The following is the first public article about clicker training.
​
The pdf was originally downloaded from
http://clickandtreat.com/wordpress/?attachment_id=1076
and is transcribed below for easier reading and use with text-to-speech.

Dog World November 1993, Pages 49-50.

Training

Shaping behavior through reinforcement
Operant conditioning enables a trainer to correct unwanted behaviors by using a variable reward system

By Cheryl S. Smith
​
Article Transcription

Would you believe me if I told you I could explain some principles that would allow you to train a dog to do anything it is physically and mentally capable of doing? Without touching the animal and without using a collar and leash?

This was the challenging concept at a recent Karen Pryor/Gary Wilkes Dog Training Seminar.

Karen Pryor is a former dolphin trainer and author of the highly popular book “Don’t Shoot the Dog.” Gary Wilkes is a veterinary behavior specialist who focuses on control of serious behavior problems in dogs. They have presented their seminars to such diverse groups as the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors and the American Psychological Association.

What they teach is operant conditioning. The concept sounds a little scary, utilizing terms such as successive approximation, limited hold, shaping and stimulus control. Actually, operant conditioning is a very effective way to use reinforcement, and it works on birds, cats, dogs, dolphins, humans, otters and probably any other sentient being you might care to name.

We all use positive reinforcement when we praise or give a treat. But does a dog really understand exactly what you are praising, especially when a new behavior is being taught? If you are teaching a dog to sit, for example, has she already sat down or gotten up by the time the words “Good girl” come out of your mouth? What does the dog then think is the desired behavior?

This is where a conditioned reinforcer comes in. Words are too obtuse and lengthy to pinpoint a small action, but a whistle or a clicker can be sounded at the instant of the behavior you are after. If you follow the sound with the usual treat or praise, the dog will quickly learn that the chosen sound - be it a whistle, clicker, or something else - means, “You’re doing the right thing, your reward will be coming.” Because you can now delay the reward, you can work at a distance from the dog and still let it know when it is performing as desired.

With this concept as our only new information, we played the Training Game. One of the seminar participants volunteered to be the “dolphin” (training subject), and left the room so that we could decide on a behavior that our trainer would teach the dolphin. We chose to have the dolphin go to the center of the “pool” and spin in circles. Our volunteer came back in and we began.

She moved aimlessly about the room and got a click every time she headed toward the center. On several passes she got clicked as she reached the center. But on the next pass there was no click. She was visibly startled, and backed up. When she reached the center she got a click.
Now she knew to go to the center of the room, but had no idea what to do once she got there. So she went to the center and turned slightly to look at the trainer for a clue . . . and she got a click. Now she thought she really had it. She marched off in a new direction. This got a click at the turn several times, but then no click.

Our dolphin hurried back to the center. Quarter turn to the left, click. Turn back, nothing. Again, same results. Half-turn to the left, click. It was only another few seconds before she was spinning joyously in circles.

The exercise was a revelation. No verbal information at all was given, but our trainer had the volunteer performing the behavior in 10 minutes or less. Since we are much more adept at reading the facial expressions and body language of other people than of other species, we could easily see the emotions of the volunteer. She came in intrigued and curious. The first few clicks seemed to be agreeable, but when she wasn’t sure what to do once she got to the center she became confused and mildly upset. Once she thought she had it figured out she was pleased, and when she was proved wrong, she became frustrated and almost ready to quit.

Having witnessed this, we now watched a young Labrador Retriever with no obedience training learn to down and stay. The treat was shown to the dog and moved so that the dog sat. The dog got a click and the treat. This was repeated a few times, then the treat was moved so that the dog was sitting but with her head bent down. At no time did the trainer push or pull on the dog.

The really amazing part came after the dog had gotten maybe a dozen clicks for lying down. The trainer showed her the treat then moved it back against his chest. The dog tried to follow it and was calmly told “wrong.” The dog laid down and got a click and the treat. The clicks started again - the treat was shown to the dog and taken away. We could see the dog thinking, and she slowly collapsed into the down. For that she got a click and a handful of treats.

The whole action had to be reinforced when the trainer stood up (he had been sitting on the ground), but in no time the dog would down and stay until she received the click. You could then start putting commands or signals to the behavior, and have a dog that knows the “down-stay” in one or two lessons.

Watching a person go through the procedure first helped us to see the reactions of the dog, who exhibited a very similar range of emotions, from enjoyment to confusion to frustration to joy.

Next we were introduced to negative reinforcement. Again, this is something we all use, whether it is a scolding, a scruff shake or a yank on the chain. However, the rule in operant conditioning is to give a warning before you give any correction.

A 9-month-old St. Bernard with a pulling problem was used for this demonstration. A rolled-up towel, referred to as a “bonker,” was the negative reinforcement. Our trainer begin walking around with the dog, and when the dog started to move ahead of him, he said “No,” and threw the bonker at the dog’s head. Obviously, a little rolled-up towel is not hurting a big St. Bernard, but at the third “No,” the dog backed up until he was behind the trainer.

