. I know she is extra sensitive to sound, and I was VERY surprised that by the end of our very first walk, she was staying by my side, as she knew the clicking sound meant she ( not me..I didn't ever pull her back ) was going to pull the chain tight.
I have hoped that somehow, maybe with time and patience, the chain will be a thing of the past, and she will walk always by my side, but for the terrible twos she is in right now, I need to have SOME control over her. She actually has the "fine" dimension chain ( looks alot like a necklace, not a choker ), and she does fine with it.. I saw some of those massive "extra heavy" ones, but I just don't think she needs THAT much correction, plus it slips up behind the ears better than something heavy and clunky.
Good luck with your dog, I think patience mixed with firmness is the key to success for a good walk with a boxer!

 

[DM_Boxers]

we got ours at petco and they are the prong choke with swivel.  I am in the process of saving for the Sense-ation harness and also the bamboo collar (that has the handle built-in).  The organizer for the chicago boxer meetup uses them both for his boxer and it looked like he had alot of control over him.

 

[SiriusDad]

This is the behavior I worry most about with Sirius.  He has been pretty great so far.  But I know that adolescence is on its way, and this type of behavior won't work with my wife.  She is too small to handle an out of control boxer.  Please keep us updated on the progress you have with choke chains.  We have a gentle leader already purchased, but I wonder if I should get a chain as well.

 

[Kalyn]

I used a pinch collar with my Chow and it worked like a dream. The choke chain didn't work at all on her. She'd just pull harder. Our trainer recommended the pinch collar and it made a huge difference. I'll probably have to do the same with Max. He's a mixed breed rescue and hasn't had much attention in the past. He's good on lead once he's tired but starting out, he's a puller. And when he wants to give chase, he is very strong and hard to hold. Hope you find what works. Good luck.

 

[g00dgirl]

Personally i am totally against using choke chains and i'm suprised to see that so many still use them. All you need to do is google choke chains to see the damage they cause to your dogs neck, trachea, and nerves.  Not to mention it is an outdated method of controlling a dog, rather than training them to walk nicely.  Prong collars aren't much better in my opinion.
however, If you do have a dog that pulls and you aren't physically able to restrain them- a gentle leader can help and do it without causing pain.
Like most of these collars though, it doesn't really teach them to walk nicely when switched back to a regular collar, it only works when you keep using the GL.

 

[Carmel]

Personally i am totally against using choke chains and i'm suprised to see that so many still use them. All you need to do is google choke chains to see the damage they cause to your dogs neck, trachea, and nerves.  Not to mention it is an outdated method of controlling a dog, rather than training them to walk nicely.  Prong collars aren't much better in my opinion.
however, If you do have a dog that pulls and you aren't physically able to restrain them- a gentle leader can help and do it without causing pain.
Like most of these collars though, it doesn't really teach them to walk nicely when switched back to a regular collar, it only works when you keep using the GL.

I was of the same idea that choke chains, prong collars were inhumane but I didn't like the GLs because if a dog is a lunger, like my GR is, if he lunged with that thing around his head he could strain a muscle or worse, snap his neck. The muscles in a dog's neck are not as strong as say, a horse's who use this type of system to guide them. Out of all the systems offered out there, I figured that if I used the choke carefully, that was my most effective way of controlling him. I tried martingale collars and that didn't work, either.

I think that this is a tool used in the journey to making them walk properly... it's the most effective in controlling them. So what is more inhumane-- having your dog on a collar that he doesn't heed and have him drag you out in front of a car? Having your dog's neck snapped or damaged by a GL? Or a damaged trachea from an ill-placed choke chain?

 

[g00dgirl]

True, there are downsides to all of the training collars.
The best way would be to enlist the help of a professional trainer, or at least a good book to train the dog to to heel, or walk well on a leash wearing a regular collar.  If the dog really wanted to, it could still pull in a choke chain or prong collar.  A harness with the a D-ring in front of the chest might help too...  a trainer can probably help decide which method would help in the beginning.  Personally I would find a trainer that does not use prong or choke chains.

 

[Britneysdad]

I think these debates can go on and on but in the end the owner needs to decide what is best for him/her. Britney is the first boxer I have owned and I must admit a boxer is much more difficult to train to heal than labs that I have owned.  At six months most of my labs have learned a pretty good heal.

Britney is 6 months and she walks 70% of the time very good now but that is two times a day walking since she had her shots. If we are alone in the mornings she is just fine but in the evening with more distractions she can get excited and start pulling. However, at this point I just make her sit every few steps until she stops pulling. This seems to calm her down much faster than being tight on the lead or having her wear a choke chain.

I feel a boxer has a HIGH prey drive and they will stop at nothing to claim that prey. If you only use muscle or choke chain, prong collar then yes they feel pain but the excitement shuts that pain off and they can hurt themselves. If you make them sit every few steps then you are working them more mentally than physically and this seems to work better with a boxer.