Our two trainers explained that the negative reinforcement is used to disrupt the unwanted behavior. Once that is achieved, you replace the unwanted behavior with some desired behavior. Now the St. Bernard was clicked and treated for being in heel position, and this gigantic puppy was walking sedately at a heel in no time.

While it is fine to give a treat every time while you are shaping a behavior, if you were to continue this way, the dog would soon learn to do the least possible work to earn the treat. Once a behavior is occurring reliably, you can switch to variable reinforcement; you reward only the best performances of the behavior.

Don’t raise your sights too high all at once, or the dog may get discouraged and quit; rather, gradually demand better and better performances. Improvement usually happens quickly, and both you and the dog will be delighted with the outcome.

There was so much more to this seminar than can be covered in one article - stimulus control, behavior chains and a funny warning about compound commands (the “sit sit” syndrome). For a more in-depth discussion of these concepts, read Pryor’s book, “Don’t Shoot the Dog.” Be sure to play the Training Game with people; you’ll learn much about how this system works. As Pryor warns, this is a way to think about training, not a set of rigid rules. Each trainer will shape a behavior slightly differently, clicking at a different time and demanding higher or lower standards from the beginning.

You may even find yourself using what you’ve learned on your boss or co-worker. Primarily, I hope you will use it to better understand your dog.

I knew I wanted to train my next dog without a choke chain and without punishing him before he knew what he was doing to earn the punishment. Operant conditioning has given me a whole new language to use.

Cheryl S. Smith lives in Campbell, Calif., with one human and four canine roommates, some of whom are trained better than others.

Barn Hunt is a new and exciting sport in the United States. While only being around for a handful of years, it has absolutely exploded in popularity. Creator, Robin Nuttall, states on the official Barn Hunt Association website, "Today Barn Hunt is the fastest growing dog sport in the U.S. The popularity of the sport has exploded because the dogs and the people have so much fun. We welcome everyone, from seasoned dog sport competitors to people who have never even been to a dog show before. Our titles are recognized by both the AKC and UKC."

Barn Hunt is based on the vermin hunting that is still performed by terrier breeds today. In vermin hunting, dogs are used to chase, capture, and kill vermin that are found on farms, particularly rodents. Owners may choose to receive training in the sport with a local Barn Hunt trainer before entering their first trial while others just jump right into competing!

In the sport of Barn Hunt, dogs of any breed or mix can participate aged 6 months and older. Dogs and their humans work together to find live rats hidden safely in PVC tubes and must complete a tunnel and climb (dog climbs/jumps with all four feet onto a straw bale) under a time limit. Rats are not seen by the humans and are kept safely inside of the PVC tubes. Also on the course may be tubes containing only litter or empty tubes. How many of each type of tube depends on the class.

Owners/handlers do not know where tubes are hidden. Dog's use their keen sense of smell to locate the rats and indicate to their owner/handler where the rat is located. It is the handler's job to tell the judge that their dog has indicated a rat. If correct, the dog can continue to look for additional rats depending on the class the dog is participating in or they can complete the tunnel and climb requirements if they have not already.

When a rat is found and the handler tells the judge a rat is found correctly, one of three things can happen with the rat tube -
1. The handler can restrain the dog two feet away from the tube and a "rat wrangler" assistant inside the ring will remove the tube from the ring.
2. The handler can remove the tube and hand it to the rat wrangler or to someone outside of the ring and the tube is removed.
3. The tube can be left in place. If the dog goes back and disturbs the tube (excessively moves it, rolls it, picks it up, etc.) the judge may disqualify the dog.

The most common automatic disqualifications include but are not limited to -
1. Dog eliminates inside the ring.
2. Handler forgets to remove all items from the dog (collar, leash, etc.).
3. Handler tracks time/looks at watch.
4. Handler takes food, toys, or other reward into the ring.
5. Handler takes phone or other communication device inside of the blind (waiting area) before or into the ring during their turn.
6. Handler scruffs/grabs dog at any time inside the ring.
7. Handler lifts dog up with 3 or 4 of the dog's feet off of the ground/bale at any time after the run has started. 2 of the dog's feet must be touching the ground/bale at all times.
8. Handler touches a bale or otherwise touches the course.

The classes get increasingly difficult as each class changes in length of tunnel/number of turns in the tunnel, how many bales are on the course, how tall the bales may be stacked, the number of rat tubes, the number of litter tubes, the length of time allowed, the size of the course, the number of qualifying scores required to obtain a title, etc.

The classes of competition are as follows - 

Instinct (Optional Class):
Time Limit - 1 Minute
Tubes - 1 Rat tube, 1 Litter tube, 1 Empty tube
Tube Location - Tubes are sat out in the open and are secured.
Tunnel - No tunnel required.
Climb - No climb required.
Bales - May be stacked up to 2 high.
1 qualifying score required to earn the RATI title.

​Novice:
Time Limit - 2 Minutes
​Tubes - 1 Rat tube, 1 Litter tube, 1 Empty tube. Tubes are hidden in straw bales and dogs must indicate on the correct tube containing the rat.
Tube Location - At least one tube of any type must be elevated. All tubes may be elevated.
Tunnel - Short tunnel, no turns required.
Climb - Climb required.
Bales - Stacked up to 2 high in at least two places but no more than 3 places.
3 qualifying scores required to earn the RATN title.

​​Open:
Time Limit - 2.5 Minutes
​Tubes - 2 Rat tubes, 2 Litter tubes, 1 Empty tube. Tubes are hidden in straw bales and dogs must indicate on the correct tubes containing the rats.
Tunnel -  1 turn required, "L" shape.
Climb - Climb required.
Bales - Stacked up to 2 high in at least 3 places. 5 or more bales placed two high together counts as two places.
3 qualifying scores required to earn the RATO title.

Senior:
Time Limit - 3.5 Minutes
​Tubes - 4 Rat tubes, 3 Litter tubes, 1 Empty tube. Tubes are hidden in straw bales and dogs must indicate on the correct tubes containing the rats.
Tunnel -  2-3 turns required, shape varies. May have more than two official entrances. Course may have more than one official tunnel.
Climb - Climb required.
Bales - Stacked up to 3 high in at least one place.
3 qualifying scores required to earn the RATS title.

Master:
Time Limit - 4.5 Minutes
​Tubes - 1-5 Rat tubes, 3-7 Litter tubes, No Empty tubes. Tubes are hidden in straw bales and dogs must indicate on the correct tubes containing the rats. 8 tubes are hidden on the course, the number of rat tubes and litter tubes is chosen at random. Handler must tell the judge when the course is clear of all rats.
1 Rat tube, 7 Litter tubes
2 Rat tubes, 6 Litter tubes
3 Rat tubes, 5 Litter tubes
4 Rat tubes, 4 Litter tubes
5 Rat tubes, 3 Litter tubes
Tunnel -  2-5 turns required, shape varies. May have more than two official entrances. Course may have more than one official tunnel.
Climb - Climb required.
Bales - Stacked up to 3 high in at least two places.
5 qualifying scores under at least 2 different judges required to earn the RATM title.

Barn Hunt Championship:
After a dog has completed their RATM title, they may continue to compete in the Master class. 10 additional qualifying scores after obtaining a RATM will earn the dog a RATCH title (Barn Hunt Champion).

Barn Hunt Championship Excellent:
After a dog has completed their RATCH title, they may continue to compete in the Master class. 10 additional qualifying scores after obtaining a RATCH will earn the dog a RATCHX title (Barn Hunt Champion Excellent). For every additional 10 qualifying scores the dog will earn another title and a number will be added - RATCHX2, RATCHX3, RATCHX4....

Non-Regular Class - "Crazy 8s"
Crazy 8s is a non-regular class that does not require any previous titles and dogs are scored on a point system, not a pass/fail system. Dogs and handlers race to find as many rats as possible and to complete elements in 2 minutes.
Point System - Elements are scored for points.
+10 points for every rat found - failure to find at least one rat results in a non-qualifying run.
-20 points for an incorrect call (litter tube) - 2 incorrect calls result in a non-qualifying run.
+10 points for tunnel
-20 points for failure to complete tunnel
+10 points for climb
-20 points for failure to complete one climb
+5 Bonus points for finding 8 rats and completing a tunnel and a climb under 1 minute 45 seconds ("Bonus").
+5 Additional Bonus points for finding 8 rats and completing a tunnel and a climb under 1 minute 30 seconds ("Super Bonus").

Earning Titles - Dogs earn between 30-110 points per qualifying run in Crazy 8s. For every 500 points earned, a title is awarded.
CZ8B: Crazy 8s Bronze, 500 points accumulated.
CZ8S: Crazy 8s Silver, CZ8B plus 500 points for a total of 1000 points.
CZ8G: Crazy 8s Gold, CZ8S plus 500 points for a total of 1,500 points.
CZ8P: Crazy 8s Platinum, CZ8G plus 500 points for a total of 2000 points.
After the dog reaches the Platinum level, further titles are earned in 500 point increments. A dog with 2500 for example, is awarded Crazy 8s Platinum Bronze, or CZ8PB, and so on. Double Platinum will be abbreviated as CZ8P2.

Time Limit - 2 Minutes
​Tubes - 8 Rat tubes, 4 Litter tubes. Tubes are hidden in straw bales and dogs must indicate on the correct tubes containing the rats.
Tunnel -  2-5 turns required or point penalty. Tunnel shape varies. May have more than two official entrances. Course may have more than one official tunnel.
Climb - Climb required or point penalty.
Bales - Stacked up to 2 high in at least one place.