Also, if you use a choke chain or pincher you need to have GREAT timing and really a trainer should show you how to best use these tools. If your timing is off you might not be sending the correct instructions to your dog and all they get out of it is a soar neck and you getting very frustrated.

What can work well is to use the collar but take her favorite tug toy with you. As soon as she starts pulling get her attention to look at you and come back for the toy.  This helps them to learn to pay attention to you more than other things. Understanding once a boxer gets excited they tend to get focused on that object. This is why you must notice everything in front of you and make sure your timing is spot on so you can distract your dog before something else distracts him. You can also work with this in the yard with food.  Lead her around on very loose leash by her nose to the food. Give her small amounts and lots of encouragement. This helps to build a closer bond with your dog to follow you and you reward her for doing so. You can do this with food or a toy.   For example I have Britney lay down and stay until I get to the end of the yard and I say come and hold out her Wubba for her to claim. This exercise has helped allot for her not to go after my clothes or shoes.  (Sorry so long!)

 

[Kalyn]

(Sorry so long!)

I appreciate the info. You have some good suggestions, which I'll try tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[AshleysMom]

I'm sorry, to have this debate rear up again. As I stated, I was totaly against using a chain on Ashley, but what kind of "exersize" was being provided to my dog when we made it 1/2 block in 1/2 hour? Yes, she was behaving, would it have transfered into a full walk someday? Maybe..but my choice was not made for anything more than training purposes at a faster gait. If you read my post, you will notice, I am using a "light" chain..the SAME size as handlers use in a show ring. Our dogs are VERY auditory in training ( ie..clicker training works VERY well on boxers ). I do NOT advocate using a heavy gauge chain, nor do I believe jerking on even the lightest lead works..REGARDLESS of the TYPE. You can jerk on a e-z-lead..and hurt your dog too. ( halters, and muzzle leads can cause injury to the chest, neck..AND back, not to mention..jerking on a muzzle lead can injury the nasal catlidge, or have the pet snap down on his tongue, and of course, a 1 1/2' collar not only will injure the trachea of a lunging/pulling dog, but i have seen animals pull backward OUT of their regular collar, and run away..No method of lead is 100% safe.)
These dogs hear the slight click of one link going through the loop on a slip chain, and will..with patience learn almost without help, that that means to stop..or slow down. Yes you must be digilent, yes you should be watching all around you. But I too do not care to be injured, as my puppy could drag me over, and now she hears the chain slide, and regardless of what is around, she stops, and goes into either a sit, or stands still.
I would VENTURE to guess, control in the show ring by a slip chain is not done because these handlers think they are INJURING their animal. And truely it does boil down to what an owner has taken the time to train their animal with. I am lucky, Ashley has been mine since day one, but there are plenty of Boxer parents on here , who have resuces, that came to them with unrelenting prior behaviours, or can't AFFORD a behavoralist, to teach a dog how to heal. All we can do, is encourage to utilize methods that cause the least amount of harm when used properly, and keep their pet safe from being hurt, or hurting their owner, who should have some joy in going for a simple walk with their pet.

 

[nano]

Flat buckle collar is all that is needed and some work with your dog on loose leash walking.  When he pulls you turn and go the other way.  He will end up along side of you then praise him for this.  You can also stop and throw in sits to stop the forward movement.  

Nano

 

[samsonsmom]

Everyone has their own opinion and yes, it can be a touchy subject....Derrick(britneysdad) brought up a good point tho, Boxers, a lot of them do have a strong prey drive, Angel does for sure....My sister has a Golden and when Jake went to obedience school( a live in one) he was trained with a prong collar, they used it for a few years til Jake settled down...I used choke collars with Buck & Tia and they were worthless, except for "choking" my dogs...So I went to Halti's(gentle leaders) and they worked very well....Samson was trained on it as was Angel as will Flick be..It's a method that works for me, but agian, everyone has to make their own decision...See, this gives you all a good reason to bid on our current item, Nan can give you some great tips

 

[1boxer]

This is a bit O/T but ON/T as well.  Bruce has a HUGE prey drive in that he was refostered twice before we adopted him due to him thinking that small dogs, such as yorkies and taco bell dogs were chew/squeaky toys.  He is ok with larger dogs i.e. Zu and is very submissive towards her.  We have found that a gentle leader works well with him.  Also a firm voice works wonders also.  I have not taken him on any type of walk but I have taken him to the vet and the gentle leader worked like a charm.
-Rich

 

[sully]

The only thing I like about choke chains is they look cool...too many martingale collars are so girly looking!  But I'm not into controlling my dog through fear or pain so I just keep at it with a martingale collar and try to teach him to walk properly.  He still pulls around other dogs, but I've seen huge progress.  I think the key is to start them as a pup so by the time they are too big to control, they've pretty much already got it.  Of course if you get the dog as an adult you could be in for a tougher road.  I agree with whoever said the boxer prey drive is so strong, they will ignore pain if they really want to get after something and the injuries from a choke/prong collar could be very serious.