To check out this exciting sport by looking for trials in your area, please use the search feature on the official Barn Hunt Association website at ​http://barnhunt.com/eventcal.html to find local trials near you.

5-13-2017 - ​We gained permission from the owner to post this story, however, the owner asked us not to share any identifying information.

We recently were contacted about training a young puppy. The owner is a first time dog owner and was working with their third dog trainer at this point and was growing worried about the puppy who was becoming increasingly growly around food, treats, and chews when that behavior wasn't seen previously (the first month this puppy was in this home).

The puppy, being an unruly puppy, had a few other issues and needed general obedience and the owner wasn't seeing any results. They fired their third trainer and arranged a board and train with us at our home in Flint, Michigan.

The puppy settled in well and began playing with adult dogs and quickly learned appropriate behavior and bite inhibition during play. We switched his food with the owner's permission from a low quality kibble to a high quality kibble and saw a reduction in the excessive hyperness and need to absolutely chug down his food as fast as he could. Things were looking up.

Here is a "do not try this at home" -
The puppy received a recreational chew bone, myself knowing full well there was a potential for the resource guarding to pop up because I hadn't yet seen it with this new higher quality kibble. Suddenly, as all the best training experiences seem to happen, it appeared - growling, snarling, and snapping out of this 20 pound puppy. Just a baby, about 4 months old. Because it was a 20 pound puppy - I took the bone and gave it back, took it and gave it back, over and over in a 3 minute session. I was bit but I showed absolutely zero reaction. Very very quickly the puppy realized, biting gets me no where - this person doesn't react or move and when I am quiet I get it back.

Now for the medical part of this story. This puppy had multiple veterinary checks with the usual vaccinations. The owner also told us that the veterinarian performed what the owner described as a rectal exam. The owner verified these things as well as provided a signature that there was no evidence of internal or external parasites that we require from all owners. We are the fourth trainer for this puppy because the others weren't achieving results or weren't otherwise knowledgeable or suitable for various reasons.

Less than a week into his board and train there it was. A dead adult roundworm in his stool.

The puppy (and everyone else in our home) was immediately placed on a worming protocol with fenbendazole (brand names of Safe-Guard and Panacur)*** if they weren't already on a worming medication that included roundworm treatment.
***Consult your veterinarian before administering any worming treatments.

Today is day 4 of treatment and I saw the true severity of this infestation.

Being a first time dog owner, the owner had no idea and took everyone's advice. The veterinarian told the owner that this puppy was free of internal and external parasites. Of the three previous trainers the owner talked to one trainer about health care. The owner was told by that one trainer that the puppy was too young to worry about worming/heartworm medications yet.

I watched the puppy struggle today to pass the shear load of roundworms. 8-10 adult worms in a single segment of stool (beware: picture at the end of this article) and the puppy had passed 5 of these segments in a single potty break this afternoon.

Here is the moral of this story - DO NOT TAKE A NEGATIVE FECAL EXAM OR RECTAL EXAM AS AN "ALL CLEAR" FOR DOGS NO MATTER THEIR AGE.

Even I have been told that my dogs were "negative" for internal parasites only to see them come out in stool after our regular scheduled worming. (Note: We worm our personal dogs at least every 6 months because we attend dog shows regularly).

If you attend a place such as a doggie daycare or if you regularly attend areas that are of high-traffic to dogs make sure you have a regular schedule in place even if they have a "negative fecal exam requirement." Time and time again I have seen dogs with "negative" fecal exams turn out to have parasites.

The most common monthly heartworm medications will cover roundworms and a few other types of worms. Make sure you know exactly what the medications you give your dog(s) covers. Most do NOT cover tapeworms so make sure you have a seperate worming protocol for tapeworms. They also do not cover microscopic parasites such as Giardia - you can not see Giardia with your naked eye and it is very commonly missed by veterinarians. Ask your veterinarian if you have any questions about a regular worming protocol.

Turns out, this poor puppy had never been properly wormed in its entire life. The veterinarian and other dog (training) professionals should have known better and known basic dog health and worming protocols. Seek medical assistance if you visually see worms in stool. I am not going to give medical advice or our worming protocol in this article.

I can't help but think that as the parasite load of this puppy grew, his resource guarding of food sources also grew because the puppy was being increasingly robbed of nutrients to grow by all of these adult roundworms. Without proper guidance from an experienced trainer this would have turned into a major issue in short order with children in the home. With this medical issue taken care of and some additional training, I expect to see the full recovery of this guarding behavior by the end of the board and train program as well as some weight gain for this young pup.

I do not blame the first time dog owner for this at all. They provided us with all the "right" information and veterinary forms - multiple veterinary exams, vaccinations, verification that they had not seen any evidence of internal or external parasites, etc. prior to beginning our board and train program.

Negative fecals will never be a guarantee. Consult with your veterinarian about a regular worming protocol for your dog(s).

​WARNING: PHOTO BELOW

​One of the most disturbing, not to mention disgusting, habits a dog may have is poop eating. Scientifically known as coprophagia, it is very common issue in dog behavior and is one that has owners running for answers. Before we can treat it, we need to know possible causes and to rule out any medical issues.

It Is Instinctual

​Just like stalking prey or circling before lying down your dog may have this remnant instinct still lurking under their skin. Occasionally, we see dogs that are of lower ranking status eat the stool of higher ranking pack members.

​In other situations, such as when a mother has young puppies, the mother will clean her puppies to stimulate them to “go” and then will proceed to ingest any excrement. This keeps her puppies and den clean and prevents predators from finding the babies based on excrement scent.

With wild dogs and other scavengers, they will frequently consume whatever stool they come across to gain any leftover nutrients and/or enzymes that are found in the stool.

Doggy See, Doggy Eat Doo

​Dogs are amazing at learning things from other dogs. Litters of puppies who have had the chance to watch other puppies or adult dogs completing a task are 50% faster at figuring out how to complete the same task when it was their turn. Same thing happens with other behaviors such as barking, dogs who are escape artists, and yes, poop eating. Puppies grow up seeing mom eat the stool and when they start exploring (mainly with their mouths of course) they may pick up the habit. Most of the time this is eliminated by the time the puppy is 8 weeks old and ready to leave mom.

Dogs who live in a multidog household or who frequent places with multiple dogs (dog parks, daycares, boarding facilities, etc) are more likely to eat poop. In a 2012 study, researchers led by Dr. Benjamin Hart, from the University of California, Davis, found that 20% of dogs in single dog households ate poop while 33% of dogs who lived in households of three or more dogs ate poop.

​Dogs also learn from you. If you punish your dog by rubbing his nose in his poop (which is a terrible way to deal with the issue and can cause other problems) or if your dog sees you disposing of his poop, he may try to “dispose of the evidence” or clean up after himself.

​Diet

Your dog’s digestive system has various enzymes to break down food. Dogs that are on processed (kibble, canned, or dehydrated) diets with increased carbohydrates and plant proteins seem to pick up the habit of eating poop more frequently than dogs on low/no carbohydrate, high animal protein diets. Some veterinary nutritionists have suggested that eating stool helps replenish enzymes and recycles waste.

​Overfed dogs and dogs on diets with carbohydrates and plant proteins leave wasted nutrients behind and the dog (or other dogs who have access) may feel inclined to eat the stool with excess nutrients. By improving your dog’s diet, you can decrease or eliminate the odds that your dog will eat or continue to eat stool (more on this in part 2).

Attention

​In many cases, a dog’s behavior is directly related to the owner’s behavior. Attention is attention, whether it is good or bad, and even bad attention can be reinforcing the dog to continue the behavior. Dogs that are bored, lonely, anxious, or stressed may pick up the habit simply out of not having a better outlet or to keep their living area clean just like their mother would have.

​Nutrient or Enzyme Deficiency

​A lack of various B vitamins is often a cited cause for dogs who consume stool. Brewer’s yeast, a multivitamin, or both, can help. Brewer’s yeast is a well-known nutritional supplement known for being packed with chromium and B vitamins as well as helping aid in digestion. There are many brands of brewer’s yeast and multivitamins available at pet specialty stores. Brewer’s yeast should not be given to dogs with any sensitivities to grains.

​Other Medical Causes

​Dogs with an enzyme or nutrient deficiency, parasites, pancreatitis, or other illness are likely to eat stool. All coprophagic dogs should be examined by a veterinarian. There is little scientific knowledge or studies on coprophagia itself but there are both medical and behavioral causes. We urge you to rule out any medical causes with a veterinarian before setting out on any dietary changes.
 
Here are a few of the most common medical conditions that can be linked to coprophagia –

• Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas that can be triggered by several factors. Infections, metabolic disorders, medications, obesity are just a handful of possible causes of pancreatitis.
• Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency: EPI is the result of a malfunctioning pancreas that is not creating enough digestive enzymes.
• Intestinal Infections & Parasites: Infections can happen for any number of reasons, but parasites are a common cause of intestinal stress and infection.
• Malabsorptive Syndromes: The exact cause of this disorder is unknown, but it may be related to allergies to grains (corn, wheat, soy, etc).

 
Dogs who have lived in a home with an ill dog are more likely to begin eating stool. Common theories include that the ill dog is not absorbing all nutrients and thus is leaving behind nutrient rich stool as well as that, from a survival standpoint, cleaning up behind the sick dog will decrease the likelihood of other predators from trying to take advantage of a disabled member of the pack.

In Part 2, available soon, we discuss how to treat this behavior.

It’s not cute when your pet’s life could be in danger or is in danger. It is worse when it is the owner's fault which is more times the case than when it isn’t. I have seen more times than I care to think about owners posting photos or stories about their animals online. The following are just handful of real situations that have come across my facebook in the last 48 hours. Names have been changed to protect the guilty - guilty owners that is.

• “Max ate a hole in my drywall! Look at his guilty face!”
• “RIP my poor furbaby Pixi! She ran out into the road and got hit by a car, she was only one and a half years old.”
• “Diesel broke out of his crate again and ate my sofa!”
• “Lolly dug out under the fence and ran away, please pray for her safe return. She has a collar but no tags.”
• “Penny was bit at the dog park today! Now we are at the emergency vet!”

The list could go on and on! None of these scenarios include what happens when owners don't take their animals to the vet when they begin showing signs of illness or fail to keep them on prescribed medications.

​The worst part? Accidents happen - but most, if not all, of these scenarios can be prevented using three things – Supervision, Management, Training.

Supervision – Watch your dog at all times and/or keep a leash on the dog – freedom is earned it is not a privilege. Some may think this is harsh but would you let your 5 year old run around unsupervised? Some do and what do we get – videos of kids who have smeared their brother head to toe in peanut butter, markers and paint all over the walls and furniture, flour spread ceiling to floor in the entire house, and the list goes on. All I can think is “Where were the parents?” and the same thing goes for dogs. Watch your dog at all times.

There is a whole idea surrounding keeping your dog on leash 24/7 - it's called umbilical training and it is a great way to bond and speed up obedience training. If you are paying attention to your dog, you can prevent and stop so many accidents from happening! While you are at it – reward your dog when they are doing a good behavior. 

Management - anything we do to manage the dog’s behavior. Keeping it on a leash, keeping it in a crate or kennel, having the puppy in an x-pen (exercise pen), providing enough structured exercise, etc.

Training - Training is anything we teach the dog to do – or not to do.

I am going to go through these situations and apply these three things. Supervision is the same for everything – PAY ATTENTION AND WATCH YOUR DOG!

Many comments to these types of posts are sympathetic, "praying for your furbaby" or "awe so sad". No one ever calls out the owner on their negligence and irresponsibility in these situations. I use to feel bad and have sympathy but I have become a bit cynical - DOGS ARE NEEDLESSLY DYING. These animals are the owner's responsibility. Not supervising and managing them for their own safety, not to mention the safety of others, is negligent and inexcusable and can cost your dog its life.

Step up and be a responsible dog owner. Seek help with training if you need it.

My goal of the article is not to persuade anyone for or against prong collars (also known as pinch collars or training collars) but rather my goal is to write an article with public photos to show the proper and safest way to use one.
It is all about SAFETY.

A study on prong collars was done in Germany with 100 dogs. Half used choke and half used prong collars. The dogs were studied for their entire lives and when they died, autopsies were performed. Of the 50 who had chokes, 48 had injuries to the neck, trachea or back. Two of those were determined to be genetic. The other 46 were caused by trauma. Of the 50 who had prongs, two had injuries in the neck area; one was determined to be genetic and one was caused by trauma.

Prong collars are designed to correct with even pressure all the way around the dog's neck to protect the trachea and other sensitive areas.

If you are in a hurry please scroll down to "Quick Release and Backup Collars".

​History – Prong collars were created by a veterinarian whose goal was to create a training collar that is safer to use then a choke / slip chain. In 1942, Hans Tossutti wrote his book Companion Dog Training where he advocates for the prong collar when he writes the following about prong collars - "a well-thought-out, cruelty-preventing device which at the same time assists in systematic training," but felt that the choke collar, "though quite innocuous in appearance, is an instrument of torture in the hands of the beginner because of its unlimited choke."

​Legality – Prong collars are legal in the United States, however, it is illegal in some states to use the prong collar to tether a dog. You should NEVER tether a dog or leave a dog unattended with a prong collar on.

Myths – There are many myths surrounding prong collars and an article written by K9 Pro, the K9 Professionals covers many of the myths.

​Bust the Myths About Prong Collars!
​
1)      They look like a medieval torture device!
Prong collars do look scary but don’t judge a book by its cover (or in this case, a tool by its appearance!). The prongs are completely blunt and if you put one on yourself, you’ll soon discover they are no where near as “barbaric” as you may first assume. 
 
2)      They only work because they cause pain
Actually, the reality is quite the opposite – prong collars provide an effective correction without excessive effort or frustration from the handler. The prongs are spaced evenly around the dog’s neck, which means they cause no damage and are more effective than check chains because they apply pressure points to the skin, not muscle. This means that it takes far less force or pressure to apply an effective correction than it does with any other corrective tool.
 
3)      The prongs are sharp and puncture/pierce the dog’s skin
One thing you’ll notice straight away when you handle a prong collar is that the prongs are completely blunt and most definitely do not puncture or pierce the dog’s skin! Some anti-prong collar advocates show pictures of marks around the dog’s neck that look like puncture wounds, this occurs if a collar is left on the dog and never taken off as it could eventually cause irritation that in turn causes infection, this is caused pressure necrosis and can happen even with flat collars or check chains that are left on for a long period of time (which is neglect!) allowing the collar to imbed in the dog’s skin.
 
4)      People sharpen the prongs!
This is common propaganda often bought up when people are told or shown how blunt the prongs on the collar actually are. We’ve never seen any evidence that people sharpen the prongs, but if they did so, it would be clear abuse and nothing to do with the tool itself, but the person using it as a tool for abuse. Even if it were true, do you think banning prong collars would stop the people that would sharpen them from using and abusing them?
 
 5)      The dogs aren’t learning anything and it shuts them down
Prongs very commonly used in training for high end sports, such as Schutzhund, IPO, Mondio ring, KNPV etc. To compete in such sports you need loads of drive, shut down dogs would not even make the start peg. Prongs do not take drive out of a dog.
 
6)      Science proves that dogs learn better with positive reinforcement, tools like prong collars are unnecessary!
Dogs do learn better with positive reinforcement, prongs are a tool to help add consequence to already learned but undesirable habits. When a dog would escalate to a high state of arousal, offering food, toys and praise is most times completely ineffective, so it becomes impossible to get them into the learning zone. Prong collars can help the handler control the dog’s level of arousal so the dog can stay in the learning zone and reward their dog.
 
7)      There are kinder tools like head collars
We don’t want to focus on comparing prongs to other tools, but as this is a tool that is often given as a ‘gentler’ and ‘kinder’ alternative to prong collars we wanted to address some myths that are commonly put forward about head collars in comparison to prongs.
 
This is a common argument put forward by anti-prong collar advocates, which we always find quite hypocritical. Head collars are an aversive tool just like any other correctional aid, the plain and simple fact is that if they weren’t aversive they wouldn’t work. Head collars were designed based off the head halters used to lead horses, despite the fact that the placement of nerves in a dog’s face differs hugely to horses. The pressure applied to the face of a dog wearing a head collar can be quite painful and stressful to the dog, this is why you often see dogs have an extreme reaction when a head collar is fitted – clawing at their face, rolling on the ground, trying anything to get the head collar off.
 
Head collar advocates will tell you that dogs need to be desensitized to the head collar – this can take weeks to achieve this and have a dog who will happily have the head collar put on, and even then some dogs still hate wearing them.
 
There is no doubt that head collars ARE an aversive tool. Head collars work when the dog pulls out, the pressure on the face plus the strain on the dogs neck muscles trying to keep its head facing forward all add up to pain, stress and loss of drive, therefore giving you a dog that doesn't pull. It’s quite ironic, then, that the people who oppose the use of prong collars quite often recommend head collars instead.
 
It’s important to note that we are not interested in banning head collars or any other training tool, we think that banning any tool is a slippery slope and does not address the important issues – banning a tool is not the answer, proper education on how, why and when to use them is!
 
8)      Prong collars don’t train or teach dogs anything, and they go back to pulling or displaying bad behavior as soon as you take them off.
First let me say that prong collars don’t teach dogs to do anything, neither does food nor any reward or aversive. The handler / trainer teaches the dog and uses re enforcers to steer the dog away from undesirable traits and toward desirable ones.
 
Even if it was the case that dogs went back to pulling, it wouldn’t be a flaw in the tool but a flaw in the training, but let’s say for a moment that is true, some people have all but given up on their dogs, believing the dog cannot just be trained or stopped, if a prong collar gives that person even a 1% glimmer of hope, that dog can live on.
 
 9)      People who use prong collars can abuse their dogs
If you replace “prong collar” in the above sentence with “check chain, halter, flat collar, clicker” the same can apply.
 
People who use prong collars properly do not cause pain to their dogs and most importantly, do not abuse their dogs. Any tool can be use to abuse a dog, including flat collars and leashes! We’ve never seen a prong collar abuse a dog or cause it pain without there being an idiot on the end of the leash willing and ready to abuse their dogs.
 
Abuse is the user, not the tool!
 
 10)    They should only be used as a last resort
The problem with this approach is that you should be using a tool that is most appropriate for the dog and handler rather than going through a variety of tools and methods that don’t work, only for the dog to learn that if he persists, he can win. Every time you apply a different tool or method without success the dog becomes that much more resistant to training. It is by far better to address the problem quickly, with whatever tool will be the most effective and appropriate for the dog and handler using it.
 
11)   Prong collars are just to give harder more painful corrections.
They can be used this way for sure, again so can any tool, but they have a greater power. When Steve from K9 Pro works with a client who has an out of control dog and it is deemed in that circumstance that a correction collar is needed, many times a prong is chosen over a check chain or martingale collar simply because it allows the user to deliver an emotionless correction from a less frustrated handler that is no longer struggling with their dog.
 
12)   Prong collars cause harm!
Quite simply, prove it! There is no evidence anywhere to say that they cause harm at all. Hearsay, pictures of complacent people who leave collars on their dogs indefinitely and rumors of people sharpening prongs isn’t proof.
 
Written by K9 Pro, the K9 Professionals

​The picture (above left) frequently circulates anti-prong and 100% positive reinforcement circles as to why “all prong collars are dangerous”. Let me be clear – this does not happen in one use, this doesn’t even happen overnight. This is a dog who was likely tethered with the prong collar or the collar was left on the dog for weeks to grow into the skin. The same thing can happen with your everyday flat collar (above middle) or horse "head halter" style collar also marketed as "Gentle Leaders" (horse halter above right, dog halter bottom left) and is undoubtedly cruel animal abuse! The bottom center and right photos were harnesses that anti-prong people like to use instead. Abuse is abuse! 

Quick Release and Backup Collars -

​Sizing The Links – Now that we have covered the legalities, myths, and the dangers of quick release collars - if you are going to use a prong collar here is what you need to know.

Links are sized to the dog’s hair length not the dog’s weight - you can buy extra links or a second collar to get enough links to fit your dogs neck size.

Micro (1.6mm links) – these are special-order prong collars that are for dogs under 15 pounds with short to medium hair. If the dog has long or thick fluffy hair a small may fit better.

Small (2.25mm links) – These will work for most dogs 10-90 pounds with a typical coat of hair. If the dog has a large amount of thick fluffy hair such as – Old English Sheepdog, Collie, Long Coat Malamute, Poodle / “doodles” who are not trimmed, corded breeds, etc. – look into medium or large links

Medium (3.0mm links) / Large (3.4mm links) – These are for dogs with large amounts of thick fluffy hair such as – Old English Sheepdog, Collie, Long Coat Malamute, Poodle / “doodles” who are not trimmed, corded breeds, etc. If your dog is over 80 pounds and is a mastiff or bully breed who is exceptionally strong a Medium may be for you but save the Large for those dogs with the long thick and fluffy coats.

X-Large (3.9mm and larger links) – These are excessive status symbols – I have never seen a need for a collar so large.

​Fitting The Collar – The collar should fit high under the ears and snuggly under the jaw. If the collar is too loose or the links are an incorrect size this is when damage can be caused. If you have any questions – ASK before using.

Dead Rings & Live Rings - So what are "dead rings" and what are "live rings"'?

The dead ring is the metal circle ring that does not spin (this does not apply to micro prongs) while the live ring is the "D" shaped ring that spins and prevents the leash from tangling.

For the majority of people who are going to be using a prong collar they are going to use a prong with the leash attached to the LIVE RING ONLY. There are some instances when one might choose to attach the leash to the live ring and the dead ring at the same time (we are assuming everything else is fitted properly and snug at this point).

The main reason is to reduce the action on the collar (the action is the range of movement of the chain - depending on the fit of the collar this can vary).
Why would someone need to reduce the action?
1. Due to the dog's response, less action is beneficial (this is not typical).
2. The dog is trained and the handler wishes to wean the dog off of the use of the prong collar.
3. Certain circumstances in which a working dog is being trained (I am not going to go into these circumstances here) where the handler needs more control than a flat collar provides but less action than the live ring only.

Note: Remember if both rings are used the prong essentially turns into a type of flat collar and will create uneven pressure just as a flat collar will. Both rings should not be used simultaneously for the majority of dogs in training, especially if they have not yet learned to walk on a loose leash.

​Pop & Release – A collar correction should never last longer than a split second. “Pop” the collar is tight for a split second then the leash immediately goes slack for the “Release.” Do not allow the leash to go tight for more than a second.

Leash Pressure Work - Speak with a knowledgeable trainer before attempting this training with your dog.

 Written On Saturday, October 3, 2015. Updated Thursday, March 24, 2022.

All Photo Credits Go To Doggie Drawings By Lili Chin

​5 Tips For Immediately Improving Your Dog's Behavior

1. Increase Structured Exercise - Meandering about the backyard doesn't use a dog's brain and does not push him to vigorously exercise in a structured way. Try regular walks or runs with your dog. Remember: A Tired Dog Is A Good Dog.

2. Increase Supervision - Tired of your dog doing things behind your back? The solution is simple - increase supervision and consider tethering (otherwise known as umbilical training). Tethering helps you teach the dog what is right and wrong immediately because he is no more than 6 feet away from you at any given time. When the dog is not tethered to you, crate him with appropriate toys.

3. Decrease Boredom - Provide toys such as frozen stuffed Kongs (the red snowman shaped toys), puzzles, bully sticks, etc to prevent boredom.

4. Learn To Earn & Nothing In Life Is Free (NILF) - Make your dog work for his food. You mean more to him when all good things come from you. Bonus - training and good behavior will come quickly when his attention is on you and your attention is on rewarding good behaviors.

5. Work On Engagement With Your Dog - Engagement is structured focus in various environments. Concentrated focus is often rewarded with toy play and bonding.